The Justice Department reiterated concerns Wednesday over a potential shutdown of Research in Motion’s BlackBerry service in the U.S., saying it remains unclear how a blackout would impact government workers. “There are still a number of serious questions to be answered as to how an injunction can be implemented so as to continue BlackBerry service for governmental and other excepted groups,” the department said in a brief filed with a federal district court in Virginia. RIM is locked in a legal battle with U.S. patent holding company NTP. The case goes back to 2001, when NTP filed a suit against RIM claiming that the BlackBerry infringed on its patents. A jury found in favor of NTP and awarded the company damages.

Laplink Controller, a utility that allows PDA or Smartphone owners to control their devices directly from a PC desktop, is now available in a version compatible with Symbian-based Sony Ericsson and Nokia devices. With versions available for Pocket PC, Palm, and now Symbian PDAs and phones, Laplink Controller is now compatible with over 90% of the handheld devices currently on the market.

PhatWare announced CalliGrapher 8.2. The handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile-based devices is now optimized for use on square screen devices, such as the Windows Mobile-based Palm Treo 700w smartphone. This handwriting recognition software for Windows-Mobile based Pocket PCs now gives Treo users a more natural way to enter data on their devices.

Those wacky guys at “TUT” just won’t quit. We’ve just gotten more pens. Once again, we got a pink and a yellow pen, although this time, Denise wanted the yellow one to complete her collection. We also got a funky light-up red pen that lights up. It also blinks. We still can’t tell you what “TUT” does, but from the postmark on the envelope, they seem to like sending us pens all the way from Europe. So, once again, TUT, we salute you for your silly PR and your rather nice pens. Here ya go. More and more of that great press you seem to want so much!

Sony Europe announces the launch of its new 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo being included in special promotional packs for the PlayStation Portable. The Memory Stick PRO Duo’s increased storage capacity enables it to hold large amounts of multimedia data including digital photos, music files, videos and games as well as podcasts and video blogs. Users will be able to make full use of the PSP’s multi-media capabilities, utilizing the enhanced mobile storage capacity now available.

Wireless email vendor Visto took aim Tuesday at a fellow rival to Research In Motion, filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Good Technology. Visto and Good Technology are two of several companies looking to capitalize on the legal problems of RIM, which could see its popular BlackBerry service shut down from its own patent spat with NTP. Visto is charging that Good Technology’s products infringe on four patents it holds for sending data wirelessly over a network. The company is seeking a permanent injunction against the GoodLink software that runs Good’s system, the same remedy sought by NTP against RIM’s wireless software and services.

BoxWave announced FlexiSkin & FlexiSkin with Armband for Palm Treo 700w. BoxWave’s newly designed FlexiSkin for the Palm Treo 700w comes in your choice of two colors: Frosted Clear and Smoke Grey. It also has a cut-out design for the keyboard so that you can see the keys clearly and keep the same tactile feel as using the Palm Treo 700w without a case. FlexiSkin is durable, soft to the touch, and it can stretch and flex to help cushion your Palm Treo 700w from scratches, hard knocks, and everyday wear and tear.

BoxWave announced the Armor Case for Blackberry 67xx/77xx. The Armor Case is a form-fitting, trendy aluminum case that is designed to fit your Blackberry 67xx/77xx perfectly. It’s exterior is made of anodized aluminum that is strong yet lightweight while the interior is padded with a layer of foam for optimal security.

Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates believes cell phones are a better way than laptops to bring computing to the masses in developing nations, according to a published report. The New York Times reports that Craig Mundie, the No. 1 software provider’s vice president and chief technology officer, told the paper that both he and Gates believe that turning a specially configured cell phone into a computer by connecting it to a TV and a keyboard is the best way to spread the power of computing. “Everyone is going to have a cell phone,” Mundie told the paper, noting that in places where televisions are already common, a phone could be turned into a computer with a cheap adaptor and keyboard. Microsoft has not said how much those products would cost. The proposal is an answer to a plan by Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory, who in November unveiled his prototype for a $100 laptop computer that could help bring computers to hundreds of millions of mostly-poor students worldwide. The Times reports that Negroponte has failed to reach an agreement with Microsoft on including its Windows software in the laptop. That failure prompted Negroponte to use free open-source software in his laptop instead of Windows, and spurred Microsoft executives to discuss an alternative.

Competitors are muscling into the wireless email market dominated by Research in Motion, as the maker of the BlackBerry email device grapples with a patent battle that could shut down its U.S. service. While few analysts and none of RIM’s competitors believe there will be a BlackBerry blackout, the uncertainty has put the spotlight on alternatives to its email system. The timing is perfect, says Clyde Foster, chief operating officer of Intellisync, the wireless email management firm bought by Nokia to boost the mobile giant’s position in a market dominated by RIM. The rest of the market is not only catching up with RIM, but also offering more cost-effective choices on a wider range of phones, Foster said.