RIMM

It has been a horrible year for Research In Motion, and things may not be getting any better for the BlackBerry maker come 2012. Despite all of the buyout speculation, RIM's stock has been a disaster. In fact, it's a foregone conclusion that RIM is toast.

Major tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Nokia have been eyeing BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, according to recent reports. True, we shouldn't jump to any conclusions based on the words of "unnamed sources." But all of the attention RIM's getting does make sense.

Apple shares are trading near their all-time high of $422.86, but most analysts expect them to go much higher. Forty-six analysts tracked by Thomson/First Call have a median price target of $500 -- an approximately 20% rise -- and the most optimistic among them forecasts the stock will hit $666 -- about 60% higher than it trades now.

Everyone but Research In Motion seems to know that many of today's BlackBerry owners will be on Android or iPhones by the time their two-year service contracts run out. RIM may have a beefy base of users now, but it might be smart to check again in a year or two.

Investors have abandoned Research In Motion, which may finally make it a good investment again. Twenty months ago, the smartphone company's shares traded at $85. The stock now changes hands at around $49. But there are good reasons to expect that it won't stay that low for long.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer debuts Tuesday, and for the many folks in the corporate world already armed with BlackBerry phones, the addition of a PlayBook may make sense. But there are a host of reasons why the average consumer may find the device not quite ready for the spotlight.

Smartphone sales are expected rise 49% this year to 450 million units, according to a new survey from electronics research firm IDC.

Apple has sued Amazon over the term "App Store." Apple says it holds the trademark and claims that an Amazon Appstore will confuse customers who will wonder if it is part of Apple.

Research In Motion (RIMM) will unveil its PlayBook tablet computer on April 10, according to the odd-but-often-correct website the Boy Genius Report. That's soon -- but perhaps not soon enough, based on Wednesday's launch of the Apple (AAPL) iPad 2. The PlayBook has been described by RIM as better...

Kodak has accused Apple and Research in Motion of infringing on one of its digital-imaging patents with the iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. But the International Trade Commission in Washington has ruled against Kodak in a preliminary decision.