I just read the latest CNN article, located here: http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/01/technology/rim/index.htm?cnn=yes
Here's how I understand it:
1) The U.S. Patent Office issued a "non-final" rejection of all five (5) NTP patents involved in the dispute.
To me, that should mean the lawsuit is practically dead. But ...
2) The judge is still threatening to impose an injuction that would shutdown the Blackberry E-mail service.
That makes no sense to me. I understand a jury found RIM guilty of patent infringement, but it's up to the judge to impose a sentence. If it turns out no crime was committed, shouldn't there be no punishment. (If a man was found guilty of murder, but the 'victim' was found to be alive, would the 'murderer' still be kept in prison ... [or executed, if in Texas ]
3) The Justice Department branch of the US Government, which would enforce the Judge's order, is trying to keep the Blackberry operational for the Gov't, but shutdown the service for the rest of the US.
Hello ... If they're going to shutdown Blackberry ... they should get the hurt with the rest of us.
Let me know if I've misunderstood something. Right now the ridiculous lack of common-sense in this case is unbelievable.