Thunder: Ground-shaking or Rumbling in the Distance?
- i mentioned this in a reply to a thread and i didnt want to jack it so heres what i was thinking:
the BB Thunder is going to hit the ground running (assuming that it hits stores within the next say 6-8 months) in what is bound to still be the heat of the iPhone and Bold releases dates. i just want to get some reactions/feelings/predictions on what the Thunder may do on the market.
1. How do you think the Thunder will sell once it hits stores (or exclusively Verizon as it has been rumored)?
2. What impact do you think the Thunder will have on the touchscreen smartphone market? (think Apple iPhone and Palm Treo to start)
3. Where do you think the Thunder will place in the sales of the smartphone market? (Good, Bad, Ugly/High,Low)
4. If the Thunder is exclusively for Verizon, do you think it has people drawn enough to switch to Verizon just for the Thunder?
5. Would you consider the upgrade/switch the the Thunder?
just throwing some stuff out there to get some ideas while we wait. let us know what you think!06-16-08 12:25 AMLike 0 - I think if it is limited to Verizon only as rumored, it will not do well. Limiting your customer base is not a very sound business decision. I'm interested to see how the final product turns out. Even if it turns out to be a great device I can only see a marginal percentage switching carriers to obtain one.
With the release of most BB's you can stay with your carrier and still obtain the BB of your choice and make it work on your network. With the release on Verizon's network it would kill all those potential sales. I guess we will have to see what the final decision will be.06-16-08 12:41 AMLike 0 - Not too sure what to make of the Thunder right now. RIM has never made a touchscreen device before and by making the Thunder, they are taking a direct shot at the iPhone and its target market. History tells us that those who try to take Apple head on usually don't do too well, even when at times the Apple product on a spec and feature basis, is inferior. Of course, I'm hoping history doesn't repeat itself. I'd think it would be wiser to stick with what they do best (Full/SureType QWERTY keyboards and trackballs etc) and just make one kick *** device. I realize to a certain extent they have done that with the Bold, but I do at times wonder what their rationale is behind the Thunder.
Last edited by Blackberry Guy; 06-16-08 at 12:55 AM.
06-16-08 12:52 AMLike 0 - Not too sure what to make of the Thunder right now. RIM has never made a touchscreen device before and by making the Thunder, they are taking a direct shot at the iPhone and its target market. History tells us that those who try to take Apple head on usually don't do too well, even when at times the Apple product on a spec and feature basis, is inferior. Of course, I'm hoping history doesn't repeat itself. I'd think it would be wiser to stick with what they do best (Full/SureType QWERTY keyboards and trackballs etc) and just make one kick *** device. I realize to a certain extent they have done that with the Bold, but I do at times wonder what their rationale is behind the Thunder.
ummm... bringing their product to a new market segment?06-16-08 01:18 AMLike 0 - It's just like they did with the pearl, adding a camera to a blackberry, increased the market share and was focused to the average consumer. No doubt the thunder will have its share of the market with the diehard touchscreen users! As well as diehard berry users that want to see how RIM does with their first touchscreen. As an AT&T subscriber I definitely won't be swayed to join Verizon wireless for the simple fact that they charge $79 for the same unlimited data plan that I have now for $30.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com06-16-08 06:56 AMLike 0 - It's just like they did with the pearl, adding a camera to a blackberry, increased the market share and was focused to the average consumer. No doubt the thunder will have its share of the market with the diehard touchscreen users! As well as diehard berry users that want to see how RIM does with their first touchscreen. As an AT&T subscriber I definitely won't be swayed to join Verizon wireless for the simple fact that they charge $79 for the same unlimited data plan that I have now for $30.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com06-16-08 12:59 PMLike 0 - It's just like they did with the pearl, adding a camera to a blackberry, increased the market share and was focused to the average consumer. No doubt the thunder will have its share of the market with the diehard touchscreen users! As well as diehard berry users that want to see how RIM does with their first touchscreen. As an AT&T subscriber I definitely won't be swayed to join Verizon wireless for the simple fact that they charge $79 for the same unlimited data plan that I have now for $30.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com06-17-08 01:22 AMLike 0 - All I can say is I hope they put together a good device. I have the utmost confidence in RIM that they will not let us down. I have wanted an iPhone for a long while, but haven't been able to take the plunge, so to speak, and turn my back on BlackBerry. I will certainly be one of the first to buy the Thunder upon its release. I am already a Verizon user, which helps, but I think I may even pay full retail price as I am not due for an upgrade for quite a while...
As for how the Thunder will do upon release.. I think there will be an initial surge of buyers who are eager to have the latest/greatest BlackBerry, but after that it will depend largely on the overall performance of the device itself. I can't wait to see!!06-18-08 11:42 AMLike 0 - I'm not interested in one, but my wife is. She doesn't like the Curve keyboard, and HATED the Pearl's TrueType. But, she wants the function of my BB and can't switch to ATT.
So, there it is. Captive audience. Not sure there will e enough to keep it exclusive.06-18-08 01:06 PMLike 0 - I think if it is limited to Verizon only as rumored, it will not do well. Limiting your customer base is not a very sound business decision. I'm interested to see how the final product turns out. Even if it turns out to be a great device I can only see a marginal percentage switching carriers to obtain one.
With the release of most BB's you can stay with your carrier and still obtain the BB of your choice and make it work on your network. With the release on Verizon's network it would kill all those potential sales. I guess we will have to see what the final decision will be.06-18-08 04:25 PMLike 0 - Yeah, that's what happens, when people don't know what they are talking about..lol, because you are correct, both blackberry data plans are $30, or $30 for ATT and $29.99 for verizon.06-18-08 04:28 PMLike 0
- Disabled GPS and NO WIFI = another verizon failure.
I personally WILL NOT have anything to do with it if these features are not available. Visual Voicemail is another thing, but I am more hellbent on the two things above. I am irate as **** to have my pearl and no GPS. I was lied to by VZ but love the phone too much to take it back.06-26-08 05:24 PMLike 0 - Yea, I agree with Kronk. Unless RIM does some amazing overhaul of the OS for this phone, I don't see it being an iPhone killer. Not to say it won't be a kick *** phone but for this phone to make a dent on iPhone sales, I don't think that will happen if they just make a touch-version of 4.6.
We still don't know if this is supposed to be geared toward consumers or if its just a touchscreen business professional phone. But hey, maybe RIM will pull a rabbit out of its hat and do something kick *** with the Thunder. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com06-26-08 06:30 PMLike 0 - $79 for unlimited data. Wow. I wouldn't do that, either. My Verizon unlimited data is $29.95 per month.06-26-08 06:40 PMLike 0
- Ground shaking, building rattling, bone crushing... and soon.
Verizon can't afford too much of a lag between the 3G iPhone and the Thunder. Don't kid yourself, they're STILL fighting for the corporate market. And with the iPhone/ActiveSync rumblings I've heard at my largest clients I'd be surprised if Verizon isn't putting pressure on their team and RIMs for an iPhone walloping Thunder.06-27-08 07:18 PMLike 0 - Unlimited data on Verizon is a joke. They still charge for minutes. Or at least they did on my env. It was ridiculous. Even though I had unlimited data I had to be careful when using the internet as it chewed through my minutes. That's ultimately what made me change to TMobile.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com06-27-08 09:04 PMLike 0 - I'm pretty sure that you didn't need data on an enV at all. I had one, and the internet was just a $5/mo plan. It also used your minutes, but it didn't really have anything to do with data at all.
I love Verizon for their signal strength and service, but they just do so many things that I see as...wrong. Not in a moral sense, but just stupid. They cripple their phones so much that they make things un-desirable at times.
They made the Voyager out to be an iPhone killer (everyone was saying it) and then it turned out to suck. It was just a touch-screen enV with a semi-decent browser. The browser didn't even come close to the iPhone. Then they put out the Glyde, which was pretty much the same thing as the Voyager but with a slide out keyboard. Now they have the Dare, which is almost the same thing as the other two phones, but with a 3.2 megapixel camera and video editing capabilities. They all seem like gimmick phones.
Oh well, as long as Verizon has great coverage and my parents stay with them, I'm there. I'm hoping the Thunder is something like the iPhone in terms of browsing, because I have an iTouch and I LOVE it.06-27-08 11:49 PMLike 0
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Thunder: Ground-shaking or Rumbling in the Distance?
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