PACKET RAT: CrackBerry ruling is just preciousssss

 

Connecting state and local government leaders

While much of America was waiting to see who would wear what for the Oscars, a certain subset of the population had something else entirely on their minds.

While much of America was waiting to see who would wear what for the Oscars, a certain subset of the population had something else entirely on their minds. With a showdown unfolding in court that threatened to cut them off, mobile e-mail users looked with tears at their BlackBerrys and said, 'I can't quit you!'That obsession was brought to a Hollywood ending on March 3, prompting many an otherwise macho road warrior to get all Brokeback over his wireless e-mail device. 'CrackBerry' addicts collectively unclenched their hands and took in a deep breath when Research In Motion Ltd. reached a settlement with intellectual property raiders NTP, ensuring that the BlackBerry mail service would not be shut down by the courts.The news was cause for special celebration in the corridors of some federal agencies. U.S. District Court Judge James R. Spencer had rejected pleas from the Justice Department back in November to give federal BlackBerry users a special exemption from any injunction against the service, a move that had at least one furry federal IT manager hyperventilating over just the thought of e-mail withdrawal.But after hearing that RIM is coughing up $612 million to end NTP's legal threats, the Rat held his handheld aloft and ran victory laps around the IT operations bunker, singing Queen's 'We Are the Champions.' He then headed out after work with his fellow BlackBerry users to celebrate with a stiff cheese martini.With the immediate threat out of the way, and more than a half-billion dollars trading hands as a result, the cyberrodent suspects that sticks are being sharpened in various quarters for a follow-up fight. And the Patent and Trademark Office is probably going to have its name written on some of those barbs, even as it's throwing out some of the patents on which NTP based its suit against RIM.'Maybe it's time to actually start taking money out of the PTO for the general fund,' the Rat said with a smirk to a Commerce colleague still clutching his CrackBerry, 'and start putting some money into actually hiring and retaining patent examiners? Maybe?'The legal fireworks might not be over, either. Especially as the Supreme Court considers later this year whether someone like NTP'a patent-holding firm that makes no products based on its patents'can legally stop someone who actually makes products covered by the patent from doing so. And if the PTO throws out all of NTP's patents, there's always the chance that RIM might turn around and file its own suit against NTP.But all that really matters is that the Rat and the thousands of people like him who suffer from e-mail dependency were able to continue to check e-mail throughout the Oscars show, and kibitz with their thumbs over Jon Stewart's performance as host.Not all of the members of the whiskered one's household were so happy about the guaranteed continued flow of mobile e-mail, however. Mrs. Rat was hoping that NTP's litigation would give her a chance to separate her spouse from his information flow for a while without the need for an intervention. Now, to borrow a title from Oscar winners past, she's looking at many more lost weekends.

The Rat

Michael J. Bechetti


















The Packet Rat once managed networks but now spends his time ferreting out bad packets in cyberspace. E-mail him at rat@postnewsweektech.com/a>.

NEXT STORY: Evans, Barksdale honored

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.