Stefan Mileschin

Chinese Thinkpad maker Lenovo is considering staging a takeover of the much troubled mobile outfit RIM

Reuters has been talking to a senior Lenovo executive who said the company might see RIM as a takeover target.

RIM should be over the moon if that happened. It would mean that no one would ever see the company fall into disaster if the Blackberry 10 fails dismally next week. But things will not go that easily.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper once described RIM as a national "crown jewel", so he would not be happy about the company going over to China. Crown jewels aside, the Investment Canada Act gives the government the authority to kill deals that could harm Canadian interests or threaten the country's national security.

RIM does well in US government circles. However, lately the US has been persecuting Chinese firms like Huawai as security threats.

Chief financial officer Wong Wai Ming confirmed to Reuters that he had been in talks with RIM, but also some others.

RIM hopes its new touch screen and keyboard devices, powered by its new BlackBerry 10 operating system, will help it claw back some of the lost ground. Shareholders think the gear could bring about a revival of the company's hopes.

Lenovo would want to use all of RIM's technology to push itself further into the lucrative mobile market. If the Blackberry launch turns pear shaped the company's share price will hit rock bottom and enable it to be bought on the cheap.

Chief executive Thorsten Heins said RIM might consider strategic alliances with other companies after next week's BlackBerry 10 launch. He might also consider the sale of the company's handset business or the licensing of its software to rival smartphone companies.

http://news.techeye.net/mobile/lenov...m-for-takeover