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Amazon, Microsoft Flirt With RIM Buy

  • Reuters, Wednesday, December 21, 2011 12:25 PM

Summoning visions of a reshaped tech universe, several reports suggest that Research In Motion had near buyout offers from Amazon, Microsoft, and Nokia. Citing sources, Reuters reports that Amazon hired an investment bank this past summer to review a potential merger with RIM, but never made a formal offer.

“It is not clear whether informal discussions between Amazon and RIM ever led to specific price talk, or who else had approached RIM about a takeover,” according to Reuters. That, however, doesn’t stop the news service from coming to the conclusion that RIM “prefers to fix its problems on its own,” which likely impacted any merger discussions. “RIM's board wants co-chief executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie to focus on trying to turn around the business through the launch of new phones, better use of assets … and restructuring,” sources tell Reuters. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that both Microsoft and Nokia recently kicked RIM’s tires. 

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