1. tampasoccer's Avatar
    Dear RIM

    So... I woke up today to read that you're having a slight disaster, and the forecast isn't pretty either. I thought I would just write to you to tell you how you can save yourselves, and at the same time, stop screwing your very loyal consumer base.

    The PlayBook. Yes, we know that hardware wise, it's the best on the market. So what? If it can't do the things that entry level tablets can do? I brought mine, and I'm pretty happy with it, but how can you honestly expect to entice ANY new customers in the tablet market, when the PB relies on you having a BB cell phone? If I did not have a BB phone, I would not go anywhere near the PB. No native email, contacts, BBM etc. Why on earth would you put out a product like that? Surely, if you had included these things from the day the tablet was released, you would have had gotten NEW customers who have not been iBrainwashed to buy a tablet that they can have BBM on, that they can have a bb email address on... who knows.... they could have liked it so much they ditch their Android/iPhone etc to get a BB. The 'if you don't have a blackberry this isn't for you' attitude is such a massive mistake. Look at Apple and the iPhone/iPad. Do you have to have a Mac computer for them to work? Do you have to have an iPhone to tether to the iPad? No. Do their products work on PC's? Yes (another thing... way to alienate Mac users again... by rolling out the PlayBook with very, very limited Mac support- 'It's coming this Summer'- really? You don't have 3 people who could write BB Desktop Software for Mac that can incorporate the PB in about a day and a half?)

    Next on my checklist- When you (finally) release your new lineup of phones... go all out, and have QNX on them already, oh no wait, you're going to do that for the 2012 phones... really??? You're struggling to play catch up... to YOUR OWN SOFTWARE! No wonder the other smartphone companies are no longer worried about RIM. I remember when BB were solid, functional and ahead of the curve. Go balls to the wall and make this next roll out of phones knock peoples heads off. Let's be honest, the current line up is lacking a lot. The Curve (bless its little heart) actually took a step back and was worse than the old Curve (I mean, that's pretty good going), it feels cheap, it freezes, the battery is crap. The Bold is decent... why not make that your entry level device? Make the BB cool again! I had the Torch for a bit, it was...ok. I look at the new devices coming out, and I wonder... who is designing these phones? Who thinks its a good idea not to go QNX? Who thought it was a good idea to release the PB when it is so obviously flawed?

    The facts are this: You, as a company are close to alienating your very loyal customers. I have been a BB user for almost six years, I remember the side scroll (still don't think you should have got rid of that). There are literally 1000's of us that are running out of excuses as to why we support you as a company.... your usual response is 'an update/new device etc is coming'... well RIM, we've been waiting for way too long.

    Anyways...what do I know...I'm just a soccer coach
    rcab, Alzaeem_502, portal and 10 others like this.
    06-17-11 03:29 PM
  2. Cleanton's Avatar
    Very impressed.
    06-17-11 03:34 PM
  3. tampasoccer's Avatar
    I guess I just struggle to get my head around the fact that a company who pretty much started the whole email on a phone thing are 'not capable' of putting it on a tablet?

    They just seem really unorganized at the moment. I can't believe that they would find it so hard to do this.
    06-17-11 03:46 PM
  4. osubass1's Avatar
    The 'if you don't have a blackberry this isn't for you' attitude is such a massive mistake. Look at Apple and the iPhone/iPad. Do you have to have a Mac computer for them to work? Do you have to have an iPhone to tether to the iPad? No.
    but you do have to have iTunes.

    i was given an iPad this past Christmas. i don't have an iTunes account, don't have it installed, have never used iTunes, and would never install a crApple product on any of my computers.

    i had to wait until i found someone with an iTunes account just to use the device.

    every time an app is updated, i have to take it back to them to sign in to iTunes so i can update.

    that iPad gets so little use because i refuse to use iTunes.
    06-17-11 03:54 PM
  5. Ronindan's Avatar
    I guess I just struggle to get my head around the fact that a company who pretty much started the whole email on a phone thing are 'not capable' of putting it on a tablet?

    They just seem really unorganized at the moment. I can't believe that they would find it so hard to do this.
    RIM's upper management is stuck in the past, they know that have to make changes but are reluctant to do it. The Playbook was a bandage solution at best. They should have upgraded their hardware late last year to 1ghz and a marked increase in ram to boost the performance of their current line up phones. Instead they were stuck in their cycle of incrementaly upgrading their hardware and software.

    This message is approved by my transformer
    06-17-11 03:55 PM
  6. bb-bandit's Avatar
    Dear RIM

    So... I woke up today to read that you're having a slight disaster, and the forecast isn't pretty either. I thought I would just write to you to tell you how you can save yourselves, and at the same time, stop screwing your very loyal consumer base.

    The PlayBook. Yes, we know that hardware wise, it's the best on the market. So what? If it can't do the things that entry level tablets can do? I brought mine, and I'm pretty happy with it, but how can you honestly expect to entice ANY new customers in the tablet market, when the PB relies on you having a BB cell phone? If I did not have a BB phone, I would not go anywhere near the PB. No native email, contacts, BBM etc. Why on earth would you put out a product like that? Surely, if you had included these things from the day the tablet was released, you would have had gotten NEW customers who have not been iBrainwashed to buy a tablet that they can have BBM on, that they can have a bb email address on... who knows.... they could have liked it so much they ditch their Android/iPhone etc to get a BB. The 'if you don't have a blackberry this isn't for you' attitude is such a massive mistake. Look at Apple and the iPhone/iPad. Do you have to have a Mac computer for them to work? Do you have to have an iPhone to tether to the iPad? No. Do their products work on PC's? Yes (another thing... way to alienate Mac users again... by rolling out the PlayBook with very, very limited Mac support- 'It's coming this Summer'- really? You don't have 3 people who could write BB Desktop Software for Mac that can incorporate the PB in about a day and a half?)

    Next on my checklist- When you (finally) release your new lineup of phones... go all out, and have QNX on them already, oh no wait, you're going to do that for the 2012 phones... really??? You're struggling to play catch up... to YOUR OWN SOFTWARE! No wonder the other smartphone companies are no longer worried about RIM. I remember when BB were solid, functional and ahead of the curve. Go balls to the wall and make this next roll out of phones knock peoples heads off. Let's be honest, the current line up is lacking a lot. The Curve (bless its little heart) actually took a step back and was worse than the old Curve (I mean, that's pretty good going), it feels cheap, it freezes, the battery is crap. The Bold is decent... why not make that your entry level device? Make the BB cool again! I had the Torch for a bit, it was...ok. I look at the new devices coming out, and I wonder... who is designing these phones? Who thinks its a good idea not to go QNX? Who thought it was a good idea to release the PB when it is so obviously flawed?

    The facts are this: You, as a company are close to alienating your very loyal customers. I have been a BB user for almost six years, I remember the side scroll (still don't think you should have got rid of that). There are literally 1000's of us that are running out of excuses as to why we support you as a company.... your usual response is 'an update/new device etc is coming'... well RIM, we've been waiting for way too long.

    Anyways...what do I know...I'm just a soccer coach
    You're taking your life in your hands posting such a letter in this forum.
    tstrike34 likes this.
    06-17-11 04:02 PM
  7. Alberta Blue's Avatar
    I don't think the events of the last couple of days are the death knell for RIM as much as it is just a serious wake up call.

    I think that by the fall, there will be some serious new and great Playbook apps and native software out.

    And I really hope that by the end of Q1 2012 they are launching some serious new dual core phones equipped with QNX.

    If they can accomplish both of these items and maybe throw in a surprise or two with some fancy new BBM features or a really slick and useful partnership with an external company (I'm thinking along the lines of Adobe or Skype or some other similar brand with some market clout) then RIM will be well on their way to getting back on track.
    SharpieFiend likes this.
    06-17-11 04:09 PM
  8. Alberta Blue's Avatar
    I guess I just struggle to get my head around the fact that a company who pretty much started the whole email on a phone thing are 'not capable' of putting it on a tablet?

    They just seem really unorganized at the moment. I can't believe that they would find it so hard to do this.
    Not incapable, it just takes time to get it right. They also started email with ironclad security on a phone, and they don't want to take 1 step forward and 2 steps back here.
    06-17-11 04:12 PM
  9. mr1030's Avatar
    I guess I just struggle to get my head around the fact that a company who pretty much started the whole email on a phone thing are 'not capable' of putting it on a tablet?

    They just seem really unorganized at the moment. I can't believe that they would find it so hard to do this.
    It's not that they can't do it. They just couldn't get it done with the resources they have in time for a spring launch of the product. It's a new platform and OS for them from a company they acquired not all that long ago. The decision was made to launch earlier for exposure, rather then later and risk being lost in a flood of new tablets. Was it a good decision? I don't necessarily think so, but I understand the reasoning behind it. There are people sitting on both sides of that debate. For a lot of BB owners, it's not a huge deal and they are enjoying their PB's while RIM works on adding features. Those people are glad they have there PB's now instead of having to wait a few more months for it. Others like you feel differently. Both points are valid as they apply to each individual.

    Now while your OP is perfectly valid as to your feelings about the PB, it certainly does not speak for thousands of RIM customers. It speaks for you. RIM might very well take some hard knocks for taking the road they have chosen. Then again, a whole change in direction in OS platforms is not an easy path to take. One or two years from now, we might see that RIM chose the right strategy to get them where they wanted to go with the least amount of pain. I'll wait to see the end result of RIM's strategy, and not declare their demise after only eight weeks into the PB's life, like so many doomsayers are doing now.
    06-17-11 04:33 PM
  10. tampasoccer's Avatar
    You're taking your life in your hands posting such a letter in this forum.
    lol...i'll take my chances
    06-17-11 04:42 PM
  11. Spinal's Avatar
    i had to wait until i found someone with an iTunes account just to use the device.

    every time an app is updated, i have to take it back to them to sign in to iTunes so i can update.
    that iPad gets so little use because i refuse to use iTunes.
    that, as far as im concerned is just foolish are you like 10?


    as for the OP nice post, but like everyone else its hopeless RIM already has their business plan set out for the playbook why it doesn't have some of the "omg it should obvs have that" features, is beyond me, and apparently both of RIM's CEO's as well.
    06-17-11 04:42 PM
  12. I am JT's Avatar
    I understand the disappointment everyone feels but a thousand emails directly to RIM would do more good than a thousand threads on this forum.
    06-17-11 04:49 PM
  13. osubass1's Avatar
    that, as far as im concerned is just foolish are you like 10?


    as for the OP nice post, but like everyone else its hopeless RIM already has their business plan set out for the playbook why it doesn't have some of the "omg it should obvs have that" features, is beyond me, and apparently both of RIM's CEO's as well.
    yes, i am 10 years old.

    does that help make your point?
    06-17-11 04:57 PM
  14. Economist101's Avatar
    but you do have to have iTunes.

    i was given an iPad this past Christmas. i don't have an iTunes account, don't have it installed, have never used iTunes, and would never install a crApple product on any of my computers.

    i had to wait until i found someone with an iTunes account just to use the device.

    every time an app is updated, i have to take it back to them to sign in to iTunes so i can update.

    that iPad gets so little use because i refuse to use iTunes.
    Actually you DO have it installed. It's on the iPad by default. You can update apps, purchase content, etc, on the device. iTunes remains necessary for the initial activation and for software updates, though as announced last week, that will end this fall with iOS 5.
    06-17-11 05:01 PM
  15. tampasoccer's Avatar
    I think what he's saying is that it seems ridiculous to own an iPad and not download iTunes.

    At least you have a choice though. I have a Mac and a Playbook...
    06-17-11 05:04 PM
  16. tbird2000's Avatar
    well, i have about 20 days until my Playbook is ineligible for return to Best Buy. I love it for what it is and I'm excited about what it's capable of but I am weary. Even though I can't put this thing down, (it bridges very well with my 9650 btw) I wonder if by next year I'll be looking at a tablet with no support or even a company that exists that this cool toy has branded on the bezel. I'll probably keep it and hope for the best, I REFUSE to touch an iPad so I'd rather have nothing and try to get $600 worth of fun and productivity out of my PB.
    06-17-11 05:06 PM
  17. anon(55900)'s Avatar
    RIM is not a religion, I have do not own RIM stock. BB was my first smart cell phone. I want a touch screen with keyboard, with good memory. I spend more time surfing wed then making calls, never text, never use BBM (no one else that I know has a BB phone so BBM is a waste to me) I want smooth movement on touch screen and keyboard for entering text. Front and rear camera sounds intriguing. Currently I'm with Tmobile and am happy with their service. I may end up with ATT, But I still wouldn't get a torch. I'm a consumer and I will go with whatever makes me the most happy, I will not get another RIM phone if when it's my time to upgrade if there is nothing competitive available.
    06-17-11 05:19 PM
  18. hackerguy's Avatar
    I think RIM knows what it needs to do. The question is can they do it in time. The market is merciless. It is not interested in what you did yesterday or even in what you are doing today. What you are going to do tomorrow is what the market sees as important. That is why RIM is getting hammered. They could lie, and it happens, and they would be sued by disgruntled shareholders. That will probably happen anyway and they know it. i love my BB phone and the PB. I also have a significant (at least for me) amount of money invested in RIMM stock. So I am very much interested in seeing them turn the company around. Their financial fundamentals are very sound and they have a ton of cash on hand and very little debt. They only have this one chance to reverse direction and I hope they can do it.
    06-17-11 05:22 PM
  19. Hup55's Avatar
    Not incapable, it just takes time to get it right. They also started email with ironclad security on a phone, and they don't want to take 1 step forward and 2 steps back here.
    That's the thing they don't have time they have fallen so far behind it isn't funny. Stick a fork in them they are done! Just watch their stock on the NASDAQ! To give you any indication where they are headed.
    06-17-11 05:53 PM
  20. offthahorseceo's Avatar
    So a guy who cant compose a sentence properly or spell is suddenly a business expert?
    06-17-11 05:55 PM
  21. kevinnugent's Avatar
    Dear Tampasoccer,
    We're having too much FUN.
    Regards,
    Jim and Mike.

    p.s. do your team need any refurbished 9780's?
    06-17-11 06:03 PM
  22. xandermac's Avatar
    Not the best idea ever then! Btw, you dont need iTunes to update apps, just an apple id and update them on the device. Also, iOS 5 will fix it to where you never need iTunes, everything will be on device. Maybe sell the iPad though, seems best.

    but you do have to have iTunes.

    i was given an iPad this past Christmas. i don't have an iTunes account, don't have it installed, have never used iTunes, and would never install a crApple product on any of my computers.

    i had to wait until i found someone with an iTunes account just to use the device.

    every time an app is updated, i have to take it back to them to sign in to iTunes so i can update.

    that iPad gets so little use because i refuse to use iTunes.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    06-17-11 06:15 PM
  23. tampasoccer's Avatar
    So a guy who cant compose a sentence properly or spell is suddenly a business expert?
    Coming from a guy with amazing grammar.

    Thanks for your phenomenal (I better spell check that) input.
    06-17-11 07:34 PM
  24. tampasoccer's Avatar
    And this is where Apple wins! They have, for the most part, inferior products, but they are all consumer friendly. I LOVE BlackBerry, as I said in my OP I have been a BB addict for years... I just wish they would get their act together.

    I'm a soccer coach, not a business expert, yet I can see what RIM need to do in order to survive.

    Not the best idea ever then! Btw, you dont need iTunes to update apps, just an apple id and update them on the device. Also, iOS 5 will fix it to where you never need iTunes, everything will be on device. Maybe sell the iPad though, seems best.






    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    06-17-11 07:37 PM
  25. 123berryaddicted's Avatar
    Good points. Unfortunately, the issue isn't about "not knowing", it's about "not capable".

    RIM very much knows native email is needed to recruit new customers. That's why they advertised it loudly being "coming" ever since the beginning.
    i agree with you here. But please folks... stop and realize that RIM is working on a top of the line email client for the playbook, not some lousy popmail client that the iCrap has.... rim IS email and messaging... and they will have best in the class apps for these... and yes, that takes time. I am happy they didn't push out some garbage email client... i want RIM style email and RIM style instant messaging... and quite frankly its Apple and Google that just don't get it... cause in both these regards their apps SUCK bigtime!!!
    bpdude likes this.
    06-17-11 07:53 PM
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