RIM considers cutting itself in two
 

The troubled maker of the Blackberry mobile phone, which suffered for years because it had a bizarre double CEO structure, is now considering dividing itself.

Apparently, the wisdom is that RIM should separate its handset manufacturing division from its lucrative messaging network.

Over the weekend the dark satanic rumour mill pointed out that RIM hired JP Morgan and RBC Capital to look at its "strategic options." Ruling out the obvious "large brandy, handgun and a trip to the library," it seems that the analysts suggested breaking off the handset division into a separate listed company or flogging it off on eBay.

There are people who would be interested in buying a second hand mobile phone hardware outfit. Potential buyers could include Amazon and Facebook.

RIM's messaging network could also be sold, or opened up to rivals such as Apple and Google to generate income, the analysts are believed to have recommended.

Of course you could keep the company together, but sell off a stake to a larger technology firm such as Microsoft. There is no guarantee that The Vole would be interested having done a similar deal with Nokia. Microsoft would only want a handset maker if it ran its software and not the RIM operating system.

http://news.techeye.net/business/rim...-itself-in-two