Research In Motion, Ldt., the firm behind the beloved business industry gadget, the Blackberry (affectionately known as "Crackberries," by some) has agreed to pay damages of $450 million dollars to NPT, a Virginia-based holding company whose primary assets are the fifty some-odd patents it owns. NPT had alleged since 2002 that RIM was infringing upon NTP patents.

For more info, check out the full article at Newsday.com. And for really in-depth coverage, see this series of very fine posts covering the case over at Dennis Crouch's "Patently-O" patent law blog.

And while we're on the subject, if you want to read The Daily Caveat on your Blackberry, try this.

-- MDT