Best Buy has removed PB display models here in NYC.
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Originally Posted by [email protected]Do you know if they had any for actual sale?
Well Staples only had 2 32gb for sale at the time, didnt know when they would get more.
Best Buy had a few 16 and 32gb but no 64gb.
So they had a few..01-02-12 10:14 PMLike 0 -
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rim needs a new successor for its first tablet.apple's is launching a new ipad in a few months and rim's first tablet won't be able to compete well with the ipad 3.so clearing out old inventory in retail stores likes best buy,staples,walmart,etc makes sense.there have been rumors of rim launching a 10 inch tablet.but rumors are still rumors until the official word from them.01-03-12 02:29 AMLike 0 -
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Best Buy didn't discount the Playbook, RIM did. They would stock the product if RIM wanted it, whether it sold or not.If Best Buy stops offering the PlayBook in stores it's because it didn't sell, not because of some animus towards the PlayBook. Best Buy isn't in a position to pass up on a profitable product in order to pursue some vendetta, so if they're pulling a product from their stores it's because it doesn't sell (something that is further supported by the extreme discounting).salamakal likes this.01-03-12 05:07 AMLike 1 -
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There are rumors and a certain buzz about the PlayBook "relaunch."
I doubt that this involves a new model, not yet, unless it includes a high-end LTE model. I think RIM has too many current-model PlayBooks in stock to abandon them.
Rather, these PlayBooks will be repackaged, possibly with some new accessories. They will certainly be loaded with the version 2 software, and probably with some more applications.
If RIM does give up on the PlayBook, then it can basically write off its future in enterprise and government markets, and look for another role in life. RIM must be able to offer a tablet that is a reasonable alternative to the iPad, or else competitors (Apple? perhaps even Microsoft?) will essentially wipe RIM out in enterprise and government markets. Most enterprise CIOs carry an iPad, and they were not impressed by the PlayBook. In my opinion, reversing their opinion of the PlayBook is absolutely necessary for RIM in these markets. Since I don't see RIM giving up on these markets, I don't see RIM giving up on tablets.
Every PlayBook in the hands of a consumer is a small step towards developing an app ecosystem for the BB10 launch. For whatever reason, RIM has abandoned its initial plan of a "BB player" in BB10 which would have carried over current BB apps to BB10. RIM has put all its eggs in one basket, PlayBook apps (whether native or Android).
I do believe that the PlayBook is do or die for RIM's core enterprise/government markets, and it is do or die for BB10. Since it is so strategically important for RIM, it follows that RIM truely is committed to the tablet market.01-03-12 06:33 AMLike 4 -
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I use my PB for business a lot and I find it very useful in my line of work. Pb's form factor and its os with true multitasking is great for business. Rim just needs to polish this baby a little bit more and they will have a winner !There are rumors and a certain buzz about the PlayBook "relaunch."
I doubt that this involves a new model, not yet, unless it includes a high-end LTE model. I think RIM has too many current-model PlayBooks in stock to abandon them.
Rather, these PlayBooks will be repackaged, possibly with some new accessories. They will certainly be loaded with the version 2 software, and probably with some more applications.
If RIM does give up on the PlayBook, then it can basically write off its future in enterprise and government markets, and look for another role in life. RIM must be able to offer a tablet that is a reasonable alternative to the iPad, or else competitors (Apple? perhaps even Microsoft?) will essentially wipe RIM out in enterprise and government markets. Most enterprise CIOs carry an iPad, and they were not impressed by the PlayBook. In my opinion, reversing their opinion of the PlayBook is absolutely necessary for RIM in these markets. Since I don't see RIM giving up on these markets, I don't see RIM giving up on tablets.
Every PlayBook in the hands of a consumer is a small step towards developing an app ecosystem for the BB10 launch. For whatever reason, RIM has abandoned its initial plan of a "BB player" in BB10 which would have carried over current BB apps to BB10. RIM has put all its eggs in one basket, PlayBook apps (whether native or Android).
I do believe that the PlayBook is do or die for RIM's core enterprise/government markets, and it is do or die for BB10. Since it is so strategically important for RIM, it follows that RIM truely is committed to the tablet market.01-03-12 07:00 AMLike 0 -
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I was quite surprised to see the tabet line up that Best Buy has these days. I'm not surprised they're removing the Playbook as they have a bunch of other ones. I fine it hard to believe though that some of the other low end ones sell better than the Playbook, but who knows.
Joe01-03-12 07:12 AMLike 0 -
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I also think RIM is holding back inventory so they can load OS2 on the new shipments. They may also be preparing to launch the mythical 4G PB as well. You don't want to have this flashy relaunch and make any new customers have to upgrade, it should just work right out of the box. For the PBs that are already in the retail channels, it makes more sense to sell them off then ship them back to RIM. I think some of the BestBuy employees and management misinterpreted this hold back as the PB being discontinued.01-03-12 07:18 AMLike 0 -
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The iPad is going to sell like hotcakes no matter what, but there is a significant market who both can't afford an iPad and/or don't need all that an iPad offers as long as they can get the content and apps that they want. The Kindle Fire is showing that you don't need all of what the iPad offers to be successful. If RIM had thought more like Amazon and not tried to be like Apple, they would have had a more successful product.rim needs a new successor for its first tablet.apple's is launching a new ipad in a few months and rim's first tablet won't be able to compete well with the ipad 3.so clearing out old inventory in retail stores likes best buy,staples,walmart,etc makes sense.there have been rumors of rim launching a 10 inch tablet.but rumors are still rumors until the official word from them.01-03-12 07:35 AMLike 0 -
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Yes, but shop blackberry is not being sold directly from RIM. It's a contractor RIM hired to sell it's products. RIM provides Globalware with its products and then Globalware sells it. It's a retail channel no different than BestBuy. They just have more direct control over this particular retailer. So, my theory of a hold back to clear retail inventory is still valid.01-03-12 07:41 AMLike 0 -
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So let me get this straight. You think RIM is trying to hold back inventory to wait for OS2. After this OS2, they are going to charge $499 again, or maybe the $399 price point. I really have never heard of a piece of technology going back up in price roughly 9 months after launch.Yes, but shop blackberry is not being sold directly from RIM. It's a contractor RIM hired to sell it's products. RIM provides Globalware with its products and then Globalware sells it. It's a retail channel no different than BestBuy. They just have more direct control over this particular retailer. So, my theory of a hold back to clear retail inventory is still valid.
If they aren't going to raise the prices from these sales prices, then why hold back the inventory at all?01-03-12 07:51 AMLike 0 -
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Given the number of PlayBooks that must be in inventory and the way RIM has conducted these sales, it seems pretty obvious that RIM is indeed holding back inventory. Where I am in Europe, there is no PB sale. Most everywhere there have been sales, the 16GB model at least was quickly out of stock. There may be various reasons for the sales: getting some publicity; placating retailers with stock on their hands; experimenting with consumer reaction to different price points; getting some buzz with developers and getting PBs into developers' hands. If RIM were really trying to blow out its whole PlayBook stock, I would think that the PB would be on sale all over the world and that the out of stock situations would be quickly resolved.
While I have no idea what the new regular price will be, the Kindle Fire has created a new reality for pricing the PB entry level model, at least in the US. This reality affects not only RIM, but also all those Android tablet makers as well. Since the PB is probably more strategically important to RIM than Android tablets are to most of their manufacturers, RIM may have more staying power than most Android manufacturers in the profitless entry-level US tablet market.Last edited by VerryBestr; 01-03-12 at 09:02 AM.
01-03-12 08:57 AMLike 0 -
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No way they will ever be able to sell the PB for $499. You may as well get an iPad at that price point. With the Kindle Fire low balling them at $199, RIM really can't do better than $250. I'm saying, if RIM is getting ready to relaunch the PB with OS2, it makes more sense to sell off what you have in the retail channel and hold the rest of the inventory you haven't put in the retail channel and upgrade those to OS2 because you don't want to have to make your customers who buy the relaunched PB upgrade from 1.0.8.xxxx to 2.0.0.xxxx in order to use it, it should just work.So let me get this straight. You think RIM is trying to hold back inventory to wait for OS2. After this OS2, they are going to charge $499 again, or maybe the $399 price point. I really have never heard of a piece of technology going back up in price roughly 9 months after launch.
If they aren't going to raise the prices from these sales prices, then why hold back the inventory at all?Last edited by TBone4eva; 01-03-12 at 09:27 AM.
01-03-12 09:24 AMLike 0 -
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I was in an OfficeMax a couple of days ago (Florida). I was looking for Playbook accessories and the manager said Blackberry requested they ship all stock back. She would not elaborate what that meant.01-03-12 09:30 AMLike 0 -
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That's what office Depot in NJ is saying as well. That they were told to ship them back. I'm still trying to find 2 more. There are tons on Craiglist here in NY. Many saying they were rec'vd as X-Mas gifts but being sold by recipient.01-03-12 10:36 AMLike 0 -
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I can probably believe that. With the low, almost give-away prices, I'm sure that gift-givers thought it was an excellent option. BUT then there was that theft of the tractor trailer with pb's lost in Indiana and so there may be some hot, but useless pb's out there now. (or has someone heard that theft was solved/recovered). That might give me a bit of pause on new, inbox units.Originally Posted by [email protected]That's what office Depot in NJ is saying as well. That they were told to ship them back. I'm still trying to find 2 more. There are tons on Craiglist here in NY. Many saying they were rec'vd as X-Mas gifts but being sold by recipient.01-03-12 11:36 AMLike 0 -
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best buy here in regina sask canada has lots of playbooks, for 199, etc... all sizes
this was only 3 days ago, i am pretty sure they would still have some, although playbooks are definitely selling more, nobody was paying any attention to the pile of playbooks
i should have just asked if i could have one for a late christmas presentSpinalguy likes this.01-03-12 12:46 PMLike 1 -
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Go into FutureShop on Yonge/Dundas and both models on display are broken.. one is stuck on the WiFi config screen and the second is completely dead (won't charge, won't turn on). It's been this way for a couple of months. Nobody seemed to care when I asked why. They have HUGE crates of the 16- and 32-GB models right at the top of the escalator.Last edited by andy957; 01-03-12 at 03:12 PM.
01-03-12 01:02 PMLike 0 -
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Best Buy has removed PB display models here in NYC.
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