Research in Motion (Nasdaq:RIMM) shareholders were probably jumping for joy after the company announced yesterday that it reached a favorable settlement with NTP on their ongoing dispute over some intellectual property rights.  Some expected much worse than the deal that RIMM was able to arrive at, including not only an upfront cash settlement, but also a hefty ongoing royalty.  As it turned out, the company managed to settle all the damages from the previous infringement and to gain a paid-up perpetual licence for $450 million (apportioned as follows: $137 for past and $313 for future infringements). 

Now investors can forget about this issue and start focusing on the fundamentals behind the stock, and the increased competition that is looming over the horizon.  The addressable market opportunity is still a substantial one, with China providing a good upside, particularly considering a potential rollout at China Mobile.  Furthermore, the Fast100 Program (calling for a rollout of RIMM's platform at 100 small carriers on an accelerated basis) remains on track.