1. valhalla1759's Avatar
    TL;DR - RIM has given up on it's users and taken itself out of the fight. Therefore I have given up on RIM

    First of all let me just point out...I'm a fairly seasoned BB user. First BB was the 8703e and today I use the storm 2. I'm not an android, iPhone, or WM7 fanboy. The best way to describe me as a once loyal customer of RIM who decided he can't take it anymore.

    I remember the days when RIM was on top (as I'm sure most of us do). The days where blackberry represented cutting edge tech used by the professional elite. Then it slowly trickled into the mainstream. More and more companies adopted them, **** even my high school issued them out to teachers. Next thing you know high school and college students are rocking blackberries in all sorts of colors and designs. Basically you weren't cool unless you had one.....you laughed at the kids still using their sidekicks and razors. Unfortunately those days are long gone. Today it seems we BB users are the ones being laughed at....and I can't help but think it's for good reason.

    First came the iPhone...I'm sure we all remember the day. An outstanding device when it first came...completely shook the world of cellphones. To deny the truth in that is to embrace ignorance. Clearly a threat had emerged to Blackberry....a large one at that. However even after all the ship jumpers blackberry held it's ground with it's loyal users and as a thank you they stepped up their game and gave us some pretty good devices. For the time being...

    The iPhone took the mobile market by storm, it was the new thing to have. It was trendy. This was the start of RIM's downward spiral...

    Blackberry had a few things going for it, the biggest was it's carriers. Clearly Verizon and Sprint would back up blackberry and not give into AT&T. Until one day we all started hearing about "droid". Now most of us here on CB are familiar with android....but to my surprise a lot of people didn't know what it was. Then I was even more surprised by Verizon and the onslaught of droid marketing it launched. Another contender had entered the market and it looked as though it would put up a fight....and it sure as **** did.

    At this point I couldn't wait to see what RIM would release....these 3 big contenders fighting it out to deliver the best product and service. For consumers this was great! Unless of course your were in RIM's corner during the fight. RIM apparently threw in the towel early...they decided they didn't want to fight...

    As a loyal BB user for quite sometime I was pretty disappointed. But I continued to hold out and wait and see...to which I'm still waiting. Of course they released the torch which I wasn't impressed enough with to leave Verizon...and the Style....seriously RIM....the Style? Thanks for the slap in the face....

    The empire RIM once had is dead and gone. Now they seem to only care about doing just enough to get by. They've given up on us loyal users and have defended them for years. They simply stopped caring. Their idea of competing is a joke! Just look at the playbook! What a POS device that will be....I love the video where the guy talks about reliability and ease of use and the thing starts lagging horrendously. Now I'll admit I own an iPad and I love it, it's a fantastic device. Is it the best out right now? I think so. Can someone make a better one? I believe someone can. However I don't believe that someone is RIM....the playbook just screams half baked idea being rushed out...wonder if they got the battery problem fixed. Once again RIM does just enough to get by....loyal diehard blackberry users will buy the playbook just because of the blackberry logo (which is amusing as they flame apple gambits for doing the same damn thing).

    So I'm tired of waiting....I'm tired of being disappointed by RIM. I devoted myself to a product I believed in...to a company I believed in...only for them to turn their back on the users. They've made no effort to keep us on their team. Storm 3? Maybe...but I'm tired of waiting to find out....and I know I'm not the only one.

    The only thing I can really say I enjoy about my BB is BBM. Thats it! And I'm slowly losing contacts because they're ditching the BB. The app world is crap...my storm 2 is decaying on me and every time I bring it up to Verizon they just offer to send me a refurbished one...I'm sick of it...and I refuse to put up with it any longer.

    So long RIM, thanks for the good years...but you just can't keep up anymore. You're a shadow of what you used to be. Now you're a joke...even in the business world. Now companies have left you for droid and iPhone, and I don't blame them.

    My contract expires end of this month and since I'm with Verizon I'll be going for either a droid or iPhone. The iPhone makes sense as I own an iPad and iPod touch so it will be easy to get use to. Although two of my friends own android phones that I find pretty impressive.

    As such I expect flames and what not to occur but say what you will. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. All of you BB fanboys can make all the excuses you want but you're living in denial and I pity you. I hope RIM comes to their senses but I feel by the time they do it will be too late....with the iPhone now on Verizon they have little ground left and I see them being pummeled this year by the iPhone and the very impressive new android phones coming out.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    alby4ever and JoelTruckerDude like this.
    01-12-11 01:40 PM
  2. Omegamania's Avatar
    Kinda feels like the Matrix, doesn't it? You swallowed the pink pill that Morpheus gave you and woke up.
    01-12-11 01:46 PM
  3. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    I think it is the shift of the Empire, not so much the demise,

    but you're welcome to go elsewhere hopefully you find something you enjoy
    01-12-11 01:48 PM
  4. valhalla1759's Avatar
    I also don't mean to offend those who use a blackberry and love it. If you love your BB then I'm happy for you and hope someday RIM gets back on track to keep you there.
    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-12-11 01:49 PM
  5. 1812dave's Avatar
    Sorry to disappoint you--you won't be getting flamed by me.

    I agree on nearly everyone point you made with the exception of your comments regarding the lagging PB and how much better the iPad is. I don't think you've been watching the proper videos, if that's your impression of the PB. QNX, along with TAT, is bring us the best of the WebOS UI, which I personally find fantastic. I can't concur that the PB lags, but I'll reserve final judgment
    for when I get my sweating hands on one.

    RIM clearly need to step up it's game within the next 2 months, or it's toast. We NEED to hear of a bevy of 4G models, with larger screens, and ditch the interim (my term) OS6 for full blown QNX, using the WebOS-like UI from the PB. Anything short of that will be met with indifference by consumers. If they put out just one more "MEH" phone soon, they will be on a faster death spiral than the one they are sliding down now. Oh, ML needs to just SHUT UP. RIM needs a more articulate spokesman and demo guy.
    Last edited by dave1812; 01-12-11 at 01:53 PM.
    reeneebob and Blacklatino like this.
    01-12-11 01:50 PM
  6. JimiMack's Avatar
    Boy I hate to be your sports team... a bad year or two and you are jumping ship. Love to see loyalty at work, hope you all are not the same with your personal relationships.

    Sorry just had to poke a little fun.
    01-12-11 01:56 PM
  7. valhalla1759's Avatar
    Dave you make an excellent point. Perhaps instead of speculating I too should reserve my judgement until I actually I get to use one. As for the video it was one I saw a month or so ago where the person tried to open something and it didn't work so he tried it again and 5 seconds later the playbook opened and closed the program a few times in succession.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-12-11 01:58 PM
  8. Reed McLay's Avatar
    Oh, ML needs to just SHUT UP. RIM needs a more articulate spokesman and demo guy.
    It could be worse, have you heard Jim Balsillie speak?

    Mike Lazaridis is positively dynamic by comparison.

    If I were asked to choose, it would be QNX Founder, Dan Dodge.
    01-12-11 01:59 PM
  9. avt123's Avatar
    A lot of people feel the same way you do. Although I do not agree with you about the PlayBook. I find it to be much better (from what I have seen) than the iPad.

    If you find Android devices impressive, why not try one of those out? You already own the iPad so the iPhone is the same exact thing but smaller. Worse comes to worse you just return it and get the iPhone.
    01-12-11 02:03 PM
  10. avt123's Avatar
    Boy I hate to be your sports team... a bad year or two and you are jumping ship. Love to see loyalty at work, hope you all are not the same with your personal relationships.

    Sorry just had to poke a little fun.
    Sports teams are different. You don't have to buy the team to enjoy it.
    01-12-11 02:04 PM
  11. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    Sorry to disappoint you--you won't be getting flamed by me.

    I agree on nearly everyone point you made with the exception of your comments regarding the lagging PB and how much better the iPad is. I don't think you've been watching the proper videos, if that's your impression of the PB. QNX, along with TAT, is bring us the best of the WebOS UI, which I personally find fantastic. I can't concur that the PB lags, but I'll reserve final judgment
    for when I get my sweating hands on one.

    RIM clearly need to step up it's game within the next 2 months, or it's toast. We NEED to hear of a bevy of 4G models, with larger screens, and ditch the interim (my term) OS6 for full blown QNX, using the WebOS-like UI from the PB. Anything short of that will be met with indifference by consumers. If they put out just one more "MEH" phone soon, they will be on a faster death spiral than the one they are sliding down now. Oh, ML needs to just SHUT UP. RIM needs a more articulate spokesman and demo guy.
    I disagree with your required time frame, but agree they need to bring something to market

    I do not think if RIM takes longer than 2 months to release a phone they are finished in North America.

    In Canada we sign 3 year contracts, so there are still Storm 2 users locked in contract, and Tour users, and Bold 9700 users. those people who wait the full 24-36 months to upgrade are not in the upgrade position until June 2011 at the earliest, and in reality probably 2012 is a more realistic requirement when you take the 9700 into account,

    RIM must have something substantial for the people coming off 9700 2 and 3 year contracts, that IMO is the time frame they are on, they need to make a flagship phone with their fantastic form factor that can compete in the market, I think 2012 should bring a flashy touch screen phone, and try and grab that new market, but they need to not ignore their core user base, which is still Candybar qwerty phone users, and the 9300 "upgrade" was laughable..
    01-12-11 02:06 PM
  12. 1812dave's Avatar
    I disagree with your required time frame, but agree they need to bring something to market

    I do not think if RIM takes longer than 2 months to release a phone they are finished in North America.

    In Canada we sign 3 year contracts, so there are still Storm 2 users locked in contract, and Tour users, and Bold 9700 users. those people who wait the full 24-36 months to upgrade are not in the upgrade position until June 2011 at the earliest, and in reality probably 2012 is a more realistic requirement when you take the 9700 into account,

    RIM must have something substantial for the people coming off 9700 2 and 3 year contracts, that IMO is the time frame they are on, they need to make a flagship phone with their fantastic form factor that can compete in the market, I think 2012 should bring a flashy touch screen phone, and try and grab that new market, but they need to not ignore their core user base, which is still Candybar qwerty phone users, and the 9300 "upgrade" was laughable..

    I had a good reason to mention "2 months". that two months doesn't mean that new phones must be on the shelves with better technology. I meant they need to divulge the forthcoming existance of such phones, so that everyone (such as myself) doesn't just think "screw-it"; I'm getting a Bionic, Atrix, iPhone, or whatnot, because RIM has been silent about THEIR foray in the 4G, larger screen cell phone genre. Just as they told us months ahead, about the PB, they need to NOW tell us about upcoming products. that's why I say they have about 2 more months, or they will be forgotten. The will be on life-support if they aren't quickly forthcoming. I'm telling you, they are in a world of hurt with all the new Androids and the Verizon Jesus phone. I don't give WP7 much thought.
    01-12-11 02:14 PM
  13. 1812dave's Avatar
    It could be worse, have you heard Jim Balsillie speak?

    Mike Lazaridis is positively dynamic by comparison.

    If I were asked to choose, it would be QNX Founder, Dan Dodge.
    If I have heard Jim speak, it was so forgettable, I don't recall.

    ML is memorable; but not in a good way.
    01-12-11 02:16 PM
  14. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    I had a good reason to mention "2 months". that two months doesn't mean that new phones must be on the shelves with better technology. I meant they need to divulge the forthcoming existance of such phones, so that everyone (such as myself) doesn't just think "screw-it"; I'm getting a Bionic, Atrix, iPhone, or whatnot, because RIM has been silent about THEIR foray in the 4G, larger screen cell phone genre. Just as they told us months ahead, about the PB, they need to NOW tell us about upcoming products. that's why I say they have about 2 more months, or they will be forgotten. The will be on life-support if they aren't quickly forthcoming. I'm telling you, they are in a world of hurt with all the new Androids and the Verizon Jesus phone. I don't give WP7 much thought.
    though I would love a Road Map, I don't see it happening,
    When I get leaks I more actively hide away money to buy a device and it isn't as big of chunk of change out of my pocket that month, this no leak thing will kill me for my next phone.
    01-12-11 02:21 PM
  15. escobar973's Avatar
    I'll have to agree with the OP... Though I love the Blackberry (Blackberry user since the 7280 Blue at&t) the simplicity, push email and bbm.... That's all it really has. Someone here said "a bad year or two...." ... That's all you need to become irrelevant or atleast the "2nd option or 3rd" compared to the 1st option RIM was for businesses a year or 2 ago. Look at Palm... They had a ****ty devices for years, then came WebOS their last efforts and they still haven't recovered. RIM needs to pick it up and pick up quick...
    01-12-11 02:23 PM
  16. pcgizmo#IM's Avatar
    Have to agree, the demise of RIM's empire isn't at hand.
    01-12-11 02:28 PM
  17. hootyhoo's Avatar
    CB may need to change their strategery a little if RIM continues the spiral they are in in their once biggest market. There seems to be more new android threads than BB threads as of late. A lot of the folks who have been on this site for a while have moved on to another device. It would be nice if CB offered a reason besides OT and one android forum to stick around. Now I now many of those people are still here and using their past BB experience to help others, but traffic to CB seems to me to be much less than it used to be. I'll be going to the dark side of droid land soon, but I really enjoy CB and the people here (even the ones I disagree with).

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    reeneebob likes this.
    01-12-11 02:31 PM
  18. tmelon's Avatar
    CB may need to change their strategery a little if RIM continues the spiral they are in in their once biggest market. There seems to be more new android threads than BB threads as of late. A lot of the folks who have been on this site for a while have moved on to another device. It would be nice if CB offered a reason besides OT and one android forum to stick around. Now I now many of those people are still here and using their past BB experience to help others, but traffic to CB seems to me to be much less than it used to be. I'll be going to the dark side of droid land soon, but I really enjoy CB and the people here (even the ones I disagree with).

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    Agreed on the CrackBerry blog. It seems the articles are just getting worse, not because of the writers, but because RIM isn't doing well... Anything. I'd like to see rumored devices or something like that. All I've seen as of lately is reviews for Apps that aren't even good, stuff about the PlayBook which has already been exploited enough, and "Celebrity sightings" which I really couldn't care less about. Of course there's nothing the writers can do, RIM just needs to step up its game. At least get a QNX phone out there.
    Last edited by tmelon; 01-12-11 at 04:43 PM.
    01-12-11 04:41 PM
  19. Chrisy's Avatar
    I've accepted it. I hung on. I would have stayed if there was a Storm 3 announcement. I'm going to Android in April.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-12-11 04:44 PM
  20. TheScionicMan's Avatar
    Can we consolidate all of these "The end of RIM" threads.

    If most of these posters bought a Huffy bicycle, they would be starting "It's the end for Schwinn..." threads
    01-12-11 04:44 PM
  21. tmelon's Avatar
    I've accepted it. I hung on. I would have stayed if there was a Storm 3 announcement. I'm going to Android in April.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    What Android phones are you looking at? I've been going back and forth between the iPhone 4 and the Evo.
    01-12-11 04:49 PM
  22. Chrisy's Avatar
    I'm getting the Motorola Bionic on VZW.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-12-11 04:54 PM
  23. psiclne's Avatar
    iPad is the best? I lost interest when I saw that. iPad is just a supersized iPod touch.
    01-12-11 04:54 PM
  24. Laura Knotek's Avatar
    CB may need to change their strategery a little if RIM continues the spiral they are in in their once biggest market. There seems to be more new android threads than BB threads as of late. A lot of the folks who have been on this site for a while have moved on to another device. It would be nice if CB offered a reason besides OT and one android forum to stick around. Now I now many of those people are still here and using their past BB experience to help others, but traffic to CB seems to me to be much less than it used to be. I'll be going to the dark side of droid land soon, but I really enjoy CB and the people here (even the ones I disagree with).

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    I think the sister site Android Central will get more traffic in the future, especially once VZW's LTE Android devices are available.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    01-12-11 04:56 PM
  25. tmelon's Avatar
    iPad is the best? I lost interest when I saw that. iPad is just a supersized iPod touch.
    It is a big iPod touch, but is that a bad thing? I like my iPod touch quite a bit. HD games are pretty nice and that extra screen size is always nice when you're on the internet. That's my problem with the PlayBook. The screen is too big to be a smartphone but too small to be a tablet. Plus, judging by the average RIM, there will be absolutely no 3rd party games or apps of any kind that are worth anything.
    01-12-11 04:57 PM
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