[adamschuetze]

Dear Research In Motion,

My name is Adam Schuetze. I'm one of your 80 million customers. I don't run a BlackBerry web site, or develop applications, or work for a marketing company, or in any other way have a tangible connection to your company, except through my BlackBerry. So I'm nobody special. But I am a very long time BlackBerry customer. I got my first BlackBerry (a 6750) ten years ago, and except for brief forays with an Apple iPhone 3gs, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and a Samsung Galaxy SIII, I've used BlackBerry smartphones (6750, 7250, 8330, 9700 and 9900), and tablets (32 GB WiFi PlayBook) exclusively.

I want to address my comments in three sections: BlackBerry Internet Service features, and BlackBerry 10 device software, and BlackBerry 10 device hardware.

-- BlackBerry Internet Service features --

This is the crux of my concerns, the part that makes my daily use of BlackBerry so frustrating.

For the first eight years or so of my BlackBerry use, I used BlackBerry Enterprise, either through work or at my own expense. Two years ago I decided to stop paying the extra monthly fees associated with BES and a third party Exchange service, and switch to a purely Google Mail BIS service. And let me tell you, email and PIM syncronization on a BlackBerry without BES is a total mess. As I see it, these are the things that need to be done as part of your BlackBerry 10 roll out.

1. Fix your broken Google Mail BIS implementation. It has to synchronize nearly instantly, and all the Google Mail features have to work exactly as they are supposed to. When I archive an email on the Google Mail web client, it should reflect that on my BlackBerry. If I label an email and archive it on the BlackBerry, it should reflect that on the Google Mail web client. Contact sync, calendar sync, it should all work perfectly, instantly. You need to support multiple calendars, and to sync Google Mail tasks to the BlackBerry task manager.

2. Fix your broken IMAP BIS implementation. Folder sync should work. I am completely astonished that it doesn't.

3. Include complete support for Exchange server in BIS. This the single biggest issue I have with my BlackBerry without BES. Every other major smartphone platform supports this out of the box, why don't you? Folders, calendar (multiple calendars), memos, tasks, and contacts should all sync. And sync practically instantly, in both directions.

4. When a user adds multiple accounts, the calendar, task manager, memo manager, and contact list should allow a way to view calendars, tasks, memos or contacts from an individual account, or see them all. And they shouldn't cross-sync between accounts, unless you explicitly select an element to sync to a different account. I should be able to open my task manager, and with the click of a tab, see my "work" tasks, or "personal" tasks, depending on what account I selected. Or select a different tab to see them all.

-- BlackBerry 10 device software --

1. Open up BBM to all the mobile platforms (Android, iOS, WP, Symbian, others?), including desktop (OSX, Linux, Windows). Build a client for all of them. Have them available on launch day. Release it for free. I know you're clinging to BBM like a drowning person to a life ring. But stop it. Let go. Swim. Imagine a single messaging platform to connect people all over the world, no matter what their device. BBM is an excellent system, and it has a real shot at making that possible. Narrow single-ecosystem message platforms are a total waste of time.

2. Task manager. It needs to support more than individual tasks. It needs to support grouping of tasks into projects.

3. Task switching. I've seen all the videos, both official and leaks. I really like the swipe up + right to peek at the BlackBerry Hub. There needs to be a way to peek at the currently running apps in the same way. Perhaps swipe up + left, to reveal a vertical scrolling carousel of all the running apps?

4. Fine grained notification profiles, just like OS 7.1.

5. A way to control the LED in a fine-grained way. Different colors or patterns depending on the incoming event.

6. Discrete and configurable notifications that slide down from the top (or left side?).

7. A way of using PIM information to create other events. Create a task from an email, put an email into a memo, that sort of thing.

8. A way to filter incoming calls, send arbitrary numbers to voicemail or pickup/hangup, whitelist/blacklist.

9. Drop Android app support. It's an ugly kludge at best. Nothing is going to work as well as native apps.

10. Apps. It seems apps is the only thing that the press are talking about. I applaud your efforts to attract developers, and nurture your relationship with them. However, there seems to be a real emphasis on the volume of apps in App World, rather than just going out and getting all the big name apps. As far as I can tell, there is a shortlist of apps or functionality that you must have at launch. This would be my list. I'm sure other person's lists are different.

- Skype
- Google Reader
- Podcast application that syncs to Google Reader
- Last Pass
- XMarks
- SCP/FTP client
- SSH client
- VPN client
- Mapping with turn by turn navigation. It has to be as good as Google Navigator.
- MS Office Document editing
- eBay
- Amazon
- Facebook
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Dropbox
- Kindle
- Instagram
- A really excellent photo editor. Photoshop Express?
- Tapatalk
- Visual Voice Mail

It might seem like a long list, or even an esoteric one. But it's not. It's just 21 apps. These are the 21 I wish I could have. Expand the list. Make a list of 50 apps. 100 apps. Get them all.

Look around at the iPhone and Android ecosystems. Look for the cool signature apps, the ones that people love. Get them. Pour some of that two billion in cash into it. Amazon doesn't want to make a native Kindle app? Pay them to do it, or do it yourself, or hire a third party developer to do it. Make it happen.

-- BlackBerry 10 Device Hardware --

1. Hardware internals. There is a fair bit of information available about the hardware and design of BlackBerry 10 devices, mostly in the form of rumors and leaks. The most recent leaked (or faked) slide shows quad core Snapdragon S4, 2 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, that kind of thing. First-class specifications. You're going to need first class specifications. When your BlackBerry 10 devices launch, they're going to have to be as good as (or better than) the Samsung Galaxy SIII, HTC 1X+, Nokia 920, Motorola Razr HD Maxx, and so forth, whatever is available at launch from your competitors.

2. QWERTY model hardware. Imagine a BlackBerry 9900. Make it bigger to fit a much larger screen. Keep the totally awesome keyboard. Keep the trackpad. Put first-class hardware internals in it, comparable to the previously mentioned models.

2. Battery life. Please don't go the way so many of the vendors are going, with the desire to be the thinnest on the market. Make the device a bit thicker if you have to, and give it 16-20 hour battery life.

Well, that does it.

A BlackBerry fan,

Adam

[Bla1ze]

Great write up, though I feel I have to mention some of the stuff you mention has already been addressed. Specifically some of the stuff suggested for BlackBerry 10. I'll come back to this when I have more time and expand on those things. For now though, awesomeness.

[Firehazel]

Dear Research In Motion,

*SnippedAWholeBunch*

2. QWERTY model hardware. Imagine a BlackBerry 9900. Make it bigger to fit a much larger screen. Keep the totally awesome keyboard. Keep the trackpad. Put first-class hardware internals in it, comparable to the previously mentioned models.

*SnippedSomeMore*

A BlackBerry fan,

Adam

This to a tee. I am more than willing to get a BB10 QWERTY device, but if it's only Touchscreen+keyboard, I'm not buying.

[bbmme]

Well said, I hope they hear you eh.

[BBThemes]

i know that this letter is most probably written with the best of intentions, but i really do fail to see the point sometimes. an i appologise if i sound rude putting my views across.

Firstly, you mention BIS Imap stuff, well the PlayBook update sorted IMAP folders, so maybe that is one to cross of your list before you even write it.
Secondly (and this should really of been first i guess) you are saying that they dont have certain functionality, however BB10 is their future. Nobody has played enough with BB10 to pass comment on certain features, much like the email ones you mention (or their under NDA not to tell). I feel making judgements based on the `old` BBOS software which is hindered in some respects is by all accounts now really a waste of time. A much more relevant comparison would be PlayBook in my opinion.

Also, i must say, and much has been written on theis subject, but i honestly dont see the market advantage of opening up BBM to other platforms at this time. BBM is a USP (you wouldnt be asking for it if it wasnt) so why should they throw away one of their USP`s? i just cannot see the logic, especially when they need BB10 to do well in the market. devaluing your device by removing a USP wouldnt help in that cause.

Also, hardware. We know we want great specs, heck they obviously know that too judging on the leaked sheets, heck even look at the spec of the playbook. at launch that was top notch hardware in spec terms. Thing is though, we are now but a few months away from launch, RIM have stated Carrier testing starts this month, which means (for better or worse) that the hardware is locked down for these release devices, and id imagine most probably for a little while after that.

And finally the apps. everybody wants apps, and yes its a good thing. but in my view, while RIM should be trying to get people to make apps for them, its also in companies interest for them to have those apps on a device. to me theres no point right now going `this app isnt available` or anything, because we dont yet have BB10. for example if RIM said skype was available for BB10 today, youd say nothing, yet if they put it all in the same launch announcement, itd be a bigger thing. surely any `big` BB10 app wont get announced until at least very close to BB10 launch. it would be a waste of PR to do anything but that.

[MoolahMitch]

Alec Saunders from the BlackBerry Developer Relations team has already said that they have a list of 100 top apps they are working on getting to the platform at launch by working with the companies themselves even sending RIM's own developers to collabrate with said companies with the Native Facebook app an example. It was built by RIM developers in-house by meeting weekly with Facebook. They also will be using their deals with Scalado and Jaycut to make their own inhouse photo and video editing applications.

I also believe they will be using Active Sync now for syncing all PIM data.

In terms of hardware its all rumors for now.

Bla1ze is probably in a better position to respond than me so I will await his response.

I will tweet this question out too

[itmccb]

Also, hardware. We know we want great specs, heck they obviously know that too judging on the leaked sheets, heck even look at the spec of the playbook. at launch that was top notch hardware in spec terms. Thing is though, we are now but a few months away from launch, RIM have stated Carrier testing starts this month, which means (for better or worse) that the hardware is locked down for these release devices, and id imagine most probably for a little while after that.

Unless I'm mistaken (or if it was just a rumor), the hardware's been complete for some time now and BB10 was postponed so they could refine the software a little more.

[tstrike34]

Bravo....

However, I am very happy with BIS (that is not to say it could use a tweak or two).

My only wish is for Google Earth to work on the Playbook

[Anilu7]

I'm very certain that RIM wants to launch a top-notch device with BB10. That, I think we can all agree with. I have seen the leaked quad core OLED glass, etc specs and they are very impressive. I wonder who is leaking them, though. It is not in RIM's interest to do this unless it's going to be launched soon. I still see a lot of naysayers--I just hope they are as quick to swallow their words when they are proven wrong. I just hope that the L-series is a head-turner, not just aanother slab phone and that the N+series looks less like the current Bold 9900 (although I love it, myself) and more like something radically new (but with the physical keyboard).

[SFWriter]

Well said. Some of your points are or have been addressed but overall well said and valid.

[BBOttawa]

Good post!

I would say that almost all the apps you list are on the Playbook, or their equivalent is. I agree they need to bag a few more of the big names.

Task management and notifications look extremely good on BBOS10, and I'm frankly happy how it's handled on BB7 right now. Remember there will be apps to customize things as there are in BB7.

As for the mail support, I assume the use of Active Sync will solve most if not all of your woes (though as a consumer using BB7 I've never had an issue with my Gmail accounts on BB7, lighter use than yours I'm sure).

Dropping Android support would be very ill-advised to put it politely, it gets devs registered into the BB App World, from which they are more likely to build a native app. And us humble users also appreciate having the Android apps, and don't really care where they came from. Just imho.

[itmccb]

nvm........

[lucky--lad]

Couldn't agree with you more. Especially the BBM bit, its not a drowning person clinging to a life ring or however he's described. BBM is exclusive to BlackBerry users for a reason. I wouldn't feel anything special if i was holding a BlackBerry device if everyone else can BBM aswell. It does make you feel exotic sending secure and encrypted messages via BBM whilst knowing others can't do that..BBM should remain exclusive to BlackBerry users; hope RIM doesnt listen to this guy.. I bet he would write an open letter to Apple asking them to develop Facetime and iMessage to all platforms. If he likes to message cross platform there are lots of alternative options like Whatsapp and what not, lol.

That being said there are other aspects of the letter which I agree like hardware specs etc. BlackBerry Aristo truly is one that i wish would come out as the first BlackBerry 10 device its specs are pretty sweet and maybe later next year they could release a phone with TI OMAP 5 processor xD ..although theres high probability the first to come out would be the London/Laguna/Lisbon models followed by Aristo. And true its better to have a device with longer battery life than a fancy looking one that dies every 5 hours. iPhone 5 is a great example even though it feels really nice in your hand.

Sorry to say but a really excellent photo-editor would not be Photoshop Express. There are more FREE functionality and customisations available on 'BeFunky' app (5 stars) than Photoshop Express (3.5 stars), even buying more effects within the app it still doesnt come upto par with BeFunky. It all comes down to personal preference but one cannot possibly lable PhotoShop Express as excellent. And a really great paid app would be 'Snapseed', be brilliant if it comes to BlackBerry 10 but I'll be happy with any other editor thats as powerful if not more powerful than that.


P.S Sorry if I sounded rude! Cheers.

[malingering]

great post.. so many ideas... I just dissagree with the bbm.. it should remain exclusive.. that what makes BB special... and I want to add one... A DECENT ADVERTISEMENT.... the other smartphone flood the media with their advertisement.. and makes people see that the product is so "cool"..... RIM has to do it too...

[Blackberry_boffin]

I appreciate that you have spent some time on this and I hope RIM takes a long hard look @ your points (though indeed some have been addressed.
I have one objection. BBM doesn't have to be cross platform to be a success. At 60million active users its already a success. They only need to hook the PB video chat client to it to temper the pain of Skype's pig headedness. If BBM is to be cross platform then it will need to be sold. After all we pay for with BIS.
I agree a PC/Mac client would be great and if you want it on a smartphone/tablet then buya BB/PB.
Its called protecting your interests. You have to realise how hard it is to differentiate in the smartphone space. Give up BBM and BB will just be like LGs, SONYs, etc.

[timmy t]

Does Apple have an iTunes app for Android?

Would people using Android and iPhones be willing to write a $5 cheque to RIM every month to use BBM? If so, it might be worth porting the BBM app to Android and Apple phones, if Apple would let them. $1 Billion a month of extra revenue would be nice.

[timmy t]

I appreciate that you have spent some time on this and I hope RIM takes a long hard look @ your points (though indeed some have been addressed.
I have one objection. BBM doesn't have to be cross platform to be a success. At 60million active users its already a success. They only need to hook the PB video chat client to it to temper the pain of Skype's pig headedness. If BBM is to be cross platform then it will need to be sold. After all we pay for with BIS.
I agree a PC/Mac client would be great and if you want it on a smartphone/tablet then buya BB/PB.
Its called protecting your interests. You have to realise how hard it is to differentiate in the smartphone space. Give up BBM and BB will just be like LGs, SONYs, etc.

BBM will have video chat. It has already been announced.

[mikeo007]

Does Apple have an iTunes app for Android?

Would people using Android and iPhones be willing to write a $5 cheque to RIM every month to use BBM? If so, it might be worth porting the BBM app to Android and Apple phones, if Apple would let them. $1 Billion a month of extra revenue would be nice.

Nobody in their right mind would pay a subscription fee for BBM when there are so many other free options available. The would have to make it free, which would kind of defeat the purpose. They'll want to keep BBM as a platform specific advantage. Whether its actually an advantage or not is up for debate.

[bdguru]

Very very good post. You know what you wanted to say and said it with knowledge.

[lorax1284]

I agree with everything related to making the BB10 experience instant and fluid.

I disagree with the idea that RIM should dilute their competitive advantage of BBM exclusivity. It is superior to txting and other so-called instant messaging platforms. The BB10 OS has a lot of merits when compared directly to Android and IOS and it is vital that RIM first do their darndest to "recover" without compromise, then reassess in a year to see if it is necessary to "hoare out bbm". Frankly your tone on that issue is rather harsh and makes me question your motives. In my opinion, what is best for RIM is what is best for me and my use of my favorite platform... So-called activist shareholders are looking for quick shareholder value increases that would harm the company, and xplatform bbm is one of them. the Hub on BB10 will let me communicate with non-BB contacts, just at a lower standard than BBM.

[Marc_Paradise]

I've got the SSH client covered - work on it proceeds well for BB10 So you'll pardon me if I don't want RIM to make one.


The problem with that app list is that ultimately, apps are not under RIM's control. Sure they can develop - *if* the vendor allows them to do it on their behalf. Many won't, for support, licensing, or other reasons. The best RIM can do is encourage them - and as has already been stated, we know that they are doing that. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see any of the expected names at BBJam Americas, but I know that RIM knows about the [perceived] need for them and is trying to get them on the platform.

A lot of the features you mentioned are possible with third party apps. I'd rather see RIM encourage app developers to create those apps for BB10 (and ensure the platform can support it) than try to do everything itself.

Side note: browsing the new forums from my 9900 makes them unreadable. The giant 'shop crackberry' side-panel obscures posts.

[pythons]

I've got the SSH client covered - work on it proceeds well for BB10 So you'll pardon me if I don't want RIM to make one.


The problem with that app list is that ultimately, apps are not under RIM's control. Sure they can develop - *if* the vendor allows them to do it on their behalf. Many won't, for support, licensing, or other reasons. The best RIM can do is encourage them - and as has already been stated, we know that they are doing that. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see any of the expected names at BBJam Americas, but I know that RIM knows about the [perceived] need for them and is trying to get them on the platform.

A lot of the features you mentioned are possible with third party apps. I'd rather see RIM encourage app developers to create those apps for BB10 (and ensure the platform can support it) than try to do everything itself.

Side note: browsing the new forums from my 9900 makes them unreadable. The giant 'shop crackberry' side-panel obscures posts.

I had the same going on when I was reading Crackberry last night bridged from my 9930......
...Logging in fixed the shop crackberry bug for me.
...I don't like the new CB look however, the old one was easier to follow.

[esk369]

Nice letter op

[timmy t]

Does Apple have an iTunes app for Android?

Would people using Android and iPhones be willing to write a $5 cheque to RIM every month to use BBM? If so, it might be worth porting the BBM app to Android and Apple phones, if Apple would let them. $1 Billion a month of extra revenue would be nice.

Maybe you don't use it the way other people use it because it is popular in other parts of the world where other options are available.

[kfh227]

A dealbreaker for me could be that Runkeeper is not available on BB10. I use Runkeeper now and do not intend on stopping using it. It is probably the only app that I would call a dealbreaker for me. Well, that and I want pandora. Those two things.