[Dapper37]

An interesting persective from a recent developers success on the BB platform.

RIM: Perception VS Reality - BerryReview

[mithrazor]

Nice article. I think RIM is in that transition in terms of perception. Being associated with "outdated" phones to good/top of the line phones.

Right know they're at decent.

[belfastdispatcher]

I hope all on the fence developers read this:

"It has been an eventful couple of years for Research in Motion, struggling to turn their declining US market share around. These days it�s hard to find a positive mention of the company. Articles appear at a steady rate in blogs and newspapers slamming the company, their products, and their management � and the stock price is in the toilet. It makes me wonder: Is there a disconnect between perception and reality?

Back in early 2009, I purchased my first smartphone: The Bold 9000. It was the first time asmartphonehad really caught my eye. In a short period, BlackBerry had transformed itself, going from producing chunky email pagers to delivering great looking devices. But the product aged quickly. (My main source of dissatisfaction was the web browser, which was slow enough that I avoided using it) With the advent of the retina display, my Bold 9000 looked downright ancient. The Torch product was intriguing, but felt like one step forward where three steps forward were needed. I think everyone can agree, RIM lost ground quickly � they needed a refreshed product with a great screen, a screaming processor, and a beautiful form factor.

When the Bold 9900 was released, it definitely caught my eye, but I work from home these days, so I wasn�t especially motivated to drop $600 on a new phone. That all changed when I ported my iTunes Sync application from PlayBook to BlackBerry phones, and saw the app rocket up to become the #3 app (excluding games) on App World during the holiday season. It brought in an astonishing $7700 in sales the week of Christmas, leaving me dizzy. (Yet more evidence for the skeptic that App World represents a fantastic opportunity for developers) Needless to say, I didn�t have any difficulty justifying the purchase of a 9900 that week.

My device arrived today.

Unpacking the 9900 and setting it up has been a wonderful experience, shattering the perception that RIM�s latest product offering isn�t competitive. The device is gorgeous, especially due to the brushed aluminum band, and how thin it is. If you ask me, it�s as pretty as the iPhone 4. The screen is exactly what I had hoped for: Finally a retina display class screen in a BlackBerry. The UI is both pretty and faithful to the winning BlackBerry design. The processor is indeed screaming, scrolling is buttery smooth, and they nailed the web browser. Even the speakers are fantastic. I was always impressed with my Bold 9000′s speakers, but the 9900′s are noticeably better. The keyboard feels incredible. Again, I was always impressed by my Bold 9000′s keyboard, but somehow RIM has figured out how to raise the bar noticeably higher with the 9900′s keyboard.

As you can tell, I am smitten with my new purchase. The 9900 delivers in every area that I had hoped, and exceeds all of my expectations. If you ask me, RIM has an incredibly competitive product on their hands.

So I circle back to my original question: Perception VS reality. Had I not purchased the 9900, I would have thought, like the rest of the world, that RIM lagged way behind iPhone and Android. Perhaps RIM�s biggest problem, then, is a perception problem. Like they say, perception is reality. Smartphonesare increasingly a statement of fashion and brand in the US. Why buy a phone from a company that everyone loves to hate?

No wonder RIM is launching an aggressive marketing campaign. They know all too well how great the 9900 is, and need to get the word out.

The other realization is that, with such a compelling product, the need for a QNX phone is not what it seems. Sure, delivering a QNX superphone will be a boon for the company in certain market segments, but if the perceived reason for rushing a QNX phone to market is that the 9900 is lackluster, then I must say I can�t disagree more.

I want to end on a note of encouragement for Mike and Jim: You guys pulled off an incredible feat with the 9900. It�s a gorgeous, fast, and incredibly usable smartphone, and you can count me in the group of people who feel that it is perhaps the best smartphone in the world today. Keep up the great work, and keep your chin up."

[cgull]

I agree here and its refreshing to see a positive story. RIM needs more marketing of OS7 devices, maybe even Superbowl Halftime level promotion. Two things contributing to the perception problem are 1) OS7 phones are at least a year late to market. 2) RIM has a track record of releasing devices that don't live up to expectations.

These are of coarse amplified by the exagergted onslaught of negative press and media bashing that is ocurring. The ship is turning but we need more awareness of what current BB's can do.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[anon(4018671)]

RIMs worst days are behind it. OS7 phones are awesome.

I bought the 9900 for several reasons, one of which was the browser. But I NEVER saw a commercial for the Bold 9900 that sold me. It was CB videos that showed side by side comparisons with other phones that made the sale.

Maybe there can be some CB branding in some commercials lol

I'm not sure CB Kevin should be on the RIM BoD but I do know that this site has helped me far more than RIM has in preparing me for my next purchase. And that is sad. Good work team CrackBerry! Love my phone!

[13echo4]

I agree with the title. However I notice people talk backwards about Rim. Meaning they. Compare 9700 to thd ip4. When in fact the 9700 came out in 09 and the ip4 in 10. The 9800 didn't have comparable hardware but it does have challenging performace to the ip4 despite having "lesser" hardware.
My opinion the 9860 stomps the ip4s. I buy a smartphone. A fuctioning device, not hardware.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[FMB8900]

It was a FANTASTIC article, and yes I also hope developers who are on the fence or have a negative perception of RIM read this.

I also agree with the author, the Bold 9900 is def the best smartphone in the world and more people need to know about it! (especially in the US)

[phonejunky]

Im betting RIM is paying to get these articles pushed out and they need to keep it up to change their image fast.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

[Dapper37]

Im betting RIM is paying to get these articles pushed out and they need to keep it up to change their image fast.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

rotflmao!! I had to take to one knee reading that!

[Rootbrian]

Successes are what I love to hear about. We need more developera to make fine apps.

[belfastdispatcher]

Im betting RIM is paying to get these articles pushed out and they need to keep it up to change their image fast.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

Really? LOL, some positive news about Blackberry platform? Must be fake. Come on.

[qbnkelt]

Im betting RIM is paying to get these articles pushed out and they need to keep it up to change their image fast.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

Really? Possible. Considering how prevalent it is to pay for blogger opinions.

26 Sites That Pay You to Blog

So if we say that it is possible that this was a paid review, the converse is also possible....meaning that there might be more than a bit of cash in the number of negative RIM bloggers. Particularly when one sees that RIM, as a company, is carrying little debt and continues to add subscribers. Oh....those subscribers are abroad, right....not in NA.....well, a profit is a profit regardless of the location.

Wouldn't you say that anti RIM blogging is possible too?

[Dapper37]

RIM: Balance Sheets, recent and historical, for RESEARCH IN MOTION LTD - Wikinvest

Qbnkelt, I totaly agree with your post, as per usual. small correction, only because I've been hearing it so many times lately on the forum.
The truth is, RIM currently has aprox 1.5 Billion in cash. With zero debt on the sheet. The miss information reguarding RIM, that we all have been subject to over the last year is like nothing I've ever seen.

[TGR1]

Im betting RIM is paying to get these articles pushed out and they need to keep it up to change their image fast.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

Possible but it is just as likely to be a simple fan/enthusiast. That is the nature of the blogosphere.

The truth is, RIM currently has aprox 1.5 Billion in cash. With zero debt on the sheet.

Available cash is not entirely helpful without context on burn rate; I haven't checked what theirs currently is but 1.5 bill isn't a lot for a company like RIM and doesn't give them a lot of breathing space. No debt certainly helps extend their runway.

[CanadianThomas]

Articles like this need to be reposted on lots of sites. Gets them up the search rankings. So come on everyone, lets start now.

[Economist101]

Really? LOL, some positive news about Blackberry platform? Must be fake. Come on.

Yeah, except he never said it was "fake" or anything similar. That competitors are somehow "paying" PR firms to "bash" RIM is an oft-repeated claim on these forums, yet even those people can't reasonably deny that most of the facts in those stories are accurate. Put simply, that someone might pay to have a story published doesn't make the store untrue, whether the party allegedly paying is Apple, FaceBook, Google, Microsoft, Nokia or RIM.

The truth is, RIM currently has aprox 1.5 Billion in cash. With zero debt on the sheet. The miss information reguarding RIM, that we all have been subject to over the last year is like nothing I've ever seen.

More truth re "cash":

Apple: $80 billion, zero debt
Microsoft: $45 billion, zero debt
Google: $43 billion, zero debt
Motorola: $3.3 billion, zero debt

The "truth" is also that 2 quarters ago RIM had $3 billion in cash. Now, their $1.5 billion in cash is less than half that of Motorola Mobility.

[llllBULLSEYE]

Good read thanks for the link.
Guess everyone gets tire of a toy at one point
or another

[Dapper37]

Quote:Available cash is not entirely helpful without context on burn rate; I haven't checked what theirs currently is but 1.5 bill isn't a lot for a company like RIM and doesn't give them a lot of breathing space. No debt certainly helps extend their runway.

more importantly free cash flow, profits. of witch RIM has plenty for their needs. One quarter of wright donws is not the end of the world. Some will try their hardest to make us believe different.
The heavy lifting on expense for BB10 was done a long time ago. Soon that work turns to profit.
edit: The truth about burn rate at RIM is that it hasen't exceeded their profits, nore come close to doing that for the last decade.

[Dapper37]

More truth re "cash":

Apple: $80 billion, zero debt
Microsoft: $45 billion, zero debt
Google: $43 billion, zero debt
Motorola: $3.3 billion, zero debt

The "truth" is also that 2 quarters ago RIM had $3 billion in cash. Now, their $1.5 billion in cash is less than half that of Motorola Mobility.

RIM spent that money on Notel patents and aquiring other mobile content providers all good uses of capital!
How much money each one of those companies have, has zero impact on RIM current needs or future position. Thats the thing about the truth. When it shows its self others will come to hide it.
If you know so much about them and love all those other companies the way you do. One question, why come here and try to distroy the love people have for this platform? In your mind you won a long time ago, just enjoy it