[Denise in Los Angeles]

BlackBerry's Comeback Plan Is Bearing Fruit - So Far

For J�rn Harry, his BlackBerry Z10 has one killer feature that iPhones and Androids just can't match: a blinking red light.

"I look at the iPhone, and I don't know if there's a message or not," Harry says. As the head of new business ventures for Comptel, a Helsinki-based software firm, Harry finds BlackBarry unmatched for running business apps. He is also a fan of BlackBerry 10's Hub, which centralizes his messages. Harry also owns an iPhone 6, which he likes, but hates the HTC One.

"For my use, it's perfect," he says of the Z10. "It's tailored for business use."

A year or so ago, BlackBerry was competing head to head with Apple and Google for the consumer market. Now, a humbled BlackBerry is focusing exclusively on business customers like Harry. Although critics see BlackBerry as a washed-up brand on its way to becoming the next Palm, the company has successfully completed the first stage of its turnaround plan. Proponents say that if BlackBerry continues to focus on hardcore business customers, it may defy the odds, and pull off a comeback.

[zocster]

Cool! Good to see it's gaining some sort of a traction.

[THBW]

Just imagine what this guy would say if he had a passport.

Posted via CB10

[MarsupilamiX]

Just imagine what this guy would say if he had a passport.

Posted via CB10

"I hate physical keyboards, dafuq is this thing?"?

Posted via CB10

[Zirak]

Good article. Glad to see articles that are balanced. I am sick of reading and listening to people who think that if you are not #1 in your segment you may as well stay home. I try in vain to explain that in their own work they are a company was smaller than BB with less market share. The argument always ends with "well that's different"

Sent while driving from my Crackberry.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Many Android phones, including every Nexus phone, have notification LEDs...

[SirJes]

Many Android phones, including every Nexus phone, have notification LEDs...

Don't see why you felt the need to point that out.

The one and only Knight of the Peevishlicious Crew-SIR.Jes

[southlander]

Good article. Hindsite. Yeah it was ridiculous for BlackBerry to think they could take back a chunk of the consumer market early on with BlackBerry 10.

The passport ad is spot on.

[zocster]

Many Android phones, including every Nexus phone, have notification LEDs...

Yes, but not customizable for diff apps and what not. Would be a matter of time though now.

[Tre Lawrence]

Don't see why you felt the need to point that out.

The one and only Knight of the Peevishlicious Crew-SIR.Jes

Well, if one wants the article to appeal beyond the subset of mobile users who need it least, it helps if something like that is noted.

[Karben]

No one realised that ? "the introduction of Passport, a 3.6-inch wide model with a square display" 3.6" ? Really ?

[WES51]

Blackberry set off as a business phone and then gained popularity among everyday folks, who realized that it works perfect for their needs.

I don't see why this could not happen again.

Indeed, in my opinion, typing on a screen was just another limited live flavor of the day, that outlasted it's initial appeal already long time ago, yet somehow still lives on actually making it's users more annoyed than satisfied.

[Tre Lawrence]

Blackberry set off as a business phone and then gained popularity among everyday folks, who realized that it works perfect for their needs.

I don't see why this could not happen again.

Indeed, in my opinion, typing on a screen was just another limited live flavor of the day, that outlasted it's initial appeal already long time ago, yet somehow still lives on actually making it's users more annoyed than satisfied.

Interesting. So you believe most people are just looking for an excuse to return to physical keyboards?

[WES51]

Interesting. So you believe most people are just looking for an excuse to return to physical keyboards?

Nope.

Just like most people weren't looking for an excuse to go to full screen either.

But I DO belive that for MOST people, phones are a trend, just like many other things in life.

There are some people who lead - and there are others that follow.

The ones that follow are always in the majority and they are the ones that make a market.

[Tre Lawrence]

Nope.

Just like most people weren't looking for an excuse to go to full screen either.

But I DO belive that for MOST people, phones are a trend, just like many other things in life.

There are some people who lead - and there are others that follow.

The ones that follow are always in the majority and they are the ones that make a market.

I see your point.

I definitely viewed full touch devices as a trend when they initially went mainstream.

[WES51]

Look at it this way.

How many people do you know who bought a super expensive Apple Computer, but have not even a clue how to use it beyond internet surfing and typing letters.

Sadly, I know too many.

They think that owing apple computer actually makes them more sophisticated. Perhaps even that some of apple's smartness rubs off on them.

Now what do you think, how many users are out there who can't even use half the function of their smart phones?

They buy whatever you sell them, whatever is in trend. No questions asked. And then they just quietly struggle with it, just to look cool...
...well and smart.

On the other hand if business people (who are generally regarded as very smart) jump back on Blackberry, I belive it very well may create quite a ripple effect.

With Blackberry focusing on it's business clients, I belive that Blackberry's is about to become a phone of choice among professionals and desired phone with may everyday users as well.

Consequently, I also belive, that it is a very good time to owe Blackberry stock now!

[Banco]

People aspire. There is a limited set of absolute needs that most consumers have, which is largely fulfilled by every single handset out there (don't make the mistake of thinking the likes of us with our complaints, issues and desires are in any way representative).

So the choice of phone is a lifestyle decision as much as anything. A good friend uses her iPhone for nothing other than texts, calls, bbm, Facebook, music and occasional browsing. And has an 8GB one. The frustration of that limitation irritates her immensely, but not from a technological perspective, because she's not remotely interested. Just a "but why can't I?" one. Now, suggest that a different phone would suit her needs better and she reacts with horror. She wants an iPhone, simple as that.

When the "sheep" insult gets hurled, it misses the point. We're all sheep, we just select our particular tribe, and some take a perverse pleasure in being outside the mainstream, but you'll note that the first thing we do is join somewhere like this where we have the like minded. It's all normal human behaviour.

BlackBerry tapped into this aspirational desire some years back, and rode the wave of popularity. Then Apple did. It never lasts forever, which doesn't mean for a second that they will then fail. If you could identify the magic ingredient as to what makes people pile into something (sheep behaviour) you truly would be as rich as Croesus. What does it next? No idea. Something will.

Posted via CB10

[slagman5]

No one realised that ? "the introduction of Passport, a 3.6-inch wide model with a square display" 3.6" ? Really ?

I don't get it, what's wrong with that statement?

[slagman5]

Look at it this way.

How many people do you know who bought a super expensive Apple Computer, but have not even a clue how to use it beyond internet surfing and typing letters.

Sadly, I know too many.

They think that owing apple computer actually makes them more sophisticated. Perhaps even that some of apple's smartness rubs off on them.

Now what do you think, how many users are out there who can't even use half the function of their smart phones?

They buy whatever you sell them, whatever is in trend. No questions asked. And then they just quietly struggle with it, just to look cool...
...well and smart.

On the other hand if business people (who are generally regarded as very smart) jump back on Blackberry, I belive it very well may create quite a ripple effect.

With Blackberry focusing on it's business clients, I belive that Blackberry's is about to become a phone of choice among professionals and desired phone with may everyday users as well.

Consequently, I also belive, that it is a very good time to owe Blackberry stock now!

Yes, the smartness of Apple computers. PC components, Intel CPU, MSI motherboards, nVidia graphics cards, that for some reason costs 3 times as much to buy...

[Troy Tiscareno]

Don't see why you felt the need to point that out.

Well, the very first sentence was:

"For J�rn Harry, his BlackBerry Z10 has one killer feature that iPhones and Androids just can't match: a blinking red light."

For someone who values a notification light so highly, he obviously didn't look very hard.

[Troy Tiscareno]

Yes, but not customizable for diff apps and what not. Would be a matter of time though now.

Are you kidding me? This is ANDROID we are talking about. Of COURSE you can customize it all you like! And you don't need root or anything to do so. Hell, the Nexus One, way back 6 years ago, had this, and it's an RGB light that can give you customized notifications with different colors, different blinking patterns, etc. There's a great app called Light Flow that will let you do nearly anything you could conceive of with your notification light.

[spikesolie]

Are you kidding me? This is ANDROID we are talking about. Of COURSE you can customize it all you like! And you don't need root or anything to do so. Hell, the Nexus One, way back 6 years ago, had this, and it's an RGB light that can give you customized notifications with different colors, different blinking patterns, etc. There's a great app called Light Flow that will let you do nearly anything you could conceive of with your notification light.

There's a great app.... zzzz

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!

[mornhavon]

There's a great app.... zzzz

I hope you get that narcolepsy checked out. While napping you're missing out on the incredible functionality of applications made by stunningly talented individuals. Using Light Flow I can tell exactly what notifications I have from across a room and whether or not they're likely to be important.
Why do apps get such a bad rap around here lately? People have such different wants/needs, even with 10 times the number of programmers currently working on BB10, they simply couldn't build EVERY desired feature with every desired option into the OS itself, even if they were willing to turn it into a bloated mess. Well made apps serve a valuable purpose.

[LostOnThePianoRoll]

Why isn't the notification LED idea patented Lol

Posted via CB10 on my Z10STL100-1/10.3.1.821

[spikesolie]

I hope you get that narcolepsy checked out. While napping you're missing out on the incredible functionality of applications made by stunningly talented individuals. Using Light Flow I can tell exactly what notifications I have from across a room and whether or not they're likely to be important.
Why do apps get such a bad rap around here lately? People have such different wants/needs, even with 10 times the number of programmers currently working on BB10, they simply couldn't build EVERY desired feature with every desired option into the OS itself, even if they were willing to turn it into a bloated mess. Well made apps serve a valuable purpose.

Apps take space..but that's not my problem.

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!