RIM Advertising "QNX" as the Tablet OS

**sk8er_tor** · 09-26-2011, 11:42 AM

For the first time, I'm seeing BlackBerry advertise the PlayBook OS as QNX right on their website. Perhaps we will see this with the relaunch? I think it's a good thing, especially if a consumer researches QNX and sees the power and potential of the operating system.

**mandony** · 09-26-2011, 12:32 PM

Since before release they always promoted the OS as QNX

This is the first press release. They specify QNX as the OS

RIM Unveils The BlackBerry PlayBook, September 27, 2010
http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=4577

**sk8er_tor** · 09-26-2011, 12:56 PM

No, they never advertised it as QNX. It's always been advertised as the BlackBerry Tablet OS. Everyone knew it was QNX but QNX was not specifically mentioned in any consumer advertising.

QNX Logo Shows up in BlackBerry PlayBook Advertising

**peter9477** · 09-26-2011, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by mandony

Since before release they always advertised the OS as QNX

I'm not sure it was this prominent, and I'm not sure it's even really been "advertised" this way. It's almost always been the "Tablet OS" and although they did sometimes say it was based on QNX, were they putting the QNX logo in there like that, and being quite as clear about it? I always had the impression they were trying to underplay that a bit.

**luqman24** · 09-26-2011, 12:57 PM

I don't see what the big deal is here, its always been called QNX, and when the OS was first introduced it was introduced with the logo. They just added it to their website, doesn't sound like news to me.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**ShushUAE** · 09-26-2011, 01:04 PM

They are obviously emphasizing this for the 'relaunch'

**alekza** · 09-26-2011, 01:07 PM

QNX sounds soo goood... much better than tabletOS

**Kevin Michaluk** · 09-26-2011, 01:10 PM

Yeah, it's not really "news" to get excited about, but it's interesting. I think normally RIM acquisitions mainly get absorbed into the BlackBerry brand.

What I'm more curious about is just what they will/should do with it going ahead. I think if I was RIM I maybe would embrace pushing QNX even at the consumer level. They need something that signifies it's a clear break/difference between these phones and any other BB before it.

**Economist101** · 09-26-2011, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin Michaluk

They need something that signifies it's a clear break/difference between these phones and any other BB before it.

In a lot of ways they've already achieved this. By my count, there's more than 70 million BB subscribers but less than 800K PlayBooks shipped since launch, so RIM isn't doing a very good job of converting BB loyalists to PlayBook users. When you think about it, there are more than 3x as many CrackBerry members than PlayBooks shipped in nearly 6 months. Yes, RIM is struggling to attract new customers, but these numbers suggest that they aren't doing so well with current customers either.

**Alberta Blue** · 09-26-2011, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Economist101

In a lot of ways they've already achieved this. By my count, there's more than 70 million BB subscribers but less than 800K PlayBooks shipped since launch, so RIM isn't doing a very good job of converting BB loyalists to PlayBook users. When you think about it, there are more than 3x as many CrackBerry members than PlayBooks shipped in nearly 6 months. Yes, RIM is struggling to attract new customers, but these numbers suggest that they aren't doing so well with current customers either.

I think the point is more about the new QNX handsets coming out than the Playbook. RIM needs to advertise the fact that QNX is the new Blackberry revolution that is going to take their handset offerings to the next level. RIM ought to be pushing QNX as the reason why current Berry owners should stick with RIM, and why former owners should return.

F2 · 09-26-2011, 03:17 PM

I have to ponder if users, at least, non-technical users, care about the name or nature of the underlying OS. They care about what the product does. Do I care that somewhere under my Tivo is a unix operating system? It is the face of the product or, if you will, the terrible word, INTERFACE that people interact with. I don't think that I purchased qnx when I purchased a pb. I purchased a system that supposedly (we can argue about that in the other threads) offered great graphics, smooth operations and multitasking.

I may care a bit more on my bb phone but only because after a number of years, I realize that when a new bb OS comes out, my apps and themes may no longer run and I may have to purchase new ones. But do I care if it is OS6 or 7 or just what is facilitated by the changes under the hood?

I was more intrigued by the "EXPECT PERFORMANCE" text in the ad/photo and that raised my already cynical view and thinking, yup, "I still expect it to come but it is not here yet!"

**loth** · 09-26-2011, 05:42 PM

playbook is the best tablet by far, RIM should hit the world with all the good adventages like qnx, multitask, hd video, gaming and performance

**rjshahan** · 09-26-2011, 08:42 PM

Maybe we will see the QNX logo pop up across various consumer facing applications:
---QNX logo on car brochures
---QNX logo on splash screens on inflight entertainment

"powered by QNX" becoming a tagline used across many functions.

This maybe RIM's strategy to build QNX as a consumer brand and build on QNX's already wide reach. BlackBerry is a smartphone brand, QNX is a computing brand.

**SharpieFiend** · 09-26-2011, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin Michaluk

Yeah, it's not really "news" to get excited about, but it's interesting. I think normally RIM acquisitions mainly get absorbed into the BlackBerry brand.

What I'm more curious about is just what they will/should do with it going ahead. I think if I was RIM I maybe would embrace pushing QNX even at the consumer level. They need something that signifies it's a clear break/difference between these phones and any other BB before it.

People use and rely on QNX every day and they don't even know it. It's in their TV, it's in their car, it even makes the internet possible. If RIM is smart (and they are) they would help people to realize how much they depend on QNX, how reliable it is and draw parallels to BlackBerry branded QNX devices. If this was done properly their image would be helped immensely and would make the purchase price of QNX seem like peanuts.

**blackjack93117** · 09-26-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by SharpieFiend

People use and rely on QNX every day and they don't even know it. It's in their TV, it's in their car, it even makes the internet possible. If RIM is smart (and they are) they would help people to realize how much they depend on QNX, how reliable it is and draw parallels to BlackBerry branded QNX devices. If this was done properly their image would be helped immensely and would make the purchase price of QNX seem like peanuts.

RIM is smart yes - minus the marketing department.