BlackBerry in Saigon (Hochi Min City)
I have been driving through Saigon, Hanoi an other towns in Vietnam and only spotted the BlackBerry logo once. Apple stores and iPhone + iPad signs are common. I'm not sure if they are selling genuine Apple products. I bought my wife a Rolex watch for $30. we negotiated down from a million dong. The first watch couldn't be set. The second sees to work. Rolex is #1 said the sales girl. It was my wife's birthday - she's worth spending million on. Alas I think the name BlackBerry is too long for the Vietnamese to recognize and the berry logo is likely baffling. Yet I read that sales are growing in Asia. The only BlackBerry Playbook in sight was mine - but lots of stares. I think few can buy more than a cheap Nokia or Chinese imitations. Only in Saigon was modern products and wealth evident - but they are moving up fast.
BlackBerry in Saigon (CORRECTION)
A few more drives across Saigon and country-side, I still saw only one BlackBerry logo. But when I asked my tour guide - and showed him my BlackBerry 9600 - he told me that BlackBerry is very popular in Vietnam in the business community - the rich folks.
It sells via Brightstar Corp and the Nov. 4, 2011 release of BlackBerry Bold 9900 was at a price tag of 15,750,000 VND (Dongs). That's $750 US. This would be too rich for most Vietnamese. Playbook would be in the same dilemma - way outside the price range of the population. They can buy a Chinese motorcycle for $300.