RIM Blackberry Multitouch and Tilt and Slide Patents

With new kid on the block Apple iPhone shaking up the staid smartphone market, older competitors such as BlackBerry are being forced to reconsider hitherto undisputed features such as the QWERTY keyboard.

Heading the renewed interest and increased competition RIM is facing has had interesting repercussions on the manufacurer. This latest patent suggests that new form factors may be in the offing for the smartphone original.

With tilt-and-slide mechanisms and multitouch patents at their disposal there is suggestion that the team being the 8800 and 8300 are trying to nullify there new competition and still deliver on the keyboard front.