Sympathy for the BlackBerry Devil

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5

You can't always get what you want, Mick Jagger. The Rolling Stones, through its RST licensing arm, is suing Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM) over a band-branded BlackBerry that was never put out.

RST is suing for $5 million, claiming that Research In Motion never came through on the 2005 agreement. Research In Motion argues that it killed the deal last year, after RST came up short on delivering the required exclusivity rights.

The BlackBerry maker isn't smarting for money. Investors shouldn't be overly concerned, even if it does wind up on the losing end of the lawsuit. With 8 million subscribers -- and counting -- the company rings up $5 million in revenue in the span of half a day.

Sure, the company's had its share of problems in the past. Between the SEC sniffing around the company's stock option grants and the threat of Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone, it doesn't need the legal distraction.

However, with Rolling Stones tongue planted firmly in cheek, let's go over some of the other band-licensing deals that Research In Motion should steer clear of:

  • BritBerry -- A Britney Spears-licensed phone that doubles as a head-shearing electric razor.
  • NickelbackBerry -- A model that refunds users $0.05 whenever they agree to use a cheesy power ballad as a ringtone.
  • PinkBerry -- Pink is so rebellious that her model would be available in any color you want, but pink.
  • DiddyBerry -- P. Diddy's BlackBerry comes preloaded with contacts to all the major celebrities, but it spritzes you with his Unforgivable fragrance before any incoming text messages.  

Check out our Motley Fool CAPS investor community today. It's fun and free, and could make you a better investor.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz once had his band signed to Sony's Columbia Records label, but he has never been offered a BlackBerry deal. He is also part of the
Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy.

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