Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I am starting to really understand all of the consumers that have lost faith in RIM and have moved on to another device. There is a new Android device coming out every week, and a new iPhone released yearly on the mark. Sure the weekly Android device is not manufactured by the same company, but companies who initially had very small mobile divisions. You would naturally assume that a giant like RIM would be on the ball and at the very least release a new device every quarter.


I understand that you may think this belongs in Rants and Raves, but my disappointment stems from a single device not being in my hand, the 9900. Essentially, this device is what the majority of us have been waiting for, it is the device that will rekindle our BlackBerry fire, but yet.. the only news we have really had includes words/terms like "Q3" ,"Delayed" and "Problems",


It's really sad RIM, release the device and release it soon.:x

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I too am eager to get the 9900 in my hands to see what it's all about. Unfortunately, RIM is piloting a boat with the keel torn off at the moment, and the two pilots aren't helping matters much. All we can do is hold on.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

Personally, I would rather that they release the device when it is ready rather than a new device every week. ;)

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

What if the new devices released every weak weren't half-baked devices? ;-)

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

That's exactly it. I don't by any means condone the release of a half-baked device, but I do think that they can easily release a new device every quarter. It would keep their customers happy and loyal, and certainly it would help their numbers and projections. When you have so many departments, employees and so forth.. the least you could do is make them productive.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I get frustrated as well. Got the Playbook now and waiting for the 9900, but its so frustrating that theyre behind. I'm hoping the Android support comes soon.

Im still loyal, but the waiting does get to me.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I am curious if they're holding out on the Android support for Playbook until these devices are released. Maybe they think that if people using the Playbook get a taste of what Android Apps are like, they may jump ship to an Android device.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I have to agree with Tom. I don't think that it is unreasonable for a company the size of RIM to release a device quarterly or even semi-annually. Just as he pointed out, look at Apple. They release the iPhone once a year practically at the same time frame, with people lined up forever waiting for it. It's ONE phone, ONCE a year and look at how well Apple is doing with it.

I, too, am waiting for the 9900, but at this rate, other devices might begin to become tempting. I really like my BB and have for years, but RIM seriously needs to pull up their collective socks to stay in the game.

I do like the Playbook and see some excellent, but as of yet, unfulfilled potential. Flesh that out with a (hopefully properly working) 9900, well...

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

When you're in the mindset (Jim, Mike and other executives I'd say) of being business oriented, why would you release a new device every 6 months?

This is a company that for years refused to be pushed by the markets on how to conduct themselves.

"A Blackberry will never have a camera" and "A Blackberry will never play music" are incredibly stubborn views from a company that didn't see a point in the consumer market.

These days, we all know they're giving a go at the consumer space, but I still think they're too business oriented. Their cycles of development are incredibly long, their releases almost always seem delayed... and their products do not compete against other consumer offerings.

I've seen the 9900 around, and there seem to be enough RIM employees with them in Waterloo that it might actually launch at the end of August (as these internal Bell and Rogers documents have supposedly shown)

Will OS 7 be a major step ahead of OS 6? It will have to be. Will the hardware be a major step up? For the most part I think so.

Will the new devices launch and inspire developers to come on over to create apps? Doubtful.

I can only say I hope they can move onward and upward quickly in the next couple of quarters.

Just my view, from everything I've read from friends who are senior employees in multiple departments ... and well, just my gut feeling

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

BlackBerry has definitely fell off the pace and is getting left behind. Folks are dropping BlackBerry like third-period French, and RIM has no one to blame but themselves. Just look at the stock price.

They need to pick up the pace of new device releases.
They need to pick up the quality control for new devices they release.

It's not either-or. And it's 100% RIM's fault. They got lazy and thought they could rely for too long on their entrenched user base. Meanwhile, Apple and Android have made serious inroads with enterprise users.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I'm a little disappointed in having to wait for the new devices, but not so much disappointed in RIM.

It is sad to see a company try so hard to sell to customers it is not designing for and doesn't know how to design for, and doesn't know how to sell to.

On top of this, RIM is now fighting the meme that it is a failing company in every way and can't do anything right, can't even manage the simplest of things It's been said before how Google or Apple screw up and their response is a touted as a model of what good companies do right. RIM screws up and it just feeds into the meme. BlackBerrys are out of fashion, not cool, at least not in North America.

Fashion is hard to navigate. RIM is incapable of being cool on purpose; maybe by accident, but not by intent.

I personally haven't experienced quality problems or defective devices. I don't doubt it happens; I just have no sense of the real magnitude of it.

I'm anxious for the new device and wish I had it yesterday. But I can wait. The 9700 with OS 5 is almost perfect, anyway, as far as I'm concerned. Might as well get the most use out of it.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

My boss tried to give me the sell of "well look at hoy many billions Apple just made, RIM is xxxxed"

I had to remind him that RIM makes phones and now tablets while apple makes;

Desktops, Laptops and Tablets
MP3 Players
Cell Phones
Software
Music services

... I'm sure I'm missing something here too..

If Apple only made the iPhone and iPad they'd still be immensely successful, but wouldn't have nearly the same profits. Yeah it'd be more than RIM, but at that point it would be a much more equal comparison.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

Well said! I completely agree!(y)

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I have a few friends over @ RIM and I know their business mindset. The unfortunate missing link is that most Prosumers that RIM originally marketed to are actually consumers outside of work, or are persuaded by consumers in their device choice. This is the entire reason why the iPhone has become popular in the enterprise world. If it were a business/corporate decision and it was based strictly on what is on paper, the BlackBerry would win every time. (Full Keyboard, great battery life, and secure...) Unfortunately it is not the case, especially when every device out there can basically do the same thing, and now it comes down to how cool it looks or how fashionable it is.

I really don't like the direction RIM appears to be heading.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I think they could do something strategic this way: Every quarter release a device in a SCHEDULED category: Touchscreen: Top-of-the-line: Consumer: Flip

So, for example, every January 1st, release the new Top of the Line ("Bold") refresh. It's not likely a christmas present anyway, it's a business device.

Then, in March / April time frame, release the Touch Screen device... still high end, but a Torch, not a Bold. Maybe one with the keyboard (Torch 9810) and one without (Torch 9850).

Then, in summertime, release a new "Flip" device, perhaps their consumer / media device (perhaps something that appeals to the ladies)

Then, in September, October, how about the consumer device (Curve) in time for the holidays, at a lower price point, perhaps including some of the advances released in the Bold 9 months earlier (so as not to have their consumer device compete with their Top-tier device)

If you are a fan of touch screens, you buy a device in the spring, then wait for the next upgrade cycle in the following year if you want to upgrade... but if you're a fan of a touchscreen device, you know that you won't see a new model for at least another year, so you should get on board with this one.

Etc.

perhaps that's a model they could move to, but it does assume that third-party suppliers will have enough innovation in the hardware (radios, deployed networks, screen resolution, processors) to warrant the refresh... with Apple, they have no problem introducing very minor changes and calling it a new version, so why not RIM, too? (well, because they'd be raked over the coals by analysts for not being innovative!)

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

We call that "just good enough " feature/function in a competitive product. I have a Torch on BES and an iPhone 4 on EAS. Very large corporation with a BB base well over 10k and and very quickly growing iPhone base. The reason I continue to use both devices is that (on BES) nothing beats the BB for email, tasks, and calender manipulation. With that said, the iphone feature set is "just good enough" in those areas to get my work done, and it's many other pluses out way the "just good enough" factor.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

That would be way to predictable and way to logical. RIM couldn't employ such a strategy if they cared to.


The problem is, the hardware and software in the original iPhone was extremely ahead of it's time in terms of smooth operation and overall package, none of the BlackBerry's of the time were ever as complete of a "package" as the iPhone was. RIM is simply trying to play catch up to compete. I only partly agree with RIM attempting to play catch up. The Storm should have never been released. It was a disaster and to many resources were devoted to it. I feel the PlayBook is in the same boat. Another device that RIM thought would "destroy" the Apple competition but was a flop.

All of the resources that were devoted to those devices could have been devoted to a device that we have been asking for since the original Bold 9000. We have always wanted a bigger screen, large keyboard, thin device that has lots of memory and processing power and whose battery will actually last. That is the Bold Touch... the device is beautiful, it really just melts in your hands. However, it probably is at the very least a year behind, and that is a VERY long time in the mobile world.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

I disagree that the PlayBook is a flop. Has it out-sold iPad, no, not by a long shot but it is selling. Also I find that comparing the devices is like comparing an apple to an orange (or Blackberry?). There are similarities for sure but what is inside is very, very different. Of course this is just an opinion of an average consumer and not a Techie person. I have a PlayBook and I am blown away by it as is every single "average" person I have shown it to or allowed them to play around with it. Biggest problem for PlayBook is marketing. Nobody knows what it actually does; they are only hearing what it doesn't do or comparison's against the iPad. It is not an apple. It will never be one but what it actually is, is amazing as far as I am concerned. I love mine. Worth every single penny to this average consumer. Again, just my two cents. :)

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

im not that dissappointed in the hardware but very dissappointed in the software. IMO doesn't matter how many phones they release, if their software sucks, the phone sucks. The browser is getting better but nothing compared to android or ios. The apps that are available are also not as good. For the business users or people that don't need apps or browsing they prolly happy with what is available now. The bigger market is the regular consumers that dont need all the security and more user friendly so ppl can develop apps for it.
I know a lot of ppl that carry and willing to carry 2 device and its rarely 2 blackberrys. they have 1 blackberry (most of the time given to them) and the one they buy is not a blackberry.
android and ios now are trying to work on their security. once they get that down rim is gonna hurt even more. What I dont understand is we all know blackberry's has the best security available. Why dont they just make another os for the mainstream users with all the apps that android and ios has? let the ppl decide what version to put on. you want top security with a great browser? or just the mediocre security like ios and android but you get all those fun apps and games with a tablet exprience browser.
ppl that likes their qwerty will take the blackberry and for touchscreen i would have a blackberry too if it can have all those gadgets and fun things that come with ios or android. majority of the ppl that leave blackberry hesitate on security and productivity at first. Then they start to see all these cool things there friends iphone and android can do at home. it eventually will slowly rub off on them.
In the end its just a touch screen phone for hardware not much u can do to it except better processor and ram. But its the software behind it now days that what makes the phone. the hardware is pretty advance now that we wouldnt know much of a difference with the 1+ghz processors.
all these new phones that apple and android coming out with is just faster, better graphics and tweaks to the os. why? so it can run all the games and apps better. All the developers also get excited because they now can develop or create better apps and games for the hardware. this is killing rim in my opinion.
Heck just build 1 os and disable a lot of the options for the business users and ppl that want security. keep everything enabled for the regular consumers. because in the end, the business user is also the consumer at the end of the day.
I would go out and buy rim shares if they would tell me that they are going to create a os that is developer friendly for the consumers and blackberry world. and have another version of the os that is locked down for business users. keeping the 2 separate will make things much easier for majority also.

Re: Who else is really dissapointed?
 

You can buy this phone brand new and unlocked on ebay - a UK seller has them... my order is in!