RIM could make *ONE* A-phone to stall for time...
- For literation:
I am NOT saying RIM should give up and just roll out Android phones like everyone else. I am saying that they should bring out ONE to stall for time until BB10 is ready. After that RIM could see how this one phone does before deciding on if it should continue Android phone development.
There has always been demand for an Android device with a RIM keyboard, and RIM could theoretically push it out as a stopgap to BB10, to help dissuade some of the doom and gloom naysayers. I believe RIM can bring out something like this in two months, and it would be the best damn Android phone with a physical keyboard. This could sell like hotcakes (among those that still want a proper keyboard), and would help RIM with their finances.
RIM would simply have to build the hardware (or modify existing hardware such as the Bold 9900), which takes far less time then building a new OS. For software all they would really need to do is make drivers, because the stock Ice Cr�me Sandwich GUI is (apparently) really good so they don't have to drain resources making a custom skin. Heck, Google would probably LOVE to work with RIM to make an official Google-branded phone, like a keyboarded version of the Nexus series.
This would be all they would need to do. This would distract people until BB10 is FINALLY launching. After that they can have a minimal team maintaining the Android phone's code, or they can unlock the bootloader and release the source code. If this Android phone is very successful, then RIM can consider continued R&D with other operating systems. But they don't need to do a complete switch.
Thoughts?07-01-12 12:59 AMLike 0 -
- Are you stupid or just just off your medication tonight? And nobody get their knickers in a knot and say I am insensitive. The OP's idea would be the death knell of the BlackBerry, the brand, and Research In Motion, the company.Knightcrawler likes this.07-01-12 01:37 AMLike 1
- No offence kevinnugent, but their DNA is why all this drama is happening.
The main idea of this is to put something new into people's hands right away. If they at least show that they are interested in trying new things, public reception would improve dramatically. And this would be an awesome short-term product, which is what investors are clamoring for. BB10 is fine and dandy, but it's very late and is a long-term project.
I believe RIM can push this out quickly, and that it would be considered the best Android keyboard phone ever. Sales should be decent, and could alleviate all of RIM's financial woes while they continue to work on BB10. And when BB10 is launched, who knows? RIM may find it financially sound to release a new Android model every year. Or they can drop it and never look back.
RIM moved to the bottom by not changing quickly enough. They should at least experiment with the extreme changes.
Just don't call it a BlackBerry.Last edited by grahamf; 07-01-12 at 01:49 AM.
07-01-12 01:45 AMLike 0 - Because it would run android, it would be exactly the same problems they are running into now with BB10 (no BIS/bes/bbm) and would be EXACTLY the same as every other QWERTY Android out there.
The public doesn't give a crap about a company showing they are willing to do something extreme, they want something that's cutting edge and cool, something that stop-gap android b@st@rd child would not be...07-01-12 02:05 AMLike 0 - They don't have to adopt Android, in my opinion. They simply have to keep augmenting the current OS7 operating system to have more of the universal features people get on their other devices. Things like native voice control would be good.
If they could, smooth out the memory management issues and other bugs on the current OS. If they are able, get a phone out there with a multi-core processor to get smoother multitasking into Blackberry.
Just my two cents.07-01-12 02:44 AMLike 0 - I'd rather see an HP partnership for a WebOS device. WebOS failed because of poor hardware and no effort by HP. Maybe HP now sees with the Surface announcement that ditching WebOS is a huge mistake. HP is not happy with Microsoft right now because of the Surface announcement. I still believe that RIM should have bought WebOS for the transition (finished OS ready to use) and still bought QNX as the future OS platform. It would have bought them more time to get QNX ready and they could have integrated in WebOS players and support into QNX. Obviously the path they chose isn't going like they thought it would.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Crackberry App!07-01-12 07:43 AMLike 0 - WebOS failed because HP didn't realize how difficult it would be to break into the 4G LTE spectrum.
Surface will follow the same path as the Zune.
QNX isn't going anywhere, neither will RIM.07-01-12 07:55 AMLike 0 -
- You really think they could develop, manufacture and release an Android device in the 9 months until BB10 launches? Think about it.
Carrier testing would probably eat up 6 months alone. What are the ramifications for BIS/BES if 1 device runs android, some run OS5/6/7 and others run BB10/QNX?Last edited by xandermac; 07-01-12 at 10:05 AM.
07-01-12 10:02 AMLike 2 -
These "solutions" aren't really solutions.
The only hope RIM every had hinged on BB10, and with yet another delay after years of being behind the competition - there's no escaping the final damage that will end RIM.
Instead of thinking of ways for RIM to escape the inescapable, it's best to put that energy into figuring out what other brand you'll be adopting. There's some quality choices out there, so this could be a fun time. Like being a kid in a candy store.07-01-12 10:03 AMLike 0 - I wouldn't go that far. They still have a decent cash hoard there and there losses are still only minimal. I say lets see what BB 10 launches as and go from there. I really don't think it will be much past February. Unfortunately in terms of retail thats like the worst time of the year to launch as everyone is broke from Christmas shopping still.James Nieves likes this.07-01-12 10:12 AMLike 1
- You really think they could develop, manufacture and release an Android device in the 9 months until BB10 launches? Think about it.
Carrier testing would probably eat up 6 months alone. What are the ramifications for BIS/BES if 1 device runs android, some run OS5/6/7 and others run BB10/QNX?amazinglygraceless likes this.07-01-12 10:14 AMLike 1 - amazinglygracelessRetired ModI have to ask, if RIM can't get it's own OS, one they have been working on since the
acquisition of QNX, TAT, etc, working, why would anyone be inclined to believe they
could successfully, and in short order no less, create a device on Android.
RIM does not need stalling tactics, diversions or distractions. They need to buckle down
and get this BB10 thing to market.07-01-12 10:20 AMLike 3 - ThunderbuckRetired ModeratorRIM could prepare a product. Hear me out on this:
The rumor is that there's already a batch of handsets produced for the BB10 launch. License Jelly Bean for the one run, rebrand them, and find some kind of back-channel to sell them through.
The devices could NOT be sold as BlackBerry-branded handsets; it would not be possible to register them on a BES or run BBM on them.
PROS: Quick way to monetize hardware that could be out of date by Q1. Show the financial community a willingness to think creatively.
CONS: Would require potentially expensive one-off licensing deal with Google. Would do nothing to update current BlackBerry lineup. While it would afford an opportunity to update hardware (OMAP 5, anyone?), it would also require a crash engineering program that could delay BB10 even further. Has a faint whiff of desperation, but may RIM actually does need to swallow a little pride...
Who knows?07-01-12 11:57 AMLike 0 - RIM could prepare a product. Hear me out on this:
The rumor is that there's already a batch of handsets produced for the BB10 launch. License Jelly Bean for the one run, rebrand them, and find some kind of back-channel to sell them through.
The devices could NOT be sold as BlackBerry-branded handsets; it would not be possible to register them on a BES or run BBM on them.
PROS: Quick way to monetize hardware that could be out of date by Q1. Show the financial community a willingness to think creatively.
CONS: Would require potentially expensive one-off licensing deal with Google. Would do nothing to update current BlackBerry lineup. While it would afford an opportunity to update hardware (OMAP 5, anyone?), it would also require a crash engineering program that could delay BB10 even further. Has a faint whiff of desperation, but may RIM actually does need to swallow a little pride...
Who knows?07-01-12 12:26 PMLike 0 - I know my bold will not be able to upgrade to bb10 because of my single core cpu. Would they have been better off running bb7 on a new dual core phone and allow for an upgrade when bb10 is ready in q1 2013.
Running android would not be great because it would take time and money for a temporary fix. Why use someone else's os when they have there own in bb7.
It would be an option for the user to upgrade. (best of both worlds). A limited production run would have bridged the demand and even if it wasn't well accepted, not really a lose because bb10 would be running on it anyways.
I personally would have kept it at bb7 but want my playbook on bb10.
It's too late for any option if it had not already been implemented. We'll, Let's get 2.1 out so us users can test on the pb.07-01-12 12:54 PMLike 0 - ThunderbuckRetired Moderator
Sure, these handsets COULD be released running 'droid 2.1, but who'd want them?07-01-12 12:58 PMLike 0 - Pete6Retired ModeratorAndroid, Android. It is like a rash on the technological society.
I am reminded of a line from a story I once read. I reads:
"The barbarians always win in the end."
I don't want a bloody Anderoid - rhymes with hemorrhoid, wonder why? - phone. I want a BlackBerry phone running a BlackBerry OS.07-01-12 01:02 PMLike 0 - Just get the liquid metal girl from Terminator 3 to load up Android and then touch a BlackBerry and it should be ready for market...
Shouldn't be that hard.07-01-12 01:26 PMLike 0 - RIM could prepare a product. Hear me out on this:
The rumor is that there's already a batch of handsets produced for the BB10 launch. License Jelly Bean for the one run, rebrand them, and find some kind of back-channel to sell them through.
The devices could NOT be sold as BlackBerry-branded handsets; it would not be possible to register them on a BES or run BBM on them.
PROS: Quick way to monetize hardware that could be out of date by Q1. Show the financial community a willingness to think creatively.
CONS: Would require potentially expensive one-off licensing deal with Google. Would do nothing to update current BlackBerry lineup. While it would afford an opportunity to update hardware (OMAP 5, anyone?), it would also require a crash engineering program that could delay BB10 even further. Has a faint whiff of desperation, but may RIM actually does need to swallow a little pride...
Who knows?07-01-12 09:22 PMLike 0 - Again, there is no timeline possible for that and it takes the attention off the goal. Its like saying in your personal life, you want to buy a four bedroom house cause you have three kids and a spouse. But then part way through after saving, you buy a three bedroom house for the same money. What sense does that make?07-01-12 11:05 PMLike 0
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RIM could make *ONE* A-phone to stall for time...
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