[anon(55900)]

What if RIM fails?

I assume the phones are toast since they run through RIM servers?

Will my PB wifi still operate?

[JayR2010]

i dont get it?
bb10 is not going to run through rims noc anymore
and no matter what happens to rim you pb will always operate

[kennyliu]

First, I hope RIM as a company will survive and be better off than it currently is. The more competition and innovation we have, the better for customers.

Second, even if they do fail, I doubt that RIM will fail and seize all their operations overnight. They will most probably be acquired as a company or in chunks (assets). The BB (BES, BBM) should be an attractive asset for some other company to pick up.

[tjseaman]

What if RIM fails?

I assume the phones are toast since they run through RIM servers?

Will my PB wifi still operate?

Sorry but I couldn't help but laugh at the wifi question.

[Chaddface]

What if RIM fails?

I assume the phones are toast since they run through RIM servers?

Will my PB wifi still operate?

They will hit the brick all button on the way out the door for last time. All BlackBerry products will then essentially become a locator beacon. Jim and Mike will come and retrieve your phone or tablet and apologize.

Then again, your tablet may continue to function and the phone may continue to work without the need for a BB data plan.

I have heard conflicting reports.

[diegonei]

If it comes to that, we move on. Simple.

I'd give Windows Phone a try... I really don't see much value in Android past the apps. If WP would blow up on me, I'd be FORCED to go the Apple way. And THAT would be a sad day.

[FMB8900]

your PlayBook will explode

[kbz1960]

Sounds like if it would happen it would be a boom for windows.

I hope it doesn't.

[taylor96]

It will probably go like the program series "The world after people" on PBS

Grass and weeds will take over your Playbook within 4 months, however far before this the power is gone and it won't work anyway............................................ ..

[diegonei]

Sounds like if it would happen it would be a boom for windows.

I hope it doesn't.

It's only logical, isn't it? Most of us did get Berries because we wanted something more on the productive side.

[anthogag]

I'm sure top execs at Microsoft hope RIM stumbles and falls. That's probably one reason Skype isn't on the playbook. Sure they put it on every other device but IMO Microsoft sees RIM as the company they need to beat...

BB10 is better than their lumia phones

[sleepngbear]

your PlayBook will explode

I was going to say I assume my BB and PB will continue to operate for the rest of their expected lives, at the end of which I'll need to re-evaluate my needs and what's available that doesn't have a Google or Facebook kiss of death attached to it. But if this happens, I guess I'll be making that re-evaluation a little sooner than I expected. Maybe I'll send my PlayBook to my ex-wife, just in case.

[Fuzzballz]

They will stop making new phones but likely BIS will stay up, at least for a few years.

[bitek]

What if RIM fails?

I assume the phones are toast since they run through RIM servers?

Will my PB wifi still operate?

RIM will survive.

[redk]

I would probably just move to windows phones.

[kennyliu]

I'm sure top execs at Microsoft hope RIM stumbles and falls. That's probably one reason Skype isn't on the playbook. Sure they put it on every other device but IMO Microsoft sees RIM as the company they need to beat...

BB10 is better than their lumia phones

If they really wanted to beat RIM because they were afraid of the competition, they wouldn't resort to the Skype debacle. They would simply buy RIM, which would cost them much less than Skype.

So, despite what some "theorists" want to believe, there is no conspiracy there

[anthogag]

If they really wanted to beat RIM because they were afraid of the competition, they wouldn't resort to the Skype debacle. They would simply buy RIM, which would cost them much less than Skype.

So, despite what some "theorists" want to believe, there is no conspiracy there

Why do they have to buy RIM. Microsoft is no stranger to the tactic of attrition

No conspiracy theory is needed. Business is war

[BB_makes_it_happen]

If they really wanted to beat RIM because they were afraid of the competition, they wouldn't resort to the Skype debacle. They would simply buy RIM, which would cost them much less than Skype.

So, despite what some "theorists" want to believe, there is no conspiracy there

I vaguely remember RIM and Microsoft getting together a year or so ago. What sort of alliance or venture were concluded? I thought these two were going to work more closely together.

[BerryClever]

I am sure there is a chance that RIM fails, but I wouldn't place it as too likely. Media companies LOVE to have stories like these and more often than not they just exaggerate and blow out of proportion for the sake of readers or viewers.

24 hour news channels do this all the time now until the next "big story" comes out and then they never talk about the past story again. Tech news does this too, only they can be worse because they tend to be partnered with or sponsored by another company. They also tend to pick the safe bets and try to write what their viewers want to hear rather than cold hard facts. Restructuring or bringing in 3rd party consultants does not equal total collapse, yet there are a few new sources suggesting that. They know they are jumping the gun, but they still do it and people believe it.

I don't know how big the site "ubergizmo" is, but this is an example of a horribly biased article. It is so blatant that that the author already has their mind made up and are trying to fit into what they believe (rightly or wrongly) are today's fads.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 beta rolling out in a few days� time? | Ubergizmo

"Considering how there are just a couple more days after today before May makes way for June, does this mean the next couple of days will see PlayBook users (yes, all 10 of you at the back of the room there) will be an occasion to celebrate?"

[kill_9]

I vaguely remember RIM and Microsoft getting together a year or so ago. What sort of alliance or venture were concluded? I thought these two were going to work more closely together.

The result of this alliance is BlackBerry Business Cloud Services and Microsoft Office 365 Cloud Service.

[BerryClever]

I vaguely remember RIM and Microsoft getting together a year or so ago. What sort of alliance or venture were concluded? I thought these two were going to work more closely together.

I think that you are right and MS and RIM do have a fairly good relationship. Also, Skype is all about being multi-platform and MS wouldn't just say no for RIM to fail. I think it is about numbers and if BB10 gets more popular then you will see Skype (and Netflix, and Kindle).

[dbmalloy]

Most likely scenario is not that RIM fails but is split up.....

The investors biggest beef is RIM's involvement in the hardware side... Would expect to see hardware side if things sold off or shut down...

What seems to be lost is that RIM has a continuous cash flow through the networks.... For every phone sold RIM makes somthing like $5 a phone per month per year.....

Adding to the fact it has a couple of Billion reserves and not debt to speak off.....

That all being said with the loss of market share and people's additude towards RIM I would expect something to change.... but more that likely the network side will stay alive as it is a cash cow.....

Thus should not impact current users.... Who knows...

IF Samsung picked up the hardware side... could probably give Apple a run for its money.....

[stackberry369]

I will move to a string and 2 cans before I go to droid or bittenfruit.

[khalmarri]

What if RIM fails?

I assume the phones are toast since they run through RIM servers?

Will my PB wifi still operate?

Guys what's happening is totally normal.
Imagine the PlayBook got released and there was no Android Tablets or IPads , still nobody will be interested enough to spend a lot on it. PlayBook simply wasn't ready and still isn't.
People still love the BlackBerry brand more than Samsung, LG or HTC or Nokia or Lenovo or Dell. But they just want a better BlackBerry, better experience and offerings. BB10 will address this and that's it. BB10 will run native apps with cascades UI which would bring iPad like experience, will run Android apps. Will run everything guys just wait and see what BB10 will offer. A strong comeback soon to be seen.

[thecsman]

I would go back to my old pocketpc.