Multi-Mode to save BlackBerry (and help text as fortune cookies)?

In today's IT Blogwatch, we look at BlackBerry's BlackCherry -- StealthBerry? Not to mention help text as fortune cookies...

This subject is all 'berry' interesting  [you're fired -Ed.] for the multitudes of BlackBerry users. Our very own Richi Jennings at Richi'Blog tells us "RIM ... has been talking about its proposed workarounds for alleged patent infringement issues. (Quick summary: patent holding company NTP seeks injunction preventing RIM offering BlackBerry service in U.S., cites patent infringements on 'push' email.) ... there are two separate issues, each with their own workaround:

1. What happens when the user is out of coverage -- where is the incoming message queued? Workaround #1 queues the message at the server on the customer premises. Currently, messages are queued at RIM's network operations centers (NOCs).
2. What happens when a message arrives -- does the user need to do anything to receive it? Workaround #2 involves turning the BlackBerry 'push' model into a 'push/pull' model. Users will only get the message headers pushed to them. Some reports indicate that users will need to press a button to request that the message body be downloaded.

... in case of legal injunction, workaround #1 is all that is necessary. However, it looks like RIM is also secretly readying workaround #2 just in case ... this information is coming from anonymous RIM customers ... workaround #1 ... will simply delay some messages by a few seconds. However, workaround #2 is a different matter. If the anonymous reports are to be believed, #2 basically breaks the BlackBerry secret sauce. If the user needs to think about receiving messages, it isn't a BlackBerry any more -- it's just a wireless email device just like any other, except with a rather ugly on-screen graphic design. Users who are, say, riding the subway won't be able to read messages unless they explicitly pulled them before moving out of the coverage area. RIM needs to avoid workaround #2 at all costs."

» Mike, Pike Mall Tech:  "I had heard about the supposed workaround some time ago, but was leery about the existence of such a workaround. If RIM has had this all along, why not go ahead and implement it and be done with the lawsuit? Seems to me that it would have solved many problems (and tons of legal expenses) to move the new technology. But that's just me, and who am I? Just your average, everyday Blackberry user who has been waiting with baited breath to hear the outcome of the case. Especially since I haven't had my little toy for 6 months yet! Would have really sucked to lose it. But it looks as if the crisis has been averted. Now if I can just get my typing speed up on the dang keyboard. ..."

» One Little Twit: "a workaround solution to counter NTP’s legal claims ... I am a self-confessed BlackBerry addict and to the extent that i don’t even get phone numbers from people who use BlackBerry. These people are under the mercy of my very active thumbs. The BlackBerry Messenger allows me to contact my friends regularly and i’ve talked to people far more than i ever did with my cellphone just because it’s so convenient and all the three telecommunications companies in Singapore provides BlackBerry Unlimited packages which allow unlimited data usage ... use BlackBerry Messenger, get my emails pushed to me, surf the internet albeit a little slowly therefore i don’t really care about BlackBerry’s lack of camera functionality and fancy schmoo yet but i do think that it’ll be nice to have a pink BlackBerry that i can call my own and named it 'Strawberry' or something cheesy. :) Enough about geek-talk. Go away NTP and i love my BlackBerry"

» Commenting on an article by Heather Green at Businessweek,  sergiobevi: "I think that RIM, in the long run, knows the patents will be overturned. However, the damage done to the company in lost revenue through new customers is the key." Ben H.:  "If RIM would have concentrated their energies into a solution instead of the problem, this would have been avoided altogether. If RIM can come up with a workaround this quickly, imagine what can be done if they put more R&D into the solution."

» Ed Hardy, Brighthand:  "According to RIM, there are only nine claims relating to three NTP patents remaining in dispute in this lawsuit, and those claims are only directed to specific implementations of certain aspects of the BlackBerry service. As a result, RIM feels it was able to modify its underlying message delivery system to work around the NTP patent claims ... a software update called BlackBerry Multi-Mode Edition. It is so named because the software is capable of operating in different modes that can be remotely activated. In the absence of shut-down order, the software and the underlying message delivery system can continue to run just as it does now. If the court order does come, though, RIM is able to remotely activate a 'US Mode' and the workaround designs would automatically kick in ... new devices with this workaround software installed -- but hidden in the background -- will soon begin to ship. Incidentally, RIM has filed new patent applications to cover its workaround designs."  [Wise move in the current climate]

» Stop press: Microsoft is RIM's latest foe, with Ballmer's announcement at 3GSM. Brace yourselves for the MSFTberry.

Buffer overflow:

• Drunkendata: Guilting the Industry
• Om Malik: Video iPod Makes IPTV A Non Starter?
• Helpdesk: Google Will Host Your E-mail Domain
• Rebecca MacKinnon: The Future of Your Digital Identity
• Geekus Con Livus: SQL Server Reporting Services Frustrations
• Bink: Microsoft Anti-Spyware Removes Norton Anti-Virus
• Kirk Parcel: The SKYPE revolution: a key enabler of the Participation Age
• Hal Stern: Data Structures and Tagging
• Mitch Betts: How long does it take to close your books?
• Robert L. Mitchell: Behind the virtual curtain at VMware
• Global News Update: Friday, Feb. 10, 2006
• Eric Ogren: This time the security guy got nailed
• Martin McKeay: The future of the Internet
• Shark Tank: And next year, we'll ALL be doing this
• Douglas Schweitzer: Happy "Patchin-tines day"!

And finally...   Help text as fortune cookies?

Richi Jennings (has gone to another timezone, temporarily, so the Antipodean is blogging this week) is an independent technology and marketing consultant, specializing in email, blogging, Linux, and computer security. A 20 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. Contact Richi at blogwatch@richi.co.uk. Also contributing to today's post: Judi Dey, our very own Antipodean.