RIM Details BlackBerry Patent Workaround

By Geoff Duncan February 9, 2006

Canada’s Research in Motion has announced its contingency plan to keep its BlackBerry wireless service operating in the United States even if the company loses the bitter patent dispute with NTP Holdings.

The patent dispute between RIM and NTP continues to generate drama: the U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to hear RIM’s appeal of an injunction which would shut down BlackBerry service in the United States. In the meantime, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, on its own schedule, has been provisionally invalidating the patents NTP claims RIM’s BlackBerry devices infringe upon. And the district court clock keeps ticking: a court hearing February 24 could mandate the shutdown of allegedly infringing technologies and services within the United States.

To counter the uncertainty

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Mobile

TCL won’t make BlackBerry phones anymore, sending the brand back into limbo

BlackBerry Key2 LE review

TCL Communication has announced it will no longer be making BlackBerry smartphones, after taking over the dormant brand at the end of 2016, and bringing it back to life with a series of ever-improving devices. In a statement tweeted out by the official BlackBerry Mobile account, TCL Communication does not have the rights to design, manufacture, or sell BlackBerry phones any longer.

This means the BlackBerry Key 2 LE will be the last BlackBerry-branded phone produced by TCL Communication to be released, and it follows the BlackBerry Key 2, and the BlackBerry KeyOne. TCL Communication’s BlackBerry phones took the features fans of the brand loved — the physical keyboard, long battery life, and extra levels of security — and put them inside modern hardware with Google Android software. While not for everyone, they were successful with those either familiar with the brand, or those looking for something a little different.
What does this mean for BlackBerry?
The future of BlackBerry phones is once again unknown. While TCL Communication will not make another BlackBerry phone, it does not necessarily mean we will never see another BlackBerry phone. It’s possible the global license could be snapped up by another company eager to capitalize on the brand’s highly recognizable name. HMD Global, for example, has seen considerable success with the Nokia name since acquiring the license, while British phone maker Bullitt owns the license to make phones from brands including Cat, JCB, and Land Rover.

Mobile

Apple patent provides more details about rumored augmented reality headset

apple file system

Apple has long been rumored to be working on an augmented reality headset, and a newly published Apple patent may give us a better look at what that headset could end up looking like.

The patent was filed by Apple in March, and gives details about the tech that may power the headset. In fact, according to the patent, instead of using a display to show off information, the glasses may make use of a "reflective holographic combiner" to display an image. In other words, the headset will reflect an image off the lens of the glasses, working kind of like a projector.

Mobile

BlackBerry Key2 LE: Everything you need to know

The BlackBerry Key2 LE is back home at Verizon, but only for business types

BlackBerry Key2 LE Hands On

The BlackBerry Key LE is a lower-cost version of the Key2, doing away with some of the more high-tech features seen on the expensive sister phone, and cutting costs by using different materials for the body, to create a more affordable but still distinctly BlackBerry smartphone.

You can check out our Key2 LE review to learn more about what it's like to live with the phone, but in the meantime, here are all the technical specs, details, and availability options.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is available to buy at Verizon, but only to business and enterprise customers, according to reports. Verizon's selling the Key2 LE for $450 without a contract, or for $100 if you sign up for a two-year plan. The phone does not show up on Verizon's non-business store, so there does not seem to be the option to buy the phone for this price without a business plan.