[Rooster99]

BB10 lags iOS and Android when it comes to apps. That's a fact, but it's not Blackberry's weakest link when it comes to consumers. It's the lack of an ecosystem tied to the Blackberry ID - a lack of cloud services.

For instance, I was testing a Nexus 4 on the weekend. You can use the phone without a Google account but it's easy to add one, and in fact required if you want to buy from the Google Play Store. And that account is instantly, by default, syncing your contact, calendar items, and more (movies, etc.) to your Google apps. And it you add that account to another Android device, it syncs there as well., plus of course you have web access to all your Google apps.

For a consumer, that's huge - and it's easy and free. And it's not just huge for consumers - my brother's doctor's office uses it to maintain appointments for multiple offices. Both iOS and Android offer this level of cloud services free, out of the box, and Blackberry has nothing to compare. Syncing to 3rd party services doesn't compare, nor does it offer Blackberry the revenue opportunities that a "native" set of cloud services would provide. I have no idea how Blackberry can compete with this.

I was floored. I'd never fully understood before why Google would develop a smartphone operating system, and then give it away for free. But it makes sense - suddenly, the phone is simply another interface into the core set of Google apps and services.

Sorry if this was obvious for everyone else, but it was a real "Oh ... my ... g0d ..." moment for me.

- R.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

I'd never buy a phone for the cloud service. EVER.

[Warlack]

With BlackBerry you have the choice and options.
Most of my activity shifted to Windows Live and I have all the features and benefits you are mentioning as well.....
I have that experience, however I prefer to chose the Cloud I send my data to then to be forced to use one in order to receive the services....

Anyway. I would love to have a Blackberry email address, calender and everything else.... Hopefully it will come (=

[Denise in Los Angeles]

With BlackBerry you have the choice and options.
Most of my activity shifted to Windows Live and I have all the features and benefits you are mentioning as well.....
I have that experience, however I prefer to chose the Cloud I send my data to then to be forced to use one in order to receive the services....

Anyway. I would love to have a Blackberry email address, calender and everything else.... Hopefully it will come (=

Excellent point. I will not put my data on the google or apple clouds.

[FunGuyLover]

If you don't mind Google being all up in your junk, that's just swell.

As for me, I enjoy the many options my BlackBerry gives me for cloud storage and sync.

Posted via CB10

[ffejrobins30]

Nice, your brother's doctors office uses Free Google accounts available on the Android system to sync appointment information? So that means that Google now has access to all of the patient appointment and, presumably, some sort of contact information even though they probably didn't opt in to have that kind of information shared? Excellent!

I'm so glad Google has such a service!

Now this is Mobile Computing at it's finest! Z10

[Rooster99]

Nice, your brother's doctors office uses Free Google accounts available on the Android system to sync appointment information? So that means that Google now has access to all of the patient appointment and, presumably, some sort of contact information even though they probably didn't opt in to have that kind of information shared? Excellent!

I'm so glad Google has such a service!

Now this is Mobile Computing at it's finest! Z10

I agree - it shouldn't be used for this, and my brother pointed that out.

However, my point is that it's so easy to put in place and use that it's a major draw for consumers and small business. Most consumers don't care that Google is capturing info, or if they do, Google's sheer size and familiarity makes them feel comfortable. And Blackberry has nothing that can compete.

- R.

[Asmooh]

I don't want Google to sync, steal, copy, and sell my data to anyone and anything

Posted via CB10

[b320]

For a consumer, that's huge - and it's easy and free. And it's not just huge for consumers - my brother's doctor's office uses it to maintain appointments for multiple offices. Both iOS and Android offer this level of cloud services free, out of the box, and Blackberry has nothing to compare. Syncing to 3rd party services doesn't compare, nor does it offer Blackberry the revenue opportunities that a "native" set of cloud services would provide. I have no idea how Blackberry can compete with this.

I was floored. I'd never fully understood before why Google would develop a smartphone operating system, and then give it away for free. But it makes sense - suddenly, the phone is simply another interface into the core set of Google apps and services.

Hopefully, this will make it simple and clear: BlackBerry doesn't appear to have any intentions of running a consumer cloud stack similar to Google Account with Gmail or Apple's iCloud because it's not necessary. No one appears to be successfully making money from having such cloud solutions as a standalone or upsell value proposition but rather from integrating it with a bigger-picture solution. Further, running a reliable, competitive cloud is not easy. Look at all the criticism that Apple and Google have gotten when iCloud or Gmail go offline or have issues.

BlackBerry's value proposition is to give you the best solution that gives you the freedom to integrate services of your choice from many popular cloud stacks rather than pushing you towards a (money losing) service of its own.

[b320]

I don't want Google to sync, steal, copy, and sell my data to anyone and anything

You are not forced to use Google. You can use any solution you want, including a private cloud as many businesses do.

[Asmooh]

You are not forced to use Google. You can use any solution you want, including a private cloud as many businesses do.

I had android before my z10 and I'm happy that I trow my phone against the wall.

Srsly android is a disaster to work with and. Those syncing ****? Fr contacts it's easy yes but for the rest? If BlackBerry had it i would trust them but Google or apple i will never trust.

Google has a history with selling your private info and uploading your contacts to what ever website.

Posted via CB10

[geoffsdad]

I choose blackberry so I don't get locked into one ecosystem or the other.

Posted via CB10

[Asmooh]

It would be nice if BlackBerry was starting an free email service with contacts sync i do agree there.

[email protected]? Or @blackberryid.com @ or something like it.



Posted via CB10

[ESCON]

Nothing from google is for "free"....

[matthewriedle]

BB is able to use your home computer as your cloud. I like that much better. Memory is cheap so I don't mind hosting it myself. Why would I want to pay someone else to host it? I buy the hardware its a one time cost. Host on a cloud where someone else has access to all my info and they charge me for it? No thanks. Security matters to me

[b320]

Nothing from google is for "free"....

If you don't like Google, you can use another free or paid service.

[anon(4018671)]

Nothing from google is for "free"....

Add Dropbox, Box.... and so on. I don't care if they mine my info but they should let you know how much they make off of you so that a cost/benefit can be done.

Does anyone really know what their personal info is worth? I'd say no one does.

[southlander]

Not so sure about Gmail etc making the difference in device choice but I do think apps like Google now that tie to the same account can cause some folks to choose android. I think email and contacts sync to the average consumer are not really flashy enough features. There is more an assumption that any chosen device can do that stuff.

Posted via BlackBerry 10