[last_attempt]

Do you think most of the negative reader comments written about blackberry on tech sites are just genuine feelings or could there be a campaign behaind it. I would tend to doubt it but I was reading wikipedia about IBM's OS/2 and apperantly Microsoft had a number of "evangilists" out to demonize it all they could. Quote from article:

On the flip side, Team OS/2's lack of structure meant that it was vulnerable. Various journalists have documented a "dirty tricks" campaign by Microsoft.[5] Online, numerous individuals (nicknamed "Microsoft Munchkins" by John C. Dvorak)[6] used pseudonyms to attack OS/2 and manipulate online discussions. Whittle was the target of a character assassination campaign, and anyone friendly to OS/2 faced numerous vociferous attacks as well.[5] Some journalists who were less than enthusiastic about OS/2 received death threats and other nasty e-mail from numerous sources, always identified in taglines as "Team OS/2". Ultimately, at least some of Microsoft's efforts were exposed on Will Zachmann's Canopus forum on CompuServe, where the owner of one particular account, ostensibly belonging to "Steve Barkto", (who had been attacking OS/2, David Barnes, Whittle, and other OS/2 fans) was discovered to be funded by the credit card of Rick Segal, a high-level Microsoft employee / evangelist, who had also been active in the forums.[7] James Fallows, a nationally renowned journalist, even weighed in to state that the stylistic fingerprint found in the Barkto posts were almost certainly a match with the stylistic fingerprints in the Microsoft evangelist's postings.[8]

Will Zachmann sent an open letter to Steve Ballmer, futilely demanding a public investigation into the business practices of the publicly traded Microsoft. What is clear is that Microsoft was taking seriously the threat posed by Team OS/2 and their online and real-world activities.

Maybe where once people were paid to do this type of thing the masses just do it themselves, all for the "cause" of which ever device they use?

[raino]

You don't have to go that far back. Samsung paid people to trash HTC's products.

[last_attempt]

Geez, I guess Im pretty naive. I've often wondered at some of the over the top vitriol and spite thrown at all things a smartphone. Blackberry seems to get roasted at every turn. There's alot of products I'm not crazy about but I'd never bother to try an assinate a company for it. ( Are you listening Chrysler, Two transmissions and and an AC compressor out of pocket @ less than 200K km!).

[BroncoVAL]

Seeing how crackberrians promptly assemble to vote for a meaningless vote on an obscure tech site I wouldn't dare to try that kind of action if I were in the competitors' shoes... there could be hit by a ****storm ( excuse the vulgar dysphemism) in return

Posted via CB10

[TgeekB]

I'm sure it has happened in the past somewhere but that doesn't prove it's happened to blackberry. People have strange feeling about tech, like it's family. I don't get it.

Germany. 2014 FIFA World Cup Champs!

[dbmalloy]

BB has been the auhor of its own misfortune.... in a way that many seem to forget... the magnetude is staggering to go from market leader to alsoran in a scant couple of years.. all for those to see.... customers flock to new platforms and BB and left to ask "what happened".... people and the media especially do not "forget".... Remember the old adage "if it bleeds it leads" applies to BB PR for the last number of years.... negativity sells.... as most sites are "click for dollar" they have a vested interest in being negative as it bring the Trolls and the True beleivers to click the site... I am not so naive to think there is no "paid bashing" happening ... but BB till recently has only fed the beast so to speakl....

Where you see a shift I think is with the passport....When first announced it recieved what I would call a luke warm reception... partly due to the fact it is the first actually innovation in a smartphone since the "Phablet"... what I find interestling is it appears many from other platforms are reminded that their rectangular phones have not changed greatly in the last nunber of years... something new seems to be a bit threatening.,... they trot out it will never compete with _____... well guess what... it is not intended to... but when you show someone something different they tend to attack without thinking.... part of the issue of Blackberry negativity....

[southlander]

Death threats?? Really?? smdh...

[Tre Lawrence]

I'm sure it has happened in the past somewhere but that doesn't prove it's happened to blackberry. People have strange feeling about tech, like it's family. I don't get it.

Germany. 2014 FIFA World Cup Champs!

Don't get it either.

[Galifrey]

Who cares

CB10 on the Q10

[AnimalPak200]

It's just a self-assuring act to reinforce their decision to buy whatever non-BlackBerry device they bought, while trying to associate themselves with the larger "winning team".

Very common behaviors by people in crowds.

On the flip side, even those here that claim not to be "like that", yet are bothered by others "being like that", also periodically (or constantly) suffer from a certain level of affliction and self doubt about their choice and their "team.". After all, who doesn't prefer winning?

It's not really about "the device", but more about the insecurity of whether others see your decision/choices/lifestyle/priorities as right or wrong... luckily we have religions, sports teams, politics and CrackBerry to help us find cozy insular niches.

Posted via CB10

[Oglon3r]

Very very interesting care to share the source for yhis?

Posted via z30 STA100-5 the only high end business device on the market

[Oglon3r]

It's just a self-assuring act to reinforce their decision to buy whatever non-BlackBerry device they bought, while trying to associate themselves with the larger "winning team".

Very common behaviors by people in crowds.

On the flip side, even those here that claim not to be "like that", yet are bothered by others "being like that", also periodically (or constantly) suffer from a certain level of affliction and self doubt about their choice and their "team.". After all, who doesn't prefer winning?

It's not really about "the device", but more about the insecurity of whether others see your decision/choices/lifestyle/priorities as right or wrong... luckily we have religions, sports teams, politics and CrackBerry to help us find cozy insular niches.

Posted via CB10

Ojhh meaning that is why the smaller team gets trolled so dammed easily... nice conclusion.

Posted via z30 STA100-5 the only high end business device on the market

[Monsterlad]

Death threats?? Scary stuff. Haven't seen and doubt it would ever go that far with BB, but people definitely do get heated, especially on BGR recently...

[--TommesJay--]

BB has been the auhor of its own misfortune.... in a way that many seem to forget... the magnetude is staggering to go from market leader to alsoran in a scant couple of years.. all for those to see.... customers flock to new platforms and BB and left to ask "what happened".... people and the media especially do not "forget".... Remember the old adage "if it bleeds it leads" applies to BB PR for the last number of years.... negativity sells.... as most sites are "click for dollar" they have a vested interest in being negative as it bring the Trolls and the True beleivers to click the site... I am not so naive to think there is no "paid bashing" happening ... but BB till recently has only fed the beast so to speakl....

Where you see a shift I think is with the passport....When first announced it recieved what I would call a luke warm reception... partly due to the fact it is the first actually innovation in a smartphone since the "Phablet"... what I find interestling is it appears many from other platforms are reminded that their rectangular phones have not changed greatly in the last nunber of years... something new seems to be a bit threatening.,... they trot out it will never compete with _____... well guess what... it is not intended to... but when you show someone something different they tend to attack without thinking.... part of the issue of Blackberry negativity....

People who use "...." that much usually have no clue whatsoever, so I stopped reading like 4 lines in.

[crackbb10]

People who use "...." that much usually have no clue whatsoever, so I stopped reading like 4 lines in.

He actually made some sense here and there...

[KDB84]

Paranoia paranoia everybody's comin' to get me. . .

Not saying it's not happening to some extent, but more likely it's people's personal feelings for the most part. They could assume we're being paid by BB to spread happy rumours about the amazing OS that is BB10 lol It doesn't mean that they're not paying some people to spread the good word (commercials, marketing?). Ok so maybe that last part is a bit far-fetched lol

[shaleem]

I don't think that there is a phone out there that one couldn't find something negative about. I'm always amused at how some people get so worked up over a phone.

[crackbrry fan]

Right here on CB, there are paid individuals, I can name them but would refrain, there is a pattern to their posting and it's all the same objective. I'm certain mods here are aware of them.

Posted via CB10

[crackbrry fan]

I don't think that there is a phone out there that one couldn't find something negative about. I'm always amused at how some people get so worked up over a phone.

It's not the "phone" issue, it's called dirty smear campaign in business, it just has no place in business, as Raino pointed out Samsung had to compensate HTC as a result of dirty low tactics. Integrity has gone the way of the Dodo Bird in recent times. BlackBerry has done some things that has caused many of their own issues but certainly there have been external forces assisting. With the advent of the Internet things have gotten worse, many can "anonymously " do the bidding for "corporations " who bank roll them. This is a reality and needs to be curtailed. In the EU they take these issues seriously only across the pond there is dragging of the feet with respect to these types of issues.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

I don't think that there is a phone out there that one couldn't find something negative about. I'm always amused at how some people get so worked up over a phone.

Agreed. People do get scarily passionate about these particular bunch of circuits.

[kbz1960]

Right here on CB, there are paid individuals, I can name them but would refrain, there is a pattern to their posting and it's all the same objective. I'm certain mods here are aware of them.

Posted via CB10

Really?

[TgeekB]

Really?

Wow. Where do I sign up for that? I'll badmouth iphone and Android too!

Posted with my Q

[spikesolie]

Wow. Where do I sign up for that? I'll badmouth iphone and Android too!

Posted with my Q

The other way around as well. Surely apple and samsung Pay better (;

Posted via CB10

[NaijaBerry]

This is the power of PR in the world of marketing, subtle but strong because its believable since news is the vehicle used to move information. Does competition pay to spread negative PR? I'd be surprised if they didn't, it's a cheap, easy and very effective marketing tool. Apple is strong, very strong with PR, they always remain in the news, and their PR damage control is outstanding.

BlackBerry on the other hand in the past preferred to be silent, but this seems to have changed under Mr Chen.....

[JeepBB]

Wow. Where do I sign up for that? I'll badmouth iphone and Android too!

Posted with my Q

I wouldn't hold your breath.

I'm still waiting for the cash I'm apparently due after being accused on CB of being a paid shill for Apple, or Samsung, or somebody... maybe the cheque's in the post?