RIM

These are dark days for Research In Motion (RIM) and its BlackBerry brand...or at least dim ones.

Despite trailing Android in mobile OS market share, Apple's iPhone generates huge profits and revenue.

Research in Motion took to its blog to explain that the cartoon superhero foursome known as "The BeBold Team" is not a new ad campaign, but the result of some New Year's Eve fun. That sounds about right.

BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) yesterday appointed a brand new chief executive officer and president, Thorsten Heins. The move follows months of pressure from RIM shareholders and others to oust former RIM co-CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. (In fact, I wrote a piece earlier this month explaining why a major leadership change was in order at RIM.)

Lots of people have been talking for months about what a new CEO for the maker of BlackBerry should do. Now's as good a time as any to compile that advice into one handy guide.

Shares of Research in Motion rose more than 6% on Tuesday on rumors that the BlackBerry maker was in acquisition talks with Samsung.

Research In Motion has launched yet another sale on its PlayBook tablet, selling discounted versions of the device for $300.

A few ground rules, and a list of disclosures, from the Mobilize blog before 2012 rolls around.

You get the feeling that executives in Research in Motion will especially relish singing "Should old acquaintance be forgot" this year.

Also: NTSB wants ban on use of electronic devices while driving; Nokia thinks Android is too confusing for young people; RIM delivers disastrous Q3 results; and Zynga stumbles in Wall Street debut.

In the wake of Research in Motion's latest quarterly bomb, will shareholders and the board of directors finally demand the removal of the BlackBerry maker's co-CEOs?