[spiller]

Can someone please confirm that either Boulben is gone or on his way out? If they don't fire him and get in a new marketing head I'm def selling all my shares and calls.

I think they are shoring up their bottom line as much as they can and not spending anything on marketing (250-400M/qtr before). Not a bad strategy as they handset sales are terrible. If they go to a just-in-time manufacturing and delivery model for handsets even at a higher cost, they can still make a little bit of margin but avoid the write-offs and large inventory. Really hope their inventory goes down and their liability for parts/manufacturing commitments goes down huge this next ER. Then the next ER should show good income tax return. I think BBRY will bottom after the Dec ER. Then BBM video/voice will come out shortly after that.

[spiller]

Break Fee is back:
As part of the financing deal, BlackBerry has agreed to pay a fee to the investors if it does reach an alternate deal that results in the sale of the company, either before, or within 30 days of the close of this deal.

Depending on the circumstances, the fee could range between $135 million and $250 million.

BlackBerry offers bumper package to new CEO - Yahoo Finance

How does BBRY keep commiting to these stupid break fees? Like, ok, 6% sure, but 25%? This is just putting up a barrier to those who might want to buy it. I guess that is the point. Prem must have paid the BOD handsomely for this deal.

[spiller]

What does everything think next earnings is going to look like ?

Loss of $450M depending on if they write down more inventory (I am assuming they aren't). $200M allocated to downsizing/severance.

[dusdal]

Will be ugly.

Posted via CB10

[jake simmons3]

Loss of $450M depending on if they write down more inventory (I am assuming they aren't). $200M allocated to downsizing/severance.

That being said? is now the time to buy low or will there even be better opps in the future

[leafs123]

I believe Chris U said in the podcast this morning that BBRY will be getting a tax credit this quarter.

[BlackistheBerry]

In some positive news......

BlackBerry?s BBM Surprises With User Engagement Numbers

While�BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) has lost most of its relevance for the vast majority of smartphone users, or at least those unconcerned with the NSA?s spying tactics, the Waterloo, Ontario-based company has recovered some of this lost relevance through the introduction of cross-platform releases of its iconic messenger app to both iOS and Android.



When it was released in late September, some twenty million people downloaded the application in the first week of its release. While some of these downloads were simply made out of curiosity followed by the app?s immediate removal from handsets, the numbers are showing that this is not par for the course.

BBM user engagement surges

In new Android data provided exclusively to BGR by research firm Mobidia, BlackBerry has pulled off something of a coup my matching a number of its competitors in weekly engagement. Weekly engagement is a key metric, and BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) has done well given the limited time the app has been available to Android handset owners. Engagement comes with a network of contacts, games, and stickers that BBM doesn?t offer unlike Kik and LINE.

For the week of October 20th, BBM?s engagement saw 40 minutes in the United States. This number nearly doubles that of Tango and Tango not only has 130 million users, but has offered games since earlier this year.



This also means that BBM is just shy of the 44-minute engagement that Viber has achieved and BBM has yet to really roll out its new content strategy that the company expects great things from. Kik is still king among teens, and teens spend heaps of time on their smartphones. Heaps in this case is 106 minutes of weekly engagement for the average user.

BBM is also beating out LINE

BBM is also beating out LINE in major European markets. European users of BBM are averaging an engagement of 59 minutes compared to LINE?s paltry 39. This follows an aggressive targeting of European customers over the last year by LINE before it lists on the Toyko exchange. While LINE is expected to be a big listing in Asia, this does not bode well. That said, the average European engagement on its messaging powerhouse, WhatsApp, beat out BBM by over an hour with a weekly level of 160 minutes.

There appears to be a genuine interest in BBM if these numbers hold the weight they appear to rather than reflecting an act of charity for the failing smartphone producer. While no one is buying their phones,�BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) should be buoyed by these metric measurements.

http://www.valuewalk.com/2013/11/bbm...ement-numbers/

[morlock_man]

How long has it been since someone has fired up the rocket ship?

[m0de25]

I believe Chris U said in the podcast this morning that BBRY will be getting a tax credit this quarter.

He detailed this here a day or two ago...

BlackBerry could wind up with over $4 billion in cash | CrackBerry.com

[fedakd]

More break fees...Starting to think Prem is toxic to BBRY. I want him GONE.

[spiller]

More break fees...Starting to think Prem is toxic to BBRY. I want him GONE.

But would that break fee only be after the 1B is infused mid november - so anyone bidding now could still avoid the break fee I think.

[danprown]

I think it is the other way around.
before cash is infused -- 250 MM break free
before cash is infused -- 135 MM if FF and co. still want to purchase the bonds.
After cash is infused and up to 30 days after it-- 135 MM if change of control.

so to avoid 250+80 (euro troika package), bidder will like to wait 2 weeks.
to avoid 135 bidder will have to wait 2 weeks plus 30 days.

But would that break fee only be after the 1B is infused mid november - so anyone bidding now could still avoid the break fee I think.

[fedakd]

Prem did a good job of making things difficult for Mike Lazaridis and Cerberus. Terrible conduct. Break fees with debentures are NOT common.

[jake simmons3]

Prem did a good job of making things difficult for Mike Lazaridis and Cerberus. Terrible conduct. Break fees with debentures are NOT common.

Prem is trying to save his investment. He knows if he makes it easy for others to buy BBRY at theses prices he will lose big so he is just making sure we can get out of his invested which is at 17 a share

[danprown]

I hear you, but I think Chen and PW have greater chance to pull a turnaround than Mike L. and Cerberus...

Prem did a good job of making things difficult for Mike Lazaridis and Cerberus. Terrible conduct. Break fees with debentures are NOT common.

[peter9477]

I have no issue with the break fee now, because I never wanted BlackBerry sold anyway. The break fee is meaningless if there's no offer so great that the majority of shareholders would vote in favour of it.

Given that Fairfax has 10%, then assuming this "90% threshold" idea has any truth to it you just have to add in my shares ;-) and we'd be turning down an offer anyway.

That break fee will never get paid, so in not very long it will evaporate. It's moot.

[chr1sny]

To counter all the trolls that bash you for losing the trade with BBRY, let us all thank you x100 for winning the trade with HALO.

At one point (until the recent ER) I was 100% in BBRY with my 'play' account, which still held a good amount of money, then diversified with 25% to HALO, some IAG, some TRP, some other stuff. Still down but I will claw back those BBRY losses slowly.

I really want that Google Play Services on BB10 rumour to be true and happen ASAP!

Worst case, BB should build hardware that dual boots (boot option) into Android or BB10. The Z30 hardware and your choice of what OS to use - BB10 at work, Android for playtime at night. If they can get Google Play on BB10 even better. But either way open up BB10 handsets to fully support Android and keep building great hardware! (although improve the damn camera).

I'd love to see a phone with a QWERTY keyboard, competitive specs and camera and that dual boots Android and BB10. I hope your worst case scenario comes true!

[peter9477]

I hear you, but I think Chen and PW have greater chance to pull a turnaround than Mike L. and Cerberus...

I actually think Mike may be looking at this whole picture and saying "Hmm... okay, well then... yeah, this could work."

[danprown]

But in true Mike L style when asked what he thinks of John Chen, Mike L says "never met him." A Greek, from Laconia maybe...
BlackBerry co-founder Lazaridis: "I have never met John Chen." - Cantech Letter

I actually think Mike may be looking at this whole picture and saying "Hmm... okay, well then... yeah, this could work."

[fedakd]

I sure hope there is a master plan to have closed off negotiations so early...

Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources

...Microsoft and Apple had both expressed interest in BlackBerry's intellectual property and patents, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters. In 2011, the three companies had teamed up with others to buy patents from bankrupt Canadian telecoms company Nortel.

BlackBerry had also held discussions with Cisco Systems Inc, Google Inc and Chinese computer maker Lenovo, among others, about selling all, or parts of itself, Reuters previously reported.

A BlackBerry spokeswoman declined to comment on the board's deliberations, and it is not known what specific proposals were rejected by directors during the company's three-month-long review of strategic options. Microsoft, Apple and the other tech companies have all declined to comment on the matter..

Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources | Reuters

[Superfly_FR]

I sure hope there is a master plan to have closed off negotiations so early...

Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources



Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources | Reuters

Oh, sh17... my MSFT theory may vanish...
So close... dammit.

Posted via CB10

[bigbadben10]

I sure wish BlackBerry would announce they sold to some big customers. Or say something...Geez. the silence is deafening.

Posted from my gorgeous Z30

[fedakd]

BlackBerry doesn't think a break-up is in our best interests? Look at the share price!
This is shareholder abuse. 100%

[leafs123]

BlackBerry doesn't think a break-up is in our best interests? Look at the share price!
This is shareholder abuse. 100%

More like, it's not in the best interest of Prem. It's becoming clearer and clearer that he's holding all the cards here.

[fyngfyn]

I sure hope there is a master plan to have closed off negotiations so early...

Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources



Exclusive - BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company -sources | Reuters

if they break up that be another big joke from bbry. they just hired a new ceo, even if hes not perm.