[anon(1049620)]

Ecosystem.

RIM sells a product. Apple and Google don't. They sell ways to access your content, your digital life. And it's push-button. Effortless.

Apple lets you get to your media, photos, mail, calendar, etc. from 5 different devices.
Google does the same from 4 different devices.

BlackBerry = phone. 1 device. Don't have Enterprise Server or an Exchange account? All you get (easily) is mail.

Want to sync your BB content to other devices? You'd better have Bluetooth or a USB cable.

The fundamental problem here is that you have to make your BlackBerry device work with your life. The other devices all work within your life. Everything is seamless. Switching costs are higher when you have an iPhone or an Android along with some other products in the same ecosystem. And you want to add more products.

RIM had better solve that problem with BB10 or they will die (in the consumer market) within 3 years. And Office365 IS NOT the answer.

Introducing BlackBerry Cloud

Features:
- Automatically sync everything (mail, calendars, contacts, media, files, bookmarks, other content*) between all BlackBerry10 devices and tablets.
- Access all your files from any computer or tablet web browser via the web interface (bblife.com)
- Sync effortlessly with your PC or Mac (sync to appropriate document folders by default, simple setup, lightweight background service).

That's all Easy, no?

[axeman1000]

Sounds great, and the plus as well over the other companies would be the security it would provide. No one would beat it.

But the sheep would cry that we copied them and it was apples (opps googles) idea first blah blah blah too late too late!!!

What people dont get is that blackberrys are workhorses. If you need a app to access something on the web then your device does not do everything. App is a LAZY way to get somewhere. Efficient my ! If you first find a web page you like and visit regularly, it has everything you need. If your device needs a app to access that site, then your getting a scaled down version of something that was created for the web, not a app.

Seriously, TSN looks twenty times better on my bb with flash than my touch tsn app! No contest!!!

It is true, there are toys and there are tools, anyone will tell you the solution wont come without the right tools!

[kbz1960]

Really need to stop with the tools not toys crap. It's self defeating.

[masterscarhead1]

You need to consider Apple has 1 device. Google has hardware companies writing the specific OS's. RIM is the only company writing OS's for so many devices, with constant updates. So, consider that before complaining. I will stick with RIM until the end.

[hurds]

The 'ecosystem' could end up being other platforms downfall. When people realize their walled garden is actually a prison which they can only access with one device of different sizes on an aging platform they are not going to be happy.

[anon(1049620)]

The 'ecosystem' could end up being other platforms downfall. When people realize their walled garden is actually a prison which they can only access with one device of different sizes on an aging platform they are not going to be happy.

That's ultimately the beauty of a prison. You don't leave unless you're determined to make some serious sacrifices. The notion of switching costs is very important here, because when you've invested, say, $2500 and 3 years in a set of devices that you're used to using, it's a lot easier to buy "the new one" for another $500 once or twice a year than to change to another ecosystem.

And on that note, consumers think of their products as being part of their lives. "What happens to my life if I replace this with something else? Do I have to learn new things? Do I have to buy other products? Will they work together?"

I should have also mentioned that Apple is so successful because they do a few things really well. They focus on some key items, and the rest doesn't matter to them. We might see that as a cop out, but that strategy works, better to do some things perfectly than a bunch of things half-assed.

[jrohland]

I do exactly those kinds of synchronizations between my BB, PlayBook, home notebook, home desktop and work computer. How? The way I want to. I'm not stuck with the way the phone providers says I must do it.

I use Google/Gmail, amazon cloud player, Dropbox and others. Is it convenient like a walled garden approach? No. Does it allow me to use the service that provides the capabilities and security options I want? Yep.

[Superfly_FR]

And Office365 IS NOT the answer.

Don't only think Exchange or collaborative docs.
Have you heard about Lync ?

[Thunderbuck]

For me, the jury's still out on the value of built-in cloud computing, but bear in mind that RIM has hinted that their ContentBay acquisition is going to provide such a service...

[psufan32]

Ecosystem is the hot word these days, as we've moved well beyond just the phone and the phone OS into what the OP stated well, which is how tech integrates into one's life.

The problem for RIM right now is that their market share is small and shrinking as every month goes by. They have a bunch of old phones out, and a tablet that is bundled into "other" when talking about tablet market share. Building up a wall around such a tiny product and software footprint is really self defeating at this stage.

We need fewer examples of closed, walled in ecosystems and more open systems that work cross platform. We need less of needing BBs to use BBM, or needing a GSIII and a Samsung Smart TV to be able to wirelessly stream from the phone, etc.

[LeenaNag]

Sounds like a fine thought and it is the need of the hour. I use an Android too. My documents, calendar, mail get synced on my cellphone, which is really really handy. It has made me addicted and something I cannot do without.

BBM has been RIM's usp we wont mind moving a step forward. BB cloud..Yea, thumbs up!

[anon(1049620)]

The problem for RIM right now is that their market share is small and shrinking as every month goes by. They have a bunch of old phones out, and a tablet that is bundled into "other" when talking about tablet market share. Building up a wall around such a tiny product and software footprint is really self defeating at this stage.

We need fewer examples of closed, walled in ecosystems and more open systems that work cross platform. We need less of needing BBs to use BBM, or needing a GSIII and a Samsung Smart TV to be able to wirelessly stream from the phone, etc.

Agreed. I'm not advocating that RIM build another closed ecosystem. I'm advocating that they build AN ECOSYSTEM. Of any kind. "Finding a way" to get all of your digital life in sync across all devices isn't good enough. The average consumer doesn't know how and doesn't have the time/patience to do it. It needs to work out of the box, at least in the North American market.

The average user is NOT you or me. The average user doesn't go to help forums. They just need their devices to work and work well. Turn on the computer and there are the pictures that you took on your phone. Put music in your collection and have it sync. Easy. Simple. That's it.

[stackberry369]

Rim's problem stems from announcing BB10 while they were selling BB7 phones.too many are skipping os7 and waiting for BB10.I am 1 of them.

[Tre Lawrence]

Yep, I agree. Give consumers an ecosystem of any kind. Not necessarily closed (Google has an open one). I think a closed one would be best from a business standpoint, but making BB devices a business/entertainment hub would be a great move, IMHO.

[pythons]

MANY people who are not even conducting the level of business to warrant a "smart phone" will buy one....
...And those people mostly base their selection off the perception of other people they think are squared away.
...Big shots in business, go getters, etc.

I can remember back in the day when I first became aware of blackberry I watched a business guy using one....
....And said to myself I want to "LOOK" like that.
....Like it or not this is what sells phones to the masses.

The company I work for was previously SATURATED with blackberry devices...
...Even the people who needed PTT ( Nextel two way ) were on the 8350i Blackberry!
...What happened?

I will tell you what happened - the used car Managers started seeing other used car managers at the auctions....
....Running AAX DealerTrack on iphones and Droids.
....This equated to those managers outperforming them simply due to SPEED.

It didn't stop there either - soon ADP was on both the Droid and Apple....
...And the people in Admin switched to iphones, got ipads - and the RIM devices continued to drop.
...Today there are two people within the company I work for that still have BB's.
...Both of us have 9930's.

RIM lost it's way with "business apps" and when the "business" customers started to leave in droves....
...That also has a massive effect on those other people who buy a device based off how good they think that Manager is.
....I know plenty of people who don't know squat about politics.
....They vote for the same person someone they look up to votes for.

Cell phone sales are very similar to this.

I think RIM is right in their attempts to keep what few business customers they have....
...They have to NAIL the business apps out of the park - get the white colar folks to been observed using BB's.
...Soon after that THOSE guys will checking email or doing something and someone who can afford but doesn't really need a smartphone.
...Will see that and viola - they will buy a blackberry because they want to look like someone who has their act together.

If RIM has some SOLID business apps on their new devices ( and that included SKYPE ) they will come back...
...The road will be hard and bloody but they will make it.

[cgk]

The 'ecosystem' could end up being other platforms downfall. When people realize their walled garden is actually a prison which they can only access with one device of different sizes on an aging platform they are not going to be happy.

This is an article of faith like "android's fragmentation is a problem" and "WebOS's real multitasking will wow the consumers" - as far as the evidence seems to indicate, outside of technerd forums like this, where consumers do know, they don't care as long as it works for them.

[BitPusher2600]

This is an article of faith like "android's fragmentation is a problem" and "WebOS's real multitasking will wow the consumers" - as far as the evidence seems to indicate, outside of technerd forums like this, where consumers do know, they don't care as long as it works for them.

That statement is exactly why I felt that Android always had the biggest advantage in their open platform approach. Bear in mind I hate Android and get a chuckle out of the "tools not toys" so i'm a happy lil a**hole but the fact that so many manufacturers can spit out devices with no need to develop it's software leaves you with dozens of Androids in every cellular store. I firmly believe you nailed it on the head; if they see it everywhere they look and it all just works, they (joe consumer) couldn't give a damn less about the "platform", just doing their version of the basics. Surely everyone knows at least one person that has an Android phone but not because it's "Android" or Google but because it was a good deal, or has x apps.

[undone]

The 'ecosystem' could end up being other platforms downfall. When people realize their walled garden is actually a prison which they can only access with one device of different sizes on an aging platform they are not going to be happy.

The prison will only be noticed by its inmates when there is a reason to notice the walls. That is what happened to BB users. You just cant do the same things as two major platforms. RIM is recreating there garden and all you need is one MAJOR app not to show up on either of the two other majors for the inmates to see the walls.

[excoelis]

I love my BB and everything about it. It does what I need and the way I like it, Issues I have are the constant freezing up and this is with all my BB's . I will be honest I am probably not going to purchase another one because I don't think RIM can save themselves and someone is going to take them over or buy the company. RIM has just lost to much to turn thier company around. The thought of switching to an IPHONE scares me but it seems the next logical choice. Wait and see what RIM brings to the table in the next 6 months I guess.