Is the Playbook Gaining Momentum

**d-laybook** · 10-08-2011, 12:56 PM

I am wondering today if the Playbook is starting to gain some steam in the marketplace with the recent price drops from RIM.

Here is why I am thinking that:

1) I ordered a Playbook through Rogers two and a half weeks ago, when they had that sale for employees only (Good to know the right people). The device is still on back order 17 days later. Turns out Rogers had several thousand in their inventory and sold through all of those plus a couple of thousand extras.
2) Was in Staples yesterday and all the 16 gig Playbooks in that store were sold out. This is only a couple of days after they dropped the price on their Playbook.
3) This morning, out of curiosity, I went on Future Shop's website. At 4 of their 7 locations in Calgary, they have the 16 gig Playbook listed as sold out.

I know this is a small sampling but it gives me reason to be encouraged that maybe since RIM repositioned the Playbook in the market, the demand for it will grow dramatically. If this happens, the momentum will help attract developers who will create apps, thus increasing the demand for the device even further.

Could we be witnessing the beginning of a turn around for the Playbook and the first small steps toward a huge resurgence in RIM? This momentum will become unstoppable with the upcoming release of the BBX superphones which will bury Android and iOS

The RIMpire Strikes Back indeed because the Force is with us!

**dkingsf** · 10-08-2011, 01:00 PM

Perhaps the delay is because there a many being sold at firesale prices. Or perhaps the logistics of getting 800K unsold PB's from a warehouse to somewhere that someone ordered one is the problem.

Really unknown. If the price starts rising again that may mean that demand is outdistancing supply, but haven't see it yet.

**blackjack93117** · 10-08-2011, 01:01 PM

yes.

Your very existence here is evidence. Welcome to Crackberry.

Next thread.

**bounce007** · 10-08-2011, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by d-laybook

The RIMpire Strikes Back indeed because the Force is with us!

RIM should use that phrase! lol

F2 · 10-08-2011, 01:17 PM

Gaining momentum on a downward slide.

Only Rim can apply the brakes by providing a killer suite (sweet) of OS2 upgrades and the sooner the better - the cliff is just down this hill...........

**laurah2215** · 10-08-2011, 03:48 PM

It could be momentum, but I think it really has to do with sale prices plus the potential of 2.0 coming in future weeks/months. I hope there is a really bright future for the PB

**blackjack93117** · 10-08-2011, 03:53 PM

Getting them out into people's hands is key to momentum, the sales are doing just that. They show their friends, family, associates.... . Steady influx of newbies coming in. Retailers have failed at getting properly operating units into people's hands with no demo maintenance, and no training of employees. Stay optimistic and enthused. Both are contagious.

**kbz1960** · 10-08-2011, 03:55 PM

Hope so. Now I'm trying to figure out who out of a few here that you are since you 1. just joined and 2. your first post. I have my ideas

Edit: BTW nice new profile name

**UKCatFan3** · 10-08-2011, 04:30 PM

all it takes is 10 minutes on a working playbook with wifi and a little guidance to fall in love. the first time i went to best buy to check it out, no working demo. the next time, working demo but nobody there to teach me gestures and highlights. walked out frustrated again. finally just went to walmart and bought one and figured it all out. now i show anyone that will listen. most people write it off upon first glance, cause its not apple and its a mini tablet. then once they have it in their hands, they just keep asking for one more minute with it. i still do not recommend it to anyone that does not have a bb, and tell most to wait til 2.0 if they are unsure or money is tight. otherwise, i say get a 64 cause you WILL use it more than you ever imagined you would.

yes, i think the playbook is gaining momentum, and 2.0 will be a shot of nitrous. the key to longterm success on all qnx devices will depend on developers riding this wave of momentum and getting useful apps out there. app world doesnt need 4 million apps if 3,999,500 arent worth the 5 minutes it takes you to realize you need to delete it.

**nextlevel88** · 10-08-2011, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by d-laybook

The RIMpire Strikes Back indeed because the Force is with us!

It's cool that everyone around here has found a rallying cry in "The RIMpire Strikes Back", and all that, but it should be noted that the original Empire "struck back" right before they got their Death Star blown to pieces… Again…

**JeffyPooh** · 10-08-2011, 05:39 PM

$299 is only 57% of $520 (iPad 2). LIKE.

The potential tablet market was probably full of people (like me) that missed out on the $99 HP tablet when they were being cleared out a few weeks ago. When I saw the PB for $299, I asked the salesman, "How fast can you sell it to me?"

I had never considered the PB before; the price captured my attention real good.

Comparing it to the iPad is easy, apps versus Flash, Screen size versus portable. Basically 5 of one, half dozen of the other.

I'll still buy an iPad 'n' someday, but the pressure is off.

Dropping the price was a brilliant move by RIM, as long as they don't lose too much money on each unit. They're helping in cracking open the tablet monopoly. Sooner or later I will buy some paid apps.

**leticeberry** · 10-08-2011, 05:56 PM

Sale price. That's the main reason I bought it. Otherwise I was just going to by an e-reader. I figured if I could get a Playbook for $249 for basically the same price as the Nook Color (and especially since I have a Blackberry phone), I might as well get the better device. I wasn't going to buy it at $499.

**blackjack93117** · 10-08-2011, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by JeffyPooh

$299 is only 57% of $520 (iPad 2). LIKE.

The potential tablet market was probably full of people (like me) that missed out on the $99 HP tablet when they were being cleared out a few weeks ago. When I saw the PB for $299, I asked the salesman, "How fast can you sell it to me?"

I had never considered the PB before; the price captured my attention real good.

Comparing it to the iPad is easy, apps versus Flash, Screen size versus portable. Basically 5 of one, half dozen of the other.

I'll still buy an iPad 'n' someday, but the pressure is off.

Dropping the price was a brilliant move by RIM, as long as they don't lose too much money on each unit. They're helping in cracking open the tablet monopoly. Sooner or later I will buy some paid apps.

Originally Posted by leticeberry

Sale price. That's the main reason I bought it. Otherwise I was just going to by an e-reader. I figured if I could get a Playbook for $249 for basically the same price as the Nook Color (and especially since I have a Blackberry phone), I might as well get the better device. I wasn't going to buy it at $499.

What I said...

**sf18443** · 10-08-2011, 07:49 PM

Yes, the momentum is there because of the excellent promotional strategy out into place recently.Most retailers are sold out most of the time.. at least around here.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**robtanz** · 10-08-2011, 08:12 PM

Also more high quality apps and games appearing. Hopefully the sales will allow PB users to reach a critical mass.

Let's Golf 2 kicks my ***!!

**mercadodon** · 10-08-2011, 08:36 PM

i have to say, I am hearing more and more about the PB everyday. At work people are asking to look at my PB and asking questions. About 4 work friends have made the move this weekend to purchase a PB.

The current price has definitely opened their minds to the PB's finer points. It's funny, being in Toronto, everyone here seems to be purchasing from a friend at RIM or Rogers because it looks hard to find it anywhere else!

PB's gaining momentum!

**liquidmetal101** · 10-08-2011, 09:17 PM

Was at BestBuy today and had three people looking at he PB while i was picking up a screen protector for mine. Two of them purchased it and the third was still there considering it when i left. It is totally gaining a lot of interest and the sales rep was totally hyping the PB. He seemed to know quite a bit about it.

I was at Staples earlier on and the PB had its own display at the end of the aisle, and presentation was pretty good however it was a dead PB. I just dont get it. Staples sucks anyways.

**d-laybook** · 10-10-2011, 02:40 AM

Definitely doesn't help that I have seen the display model not taken care of a few times a few times in different stores. Hard to sell a product that people can't get a feel for in the store. You would never see an Apple display in bad condition though and that shows a bias that is ridiculous.

Even with that though, it does seem like it's taking off. Gotta love it.

**chrism_scotland** · 10-10-2011, 02:45 AM

I have to agree RE Display Models in the UK some stores haven't got the Playbook at all and a lot that do the unit isn't working, that said when I do get one to work and have a play I'm always very impressed and the staff in the store seems very keen on it as well, sadly I think its just the price at retail in the UK thats snuffled sales, when you can pickup an iPad sitting next to the PB for almost the same price GB to GB then I can see why people are going for that, if we see some nice price drops in the consumer retail shops (Dixons,Currys, PC World) then I think sales will go up quite a lot, especially as the new Amazon Kindle Fire has again highlighted that a 7" form factor is a good one for media consumption.

It does seem that some traction is building though especially with the relative glut in new EA games in the last few days!