DigiTimes reports the new RIMM Bold 9000 smartphone represents RIM's first attempt to address consumers directly with a device that is as attractive to average consumers as to its core audience of corporate users. An iSuppli teardown analysis of the Bold shows that RIM has succeeded in offering a product with a full set of features that bridge the gap between consumer and corporate needs, while keeping costs low enough to command an apparently healthy margin... iSuppli's teardown analysis of the Bold reveals a direct Bill of Materials cost of $158.16 and a manufacturing cost of $11.25 for a total of $169.41. Because the Bold is sold at a major discount compared to its actual market value, it's difficult to determine how much of a margin there is between the BOM and manufacturing costs and the sales price. However, with a contract, Canadian operator Rogers Communications of Canada offers the Blackberry Bold at a price of 399 Canadian dollars, or about $337 based on exchange rates at the time this was written. This indicates that RIMM is garnering a healthy margin on the Bold.

WSJ reports in a move that could raise fears about Western creditors' ability to enforce claims in Russia, a Siberian court Monday froze a large stake in a Russian mobile-phone company, effectively blocking a margin call on some of those shares from a group of Western banks. An affiliate of Altimo, the telecommunications unit of Russia's Alfa Group, failed to put up additional collateral Friday, after a decline in the value of the shares backing $2 billion in its debt caused it to default. Deutsche Bank provided the financing last year in two tranches of loans, secured by Altimo's entire 44% stake in OAO Vimpel Communications, Russia's No. 2 mobile-phone company. The German bank syndicated out the loans to a group of other lenders. Vimpelcom's share price has plunged with the rest of the Russian market, losing more than half its value. Monday, the Eighth Arbitrage Appellate Court in Omsk issued an order freezing all of Altimo's Vimpelcom shares in a separate court case. That ruling makes it impossible for Deutsche and the other creditors to enforce their right to the shares under the loan agreement, according to people close to the creditors.

The Wall Street Journal reports that without a merger and possibly an assist from the federal government, GM (GM) and Chrysler LLC could run out of cash within a year. Though GM and Chrysler dismiss the notion, analysts and investors have begun to question whether one of the companies -- locked out of the credit markets and burning cash rapidly -- might have to seek bankruptcy protection. Such a filing could set off a chain reaction across the U.S. auto industry, choking off parts supplies to healthier Asian and European car makers and slamming thousands of local car dealers. It could also create a mess for the federal government, whose pension-guarantee program would be swamped by the addition of hundreds of thousands of retirees. The auto makers and Michigan political delegations have proposed at least three plans in recent weeks to unlock federal cash for a merged GM-Chrysler, including seeking an equity investment from the government or unlocking funds from its Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. GM and Chrysler estimate that a combined entity would need $10 bln in new equity to lay off workers, close plants, integrate the two companies and provide liquidity, according to several people involved. Several people involved in the GM-Chrysler merger discussions say the cos have talked to federal officials about their proposed transaction. But there are no specifics yet about what role the government could, or will, play. There is no indication that Treasury, which oversees the TARP program, is currently considering proposals for anything but financial institutions.

Bloomberg.com reports Samsung Electronics, Asia's largest maker of chips, flat screens and mobile phones, posted its biggest profit drop in more than three years as oversupply drove down prices of semiconductors and displays. Samsung shares tumbled 14%, the most in 13 years, after the Suwon, South Korea-based company reported today net income fell 44 percent to 1.22 trillion won ($863 mln). That's the lowest profit since the second quarter of 2003. Co cut its semiconductor spending plans after earnings at the division plunged 74% and said demand for liquid-crystal displays will slow this quarter. Samsung joins Sony (SNE) among electronics makers reporting lower earnings this week as the credit crisis threatens to send the global economy into a recession.