I might be one of the few who is not overly excited about the news.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Don’t get me wrong, it is good news in and of itself. But I was hoping we would march through the Markman hearing. If it got that far, it meant TPL/PTSC was willing to bet the farm, and you don't through in Grandma and Aunt Lacey unless you know you hold at least four of a kind. I (like many others) wanted some court's imprimatur of our MMP. Settlement means other companies can begin the litigation process anew somewhere else (or in the same <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Texas venue), which will (might) continue to drag at the SP. That door still remains open.

This can be ameliorated if the settlement is enough to convince the investment world that it was NEC who choked and not TPL/PTSC. We won’t know for a while.

The pressure on ARM and remaining J2 is enormous and the stakes, already high, have now reached two bottles of gin/day status. As the days pass, the pressure will only increase. I would think the price to settle would as well.

As always, we shall see.

tps