[trsbbs]

Now JC has been running BB for a little while. No where long enough to really judge his influence and affect on BB as of yet.
With that being said he has been there long enough to affect some large upper and middle management changes. With that come some affects.

I feel we have entered into the Dark Ages of Blackberry. The coarse before BB is unsure with many pitfalls and more questions than answers.
Two phones coming in 2014 (maybe), one ugly as sin and the other a keyboard "classic". We all know how well "classics" sell.

We see App Devs dropping support, not updating their apps. No real big names have come into the BB World for some time now.
With JC pointing toward Enterprise and getting buddy buddy with health care oriented entities it would seem the consumer side of things has come to a full dead stop.
Phones are no longer found in the carriers stores (for the most part). BB is fading away in the U.S. and many other places.

I feel we could be seeing the very end of what we used to know as BlackBerry. It will now morph into something that builds nothing and sells software. Boring.

Blackberry phones will have one or two chances before JC kicks them to the curb. One attempt could be a Droid of some sort. Either just the OS or an actual BB Droid phone. Again, I challenge anyone to show where JC has ever promoted or defended BB10. Thus I feel it has a limited appeal to him.

The excitement is gone.

Will it return?

[BergerKing]

I've said since last year that perception would get worse before it could improve. They are playing their cards close to the vest, so almost anything can happen, but people have been saying they were dead for the last 2-3 years, and yet there is one undeniable fact: BlackBerry is still here.

[gebco]

If indeed BlackBerry does drop consumer phones, I'll keep my Z30 until WP or iPhone catch up. I'd consider an Android as a stop gap.

Posted via CB10

[J Quimson]

These are the days that most loyal followers dread.

While BlackBerry is circling the wagons, others are surging on. While we are getting left behind, others are pressing forward.

I do hope the leadership at BlackBerry release better performing devices and software to stave off and eventually beat back the wolves.

While I do not anticipate going for iOS, android is coming up and soon enough they will come up with something very similar to BB10 and overtake it.

I have been with BlackBerry because of reliability and ease of use with communication tasks. However, unless this edge that blackberry has remains sharp, more will leave and move on to other OSs.

I'm still hopeful but I am now starting to look at other devices for both personal and business use.

Posted via CB10

[wasabiGT]

Coarse or course??

Posted via CB10

[TheQuietRioter]

I have seen more OS updates and pending updates this year than in the past since Chen has been running the show.

He's got my vote!!

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[Dave Bourque]

Nope. The dark days were when BlackBerry was up for sale. Now they have a clear direction. (if you payed attention to it)

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.3175

[birdman_38]

The key is in BlackBerry's relationships with their carrier partners. BlackBerry must put out something appealing that carriers are excited to offer and can move. The Z3 LTE for under $200 may be the answer. Doubt any keyboard phone will be a consumer hit. Otherwise we may see more carriers dropping off the way T-Mobile did. That would lead to the end of BlackBerry's consumer device sales model as we know it.

[katiepea]

I've said since last year that perception would get worse before it could improve. They are playing their cards close to the vest, so almost anything can happen, but people have been saying they were dead for the last 2-3 years, and yet there is one undeniable fact: BlackBerry is still here.

You aren't wrong, but historically most collapses like this that we've seen have resulted in a buyout of some sort by a larger company attempting to capitalize on what little liquidity is left in a business. BlackBerry tried to set themselves up for that, it failed. I'd say the only reason BlackBerry is still going is because nobody wanted / could pick the company apart. What was the board left to do? They'd already lost so much value that giving up entirely then would have been an even worse financial decision, may as well see it through and exhaust all resources now. There's still some life left, but it's become rather clear that the end of the road has nothing to do with consumers or even visibility outside of server rooms or car systems. They'll release a few more phones, that seems certain, but is there any reason at all to think they'll sell well? I don't think so. This is disturbing to me, as it is to just about anyone else here. I have yet to see anyone attempt to explain a plan that sounds like it could work outside of BB existing only as an enterprise middleman. Even that is niche, they don't own that market. I could actually picture BB offering an android phone with BB on top of it for consumers. I could see that going over well also. This community seems to hate the idea though, but this community isn't who the target would be, in fact that would signal a full abandonment of this community. It's a card that can be played, and I'd venture to say it will be.

[RH1Pearl]

BlackBerry's not alone. It's dark days for most other smartphone companies not named Apple and Samsung

[ubizmo]

I agree that Chen hasn't said anything to indicate that he's committed to BB10 for the long term. For the short term, we have two niche devices coming. They don't have to be home runs but they do have to at least make money, I think. If they do, maybe we'll see another full-touch BB10 phone. If they don't, I think we'll see the BB10-skinned Android as a last try in the handset market. As katiepea pointed out, as much as "we" might hate that idea, we are not the target market, and "we" can't keep BlackBerry solvent.

I think, however, the Windermere might get some traction. The more people complain about how ugly it is, the more I hear echoes of similar admonitions about how the Samsung Note would never sell, because nobody would be caught dead holding that big slab up to their head.


Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

[lovedaazn]

You aren't wrong, but historically most collapses like this that we've seen have resulted in a buyout of some sort by a larger company attempting to capitalize on what little liquidity is left in a business. BlackBerry tried to set themselves up for that, it failed. I'd say the only reason BlackBerry is still going is because nobody wanted / could pick the company apart. What was the board left to do? They'd already lost so much value that giving up entirely then would have been an even worse financial decision, may as well see it through and exhaust all resources now. There's still some life left, but it's become rather clear that the end of the road has nothing to do with consumers or even visibility outside of server rooms or car systems. They'll release a few more phones, that seems certain, but is there any reason at all to think they'll sell well? I don't think so. This is disturbing to me, as it is to just about anyone else here. I have yet to see anyone attempt to explain a plan that sounds like it could work outside of BB existing only as an enterprise middleman. Even that is niche, they don't own that market. I could actually picture BB offering an android phone with BB on top of it for consumers. I could see that going over well also. This community seems to hate the idea though, but this community isn't who the target would be, in fact that would signal a full abandonment of this community. It's a card that can be played, and I'd venture to say it will be.

I understand completely and agree with what you're saying.

For me, Chen isn't doing a bad job, he's just doing nothing special that has been public for anyone to know. The previous management as really ****ed it up. The way I would compare it is this.

If a FAT person gets to 500+ lbs, you are saying in your head, "wtf how could someone possible just let themselves go like that? And not do anything tomstop it?" ( assuming they don't have a condition)

I feel the same way about BB management. How could they possibly just let the company get into that big of a downward spiral and not do anything sbout it? Was it lazyness?? Ignorance? I have yet to find or hear of an answer on why management before heins and chen were so stupid. How do you go from a 90 billion dollar company to a trainwreck?

Having said that, I still love BB10 and will be loyal until I can be loyal no more.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[MAJ009]

the Windermere might get some traction. The more people complain about how ugly it is, the more I hear echoes of similar admonitions about how the Samsung Note would never sell, because nobody would be caught dead holding that big slab up to their head.


Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

I agree about Windermere, even though I'm not that big fan of it, provided what pricing they decide for it.


CAUTION : MAJ On Z30 Now!!!!

[ubizmo]

I have yet to find or hear of an answer on why management before heins and chen were so stupid. How do you go from a 90 billion dollar company to a trainwreck?

I think that part's easy. It's just human nature. It's the same way president's make terrible decisions and don't turn back even when it's clear that the decision was terrible. It's cognitive dissonance reduction. The more massively consequential a decision is, the greater the need to validate it, and the more frightening it is to see it as an error. To achieve this, leaders have a way of insulating themselves from criticism, living in an echo chamber of approval.

This is why, when the consequences of decisions finally get really ugly, you need someone from outside, with no emotional investment in those decisions, to correct course.

I'm not even armchair CEO material. I have no idea if it's too late for BlackBerry. But it was necessary to put someone like Chen in charge, because he's not emotionally and personally entangled with the people and decisions that put BlackBerry where it is.



Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

[Techno-guy]

I could actually picture BB offering an android phone with BB on top of it for consumers. I could see that going over well also. This community seems to hate the idea though, but this community isn't who the target would be, in fact that would signal a full abandonment of this community. It's a card that can be played, and I'd venture to say it will be.

Very well said. Other than going completely enterprise and facing very stiff competition even there, BB's only option to survive, in my view, is to capitalize on the few remaining loyal customers and their brand recognition and transition to the Android OS and still produce one keyboard and one touch-screen phone. This plan needs to utilize a VERY heavy BB layer on top of Android for the Hub and some other unique features to distinguish it in the marketplace. With the right skinning, it could/should look very similar to what BB10 is today. It really could be the best of both worlds.

It could be marketed as Android powered by Blackberry efficiency.

Taking this path will relieve BB of enormous (hundreds of millions of dollars annually) in development costs (and stop/slow the horrific cash burn) since Google would take on the responsibility for the OS. It would fix the App Gap issue and would allow the remaining BB developers to focus on a few key areas that make the Blackberry work so well and which we all love (Hub, security, etc.).

I'm sure that most of us don't want to hear/face this reality but there really is no other path at this point. It's not as if 10.3 or a Windermere device a few months down the road is all of the sudden going to take off after 18 months of BB10 which has been a complete market failure by any measure. I love my Q10 and Z30 but Blackberry cannot survive on the quickly dwindling customer base with no carrier support in the U.S., plummeting sales in Europe and very weak (mostly BB7) sales in the rest of the world.

I'm shocked that Chen didn't immediately pursue this path when he came on last year (it seems so obvious to me) but I'm really hoping somebody on the senior BB management team sees this path, and quickly. I really want BB to survive but these are dark days for sure.

[birdman_38]

I'm shocked that Chen didn't immediately pursue this path when he came on last year (it seems so obvious to me) but I'm really hoping somebody on the senior BB management team sees this path, and quickly.

They're probably already on it. If RIM was smart they would have commenced research & development on a BlackBerry Android when they were considering it a few years ago, as a backup plan in case BB10 failed. It would be ready to ship today.

[PeterC4]

These are the days that most loyal followers dread.

While BlackBerry is circling the wagons, others are surging on. While we are getting left behind, others are pressing forward.

I do hope the leadership at BlackBerry release better performing devices and software to stave off and eventually beat back the wolves.

While I do not anticipate going for iOS, android is coming up and soon enough they will come up with something very similar to BB10 and overtake it.

I have been with BlackBerry because of reliability and ease of use with communication tasks. However, unless this edge that blackberry has remains sharp, more will leave and move on to other OSs.

I'm still hopeful but I am now starting to look at other devices for both personal and business use.

Posted via CB10

With the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world - by a good margin - rumoured to be weaning itself off of Android in favour of Tizen, I'm not sure what will happen. If Samsung runs into a fallow field of apps with it's new OS, Blackberry may find itself in a better spot. We'll see.

[PeterC4]

We all know how well "classics" sell.

The excitement is gone. Will it return?

Harley Davidson did it...and returned as a classic. The luxury end of the Swiss watch industry fought off the quartz watches - with classics. There is room to return.

[Raestloz]

They're probably already on it. If RIM was smart they would have commenced research & development on a BlackBerry Android when they were considering it a few years ago, as a backup plan in case BB10 failed. It would be ready to ship today.

They already have "BlackBerry Android", it's called "Android Runtime for BlackBerry". The only thing left if they really want to capitalize on that is to agree to submit to Google and start implementing Google Play Services while pushing BlackBerry 10 as the secondary OS on the device, perhaps through some kind of dual-OS thing where you can choose to reboot to something else (such as BootCamp)

Z10 STL100-1/10.2.1.3175

[donnation]

I have yet to find or hear of an answer on why management before heins and chen were so stupid. How do you go from a 90 billion dollar company to a trainwreck?

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

Don't let Heins off the hook. He was a horrific choice for CEO and brought the company down even further. Listening to him speak was painful as he had no clue on what BB needed to climb out of its hole and was someone plucked from the Lazaridis/Balsillie era that was like putting in a guy to replicate everything that was wrong with the company that had been done in the past.

I truly believe that BB and BB10 would be in a much better position if they had chosen someone with some idea of what direction to take the company in, instead of just releasing a new OS and expecting anyone who owned or previously owned a BB to rush out and buy it regardless of price, missing features at launch, and a terrible marketing plan. With Heins it was the same old BB with missed launch dates, poor customer relations, and not having a clue on how to sell their own product to a market that has drastically changed since the days that BB was on top.

[BK_NY_RAY]

Just stop and if you really want to BlackBerry ti improve stop with these negative threads, topics, posts and comments, not just on forums but in the real world too. Support BlackBerry and make others like it too. It's not hard. I've already got like a dozen people to like BlackBerry when they thought BlackBerry sucked and I didn't even try.

Posted via CB10

[birdman_38]

They already have "BlackBerry Android", it's called "Android Runtime for BlackBerry". The only thing left if they really want to capitalize on that is to agree to submit to Google and start implementing Google Play Services while pushing BlackBerry 10 as the secondary OS on the device, perhaps through some kind of dual-OS thing where you can choose to reboot to something else (such as BootCamp)

Sorry but that's a straight up fantasy.

[coldRooster]

Blackberry will go enterprise after this year if windmere and classic don't sell. At least, it'd be smartest if they did.

Posted via CB10

[itzJustMeh]

But he does have a plan. He is trying to get back to where they're stong at to stabalize the company. Once it's profitable again, consumers will change their opinion slowly and phone sales will increase a lot.

[bakron1]

I feel the same way about BB management. How could they possibly just let the company get into that big of a downward spiral and not do anything sbout it? Was it lazyness?? Ignorance? I have yet to find or hear of an answer on why management before heins and chen were so stupid. How do you go from a 90 billion dollar company to a trainwreck?

Having said that, I still love BB10 and will be loyal until I can be loyal no more.

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

It's called complacency and a lack of vision and it's not just confined to BlackBerry. Allot of corporate giants are in the same position these days, executives making tens of millions of dollars to run a great company into the ground.



Send from my lovely z30 on T Mobile USA