BB still the one in Washington

[Blackberry_Boy]

I just got back aftera few days of business in DC. BB is still the one used by the serious doers inside the beltway. Amazed at all the BBs I saw in Georgetown. I also was in the West Wing and BB is being used by those guys too. The stated perception is that serious people use BB; others use the rest. Seemsto me there isa natural marketing nkche and therefore campaign to exploit for RIM.

Anyway, rumours of RIM's death seem exaggerated.

[DannyAves]

Originally Posted by Blackberry_Boy

I just got back aftera few days of business in DC. BB is still the one used by the serious doers inside the beltway. Amazed at all the BBs I saw in Georgetown. I also was in the West Wing and BB is being used by those guys too. The stated perception is that serious people use BB; others use the rest. Seemsto me there isa natural marketing nkche and therefore campaign to exploit for RIM.

Anyway, rumours of RIM's death seem exaggerated.

Perhaps those people were government employees and they can only use FIPS approved devices.

[Blackberry_Boy]

so? Precisely my point.

[cfx_will]

I think the argument that danny aves is trying to make is that if they had the chance to choose another phone they will; the only reason they have bb is not because bb is a serious phone, it's because no other phones are certified.

Again, how long before other are certified. Will it be before bb10 comes out? If not, US government might be jumping ship as well.

[belfastdispatcher]

Originally Posted by cfx_will

I think the argument that danny aves is trying to make is that if they had the chance to choose another phone they will; the only reason they have bb is not because bb is a serious phone, it's because no other phones are certified.

Again, how long before other are certified. Will it be before bb10 comes out? If not, US government might be jumping ship as well.

As long As google and apple have back doors and can be jail broken it will never happen.

[app_Developer]

Governments are very, very slow to change. So, yes, this will likely be a good (but small) market for RIM for some time.

Good Technology is making some progress here, though. I know of one very large agency that is deploying Good for iOS. And there is one very high security group that has rolled it out for iPad already. RIM should roll Mobile Fusion out there quickly before Good takes a chunk of this market.

And then of course you have the Army's own Android implementation.

[cntrydncr223]

Originally Posted by app_Developer

Governments are very, very slow to change.

Truer words....

[southlander]

It's not just government that uses BlackBerry. Hollywood is filled to the brim with stars toting BlackBerrys. They are in all the TV shows/movies, etc.

Yet RIM somehow fails to make hay from all this. (?)

Or perhaps it does help and they'd actually be worse off. Who knows.

[lak611]

In the US, whether one is a liberal, conservative, moderate, Tea Party, Occupy Wall St, or anything else, there is a common denominator. Nobody likes the government officials in Washington. All political offices (President, Senate, House) have very low approval ratings.

If ordinary citizens dislike these offices, marketing a product these folks use will not get more consumer sales.

[dagerlach]

We all still have Blackberry's in DC if you work for the Gov't; not for long though. The environment is changing rapidly. Apple products are moving in very quickly. Supposedly, my new gov't issued iPad will be ready for me on Monday. I had the choice of an iPhone or an iPad.

Of course I still have my own Blackberry Bold 9900 and Playbook which will be a superior product when 2.0 is released.

That being said, RIM has to step up their game in the gov't and show they aren't going out of business and are still capable of providing a competitive and secure product. RIM really needs to come brief U.S. Gov't IT departments when they get the Playbook 2.0 and Bold 9900 working together as they have recently advertised. I personally would like RIM to come to my office and explain why they have a better product than Apple.

Open invitation to RIM!!!

David

[AlienSlacker]

Originally Posted by Blackberry_Boy

I just got back aftera few days of business in DC. BB is still the one used by the serious doers inside the beltway. Amazed at all the BBs I saw in Georgetown. I also was in the West Wing and BB is being used by those guys too. The stated perception is that serious people use BB; others use the rest. Seemsto me there isa natural marketing nkche and therefore campaign to exploit for RIM.

Anyway, rumours of RIM's death seem exaggerated.

If you have ever been to the Pentagon it's the same thing. All you see is BB. For fast and secure communications BB is the best.

[Blackberry_Boy]

not all these people work for govt. they were lobbyists, and others. the point I'm trying to make is that there is an aura of exclusivity with BB users. my client said, "you just look serious" to me. thus should be exploited by rim.

[lak611]

Originally Posted by Blackberry_Boy

not all these people work for govt. they were lobbyists, and others. the point I'm trying to make is that there is an aura of exclusivity with BB users. my client said, "you just look serious" to me. thus should be exploited by rim.

That is true, and I do see where RIM should market to folks who work for the government or influence the government (like lobbyists).

However, the fact that those people use Blackberry will not impact the average US consumer, who probably has more disdain for lobbyists than actual government officials.

[app_Developer]

Originally Posted by lak611

That is true, and I do see where RIM should market to folks who work for the government or influence the government (like lobbyists).

However, the fact that those people use Blackberry will not impact the average US consumer, who probably has more disdain for lobbyists than actual government officials.

I can see the tagline now:

"Blackberry. The choice of the most dysfunctional and out of touch institution in America."

[anthogag]

I think BB10 phones will be out before the other phones are 'approved'