[conite]

How about this then?

The Priv: BlackBerry was responsible for design, manufacturing, and distribution.

The DTEKs: BlackBerry did not design these devices in house, but instead worked with TCL, starting with a TCL reference design and making some changes and additions. BlackBerry is responsible for manufacturing costs and distribution.

Mercury: BlackBerry has designed and produced a prototype device. BlackBerry is working with a yet unnamed partner and will not be "totally responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of that hardware."

In my view, either it is a BlackBerry device, or a BlackBerry-licenced device.

BlackBerry is either responsible for it, or they're not. Who designs or builds the device is irrelevant.

[BB-JAM215]

In my view, either it is a BlackBerry device, or a BlackBerry-licenced device.

BlackBerry is either responsible for it, or they're not. Who designs or builds the device is irrelevant.

John Chen has said that he wants to use partnerships to minimize the risk to BlackBerry. That indicates to me that BlackBerry no longer wants to be fully responsible for new devices that use its name.

[conite]

John Chen has said that he wants to use partnerships to minimize the risk to BlackBerry. That indicates to me that BlackBerry no longer wants to be fully responsible for new devices that use its name.

Correct. Hence the new licencing model which was supposed to start after the DTEK60, but has been pushed until after the Mercury.

[BB-JAM215]

Correct. Hence the new licencing model which was supposed to start after the DTEK60, but has been pushed until after the Mercury.

I suspect that the new licensing model did come into effect after the DTEK60 was released, as Beard stated, and that Chen is sure he's close to signing a partnership deal for Mercury.

[ray689]

Correct. Hence the new licencing model which was supposed to start after the DTEK60, but has been pushed until after the Mercury.

You seem to think licencing means BlackBerry will not give two ****s about what happens or what comes out and will have no say in it. According to them, that's not the case.

[slagman5]

You seem to think licencing means BlackBerry will not give two ****s about what happens or what comes out and will have no say in it. According to them that's, not the case.

Exactly. I'm sure the product will have some standards to meet before they are allowed to use their name. Otherwise imagine if I glued a piece of plastic to a cardboard rectangle and want to sell that as a smartphone and all I had to do was pay BB some money to license it to be allowed to put the BB logo on it...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[conite]

You seem to think licencing means BlackBerry will not give two ****s about what happens or what comes out and will have no say in it. According to them that's, not the case.

I'm sure BlackBerry will set minimum standards. But they will ultimately be responsible for nothing.

[ardakca]

Well this render is kind of growing on me. Remove the toolbelt and it is good to go.

[slagman5]

Well this render is kind of growing on me. Remove the toolbelt and it is good to go. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...bce6ea3f3c.jpg

Don't see why you would want to remove the toolbelt, but anyway, different priorities I suppose...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[ardakca]

Don't see why you would want to remove the toolbelt, but anyway, different priorities I suppose...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

Has no meaning for Android. Just that. Would be sweet if the back button (triangle) looks like BlackBerry back, the circle blackberry trackpad (chamfered corner square) and the square is BlackBerry logo. Wonder if Google allows it.

[slagman5]

Has no meaning for Android. Just that. Would be sweet if the back button (triangle) looks like BlackBerry back, the circle blackberry trackpad (chamfered corner square) and the square is BlackBerry logo. Wonder if Google allows it.

Well you kind of got close to the idea, but the buttons on the toolbelt could be remapped to the existing navigation buttons Android uses. And I do believe Android supports the phone answer and end buttons, just nobody really uses them. And BB launcher can make the trackpad work outside of apps and within apps I've noticed that some Android apps actually does stuff with trackpad input... so it would be more work, but it's doable if they really wanted to. But most likely they won't but since we're talking about fan renders and what we would like to see...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[ray689]

I'm sure BlackBerry will set minimum standards. But they will ultimately be responsible for nothing.

Maybe they will have minimum standards or maybe they will have strict guidelines. You don't know either way. You just seem to think they will hand out their name (tarnished or not) and their security reputation to anyone who will take it with barely any input and some bare minimum guideline. I some how doubt all that. But of course you would know for sure how it's all playing out.

[conite]

You just seem to think they will hand out their name (tarnished or not) and their security reputation to anyone who will take it with barely any input and some bare minimum guideline. I some how doubt all that. But of course you would know for sure how it's all playing out.

I never said that. I said they would set minimum standards - which could be anywhere from loose to extremely strict.

[cgk]

They didn't say future devices (licenced or not) wouldn't be available on shop BlackBerry either.
Why wouldn't BlackBerry still offer an avenue to buy a device even if licenced? After all, they benefit from sales as well either way.

Unless something else has changed the reason that is likely not the case if you go back to the earnings call Chen discusses in the Q&A is that part of the advantage to this move is that they will have no involvement in sales and inventory or service - now Chen often says one thing and means another but that fits with the licencing model that was discussed there.

[cgk]

You seem to think licencing means BlackBerry will not give two ****s about what happens or what comes out and will have no say in it. According to them, that's not the case.

Well they will provide guidelines to licencee (also discussed in the earning call) but beyond that and cashing the cheque - the relation for the consumer will be with the licencee in that region not BBRY. As Chen also says in the earnings call about the only current licencee 'we are no partner'.

They already made it clear that it's down to the licencee if they want pay the extra for hardware security or not - they don't require it.

[ardakca]

Well they will provide guidelines to licencee (also discussed in the earning call) but beyond that and cashing the cheque - the relation for the consumer will be with the licencee in that region not BBRY. As Chen also says in the earnings call about the only current licencee 'we are no partner'.

They already made it clear that it's down to the licencee if they want pay the extra for hardware security or not - they don't require it.

All this after February 27th.

[cgk]

All this after February 27th.

Although the 27th is their planned exit - I don't think it prevents the Indonesian partner releasing their device before then? It's only for that country so it wouldn't impact the Blackberry store anyway.

[ray689]

Unless something else has changed the reason that is likely not the case if you go back to the earnings call Chen discusses in the Q&A is that part of the advantage to this move is that they will have no involvement in sales and inventory or service - now Chen often says one thing and means another but that fits with the licencing model that was discussed there.

Having it on shop BlackBerry doesn't mean they need to be involved is sales and inventory. It's simply another portal, they don't have to market anything. As for everything else you said in your two post, I'll wait for it when it happens. You took Chen's comments at earnings call about a pkb keyboard device and made firm affirmations about what was happening. How did that work out for you?

[cgk]

Having it on shop BlackBerry doesn't mean they need to be involved is sales and inventory. It's simply another portal, they don't have to market anything. As for everything else you said in your two post, I'll wait for it when it happens.

Well he also said that they weren't currently looking to distribute devices made by partners.

You took Chen's comments at earnings call about a pkb keyboard device and made firm affirmations about what was happening. How did that work out for you?

Well since this device doesn't currently exist - pretty well. The bottom line is that we are dealing with a CEO who seems to make decisions on the spot - so I wouldn't get carried away with the idea that I and others are wrong until we see a device launch - next week Chen might decide it doesn't exist again.

[ardakca]

Although the 27th is their planned exit - I don't think it prevents the Indonesian partner releasing their device before then? It's only for that country so it wouldn't impact the Blackberry store anyway.

Well those need a lot clarification. BlackBerry is building a plant in Indonesia so it is kind of confusing. Jakarta Post had an article here. Plus I don't think the licencee is somewhat affected as you said. If you look at the broad picture, BlackBerry has been developing the Mercury for almost 2 years now. First with Vienna then Rome and now Mercury. Ditching all that work does not make sense in anyways. It was there all along. It seems utterly optimistic but BB could not have generated this much of media coverage about its phones if all the contradicting statements did not exist. Whether we like or not . So nothing has changed, the pkb android is coming soon and it is not a cheap a** Indonesian market only device. No need to argue its existence, that would be a waste of energy. Plus it won't be an Indonesian phone only because Chen and Thurber would not try to generate that much of a hype.

[cgk]

BlackBerry is building a plant in Indonesia so it is kind of confusing. Jakarta Post had an article here.

That is the Joint Venture - Blackberry isn't a part of that.

[BB-JAM215]

... So nothing has changed, the pkb android is coming soon and it is not a cheap a** Indonesian market only device. No need to argue its existence, that would be a waste of energy. Plus it won't be an Indonesian phone only because Chen and Thurber would not try to generate that much of a hype.

We know the Mercury exists as the prototype device Chen said he had on his desk, we have seen the Geekbench test results, and Chen says "it's coming soon" -- that's all we really know. All the rest, including that a manufacturing deal has been concluded are just assumptions.

[ray689]

Well he also said that they weren't currently looking to distribute devices made by partners.



Well since this device doesn't currently exist - pretty well. The bottom line is that we are dealing with a CEO who seems to make decisions on the spot - so I wouldn't get carried away with the idea that I and others are wrong until we see a device launch - next week Chen might decide it doesn't exist again.

Sure but i recall Thurber said devices will continue to be available through shop BlackBerry. I understand you really want BlackBerry to fail and to be right. I get it. Your proclamations or rather declarations don't mean a thing till it all plays out.

[ardakca]

That is the Joint Venture - Blackberry isn't a part of that.

Joint Venture shares the risk between the companies.

[ardakca]

We know the Mercury exists as the prototype device Chen said he had on his desk, we have seen the Geekbench test results, and Chen says "it's coming soon" -- that's all we really know. All the rest, including that a manufacturing deal has been concluded are just assumptions.

Plus we know people held the phone and made renders about it. The renders miraculously look same as the presentation slide that noone could deny. Anyways, I don't know whatelse do we need to know apart from Chen's latest statement.