RIM loses BBX trademark fight

Research In Motion (RIM), maker of BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook tablets, has been prevented from using “BBX” to describe its next-generation BlackBerry operating system.

The word comes from a press release posted by BASIS International, a business software developer which filed a request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against RIM in U.S. Federal Court in Albuquerque, NM. BASIS sells products for multiple operating systems (including Mac OS X and iOS) under the “BBx” moniker, and it says “BBX” is too close for comfort. The judge granted the TRO, stipulating that “all factors weigh in favor of BASIS.”

BASIS announced plans to defend its trademark shortly after RIM unveiled its new operating system in October.

RIM appeared to be prepared for the change in direction. The company announced at a developers’ conference in Singapore this week that the new operating system will be called “BlackBerry 10” instead. BlackBerry 10 is a unified OS for smartphones, tablets and other devices.