RIM DECIDES TO SQUASH THE BERRIES: RIM announced this afternoon that they will be aggressively suing companies that affix "berry" to their products or services. In the last four months, RIM has sued two companies seen as allegedly capitalizing on RIM's goodwill: on Nov. 10, it sued the software company BackOffice Associates, whose technology division is called "Cranberry." It is also suing toymaker Sakar International Inc., which sells organizers with the names StrawBerry, BlueBerry, GreyBerry, GrapeBerry and GooseBerry.

According to RIM, the similarly-named products are ``clearly intended to trade on the substantial goodwill that RIM has developed in its BlackBerry'' name, the suit against BackOffice contends.

Sakar International makes hand-held organizers for children that, according to the suit, some reports have described as resembling the BlackBerry. As a result of the suit against it filed in August, Sakar has pledged to change the names of its Cyber Gear toys to remove the berries. Both trademark-infringement lawsuits were filed in Dallas.

No word was given on the fate of FrankenBerry and BooBerry . . .