[srsBlackBird]

The position RIM finds itself in right now is very much like the position Superman found himself in in Superman III where he fought himself. RIM's biggest challenger right now is what they used to be. Conventional wisdom suggests that in order for RIM to make a comeback, they have to compete with Apple, iOS, Google, Android, The App Store, and Google Play. I contend that it doesn't have to be so linear, nor does it have to be so trivial.

Why does RIM have to keep up with Apple and Android devices?

The answer to that is simple-- you have to give the people what they want. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Well it sort of did, that's why RIM's board hired Thorsten Heins. But that question retorts something both marginal and profound. The marginal aspect has to do with with RIM keeping up with the Joneses just to stay relevant. The profound aspect has to do with RIM putting themselves in an arena where Apple and Android simply can not compete. To most that means focusing on the enterprise sector. To some it means concentrating on emerging markets. Tom Hardy's character in "Inception" tells Joseph Levitt's character, "You have to dream a little bigger, darling." To me it means looking at the thread of innovation that made RIM a powerhouse in the first place and simply rebuilding on top of that.

It wasn't just mobile email that made RIM and the BlackBerry platform so great. It was what that innovation did for the consumer which was grant the consumer freedom. Before the age of apps, the greatest offering any mobile phone manufacturer could offer was the convenience to be untethered.

Sure, every smartphone out today offers email, wifi, and apps. They all have all the latest bells and whistles. So how does RIM compete? How do they connect? How does RIM offer freedom 2.0?

I'm not going to give it all away, but I will share a few of what I'd like to call points of freedom courtesy of BlackBerry.

� Accessible SIM card - Keep your phone, change your carrier at will.
� Accessible miniSD card - You control how much storage you have.
� Accessible battery - Low battery? No problem. Change your battery when you need to.
� Access to files - Use your phone as a usb drive. Browse files on your phone at your leisure.
� Access to everything - True multi-tasking means never having to exit one app to use another; available on PlayBook and BlackBerry 7 phones.
� Access to customization - You can design and openly distribute customized themes for your device.

It's all about access. That's what freedom is isn't it? Uncompromised access. Apple doesn't permit that kind of access and certainly can't compete in that regard. Even though Android is opensource, it is spread across too many brand manufacturers to be able to support unanimous agreeability on the range of access BlackBerry has already made available.

There it is. RIM vs BlackBerry. I can't say that this is the solution that is going to make all of their problems go away. I can say that with all of the press RIM has been getting lately, taking this position while the world is watching gives them the opportunity to freely and decisively establish the new standard in the new arena.

[CairnsRock]

It's all about access. That's what freedom is isn't it? Uncompromised access. Apple doesn't permit that kind of access and certainly can't compete in that regard. Even though Android is opensource, it is spread across too many brand manufacturers to be able to support unanimous agreeability on the range of access BlackBerry has already made available.

I love it. Also the sd card. Great post. Thankyou.

[ekv]

I'm not going to give it all away, but I will share a few of what I'd like to call points of freedom courtesy of BlackBerry.



• Accessible SIM card - Keep your phone, change your carrier at will.

• Accessible miniSD card - You control how much storage you have.

• Accessible battery - Low battery? No problem. Change your battery when you need to.

• Access to files - Use your phone as a usb drive. Browse files on your phone at your leisure.

• Access to everything - True multi-tasking means never having to exit one app to use another; available on PlayBook and BlackBerry 7 phones.

• Access to customization - You can design and openly distribute customized themes for your device.

I was able to do all the above in my htc desire s with android 2.3

But that was not what made me come running back to Blackberry. It was the keyboard and battery life.

And most droids do what you said above. So, I am not getting you.


Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[srsBlackBird]

Specific to file browsing on an Android powered phone itself, were you using native file browsing or a third-party app? Because as far as I know, Android doesn't have native file browsing.

Next, does your experience span HTC or HTC and Motorola? You're referencing your HTC which runs Android the OS and 'droids,' the model line-up by Motorola. They are both powered by Android operating system software, but that doesn't mean they share the same accessibilties.

[TrespassersW]

RIM is getting a huge and largely unjustified drubbing in the press.I read in the paper at the weekend that BlackBerry 7 devices were 'antedeluvian'. I wonder, do any of these tech bloggers ever put down their iphones and pick up a 9900? I doubt it.
I think OS 7 has a strong future, particularly with OTA OS updates coming soon.

[guzprom]

Agreed on all accounts, except the most important of them all:
-Access to services:
skype (communications services to free voip on the go)
youtube (access is restricted or in some carriers)
netflix (access to paid videos on the go)
etc, etc..
Obviously people is fine with being restricted in batteries and memories and pay a heck of alot more in iDevices if they are given access to services above and better UI experience. Sad but true. RIM has to get their priorities straight. They need to fight the carriers in these things. Just like steve jobs did. Cause the pandora box has been opened way before by stevie... either RIM produce the goods or the market will be ruthless to them.

[ekv]

Specific to file browsing on an Android powered phone itself, were you using native file browsing or a third-party app? Because as far as I know, Android doesn't have native file browsing.

Next, does your experience span HTC or HTC and Motorola? You're referencing your HTC which runs Android the OS and 'droids,' the model line-up by Motorola. They are both powered by Android operating system software, but that doesn't mean they share the same accessibilties.

I am referring to all androids in general. Most of them do all the points which you mentioned. I agree that iOS does not do it. But the playbook also does not have native file browser. So, I am not sure they will be on BB10 os.

Do you believe that keeping these aspects open and not having some critical consumer features like Netflix , skype etc would make most people happy ? .

We, crackberry heads will be happy. Not the average Joe who wants every thing the other platform does. He can expect that because he has payed equal amount of money..

[husainpatan]

Ur second last part/paragraph got me. U've just pinpointed the very major advantage of rim over apple: Accessibility/Freedom.
Good. Keep it coming.

[ekv]

Ur second last part/paragraph got me. U've just pinpointed the very major advantage of rim over apple: Accessibility/Freedom.
Good. Keep it coming.

Its an advantage. Agreed. But, what good is it doing to the sales of devices ?
As an earlier poster said, people just dont seem to care about the points which are discussed here.

[srsBlackBird]

RIM has fought the good fight against carriers where it counts. Jim Balsillie insisted that the PlayBook be equipped with tethering to BlackBerry phones so users would not have to subscribe to a seperate wireless data plan. That was a text book example of RIM championing access in a freedom 2.0 feature. In protest, at least in the US, carriers refuse to carry the PlayBook.

I don't see that as problematic though. It just means that RIM has other outlets it can sell the PlayBook in where iOS and Android devices are not being sold.

[guzprom]

RIM has fought the good fight against carriers where it counts. Jim Balsillie insisted that the PlayBook be equipped with tethering to BlackBerry phones so users would not have to subscribe to a seperate wireless data plan. That was a text book example of RIM championing access in a freedom 2.0 feature. In protest, at least in the US, carriers refuse to carry the PlayBook.

I don't see that as problematic though. It just means that RIM has other outlets it can sell the PlayBook in where iOS and Android devices are not being sold.

you see...
its a good fight, but people has been using hotspot in android and iphones to have the same thing... and its free too without having to fight the carriers.Stop being carrier dependent like samsung and iphone by having bb outlet themselves. get skype and netflix and high dpi screen, then people wil respond.

[srsBlackBird]

I am referring to all androids in general. Most of them do all the points which you mentioned. I agree that iOS does not do it. But the playbook also does not have native file browser. So, I am not sure they will be on BB10 os.

Do you believe that keeping these aspects open and not having some critical consumer features like Netflix , skype etc would make most people happy ? .

We, crackberry heads will be happy. Not the average Joe who wants every thing the other platform does. He can expect that because he has payed equal amount of money..

Regardless of whether PlayBook does or does not have a native file browser doesn't disqualify that BlackBerry phones do.

Skype is a Microsoft product now. Apple doesn't have Skype and they're doing just fine with FaceTime. Whether RIM develops a proprietary video-chat client for BlackBerry or whether Microsoft ports Skype with VoIP and video-chat for BlackBerry, that also doesn't disqualify the fact that BB10 will be able to contend with those features.
Regarding Netflix, I don't know what to tell you. RIM already has a relationship with Amazon who is also providing streaming movie services. It makes perfect sense that if people subscribe to BBMMusic which is powered by Amazon streaming that they should also have access to movies. That's not a given, but I'm sure it can be worked out between RIM and Amazon.

[fluselwusel]

Skype is a Microsoft product now. Apple doesn't have Skype and they're doing just fine with FaceTime.

So, what's that then: App Store ?

[guzprom]

Well, its better to let end user choose. that's the idea of the app market, app world and app store... If you limit their choice, they will move. Its that simple. Android UI/stability were and is so much worse than both iOS and QNX. Guess why it became the biggest wihin 2 short years? free and accessibility. You can change the whole launcher, etc. Having android player in playbook is a master stroke.. But it is not enough. More freedom, access, and features is needed

[ekv]

Regardless of whether PlayBook does or does not have a native file browser doesn't disqualify that BlackBerry phones do.

Skype is a Microsoft product now. Apple doesn't have Skype and they're doing just fine with FaceTime. Whether RIM develops a proprietary video-chat client for BlackBerry or whether Microsoft ports Skype with VoIP and video-chat for BlackBerry, that also doesn't disqualify the fact that BB10 will be able to contend with those features.
Regarding Netflix, I don't know what to tell you. RIM already has a relationship with Amazon who is also providing streaming movie services. It makes perfect sense that if people subscribe to BBMMusic which is powered by Amazon streaming that they should also have access to movies. That's not a given, but I'm sure it can be worked out between RIM and Amazon.

iOS has skype. Have used it myself. I referred play book since it has the os which the next gen blackberry is to be based on. I assume that you too agree that bb10 is the way to go instead of sticking with current BBOS.

As for the multimedia services, I agree with your statements. But they are already available in the other platforms today. I am just suggesting that the points which you mentioned are not a selling factor for majority of the people.

Or, have I completely misunderstood your post ?

[srsBlackBird]

So, what's that then: App Store ?

It would be BlackBerry's answer to App Store and Google Play.

[neller2000]

It would be BlackBerry's answer to App Store and Google Play.

Even though I can't access it from my Nexus, I'm fairly certain it's a link to Skype for iOS. Seriously, my Galaxy Nexus already does all of the above mentioned things and goes far beyond that.

I recently started paying with Google Wallet, love that feature with NFC.

Seriously guys, sometimes I think you're 5 years behind the competition. Just in case you missed it, most Android phones already did all that a year and a half ago.

[kbz1960]

you see...
its a good fight, but people has been using hotspot in android and iphones to have the same thing... and its free too without having to fight the carriers.Stop being carrier dependent like samsung and iphone by having bb outlet themselves. get skype and netflix and high dpi screen, then people wil respond.

Yep they are doing it with work arounds if they are not paying for it. With the PB and BB phone it just works unless of course you're on AT&$ then people use the work around for that.

[guzprom]

Yep they are doing it with work arounds if they are not paying for it. With the PB and BB phone it just works unless of course you're on AT&$ then people use the work around for that.

No need for work around.. wifi hotspot in android is unstoppable.. the only reason carrier has so much power over BB charging and slicing services is because of "service books" that can limit type of connection by "services". Which androids and iphone does not have.

[guzprom]

guess, what "wifi calling" is? its skype build into our phone.. just only for few carrier that support it... thats the controlling mentality that bb has to overcome

[kbz1960]

No need for work around.. wifi hotspot in android is unstoppable.. the only reason carrier has so much power over BB charging and slicing services is because of "service books" that can limit type of connection by "services". Which androids and iphone does not have.

Oh so in the USA you can just turn on your wifi hotspot and it works without having to pay for a hotspot plan? Without using PDA net or tether, which are work arounds.

[guzprom]

Oh so in the USA you can just turn on your wifi hotspot and it works without having to pay for a hotspot plan? Without using PDA net or tether, which are work arounds.

Not in many cities with prepaid data (I commute and share the connections).. No need tethering. Not sure about US.

[ubizmo]

RIM already has a relationship with Amazon who is also providing streaming movie services. It makes perfect sense that if people subscribe to BBMMusic which is powered by Amazon streaming that they should also have access to movies. That's not a given, but I'm sure it can be worked out between RIM and Amazon.

It's definitely not a given. RIM's relationship with Amazon seems a bit rocky. Where are Kindle and Audible for OS 7 and PB? Why is PB locked out of Amazon Prime? These are prime Amazon content services, and there is no sign of any interest from Amazon in supporting current generation RIM devices. Even the Amazon general app is absent from OS 7. Only the mp3 store is present, presumably because RIM negotiated that contract before the relationship deteriorated to its present state.

[ynomrah]

Even though Android is opensource, it is spread across too many brand manufacturers to be able to support unanimous agreeability on the range of access BlackBerry has already made available.

First, in regards to your features of freedom, android devices do indeed do all of those things already, and has been doing them for some time. But the statement above is what I really don't understand. Are you saying that somehow since android is housed under multiple manufacturers that it depreciates the quality of choice or freedom in contrast to RIM?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk

[Chrisy]

Hotspot is an extra monthly fee on Verizon. I had a free trial on my Android. It drained that battery so fast. Bridge is an awesome alternative that is FREE. Tethering cost extra as well.

The OP is good, but honestly, I came back to BlackBerry because I don't want a mini computer as my phone. I came back because of device size, LED and other notifications, keyboard, durability, security and the efficiency of the BBOS.

It's the thing now to have huge screens and a mini computer as a phone. But that comes with so many cons. I have a tablet now for those needs and I prefer to keep uses separate.

Especially when I'm traveling, I don't use my phone to watch movies, read books, plays games, etc. It would drain it too fast and leave me stuck.

I use my phone for communication. I hope that's what BlackBerry stays about. Continue to improve the tab for media.

As we see phones like the Note that are huge for a phone and small for a tab, I am realizing that's exactly what I DONT want in a phone.

In my opinion, the trend will fade, and folks will want a phone that is geared towards communication and with a good battery. Things usually get back to basics after the coolness factor wears off.

That's where I think we are now...