[BanffMoose]

Just to humour your post (again)...

I hope they do not spend a single cent on handset advertising.

Something to think about...

Rather than spend money on advertising, I'd prefer it if BlackBerry spent the money on training end users of the companies that adopt the handset. Weren�t there many stories of Z10's and Q10's being handed out to BBOS users and those users being left clueless on how to use the phones? BlackBerry significantly improved the tutorials and added a lot of duplicate icons to help those folks "get used" to BB10 but more education to actual users would be better. With advertising, you don't know how many people you will attract, much less buy. By training the users, you help actual users. Money spent wiser.

Posted via CB10

[bbjdog]

Rather than spend money on advertising, I'd prefer it if BlackBerry spent the money on training end users of the companies that adopt the handset. Weren�t there many stories of Z10's and Q10's being handed out to BBOS users and those users being left clueless on how to use the phones? BlackBerry significantly improved the tutorials and added a lot of duplicate icons to help those folks "get used" to BB10 but more education to actual users would be better. With advertising, you don't know how many people you will attract, much less buy. By training the users, you help actual users. Money spent wiser.

Posted via CB10

Well written! Spending money wisely and not like past mistakes. As much as I don't like to mention this company, I have to say that Apple did that in the 80', schools are a good start, and last time I checked BB10 operating system was part of a coarse at one college in IT. Just a start! And I am asuming many more college's are teaching about BB10 operating system.

[awindsr]

BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY), Google Inc (GOOGL) Partnership to Capture the Enterprise

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) market share is depleting, reaching as low as 0.4%, and now the company has chosen the path every troubled company takes� to ally with other market players rather than head-on competitor strategy. Blackberry and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) have announced a new partnership after which Android users will be able to use BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) specific apps and Blackberry users will be able to download and use Android apps. This is a major shift in the strategy of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY).



Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL)�s Android OS is always prone to security vulnerabilities because of its open source platform. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) apps will give it a more secure, Enterprise level look, which will increase the business users of Android around the world. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) will also get an increased exposure and market penetration with its partnership. The company struck the same kind of a deal with Samsung.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) recently launched Android for work, an apps suite dedicated to professional and Enterprise usage. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) being a partner in this endeavor will give Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) a much needed support in penetrating the Enterprise to tackle its competitors like Apple, Microsoft and IBM.

Enterprise is a huge customer base for mobile players and companies are joining hands to capture this space quickly. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)Enterprise Server 12 will manage app the Android apps working on Android devices whereas BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) work, premium, mail and VPN apps are ready to work in all the Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Android devices including Android Lollipop version.

*Spencer M. Waxman�s Shannon River Fund Management owns 4 million shares of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY).


http://www.techinsider.net/blackberr...e/1120945.html

Posted via CB10

[anon(679606)]

Google & samsung will keep BlackBerry I've to avoid the eye of the US antitrust feds looking for adequate market splay avoiding accusations of monopoly... that way they can acquire more valuable players.

[bbjdog]

Reading material for this Sunday night. Salty!



Lululemon, BlackBerry face challenges retaining investor confidence (RTGAM)

IAN McGUGAN

It says something about the exuberant state of the stock market that two rather shopworn icons of Canadian businesses have both rewarded investors with double-digit gains over the past year.

Neither lofty valuations nor obvious business challenges have been able to dim the outburst of enthusiasm around BlackBerry Ltd. and Lululemon Athletica Inc. Well, until this week at least.

Both companies report results over the next few days � Lululemon on Thursday, BlackBerry on Friday � and investors will be watching for signs that the market�s recent bullishness regarding both businesses remains justified.

At Lululemon, shares have become a luxury item, changing hands at a premium price of more than 35 times earnings despite growing competition for the brand and fears of market saturation.

At BlackBerry, profits are minimal and revenues are shrinking, but diehards remain convinced the company will find rewarding new ways to cash in on its technology.

Both companies have outpaced the S&P/TSX composite over the past 12 months. Lululemon shares have advanced nearly 51 per cent in Canadian dollar terms, while BlackBerry has gained nearly 13 per cent.

Despite the impressive returns, the companies couldn�t be more different.

Lululemon was among the first to recognize the potential in yoga wear and now faces an onslaught of competition from rivals who also want to cash in on shoppers� passion for looking good while breathing deep.

BlackBerry, in contrast, is merely looking to reconnect. It pioneered the market in smartphones but its early lead has long since been obliterated by the Apple and Android products that now dominate the sector.

To put this another way, Lululemon faces the challenge of defending its vast turf, while BlackBerry confronts the task of trying to win back just a skinny slice of territory.

Opinions on both companies are fiercely divided. For instance, 18 analysts rank Lululemon as a �buy� while 17 call it a �hold� and four say it�s a �sell.�

Goldman Sachs, one of the critics, downgraded Lululemon to �sell� earlier this month, saying the company �is a great brand in a compelling category, but that the stock reflects unrealistic growth assumptions for the medium term.�

Goldman says Lululemon�s ambition is colliding with three Cs: competition, Canada and currency.

The competition comes from rivals such as Nike and Under Armor, while the problem with Canada is that it�s a saturated market with little room for further expansion.

The currency issue is the downward-facing loonie. Since Canada accounts for roughly a quarter of Lululemon�s sales, the declining exchange rate pulls down Lululemon�s results, which are reported in U.S. dollar terms.

The three Cs will smack Lululemon�s share price over the next six months, Goldman predicts. The investment bank forecasts a slide from the current level of around $65 (U.S.) a share, down to $52.

At least Goldman dispenses its negativity evenly. It also downgraded BlackBerry earlier this month, saying that the company has yet to prove it can actually boost revenue rather than just cut costs.

Other analysts concur. Only five label the company a �buy� while 20 call it a �hold� and 11 recommend �sell.�

The crux of the anti-BlackBerry case is that the stock has risen more than 60 per cent since chief executive John Chen was appointed in November, 2013, but that the share-price gains have yet to be backed by evidence of a genuine turnaround in the business. Revenue has plunged from $19.9-billion in 2011 to an estimated $3.5-billion in 2015, while profitability has vanished.

The company has introduced a spate of new hardware devices over the past year, ranging from a high-security tablet to a �classic� smartphone that aims to appeal to consumers� lingering fondness for BlackBerry�s physical keyboard. However, the Goldman analysts label any surge in hardware revenue as �empty calories� since they believe the devices aren�t profitable.

They say BlackBerry�s turnaround hinges on its ability to grow its Enterprise Mobility Management software business, which helps companies manage smartphones, tablets and other mobile communications.

Goldman isn�t optimistic on that front. It expects BlackBerry to fall short of expectations this week for both software revenue and earnings per share. If so, investors� exuberance will be severely tested.

[Corbu]

Thanks bbjdog!

Let me take a wild guess as to where this comes from... We are so used to this by now that there's no challenge in figuring it out!

As I am sure his prime motivation is to give his readers an enlightened objective view of things, I hope the G&M's writer has read through Goldman's "analysis" up to this part:

Goldman Sachs does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, investors should be aware that the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider this report as only a single factor in making their investment decision.

How one can be "Senior Editor" of the G&M's Report on Business and write a story based on regurgitating GS's "research" is beyond me. I guess ethical standards vary. I must admit it would have been more difficult - and taken more courage - to write - for once - a real in-depth story presenting the challenges that any company involved in a turnaround faces... the media's carefree pontifications being amongst them.

Cheers all!

FTR, GS's exact quote: "While we see significant upside in Hardware revenues, those are “empty calories” as they are not profitable."

[awindsr]

Weekend OT.

Interesting idea. Big hurdles.

Japan Plans To Turn The Moon Into One Huge Solar Power Plant

http://higherperspectives.com/japan/

Posted via CB10

[Corbu]

Apologies of already posted:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/regist...d=teqi2nw6e79t

Everything you need to know about BES12.1

Event Registration

Meeting Description:

BES12.1 is the newest release of BES12, a cross-platform EMM solution by BlackBerry� that lets you manage enterprise mobility across iOS, Android™, Windows Phone�, Samsung KNOX and BlackBerry� devices. Built on BlackBerry’s trusted, global network, BES12.1 makes managing enterprise mobility efficient and secure. BES12.1 introduces a new, scalable architecture and streamlined user experience that consolidates enterprise mobility management (EMM) control in a single, powerful console. The new attribute-driven, endpoint-permissions mode provides strict control of devices, applications and data, by-person or by-group, more efficiently than ever. With BES12.1, the admin experience integrates deeply with third party and in-house monitoring solutions; your users keep their personal data private, while never compromising your monitoring and control of confidential business data.

Join us for this month’s technical webcast, as BlackBerry Principal Analyst Brian Bernard covers these key features of BES12.1:

Supported upgrade environments for BES12.1
BES12.1 Mobile Device Management (MDM)
BES12.1 Connectivity and Messaging
BES12.1 Security

[bbjdog]

Thanks bbjdog!

Let me take a wild guess as to where this comes from... We are so used to this by now that there's no challenge in figuring it out!

As I am sure his prime motivation is to give his readers an enlightened objective view of things, I hope the G&M's writer has read through Goldman's "analysis" up to this part:



How one can be "Senior Editor" of the G&M's Report on Business and write a story based on GS's "research" is beyond me. I guess ethical standards vary. I must admit it would have been more difficult - and taken more courage - to write - for once - a real in-depth story presenting the challenges that any company involved in a turnaround faces... the media's carefree pontifications being amongst them.

Cheers all!

Corbu your the best! Totally agree with your view point. I'm also sick and tired of journalism that is second hand ****. Like you have mentioned thousand times, the people that contribute to this thread have more knowledge then a billion dollar spin machine. That's how salty the article was, bitter and foolishly done. I thought about not posting , but it's out there. Sorry Corbu!

Good night folks and big week ahead.

[Corbu]

Corbu your the best! Totally agree with your view point. I'm also sick and tired of journalism that is second hand ****. Like you have mentioned thousand times, the people that contribute to this thread have more knowledge then a billion dollar spin machine. That's how salty the article was, bitter and foolishly done. I thought about not posting , but it's out there. Sorry Corbu!

Good night folks and big week ahead.

Hey bbjdog! Please don't be sorry about posting it. No harm done, of course. In fact, that's what we strive to do, here: we post what is out there. Good or bad. We try to keep up-to-date on hard BBRY news as well as on what luminaries such as Mr. McGugan report... And we do a pretty good job! Well, not as good as our friends from the G&M but we are getting there... Cheers man and thanks for your work!

[digitalsurfboard]

Until governments start implementation of BB10, these new devices won't be wide spread. Once thousands of government workers start realising that these aren't the old BlackBerry devices anymore then and only then things will change.


Posted via CB10

i wouldn't bank on that.

i know people with government issued phones. for a few years now they have been given the choice of iphone, samsung or blackberry.
there is a massive disadvantage to choosing a blackberry. the phone is totally locked down. they have access to install a handful of apps. most of which are not very useful. while they can take personal pictures and videos, they can't just plug their phone into their comp at home and transfer the files.
meanwhile, those with iphones on samsungs are asked not to install apps or use the phone for too much personal stuff. however, the gov has no way of really stopping it and generally turns a blind eye unless there is clear evidence of abuse.
no one in the government departments i know, wants a blackberry. maybe if/when gov's start moving to BES12 it will level the playing field in terms of securely managing all platforms with the same restrictions, but not right now. not from what i can tell.

does hillary clinton have a blackberry? does a high ranking government official like her care about security? no. it's about convenience.

quite frankly, it's business that i see handing out blackberry 10 phones. and a lot of their employees don't like it because the phones are locked down. they associate no apps with blackberry and lots of apps and functionality with the personal iphone or samsung of their spouse or friends. these enterprise employees who have always had a work issued blackberry still hate on blackberry because to them bb10 is still just a work phone full of constraints that cramp their personal use.

[BanffMoose]

i know people with government issued phones. for a few years now they have been given the choice of iphone, samsung or blackberry.
there is a massive disadvantage to choosing a blackberry. the phone is totally locked down. they have access to install a handful of apps. most of which are not very useful. while they can take personal pictures and videos, they can't just plug their phone into their comp at home and transfer the files.
meanwhile, those with iphones on samsungs are asked not to install apps or use the phone for too much personal stuff. however, the gov has no way of really stopping it and generally turns a blind eye unless there is clear evidence of abuse.

Yup one of the reasons I believe BlackBerry came up with BlackBerry Balance...their allies in IT were turning out to be their enemies. They were locking down Blackberries just because they could, not because they had to. If companies and governments either started demanding better of iOS or Android or stop locking down BlackBerry just because they can, maybe we'll start to see an even playing field.

[markmall]

Say what you will about GS but they have been right about revenue. It looks like they will be right again,sadly. I think it stinks. I don't know how they change their marketing strategy but they need to now.

I don't know if GS is right that bbry makes no money on phones. That does not seem right. Also, I don't buy this stuff about bbry future success dependent on the server software. That is not going to carry the company. Nor is QNX.

[lasouthern]

When smime comes to non-bes I will buy stock.

Posted via CB10

[bizzarothor]

The best advertising is people like us walking around showing them off. Not a single coworker of mine has evaded my bragging on my z30

Posted via crackberry10 on my new Z30!

I am known as Mr BlackBerry! When our COO had trouble with his BBRY recently, not only did he call our IT helpesk line to the rescue, but he came looking for me!

Posted via CB10

[bbjdog]

Change of topic:
http://blogs.blackberry.com/2015/03/25124/

[CDM76]

i wouldn't bank on that.

i know people with government issued phones. for a few years now they have been given the choice of iphone, samsung or blackberry.
there is a massive disadvantage to choosing a blackberry. the phone is totally locked down. they have access to install a handful of apps. most of which are not very useful. while they can take personal pictures and videos, they can't just plug their phone into their comp at home and transfer the files.
meanwhile, those with iphones on samsungs are asked not to install apps or use the phone for too much personal stuff. however, the gov has no way of really stopping it and generally turns a blind eye unless there is clear evidence of abuse.
no one in the government departments i know, wants a blackberry. maybe if/when gov's start moving to BES12 it will level the playing field in terms of securely managing all platforms with the same restrictions, but not right now. not from what i can tell.

does hillary clinton have a blackberry? does a high ranking government official like her care about security? no. it's about convenience.

quite frankly, it's business that i see handing out blackberry 10 phones. and a lot of their employees don't like it because the phones are locked down. they associate no apps with blackberry and lots of apps and functionality with the personal iphone or samsung of their spouse or friends. these enterprise employees who have always had a work issued blackberry still hate on blackberry because to them bb10 is still just a work phone full of constraints that cramp their personal use.

I appreciate that, but isn't that where BlackBerry Balance supposed to come in ? I know some depts still won't allow it but getting devices in people's hands will hopefully get some positive word of mouth.

The dept I work for just STARTED testing BB10 devices about 2-3 months ago. Is brutal how slow govs move. Haha

Posted via CB10

[bbjdog]

Reading material:

BlackBerry BBM Protected lands on iOS and Android

and this

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) Seeking FCC Approval For Leap

Edit: Its good to cut the cost of the phone in India!

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news...slashed-673514

[Corbu]

Key Canada Events: Week of March 23-27 - Canada Real Time - WSJ

BlackBerry reports fiscal fourth-quarter results on Friday. Analysts expect lower year-over-year revenue but a narrower adjusted loss as the company waits for new-product sales to kick in but continues to benefit from cost cutting. Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry is betting on the recent launches of two new devices – the square-shaped Passport and the Classic – and new mobile-device-management software to help it win back its traditional corporate customers and reignite revenue growth. BlackBerry Chief Executive John Chen has referred to the fourth quarter as another “transition” period and doesn’t expect the new products to gain traction until the summer. Still, investors will likely want up-to-date sales figures for the new devices and software to help them gauge if the company’s on track to hit its goal of doubling software sales to $500 million in fiscal 2016. Earlier this month, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs both suggested BlackBerry will fall short of this forecast, citing their own customer surveys that showed lukewarm buying interest for BlackBerry’s new products.

[MollyMorton]

Well, I guess we will see what's what at the end of the week.

Posted via CB10

[Corbu]

Tech Five: Facebook conference kicks off this week

BlackBerry. The smartphone maker reports fourth quarter earnings on Friday. Analysts polled by FactSet predict BlackBerry will report a loss of 3 cents per share off revenue of $820 million.

[Corbu]

Why a BlackBerry Ltd loss may be overshadowed by software business | Financial Post

BlackBerry Ltd. is expected to dip back into losing territory when it reports earnings on Friday, as it continues its remake into an enterprise mobility management (EMM) company.

RBC Capital Markets anticipates a tough revenue result, marked by declines in service access fees and several new device launches midway through the quarter.

Analyst Mark Sue is forecasting sales of US$661-million, a 17% quarterly decline or 32% lower on an annual basis, well below analysts’ average estimate of US$802-million. His EPS forecast for a 7� loss is also higher than the average 4� loss projected by analysts.

However, investors may be more focused on commentary from BlackBerry’s management on the monetization of its software. Mr. Sue is looking for evidence that the company is on the path toward its US$500-million software revenue target for fiscal 2016. He noted that billings growth for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 12 will be critical as legacy customers transition from EZ Pass, which ended on Dec. 31, 2014.

“BlackBerry is winning back some die-hard enterprise customers,” the analyst said in a report, noting that the company’s partnerships with Samsung, IBM and others leverage its security expertise.

He also pointed out that bring-your-own-device penetration is rising as a result of improved productivity, and the enterprise mobility management market is evolving beyond just mobile devices, serving to help stabilize and even improve average sales prices.

“We’re feeling incrementally better about BlackBerry’s market opportunity, particularly in regulated industries,” Mr. Sue said, adding that the company has somewhere between seven and eight million enterprise subscribers.

[jake simmons3]

Why a BlackBerry Ltd loss may be overshadowed by software business | Financial Post

I like this article , it is on point. Not setting us up for a huge disappointment and is also putting the attention on to the future and not the now

[Corbu]

BlackBerry's embrace of a software strategy leaves some analysts skeptical - FierceWireless

BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) is an afterthought in the device market, but the company wants to become much more of a software player in the next few years. However, the open question is whether the company has the wherewithal to achieve its goals.

BlackBerry had $250 million in software revenue in its last fiscal year and CEO John Chen has said the company aims to double that to $500 million in its next fiscal year. Although the company just introduced a new touchscreen phone, the Leap, and has promised to release a new phone later this year with a dual-curved screen and slideout keyboard, BlackBerry's emphasis during the past several months has been on software.

That's because even though the company still gets the bulk of its sales from hardware, those sales are declining at a rapid clip. Research firm IDC recently reported that BlackBerry had just 0.4 percent global smartphone market share in 2014, down from 1.9 percent share in 2013.

"Yes, we have revenue that is depleting . . . the road-map will take a few years to gel, but we will make money out of it," Chen told the Financial Times of BlackBerry's embrace to software.

The company has started offering more of its core software and services on larger smartphone platforms, including Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android, Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iOS and Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows. BlackBerry's services let users manage personal and work email and edit documents across devices securely; let users find their highest-priority messages faster; and monitor all personal and work messages in one place.

Meanwhile, BlackBerry and Samsung Electronics continue to work together, with BlackBerry bringing new security features to Samsung phones, including the forthcoming Galaxy S6. One BlackBerry software offering, called WorkLife, lets enterprises separate personal and work phone numbers and have separate billing for voice, texting and data usage on a single SIM card. Another is from BlackBerry subsidiary Secusmart and its SecuSUITE solution, which offers highly security-conscious organizations like governments virtually tap-proof voice and SMS communications.

BlackBerry also wants to bring its security pedigree to the Internet of Things. "We are going to make sure our software addresses everybody's phone--wearables, vending machines, a rice cooker in your house--anything that has an IP address," Chen told the FT.

Yet BlackBerry will need to steal sales away from competitors like AirWatch and MobileIron, which muscled into the mobile device management market as BlackBerry's market share dwindled during the past several years. Those two firms had combined revenue of $313 million last year, according to the FT. "While we view BlackBerry's solution as fairly competitive from a technology perspective, we believe its implied target of $250 [million] in incremental revenues is likely unachievable," Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski told the FT. "It would far exceed the total estimated revenues of market leaders…despite coming to market years later."

How BlackBerry is faring in terms of software revenue and device sales will be a key focus on Friday when it reports fiscal fourth-quarter results. Wells Fargo analysts Maynard Um, Munjal Shah and Santosh Sankar wrote that they expect the company to miss Wall Street's expectations of revenue of $802 million and a loss per share of four cents. They are also skeptical of how quickly BlackBerry can increase its software revenues.

"We believe software revenue guidance of $500mn for the FY will be difficult to achieve and see the next quarter as unlikely to provide confidence in a ramp to the guided $500mn, though believe it is possible management provides bookings or other metrics," they wrote in a research note. "We believe a software revenue ramp is the key to BBRY and with distribution still in the early stages, believe a material ramp may be unlikely for a couple of quarters."

RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Sue wrote that he expects BlackBerry to report revenue of just $661 million (which would be down 32 percent year-over-year) and smartphone sales of just 13 million. He wrote in a research note that he is looking for "proof-points of a pathway" toward how BlackBerry can get $500 million in software revenue for its coming fiscal year.

"BES 12 billings growth will be critical and so it's about EZ Pass transition beta/legacy customers to BES 12. BlackBerry's winning back some die-hard enterprise customers," he wrote. "BlackBerry's partnering with Samsung, IBM and others to leverage its security expertise. Subscription billings growth may have to be meaningfully higher with subscription revenues recognized ratably. We're comfortable with better QNX contributions; estimated at ~$100M. On BBM, it's still early to call whether BlackBerry can monetize its 90M users to generate $100M in revenues/yr, possible for a few dollars/yr."

[Corbu]

http://www.benzinga.com/general/crow...et-bill-murray
BlackBerry, Meet Bill Murray

+

https://twitter.com/NikoG21/status/5...056320/photo/1

Good looking device!