[rshore]

Interesting (?) article on cbsnews.com website about flip phones becoming hip with celebs. Old school hip so to speak. But the thing that got my attention was at the end of the article:

"In an age where celebrities are being targeted by hackers, it's not a big surprise to see them carrying around flip phones because if you're not using the apps that get hacked, then your photos aren't going to be leaked online," CNET editor Bridget Carey said.

But on the other side are the opponents of the outdated tech.

"Well it is considered obsolete, it is even more obsolete than a Blackberry, it is something from a previous era," Michael Musto said. "It keeps you in the previous century but you know what, it's functional, it works, it's unpretentious. It's so wrong that it's right."

Michael Musto is obviously clueless about technology. What's even sadder is some people will/do actually believe him. He may be considered a fashion/trend guru but he showing his ignorance here.

[early2bed]

Quick...Somebody Google Michael Musto and find something to smear him with!

[anon62607]

Interesting (?) article on cbsnews.com website about flip phones becoming hip with celebs. Old school hip so to speak. But the thing that got my attention was at the end of the article:

"In an age where celebrities are being targeted by hackers, it's not a big surprise to see them carrying around flip phones because if you're not using the apps that get hacked, then your photos aren't going to be leaked online," CNET editor Bridget Carey said.

But on the other side are the opponents of the outdated tech.

"Well it is considered obsolete, it is even more obsolete than a Blackberry, it is something from a previous era," Michael Musto said. "It keeps you in the previous century but you know what, it's functional, it works, it's unpretentious. It's so wrong that it's right."

Michael Musto is obviously clueless about technology. What's even sadder is some people will/do actually believe him. He may be considered a fashion/trend guru but he showing his ignorance here.

I think there is a missed opportunity here. Someone needs to set up a BES service for celebrities and market the service as unhackable (or something more vaguely believable) including phone setup services.

edit: though thinking about it, a number of the leaked photos appear to have come from phones that the celebs in question sent their pictures to, rather than the celeb phone/accounts themselves.

A significant amount of security training is going to be required. They can use dumb phones all they want and still not be secure if they send their nudes to other people.

[gkl]

They should have never called the new devices a BlackBerry. Let that name die with OS7, kept the RIM name, and called the new BB10 devices something entirely new.

[alternator77]

Has anyone seen that jimmy Kimmel skit where they made up fashions and posed outside of fashion week?
You'll see some well known fashion designers who don't know their heads from their asses lol! I pay no attention to this.

Posted via CB10

[shaleem]

I wonder if Musto has even used a BB10 device. I mean really used, not just played with for a minute.

[Fistmaster]

I TROLOLOLOLO'ed very hard when I read Michael Musto. Don't be hard on people with such names! LULZ!

Would you trust 50 Cents on fraud names like Musto???

[Prem WatsApp]

Let us enjoy our minority status,
those of us in the know, and those of us who carry phones that still turn heads (Passport) or make jaws drop when demo'd (Z30)...

Another slab by brand X...?
How bboring... :-)


? ? ? Zzzzwipetyped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[Prem WatsApp]

I wonder if Musto has even used a BB10 device. I mean really used, not just played with for a minute.

Yeah, the whole Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team must be so deep in the past, they can see the future on their flippin' phones... and win!

Hahaha :-)

? ? ? Zzzzwipetyped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[Fistmaster]

Yeah, the whole Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team must be so deep in the past, they can see the future on their flippin' phones... and win!

Hahaha :-)

? ? ? Zzzzwipetyped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

Musto Gracias, Premier Wotcha!!!!

[early2bed]

Just wait until the Classic is launched. The media will have a field day with the retro smartphone theme.

[Monsterlad]

CNET is so pretentious and snobby I wouldn't ever take what they write seriously anymore

Posted via CB10

[trsbbs]

I think folks need to get over it and move on.

BlackBerry is what it is. I don't see Chen making any effort to change the "consumers" mind here.

As long as he ignores the consumer and large countries nothing will change.

Someday he will have to take on the large markets instead of picking the low hanging fruit.

BlackBerry hates America!

[Troy Tiscareno]

They should have never called the new devices a BlackBerry. Let that name die with OS7, kept the RIM name, and called the new BB10 devices something entirely new.

That's what I've been saying since the BB10 launch. BB10 should have had its own NEW name, and the company should have remained RIM.

[spikesolie]

That's what I've been saying since the BB10 launch. BB10 should have had its own NEW name, and the company should have remained RIM.

I was surprised they kept the name. Or officially changed the name. Bad move by heinz. No one ever even associated BlackBerry with RIM

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!

[VR6]

Quick...Somebody Google Michael Musto and find something to smear him with!

I had to Google him just to find out who he was!

But he's not wrong, < 1% market share can be considered obsolete.

Posted via CB10

[hoonigan99]

I think folks need to get over it and move on.

BlackBerry is what it is. I don't see Chen making any effort to change the "consumers" mind here.

As long as he ignores the consumer and large countries nothing will change.

Someday he will have to take on the large markets instead of picking the low hanging fruit.

BlackBerry hates America!

Low hanging fruit? Chen is going after the developing markets, the ones that are already trumping the US and/or will be significantly larger going forward. I know the US is the holy grail because more people can spend higher amounts, but that will all go to sh!t next recession. Why compete in the market that demands a marketing budget that's in the billions to make an impact, when you can make that same impact with millions in markets that are growing.

BB for Life

[dbmalloy]

As BB brand is severely damaged in the states.... perhaps permanently in the consumer market... what does it matter... people will think what they want... challenging them is an utter waste of time... what will achieve... a retraction... hardly.... if and when BB posts some solid sales figures and more importantly profits... will not matter how much people work themselves up over people who show their abject ignorance.... do remember most people in social and general media are simply ill informed.... trying to correct them just makes them more entrenched... because in the end nobody want to be "wrong"... my advice... sit back and enjoy whatever device you use and tune out the noise....

[gravymonster]

I think in the average consumer's mind a BlackBerry is a Curve 8300 or worse. In that respect, it is old and outdated. BlackBerry is at fault for not getting the word out they kept making phones. From what I can tell this forum is the closest thing they have to a consumer marketing dept.

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

Low hanging fruit? Chen is going after the developing markets, the ones that are already trumping the US and/or will be significantly larger going forward.

Actually, he's really not. The Z3 (predictably) failed to catch on, and sales in emerging market countries where BB was very strong (Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria) have continued to fall. The Z3 is still too expensive, and can't compete with Android phones offering similar hardware for half the price, especially when BBM (which is almost the sole reason those markets bought BB phones in the first place) is available for Android. Note that you haven't heard a peep about Z3's "successes" despite launches months ago in many countries.

This is why the only thing you've really heard from Chen is that he is focused on enterprise, which means primarily big business (and governments) in the US and Europe. That is now BB's primary focus, because entry-level Android phones will only get better and cheaper, and BB doesn't have the economies of scale to compete in those markets.

Enterprises still value the one thing that BB has that isn't (yet) as easy to get anywhere else, which is security. But make no mistake: big tech players are turning their attention to those markets as well, and BB will soon have ever-more-serious competition in the enterprise. Sure, the v1.0 won't compete with BES, but by the time a Google or Samsung or Apple or IBM gets to a v3.0, BB is going to have a tough fight on its hands. The question is: can BB enter/create some new markets in time to survive, and perhaps thrive, once competition in the enterprise MDM market starts eating into profits? That remains to be seen.

[hoonigan99]

Actually, he's really not. The Z3 (predictably) failed to catch on, and sales in emerging market countries where BB was very strong (Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria) have continued to fall. The Z3 is still too expensive, and can't compete with Android phones offering similar hardware for half the price, especially when BBM (which is almost the sole reason those markets bought BB phones in the first place) is available for Android. Note that you haven't heard a peep about Z3's "successes" despite launches months ago in many countries.

This is why the only thing you've really heard from Chen is that he is focused on enterprise, which means primarily big business (and governments) in the US and Europe. That is now BB's primary focus, because entry-level Android phones will only get better and cheaper, and BB doesn't have the economies of scale to compete in those markets.

Enterprises still value the one thing that BB has that isn't (yet) as easy to get anywhere else, which is security. But make no mistake: big tech players are turning their attention to those markets as well, and BB will soon have ever-more-serious competition in the enterprise. Sure, the v1.0 won't compete with BES, but by the time a Google or Samsung or Apple or IBM gets to a v3.0, BB is going to have a tough fight on its hands. The question is: can BB enter/create some new markets in time to survive, and perhaps thrive, once competition in the enterprise MDM market starts eating into profits? That remains to be seen.

+1

The best advantage they have is security, and that will be hard to take away from BlackBerry assuming they keep advancing their technologies. While Google is great at offering cheap but powerful services, the informed population and those making IT decisions, should recognize that they will be losing control of their data. I wouldn't trust Google even if they offered a supposedly closed data environment, they have grown by analyzing data and will keep doing it. It's cheaper to pay massive fines than it is to run thousands of studies and focus groups.

BB for Life

[trsbbs]

Low hanging fruit? Chen is going after the developing markets, the ones that are already trumping the US and/or will be significantly larger going forward. I know the US is the holy grail because more people can spend higher amounts, but that will all go to sh!t next recession. Why compete in the market that demands a marketing budget that's in the billions to make an impact, when you can make that same impact with millions in markets that are growing.

BB for Life

Like I said low hanging fruit. You need to read up on how much money BlackBerry makes via Enterprise from the U.S. Vs everywhere else.
Then come back and talk.

Ps, the recession was world wide in case you didn't notice.

BlackBerry hates America!

[Coraya]

Wow, what an ignorant reporter.

Posted via my Classic Passport

[mnc76]

They should have never called the new devices a BlackBerry. Let that name die with OS7, kept the RIM name, and called the new BB10 devices something entirely new.

+100000.... ( infinity)

BlackBerry's brand is more toxic than Superman chewing Kryptonite gum. I have never seen a company/brand that wasn't responsible for people dying become as damaged as BlackBerry.

In fact, I know many brands who knowingly sold faulty products causing death whose brands are still LESS damaged than BlackBerry.

Posted from my awesome White Z30

[BK_NY_RAY]

As BB brand is severely damaged in the states.... perhaps permanently in the consumer market...

That is not so, all that is needed is proper marketing. A couple of examples:

A few days I showed a family friend my z10 with 10.3.1 leak. He went through rough times and has a low end android phone and the work he was doing kind of required a fast phone with good camera, which the phone didn't have.

He was saying he needed a new phone but was low on funds so I recommended the z10 since it's the best value and the most affordable good phone. He said he doesn't like BlackBerry and all I said was that this isn't like the old BlackBerry, it's the new ones, completely different, or something like that, and I showed it to him.

Showed him a couple of features like the Hub and more just don't feel like typing it or remembering it, and he said it was really good and he didn't expect it to be like that.

Also, I went to crack berry to show him the black Friday promotion for black Friday and I told him it's called crackberry because when you have a blackberry you don't want to put it down like crack, and he said yeah, when I had it in my hands I didn't want to put it down. He also said it was bad ***. I showed him how you can preview a pic you took instead of having to go to all your pics and he said wow that's definitely one of the best phone I've ever held.

Now he wants one.

Long story short, there just has to be proper marketing.

Oh, and I didn't push it to him. I guess it also depends on the person showing off the phone.

Posted via CB10