[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

RIM Following in Palm's Footsteps

RIM revealed the BlackBerry Torch 9800 this week with much fanfare, but with mixed reviews and a lukewarm reception. The launch of the BlackBerry Torch seems d�j� vu--reminiscent of the hype and reception of the Palm Pre which ultimately turned out to be Palm's swan song.
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The BlackBerry Torch is innovative by RIM standards, but offers little competition for cutting edge smartphones.The Torch is supposed to catapult the aging BlackBerry product line to the forefront--enabling RIM to compete head to head with cutting edge smartphones. RIM set out to embrace the best of what the iPhone-generation has to offer while maintaining core BlackBerry features--such as the signature physical keyboard--to breathe new life into the stagnant BlackBerry brand and give businesses and users a reason to stick with the respected--yet waning--smartphone leader.

RIM's next-generation smartphone is better suited to compete against the first-generation iPhone, though, than current smartphones like the iPhone 4 and Droid X. The processor, display, memory, and app market for the BlackBerry Torch are all abysmally inferior to what Apple and Google have to offer.

Based on the initial reaction and early reviews for the BlackBerry Torch, it seems like the device offers little real competition for the current generation of smartphones. However, the BlackBerry Torch could still be a success by some measures because the captive audience of business professionals locked into the BlackBerry culture will embrace the inferior device because it is still better than the other devices RIM has to offer.

Combined with the struggles RIM is facing over security and privacy issues with the governments of India, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, and the snub of the European Commission--selecting the Apple iPhone and HTC smartphones over the RIM BlackBerry platform for its employees--the future of RIM doesn't look very bright.

It seems like it's only a matter of time until RIM follows in Palm's footsteps and ends up on the auction block. Apple and Google already have superior smartphone and tablet platforms, but there is a struggling smartphone competitor out there uniquely suited to take advantage of a RIM purchase: Microsoft.

Microsoft could be like the New York Yankees of smartphones--spending money to make up for a lack of in-house talent and buy its way to the top. Purchasing RIM and incorporating--or cannibalizing--its intellectual property could enable Microsoft to leapfrog competing smartphone platforms like iPhone and Android.

Initial reviews of Windows Phone 7 suggest that Microsoft will soon have a more compelling smartphone platform to offer even without purchasing RIM. But, if Microsoft could successfully merge Windows Phone 7 into the established corporate culture built around the RIM BlackBerry platform, it could finally have the dominant presence it rightfully should have in the business smartphone arena.

There were about eleven months between the launch of the Palm Pre--heralded as an "iPhone killer"--and the sale of the company to HP. Where will RIM be this time next year?

[avacomputers]

Yes. Google will buy them and implement their security throughout Android.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[KJowers]

AND import the Blackberry battery life into the android OS........

[ka3yan#CB]

Interesting!!! Microsoft buying RIM and merging their technologies. That could make a for a really awesome smartphone...or a really awesome FAIL. I like the concept though.

[grahamf]

Remember the Microsoft KIN? that was the outcome of Microsoft buying Danger, who made the OS for Sidekicks.
Shortly after the merger Microsoft lost almost all user data (stored on Danger's servers, not the phone) when they transitioned over to the "more reliable" Microsoft servers.
Now T-Mobile is working on making a Sidekick with Android OS, and KIN is dead&buried.
hmmm...

[chuckh0308]

Honestly it would make me sad if RIM were ever bought out and I hope it doesn't happen. HOWEVER, I would like and hope to see some changes in their leadership. RIM is in desperate need of some new blood and some fresh ideas.

[mjixxx]

well said even though i drive a toyota

[Spiral_ouT]

Honestly it would make me sad if RIM were ever bought out and I hope it doesn't happen. HOWEVER, I would like and hope to see some changes in their leadership. RIM is in desperate need of some new blood and some fresh ideas.

Completely agree. Imagine if they got someone that had the idea to take the best things iPhone and android offer, and incorporate it into a Berry. I know, it sounds crazy haha . Then there would be nothing left to complain about and RIM would own the smartphone market once again.

[paulwright1]

people have been saying this for so many years and they have yet to be sold. RIM is doing just fine just like they always have.

[johnling]

UAA already has their bid in. They figure they have their National Security issues solved.

[paulwright1]

UAA already has their bid in. They figure they have their National Security issues solved.

you mean UAE! And yes that would solve there security concerns

[Jayhawk-X]

Never happen, why's this thread still open?

[VIDGMER]

You guys really forget something?!

Other companies, who looking for buy the Mobile Platform patents right now.

1) HTC

2) MOTOROLA

3) SAMSUNG

4) GOOGLE

5) ? ? ? ?

[waliullah]

RIM is doing so well in America and Europe that it doesnt matter even if UAE and Saudia Arabia ban its services, which they wont do.

[grahamf]

If RIM was to be sold then it will become the second time that the Canadian Government has blocked the sale of a company.

case closed and done with.

[NoahFecks]

Absolutely no credibility in an article which includes such a totally ignorant and clueless statement:

Microsoft could be like the New York Yankees of smartphones--spending money to make up for a lack of in-house talent and buy its way to the top.

[Radius]

What gets me most is the comparison to other smartphones. There is nothing in there but "it doesn't compare". Well it does and doesn't.

Most consumers don't know jack and that's the truth. Most people never research before they buy and just go for simple numbers like CPU speed, screen size and memory. Sorry, but those are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Battery life, OS stability, hardware issues, etc. all play into it but no one ever looks at that.

I blame Microsoft actually, for teaching people to turn a blind eye to utter crap and just accept it.

[fecurtis]

If RIM was to be sold then it will become the second time that the Canadian Government has blocked the sale of a company.

case closed and done with.

A bit delusional aren't we? Canada wouldn't block a sale of a company based on nationalism...that satellite firm was about far, far more than national pride.

As for battery life, it's not that bad. lol instead of managing memory on Blackberry, you simply manage battery life, good stuff.

I personally wouldn't mind if ALL major smartphone OS developers were all based in America.

[Radius]

A bit delusional aren't we? Canada wouldn't block a sale of a company based on nationalism...that satellite firm was about far, far more than national pride.

As for battery life, it's not that bad. lol instead of managing memory on Blackberry, you simply manage battery life, good stuff.

I personally wouldn't mind if ALL major smartphone OS developers were all based in America.

What's the difference between being based in the USA and not? All that means is the head office is there, and all the manufacturing is done in other countries anyhow. So no new jobs for anyone, just more money for a few people at the top.

And I never manage memory on the BB, I have never run out. Then again I don't see the need for a million apps but that's just me.

[MOTH477]

Interesting!!! Microsoft buying RIM and merging their technologies. That could make a for a really awesome smartphone...or a really awesome FAIL. I like the concept though.

It sucks that we are even thinking about this, but I agree RIM and Microsoft joining forces would make things a little bit interesting for Iphone and Android.

[berryfit]

Sold? That's purely ridiculous!

The stock trades at $52 a share today. It's been up, it's been down.

But everyday something changes...like this


RIM's official statement was equally as staunch:
Any claims that we provide, or have ever provided, something unique to the government of one country that we have not offered to the governments of all countries, are unfounded. … RIM cannot accommodate any request for a copy of a customer's encryption key, since at no time does RIM, or any wireless network operator or any third party, ever possess a copy of the key. This means that customers of the BlackBerry enterprise solution can maintain confidence in the integrity of the security architecture without fear of compromise.
The potential ban could also be an excellent jumping off point for the company's marketing strategy if it plays up its high-level security and reasserts its willingness to put user privacy ahead of the bottom line.
In doing so, RIM would finally be able to differentiate itself from the pack.

RIM is not a Palm, a Microsoft, or an Apple or Google. It's RIM. It has it's own unique product that will go up and down like anything else.

If that were the case, then Microsoft should have been bought out for putting out a product like Windows Vista! lol.

They're not going anywhere...that's just silliness!

EDIT ADD: Let's see the wave come back to BB when a virus hits androids or iphones!

[fecurtis]

What's the difference between being based in the USA and not? All that means is the head office is there, and all the manufacturing is done in other countries anyhow. So no new jobs for anyone, just more money for a few people at the top.

And I never manage memory on the BB, I have never run out. Then again I don't see the need for a million apps but that's just me.

All the programming, planning, and R&D would be done here (all the skilled labor basically). Besides, I bet RIM would be better off around other tech geek creative minds that inhabit Silicon Valley, it's a culture and way of life out there, unlike in Waterloo. Just my opinion, but to even fathom RIM being bought is a long stretch at this time.

I use apps for many things, be it social networking, productivity, looking up metro delays, finding today's happy hour deals in relation to where I am, looking up the latest news feeds, etc etc.

[Radius]

All the programming, planning, and R&D would be done here (all the skilled labor basically). Besides, I bet RIM would be better off around other tech geek creative minds that inhabit Silicon Valley, it's a culture and way of life out there, unlike in Waterloo. Just my opinion, but to even fathom RIM being bought is a long stretch at this time.

I use apps for many things, be it social networking, productivity, looking up metro delays, finding today's happy hour deals in relation to where I am, looking up the latest news feeds, etc etc.

Ever hear of outsourcing? The USA is losing so many programmers it's scary. The bulk of your R&D is no longer done in the US overall. And Canada can go toe to toe with your app developers any day, that's a given. Why do you think so many of us are head hunted for US companies? I have been as well but I turned it down in the end as I don't want to leave this city. Although a starting wage of $80K and a travel allowance to return to Canada every weekend was something I really had to mull over, it was not an easy choice.

[btufail]

What gets me most is the comparison to other smartphones. There is nothing in there but "it doesn't compare". Well it does and doesn't.

Most consumers don't know jack and that's the truth. Most people never research before they buy and just go for simple numbers like CPU speed, screen size and memory. Sorry, but those are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Battery life, OS stability, hardware issues, etc. all play into it but no one ever looks at that.

I blame Microsoft actually, for teaching people to turn a blind eye to utter crap and just accept it.

I agree. That typical U.S. society. Feed us all this glitter and glam and watch us get herded like sheep. DO YOUR HOMEWORK, PEOPLE!

[CanuckBB]

All the programming, planning, and R&D would be done here (all the skilled labor basically). Besides, I bet RIM would be better off around other tech geek creative minds that inhabit Silicon Valley, it's a culture and way of life out there, unlike in Waterloo. Just my opinion, but to even fathom RIM being bought is a long stretch at this time.

I use apps for many things, be it social networking, productivity, looking up metro delays, finding today's happy hour deals in relation to where I am, looking up the latest news feeds, etc etc.

I take it you don't know much about Waterloo then.

There is something to be said for being next door to the University of Waterloo

More Canadian high-tech and knowledge-based spin-off companies trace their roots to the University of Waterloo than to any other school, and as such, the University of Waterloo and the Waterloo region has been called the "Silicon Valley of the North". The University of Waterloo has topped the charts in the Maclean's reputational survey. Business and industry leaders have ranked Waterloo best overall out of all Canadian universities.

Great emphasis is placed on furthering the growth of research by quick and steady expansion of resources. The Institute for Quantum Computing, established in 2002, is one of a number of institutes and centres for research established, and has already begun to attract international scientists and a Nobel laureate to the university.

Computer Science and Mathematics
In the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest, Waterloo students have won championships in 1994 and 1999. They have also won gold medals in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005.

Even though Waterloo was established in 1957, its teams have accumulated the sixth most top-five finishes in the Putnam competition ahead of Berkeley, Cornell, Stanford, Duke, Chicago, WUSL, Yale, Columbia and Carnegie Mellon among others.

Engineering
As one of the most competitive engineering schools in the country, and with students and alumni consistently placing in the top tier of international competitions such as ChallengeX, the University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering is widely considered by industry and academics to be the foremost engineering school in Canada. With more than 6000 applicants annually, the school is one of the most selective in the country with mean averages of admitted students above 90 per cent in most programs. The school also holds the world record for the longest distance travelled by a solar car. Out of 24 participants in the 2008 North American Solar Car Challenge from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Germany, the University of Waterloo finished 4th overall and was the top Canadian team in the competition.

And then there is the Perimeter Institute.

Waterloo is also home to a number of financial institutions and insurance companies.

It's not quite the backwater little town some may think it is.