BlackBerry up, BlackBerry down

If you're looking for a new communication device, should you go for a --especially if you're signing up for a long-term contract? Hard to say. Today's news is that the company that makes the multifaceted handhelds is nicely up in profit, but cut its forecast for subscriber growth 8 percent.

That comes amid a court case over alleged patent infringement and the company's battle with Palm to be the leader in handheld smart communication devices.

So should you get a BlackBerry? Well, experts doubt they're going away anytime soon, so your device and contract probably won't turn into dust. But when companies get into these kinds of troubles, they often get distracted. A judge has set February 1 for the next round in the court battle.