Would it have helped if I used a sarcasm emoticon
? Using IBM is IMO not a good example as it's exceptionally rare that a company can reinvent themselves in that way, and they had the means to do it in ways that RIM can't even dream of, hence my quip about video games. Their CORE business is cell phones and the software that goes with them. I suspect it would be a little bit hard for them to sell that off and just magically reinvent themselves.
It seems to me that the type of denial that is in this thread and so many others is what also took place at RIM internally and got them in the dire situation they currently find themselves in, and have no doubt it is dire. Not dire as in "they are going out of business in 6 months" but as in "they have about 6 months to turn it around". The moment the iphone came out it should have been a huge kick in the pants for them but instead they either didn't take it seriously or didn't have the skill and resources to respond.
For the life of me I will never understand why people let their like for a product affect their view of reality. Good analysts don't which is why no one is recommending a buy any more. I do believe RIM can still turn it around but it desperately needs to happen soon.
The Techcrunch article is spot on albeit with a little bit of hyperbole, but not too much.