View Poll Results: Should RIM Get Rid of Sure Press?

Voters
93. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes - Hate it, or BB doesn't need it!

    10 10.75%
  • NO! - I Bought the Storm because of Sure Press!

    73 78.49%
  • I don't care one way or the other!

    10 10.75%
  1. aboutDbuzz's Avatar
    While I agree 100% with your well stated post, I do have an issue with your two examples of a "gimmick."


    I recall, back in 1964, attending the NY World's Fair. Bell Labs had a display with a video conference phone. It was an amazing (even though the person you "called" was only five feet away) demonstration of technology and even at my relatively young age of 14, I could see the future of this remarkable technology. Of course, it never materialized, but yet, most every science fiction movie made shows video conferencing. Apple will make it popular and it will cause people to want it. It's functional and thus, not a "gimmick." (Though, not sure I'd want it, lol).
    I understand where you are coming from. Trust me, I have Apple products and they are well made and appealing to hold. Yes, Apple takes the pulpit and presents existing technology the way most people have never seen them. But here is why I call it gimmick: Apple often taunts it as 'groundbreaking' and 'taking it to the next level', but if you take a closer look the product is often lacking. Take for instance, camera flash (it took 4 iterations on the iPhone to include one!!!!). Phones with camera and flash have been in existence even before the first iPhone.

    I looked up gimmick on Wikipedia, here is an interesting part of what it it says:
    Finding a successful gimmick for an otherwise mundane product is often an important part of the marketing process. For example, toothbrushes are often given various gimmicks, such as bright colors, easy-grip handles, or color-changing bristles so they appear more exciting to consumers.

    Gimmick may not be a bad thing after all. . Apple is in it for business and boy, do they get their pound of flesh from consumers. My hope is that those that buy the product know what they are getting and not just the hype.
    06-21-10 05:02 PM
  2. 1812dave's Avatar
    I understand where you are coming from. Trust me, I have Apple products and they are well made and appealing to hold. Yes, Apple takes the pulpit and presents existing technology the way most people have never seen them. But here is why I call it gimmick: Apple often taunts it as 'groundbreaking' and 'taking it to the next level', but if you take a closer look the product is often lacking. Take for instance, camera flash (it took 4 iterations on the iPhone to include one!!!!). Phones with camera and flash have been in existence even before the first iPhone.

    I looked up gimmick on Wikipedia, here is an interesting part of what it it says:
    Finding a successful gimmick for an otherwise mundane product is often an important part of the marketing process. For example, toothbrushes are often given various gimmicks, such as bright colors, easy-grip handles, or color-changing bristles so they appear more exciting to consumers.

    Gimmick may not be a bad thing after all. . Apple is in it for business and boy, do they get their pound of flesh from consumers. My hope is that those that buy the product know what they are getting and not just the hype.
    "Marketing hype" and "gimmick" are nearly synonymous in my mind. Steve Jobs is a master at marketing, and I for one, am immune to his hyperbole.
    06-21-10 05:27 PM
  3. EnergyPlus's Avatar
    Brown_Storm: First, that should read "...do they get their pound of iFlesh.... lol. Gotta keep the facts straight

    Dave: Under the definition of both what Brown dug up, I'll accept the word "Gimmick" but rather loosely. To me, a "Gimmick" is something that, on the face of it, appears to have value, but in reality offers nothing. I don't see the iPhone upgrades as having no value, in fact, quite the opposite (Geez, am I defending iPhone here? Brandon, don't EVEN THINK about quoting me on this ). High res screens, front facing cameras and video chat have been around for a long while, yes, but if it takes someone like Apple to popularize them and make them part of the everyday marketplace, than I don't see it as being gimmicky. I suspect a great number of people will find some of this stuff useful. I do hold back on the screen resolution though, I'm not convinced that on displays of this size, a super high res screen is going to have much value. BUT, before anybody jumps on me, I'll reserve my right to change my mind when I see it!

    Dave, you're correct about Jobs, but on the other hand, if it weren't for Apple, I wonder if we'd even have Storms to use.....again, Apple is king when it comes to popularizing existing technology, which in the end, makes it available to a much larger audience, thanks to competition.

    Gimmick may not be a bad thing after all. . Apple is in it for business and boy, do they get their pound of flesh from consumers. My hope is that those that buy the product know what they are getting and not just the hype.
    06-21-10 06:27 PM
  4. aboutDbuzz's Avatar
    Brown_Storm: First, that should read "...do they get their pound of iFlesh.... lol. Gotta keep the facts straight

    Dave: Under the definition of both what Brown dug up, I'll accept the word "Gimmick" but rather loosely. To me, a "Gimmick" is something that, on the face of it, appears to have value, but in reality offers nothing. I don't see the iPhone upgrades as having no value, in fact, quite the opposite (Geez, am I defending iPhone here? Brandon, don't EVEN THINK about quoting me on this ). High res screens, front facing cameras and video chat have been around for a long while, yes, but if it takes someone like Apple to popularize them and make them part of the everyday marketplace, than I don't see it as being gimmicky. ......... Apple is king when it comes to popularizing existing technology, which in the end, makes it available to a much larger audience, thanks to competition.
    I totally agree with you, EnergyPlus. Each iPhone upgrade since inception offers something of value to the consumer. Each masterfully crafted to offer a tidbit of existing technology while holding back some. It took 2 iterations to provide something as simply as 'copy and paste'. LOL. The current iPhone 4 just got a unified inbox for messages, hurrah! etc. Anyway, I am preaching to the choir here but you already get the gist of it.

    Again, just like you rightfully said, if it takes Apple to make some of these existing technology mainstream, it is a good thing. I wonder if does that bash RIM or take everything iPhone to be the best since slice bread know the difference.
    06-21-10 06:42 PM
  5. corymcnutt's Avatar
    Find surepress to be by far the best feature of the Storm series. Not only can I type much faster than my iPhone, but everyone I show the technology to freaks out (especially other touch screen users)!

    RIM really needed to step up their game marketing this device and fell flat. They could have done so well capturing people's initial reaction...
    I really blame Verizon for the lack of marketing, not RIM; after all, Verizon was the only company selling the phone in the US. They were so wrapped around their wonderful "Droid" coming out a couple weeks later, they completed dropped the ball on this amazing phone. It was given one 15 or 30 second commercial they aired for a while, but never really tried to "sell" the phone. If I was RIM, I would be pissed off at them.
    06-21-10 07:06 PM
  6. Jake Storm's Avatar
    ...RIM really needed to step up their game marketing this device and fell flat. They could have done so well capturing people's initial reaction...
    Bingo!
    That has been the biggest failing of the Storm series. Lack of marketing and advertising from both RIM and VZW.
    06-21-10 07:07 PM
  7. 1812dave's Avatar
    I really blame Verizon for the lack of marketing, not RIM; after all, Verizon was the only company selling the phone in the US. They were so wrapped around their wonderful "Droid" coming out a couple weeks later, they completed dropped the ball on this amazing phone. It was given one 15 or 30 second commercial they aired for a while, but never really tried to "sell" the phone. If I was RIM, I would be pissed off at them.
    My local Verizon store doesn't like selling Storms. Each time I went in there, the salespeople tried to steer me away from the Storms (that was before and after the droids came out). I could see their reluctance to sell the S1, but they should have been more open to selling the S2 than they have been. I don't know if it's a store-specific issue or not--perhaps the manager had a bad experience and told all his underlings to steer people away from the phone. Whatever, ALL the employees I've encountered there have tried to sell us anything but a storm.
    06-21-10 07:32 PM
  8. aboutDbuzz's Avatar
    My local Verizon store doesn't like selling Storms. Each time I went in there, the salespeople tried to steer me away from the Storms (that was before and after the droids came out). I could see their reluctance to sell the S1, but they should have been more open to selling the S2 than they have been. I don't know if it's a store-specific issue or not--perhaps the manager had a bad experience and told all his underlings to steer people away from the phone. Whatever, ALL the employees I've encountered there have tried to sell us anything but a storm.
    It is the same at my local Verizon store. The day I went to pick up my Storm 2, the store manager tried so hard to sell a Windows phone (HTC Touch Pro 2) to me. Verizon probably chose not to promote Storm 2 because of the failure of the Original Storm. It was a very wrong marketing decision. Storm 2 is a very capable phone and a lot different from original Storm.
    06-21-10 08:05 PM
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