RIM Still Reeling

But even those tidbits could be seen in a negative light. RIM originally predicted last year that it would add 775,000 to 825,000 subscribers in the just-completed quarter. Last month, the company dropped its subscriber-addition target to 620,000 to 630,000, marking the third time it had lowered its expected subscriber gains for the period.

After repeatedly posting disappointing subscriber growth numbers in recent quarters -- and amid a lot of different variables that could weigh on subscriber additions -- RIM decided to be conservative in its subscriber forecast, CFO Dennis Kavelman said on the conference call.

Subscriber additions dropped to as few as 40,000 a week in February, immediately prior to the NTP settlement, Kavelman said. But in the weeks following the settlement, they have jumped up to about 50,000 a week, which was about the rate RIM was running at last fall before the patent case started coming to a head.

We'll see how the growth trends play out," Kavelman said. "But obviously, we're extremely encouraged by the overall momentum."

Shares of RIM closed regular trading on Thursday down $1.18, or 1.4%, to $84.38

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