[GeneralHerzog]

To all those who are ready to jump ship rather than stay the course, back RIM and support them to get it right......

Apple design chief: We nearly scrapped iPhone - CNN.com

I've said it before, Everyone knows Apple was 2 weeks away from being broke and all but done. They nearly didn't get the iphone out, as they appear to have had issues just like RIM is now. That's what happens when you try and create something new.

RIM is trying to turn things around, stick with em. Even the uber great iphone almost didn't make it, yet they DID innovate, and arguably saved Apple and made them what they are today.

Go RIM Go.

[James Nieves]

I've said this many times on Crackberry
BUT COMPUTER COMPANIES SHOULD STICK TO COMPUTERS

@ Least Blackberry knows how to make a GOOD PHONE as was doing it longer than the iPhones have even existed.. 2002-2007 meet 2007-2012 things is even through 07-12 RIM has even us great phones first

That is why I stick with RIM because at the end of the day Angry birds is great but I may need to put a call out to my family and do something important, aka CONNECT WITH PEOPLE-- iPhone lets you do this yes but RIM always been about letting YOU THE USER choose how keyboard, trackball/pad, touchscreen-- how you want to connect. Through a blend of services hardware and software.

They are a phone company first, they invented the smartphone. Apple invented the "smartphone for a dumb-average consumer" let's face it.
Microsoft and RIMs approach is to CHANGE the consumer via a paradigm shift in software and technology and how we use it, rather than explaining why we use it and giving us 600,000 apps, 400,000 of which aren't downloaded. GO RIM GO it's about changing consumers into enterprisers what BB calls "Enterprising Minds" or "Blackberry People" something RIM has been doing all along by attacking the niche of enterprise which is way less fickle and more stable than the consumer space. If you can make your consumer smarter you can engage them in new ways, on deeper levels, simple as that.
Apple did the reverse, 'we will engage our coustomers by simplifying our processes for them', but as EX TAT founder has been quoted:

Q: While your demos’ are spectacular, many commentators have expressed the feeling that the eye candy gets in the way of efficient usage of the device, with the most widely lauded smartphone user interface, the one on the iPhone, being little more than a grid of icons. How do you respond to this accusation?

A: I think an interface needs to be both easy to use as well as aesthetically pleasing, and the iPhone is great at being simple and smooth, but not very personal. Apple did a great job to improve the worlds of UIs by introducing a new paradigm, finger touch, and when breaking the norm I would as well take a step back in complexity (which Apple did). But I truly believe that the next wave of devices will be more personal. Compare it with clothes or cars – why don’t they all look the same – simple, streamlined, and so focused on delivering the core functionality that they lack personality. As the mobile matures there will be more expressive UIs.

Mobile is maturing but that maturing took a side-course as Apple began selling us the internet through it's App Store. If anything they've confined innovation instead of truly unleashing it something Blackberry has always struggled yet executed at doing. However with the amalgamation of BB10, Cascades and the UI framework, buying up of Chalk Media, Torch Mobile, some of DataViz assets, Gist, Tungle, Scoorloop, JayCut. Essentially they've given all of the "creators" as RIM amazing, ASTONISHING tools to build this new vision of mobile computing.

But dangnabit they better give us a GOOD PHONE FIRST
Not something, "That's good and it's competent, but it's not great"
Which is honestly what the iPhone truly is. It's not as great as it could be Apple holds it back to keep the "Experience" pristine and sell at a premium.

So I hope BB10 IS that thing, I hope when a PHONE COMPANY SITS DOWN AND BUILDS the next gen smartphone that it will be that thing we've been lacking these past few years. The things that keeps us excited about iOS and Android updates, even Playbook updates, that thing is "filling spaces" where the OS's lack.

GO RIM GO, do what you have always done software/hardware wise just take it all to the next level.

[Jonathan-Archer]

Good Phone First is not of this era. People would rather have a Smart Phone that connects through Skype or whatever instead of old fashioned calls. Phones are much more suited for people with smaller budgets and less well developed markets (e.g. 3rd world countries).

[rthonpm]

Good Phone First is not of this era. People would rather have a Smart Phone that connects through Skype or whatever instead of old fashioned calls. Phones are much more suited for people with smaller budgets and less well developed markets (e.g. 3rd world countries).

I highly disagree. Skype and such are a fantastic feature but it's still a parlour trick for the most part. Business people, anyone in a spotty data area and really anyone over the age of twenty-five still uses a traditional phone function. Even with a small tech business of my own, as well as a full time tech position, very few people I know use Skype for anything more than international calling or a long distance replacement for the home phone.

[Alex_Hong]

You know, back in the days (well, actually not that long ago) when even mp3 players were not as widespread. When people got bored, they text their friend, chat with them. Be it while on their daily commute, or just when they are free.

Nowadays, a majority of people are simply plugged into their phones, playing games. As if oblivious to the world. I mean its great that we have more entertaining ways to pass our time, but people have taken it a little too far imo. I had experience calling friends, and they told me they will call me back, they're playing a game on their phone. Everyday I see couples on their commute to work. Both totally immersed in their phones playing games. Then when one of them alights, the other just gave a wave without saying anything and went back to his game.

I still feel that sometimes, its good to just listen to music and gather your thoughts. Or if you are with someone else, talk to them. Not just playing games and occupying every bit of free time you have. How many of us have these few friends that even at gatherings still play games on their phone instead of talking to another person?

I understand that games and internet are rich and immersing places. With loads to do and play. But I just wish people would just take their eyes off their phones for a moment and just look up, and pay attention to what's around them. Prioritise what's really important, and what's not.

Take the time you use to play games everyday, and instead, text your friends and families. Imagine what kind of friendships and relationships you can build. It only takes a few text messages.

End rant.

Sent from RIMpire BlackBerry 9900 using the force

[madman0141]

Articles like this make me want to believe RIM can get thier stuff together.

[aniym]

You know, back in the days (well, actually not that long ago) when even mp3 players were not as widespread. When people got bored, they text their friend, chat with them. Be it while on their daily commute, or just when they are free.

Nowadays, a majority of people are simply plugged into their phones, playing games. As if oblivious to the world. I mean its great that we have more entertaining ways to pass our time, but people have taken it a little too far imo. I had experience calling friends, and they told me they will call me back, they're playing a game on their phone. Everyday I see couples on their commute to work. Both totally immersed in their phones playing games. Then when one of them alights, the other just gave a wave without saying anything and went back to his game.

I still feel that sometimes, its good to just listen to music and gather your thoughts. Or if you are with someone else, talk to them. Not just playing games and occupying every bit of free time you have. How many of us have these few friends that even at gatherings still play games on their phone instead of talking to another person?

I understand that games and internet are rich and immersing places. With loads to do and play. But I just wish people would just take their eyes off their phones for a moment and just look up, and pay attention to what's around them. Prioritise what's really important, and what's not.

Take the time you use to play games everyday, and instead, text your friends and families. Imagine what kind of friendships and relationships you can build. It only takes a few text messages.

End rant.

Sent from RIMpire BlackBerry 9900 using the force

Replace "games" with "email" and you will understand how this site got its name. Don't blame consumer behavior for RIM's downfall, it served them just fine when they were on top.

Also, I know plenty of people who use their Android/Iphones for work/business/making calls/whatever. In fact, aside from a couple of major games, most of the apps that I see people having on their phone are things like Skype, Banking, NYTimes, Spotify, etc.

[ajst222]

Great message OP!!

[PineappleUnderTheSea]

I highly disagree. Skype and such are a fantastic feature but it's still a parlour trick for the most part. Business people, anyone in a spotty data area and really anyone over the age of twenty-five still uses a traditional phone function. Even with a small tech business of my own, as well as a full time tech position, very few people I know use Skype for anything more than international calling or a long distance replacement for the home phone.

One area where Skype is very useful are for expats in Asia, Europe, etc that stay in contact with their home country with Skype. They have Skype on their phones and Skype on their laptops and seem to use it daily. Mind you it's mostly for personal use, not business, but when you're away from home on a 3 year assignment, Skype is definitely the way to go.

[Alex_Hong]

Replace "games" with "email" and you will understand how this site got its name. Don't blame consumer behavior for RIM's downfall, it served them just fine when they were on top.

Also, I know plenty of people who use their Android/Iphones for work/business/making calls/whatever. In fact, aside from a couple of major games, most of the apps that I see people having on their phone are things like Skype, Banking, NYTimes, Spotify, etc.

hahaha. i'm not blaming anyone for anything, nor was i suggesting anything of that sort. I was just making a very general statement about what i'm observing.



You lost me on your second paragraph. I'm even not sure why you would drag a discussion of platforms into my rant. My rant applies to all platforms, including playstation, nintendo, and not just a particularly one. I'm guilty of playing word mole for extended periods of time as well, or at least i used to.

Though i do fit your description regarding "plenty of people". No matter what i'm on, be it the Lumia 800, BB, iPhone, or Galaxy Note, i use the similar sets of apps (banking, news, im, informational, social networks), and basic phone functionality. You'll hardly find any game at all. On windows phone, i only have wordament. On iphone nowadays, the only surviving game you'll find is bejeweled (I do have a lot of other games that i bought years back, but nowadays i don't even load it in my iphone). On my Galaxy Note and BB these days, i have no games at all.

you're over reacting.

[tack]

Apple did nothing for smart phones? Please. Get real. Some of these comments are crazy out of bounds.

I want to see RIM come back also, but Apple was not hurting when they developed the iPhone. They were very healthy. In 1997 they were hurting, not 2007. It helped them a lot for sure.

The two companies cannot be compared in any way. Their circumstances and makers being addresses are very different.

[grunt0300]

To all those who are ready to jump ship rather than stay the course, back RIM and support them to get it right......

Apple design chief: We nearly scrapped iPhone - CNN.com

I've said it before, Everyone knows Apple was 2 weeks away from being broke and all but done. They nearly didn't get the iphone out, as they appear to have had issues just like RIM is now. That's what happens when you try and create something new.

RIM is trying to turn things around, stick with em. Even the uber great iphone almost didn't make it, yet they DID innovate, and arguably saved Apple and made them what they are today.

Go RIM Go.

Apple had Steve Jobs. Who does RIM have?

[FlashFlare11]

Apple had Steve Jobs. Who does RIM have?

Who knows? Thorsten Heins could be the next "Steve Jobs." Sure, he doesn't have the presence or personality of Jobs, but he just may possess the ability to turn a "dying" company totally around. Give him time. We say "who does RIM have" now but 5-10 years down the road, a company may be looking for their own saving CEO, their own Thorsten Heins.

[Roo Zilla]

I've said it before, Everyone knows Apple was 2 weeks away from being broke and all but done.

A bit of an exaggeration. It was more like 90 days, and then Gates bought about $150 million in restricted stock. Gates bought in because of the potential to lose a lot more than that if the lawsuits concerning Windows vs. Mac were to continue. In 2007 when iPhone was introduced, Apple was flying high off it's iPod sales and increasing popularity of its Mac line, by 2007, they were making close to a $1 billion per quarter.

[James Nieves]

Okay.... Steve Jobs was great and all, he had a vision. But let's be serious

Does no one remember NeXT 1985-1996

Its innovative object-oriented NeXTSTEP operating system and development environment were highly influential.
NeXT later released much of the NeXTstep system as a programming environment standard called OpenStep. NeXT withdrew from the hardware business in 1993 to concentrate on marketing OPENSTEP, its own OpenStep implementation, for several OEMs. NeXT also developed WebObjects, one of the first enterprise web application frameworks. WebObjects never became very popular because of its initial high price of $50,000 but remains a prominent early example of a web server based on dynamic page generation rather than static content.
Apple purchased NeXT on December 20, 1996 for $429 million and 1.5 million shares of Apple stock, and much of the current OS X and iOS operating systems are built on the OPENSTEP foundation.

Guess who founded NeXT? Steve Jobs.

This man set out on a road to build something and it's culminated thus far in it's latest form of iOS and Mac OS X. The foundation Apple laid cannot be compared to that of Blackberry. Their histories are completely different. Beyond even Blackberry's history--even Research in Motions there was QNX whose first verison 1 came out in 1982, before NeXT before Apple Lisa (1983) and Microsoft 1 (1985).
BlackBerry has been changing it's history with it's purchases and IF they can truly execute on the pieces they have. They will once again evolutionize the smartphone. Apple revolutionized it, bringing us higher level scripting languages and a more computer like OS. But then they neutered by confining it to iOS so that the consumer would get it. But now the market is spinning around an Apple Axis. BB10 may just be the counter-force as it will be wielding Android, Cascades, HTML5, just to name a few. Blackberry/Thorsten have listened to both QNX and the Astonishing Tribe to bring their ideas together in a cohesive direct, so that their reach would not exceed their grasp. To tackle the low end is a different story. When BB10 comes to the millons of Playbooks out there, I think the media is going to have to say something. And maybe consumers will start thinking about that iPad one they bought, and how it's not getting iOS 6.
Why? Becasue Apple is a COMPUTER COMPANY and they know how to sell you computers invalidating your software to make you buy into better hardware. Microsoft knows, Apple knows. What Blackberry knows is selling phones, it's what they do they are a high tech company in the mobile space. Mobile computing has ALWAYS been their place. Even when the first BBs didn't have a microphone or speaker.
Because Blackberry is so different from all the Players in the game is why bringing BB10 to market is so important. Because as Heins likes to say the DNA of Blackberry what it really is in a world of mee too mee too. Copy cat UI blah blah I'm just here to sell a product, Blackberry has always been about delivering a service, through their handsets.
Different companies different ideologies and practices.
Blackberry is special, just like Steve was.

[Roo Zilla]

Okay.... Steve Jobs was great and all, he had a vision. But let's be serious
Click to view quoted image

Does no one remember NeXT 1985-1996

Guess who founded NeXT? Steve Jobs.
.

I remember NeXT quite well actually. I had a Mac in '86 and everybody was talking about how Jobs started NeXT and how Perot invested in it. It was a bit out of my price range back then since I remember the price being about 10K, similar to LISA when it was introduced. I'm sure Tim Berner-Lee remembers NeXT quite well too. Since he created the World Wide Web on one.

[tchocky77]

True statement. Comparing BlackBerry to Steve Jobs' legacy is ridiculous.

[9of13]

The smartest thing Steve Jobs ever did was swallow his pride and went to Bill Gates for help. It was on this day in 1997 when he got a "bailout" from Microsoft. It's this day 15 years ago that the "media"forgets. That Apple was practically out for the count. This is what makes me believe fully that RIM will be okay, they will make it to BB10 and it will wow everyone. You can say you can't compare The two, but let's look at the facts:
RIM has a cash surplus
RIM has NO debt.
RIM is making a preemptive strike by "cutting the fat" and making sure they will still owe no debt when BB10 is released.
These are things Apple did not have going for them 15 yrs ago. What they had was debt, and no money. They were saved with a $150 million "investment" Steve knew Bill had a soft spot for Apple.
RIM is in a better position now then Apple was then. Now Apple stock is over half a grand a share.
The tech sites love to compare RIM (and the PB in particular) to the HP Touchpad. How about they remember this day 15 yrs ago before they publish another "RIM is dead" article.

[iankeiththomas]

The Apple/RIM comparison doesn't really make any sense. Apple became the juggernaut it is because of the huge success of the iPod, which turned into the ridiculously huge success of the iPhone. With the iPod, Apple wound up completely owning a market it basically created. It was out of left field, and came part and parcel with Apple rebranding itself by streamlining its products and making bold choices.

Saying that BB10 will save RIM because Apple was almost dead is like saying that OSX alone would have saved Apple. What saved Apple was something nobody saw coming combined with the (frankly, genius) leadership of Steve Jobs. If it wasn't for the iPod/Phone/Pad, Apple would still just be churning out expensive niche computers for graphic designers, if that.

And if we're playing "the tech media doesn't know anything!" game, why are we looking at Apple and not all of the times the tech media declared a company dead and was totally right about it? Having no debt doesn't matter if you're still stuck with the same situation that brought you to dire straits to begin with.

[ffejrobins30]

I don't know if anyone noticed this, but at the end of the article it is stated that Apple is yet to confirm or deny the rumored launch date or any details of the iPhone5. This is where they are marketing geniuses. They have a product, but have not given even an inkling of an idea of release date, there are just rumors. The rumors may or may not be true, but they are creating buzz without putting them in a position where they may have to backtrack and give bad news if something were to hold up the release.

Good article showing that you can never really count out any company that is bent on surviving.

[9of13]

The Apple/RIM comparison doesn't really make any sense. Apple became the juggernaut it is because of the huge success of the iPod, which turned into the ridiculously huge success of the iPhone. With the iPod, Apple wound up completely owning a market it basically created. It was out of left field, and came part and parcel with Apple rebranding itself by streamlining its products and making bold choices.

Saying that BB10 will save RIM because Apple was almost dead is like saying that OSX alone would have saved Apple. What saved Apple was something nobody saw coming combined with the (frankly, genius) leadership of Steve Jobs. If it wasn't for the iPod/Phone/Pad, Apple would still just be churning out expensive niche computers for graphic designers, if that.

And if we're playing "the tech media doesn't know anything!" game, why are we looking at Apple and not all of the times the tech media declared a company dead and was totally right about it? Having no debt doesn't matter if you're still stuck with the same situation that brought you to dire straits to begin with.

Actually, you can compare as well as use it as an example of how one company can seem down for the count and make a huge comeback. Apple is that perfect example. And they were in a worse position than rim is. Sure, Apple created the iPod market. RIM also created a market with mobile email. Everyone want to point out Apple's innovations like RIM didn't innovate one of the biggest things in mobile communication ever.
Sure, the tech mediahave declared things dead before and we're right, but when have they gone in hard as they have with RIM? And how many mistakes in "reporting" have they made? "game"? Yeah. Most of those bloggers write tech obituaries like it's a game. Any those other companies that have tapped out, hasn't been mobile innovators like Apple and RIM. Those are the differences in this mobile game that show that if Apple can do it while in a worse situation, so can RIM. Steve Jobs a genius? YES! YES! YES! Not just cause of the iDevices, but what he did 15 yrs ago to give him the time to come out with those devices. If that didn't happen, the mobile world would have been much different. Remember that. I'm sure RIM does and Google will do what they need to to keep Android in it just as strong.
I'm not your average "BlackBerry fanboy". I call it as I see it. And I see a future for RIM. Who saw a future for Apple on 8-5-97? No one. I didn't, you didnt. No one did. So who's to say that this is "dead man walkin"? Let's wait and see. Apple taught me that.. Wait and see.
"Comment...as you see fit" -Lionel

[iankeiththomas]

Well, yeah, you can say "RIM and Apple are both tech companies; Apple came back from the dead, so RIM can, too." I can also say "Thorsten Heins and Michael Phelps are both human beings; Michael Phelps has won eighteen Olympic gold medals in swimming, so Heins can, too." Those are both comparisons, but neither of them are useful in predicting what might happen in the future.

Also, Apple saved itself by creating a totally new market. RIM has already lost the smartphone market that made the company the first time, and nothing we know about RIM's future plans suggests it has anything new up its sleeve. Apple never would have wound up in its current position if Steve Jobs had focused only on a desktop OS to beat Windows.

And no, there is not a vast media conspiracy to bring down RIM by employing a strategy of accurately reporting on the firm's declining fortunes. Darn those tech bloggers and their vast power and influence!

[kfh227]

Apple had Steve Jobs. Who does RIM have?

From what I have seen in BB10, they have some very smart people that started with a blank sheet of paper and came up with things like the Flow interface.

Sorry, but to say RIMM is not innovative is nonsense.

And Steve Jobs wasn't sitting in a lab working things out. I don't even know if he was researching emergine tech. The guy that found the dual touch tech (apple did not invent this) and integrated it into a simple to use UI is the innovator. Seriuoualy, all Apple did was introduce dual touch touch screens to the world. iOS as a GUI is very simple and boring. And sorry, Windows had "tiles" first.

[9of13]

Well, yeah, you can say "RIM and Apple are both tech companies; Apple came back from the dead, so RIM can, too." I can also say "Thorsten Heins and Michael Phelps are both human beings; Michael Phelps has won eighteen Olympic gold medals in swimming, so Heins can, too." Those are both comparisons, but neither of them are useful in predicting what might happen in the future.

Also, Apple saved itself by creating a totally new market. RIM has already lost the smartphone market that made the company the first time, and nothing we know about RIM's future plans suggests it has anything new up its sleeve. Apple never would have wound up in its current position if Steve Jobs had focused only on a desktop OS to beat Windows.

And no, there is not a vast media conspiracy to bring down RIM by employing a strategy of accurately reporting on the firm's declining fortunes. Darn those tech bloggers and their vast power and influence!

You obviously didn't read the whole post and have a serious grip with others who probably labels you as someone under a bridge. Let me clarify one last time. One, your comparison using Phelps was asinine. When someone uses an event as an example, a response like that means you have no logical rebuttal. And that ok. It's makes yourself look bad. It wasn't use as a crystal ball, but as an example of a possibility. Just because it happened once, doesn't mean it can't happen again. Open your mind, Quaid. Two, Apple didn't save itself by coming out with the iDevices, it SOLIDIFIED itself.. It saved itself with the bailout. This is the 3rd post in a row where I've given Apple props but you focusing on what you feel is myself trying to be a delusional fanboy who believes the world is against RIM. Read slowly and make sure you understand the words that form the sentences. When one does that, comprehension kicks in. Nothing shows RIM has anything up its sleeve? Neither did apple 15 yrs ago.
Three, quote the exact words I wrote saying there's a "vast media conspiricy" I said the media needs to double check their facts. It's called "accountability". If you can show me where I said there's a conspiracy, ill eat those words publicly right here. It's one thing to report declines, which is true. But when their "facts and figures" are inaccurate, and they choose to ignore other's shortcomings, it questions their accuracy. THAT, my fellow poster, is what's the problem. Btw, you writing like I claimed that is a conspiracy, is a perfect example of what I was talking about. According to you, that makes you the media out to destroy RIM! Gadzooks!!

Btw, that last line was sarcasm just incase you couldn't comprehend it.
"Your Welcome"

From what I have seen in BB10, they have some very smart people that started with a blank sheet of paper and came up with things like the Flow interface.

Sorry, but to say RIMM is not innovative is nonsense.

And Steve Jobs wasn't sitting in a lab working things out. I don't even know if he was researching emergine tech. The guy that found the dual touch tech (apple did not invent this) and integrated it into a simple to use UI is the innovator. Seriuoualy, all Apple did was introduce dual touch touch screens to the world. iOS as a GUI is very simple and boring. And sorry, Windows had "tiles" first.

Nice points. Innovation was RIM in the 90s coming out with mobile email. Innovation was Apple designing the iPod which opened the floodgates for portable mp3 players. Innovation,as you pointed out-thank you btw- was Windows having "tiles" first. Which could've been also Apple's if they didn't let Gates go.
But I shouldn't be posting. According to someone, I believe in the media conspiracy against RIM. Of course as I like to say, if he believes that, I got a bridge here in NYC I can sell him.

[TRlPPlN]

Apple had Steve Jobs. Who does RIM have?

keep rolling your eyes. regardless if Apple had Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs had to thank Bill Gates for saving them and Apple would've lost more than what they had if they kept persuing law suits against MS at that time. Bill could've easily not invest and luckily enough, they knew each other personally. Yes RIM doesn't have a savior such as Apple did but we will all soon find out if they do need one to survive.