[igor10000]

Hello everyone!

This is to share my BlackBerry experience in the Caribbean, in Aruba to be exact.

I bought my first BB in 2009 in the Czech Republic and was the only one to have a BB among all my friends.
Only saw two other people have one, they both were employed in big corporations.

Then came to Aruba that year and realized everyone in Aruba had a BB. People would not ask me for my phone number but for my PIN.
Each year I come to Aruba, I realize how strong still BB is in this region. Pushed by carriers, all the people still have BBs, from little kids to the elderly.

But this year I brought a PlayBook with me and despite BB being so popular over here, everyone would ask me if it is an iPad I am holding.
I reply it is a BlackBerry Playbook and everyone is like "What? I did not know they had a tablet!"

So, South America/the Caribbean is still a BB stronghold. But apparently due to BBM being so cheap. Also, I have not seen many BB7 devices over here, mostly OS 5/6.
And nobody knows about the PlayBook over here.

[Morten]

interesting point...

There are many reasons ....

One reason being - that the current main official BlackBerry distribution channel in the Caribbean, has been the carriers, and since PlayBook never was pushed by them, you have not seen them.

Next reason is the Support / repair options. Again - since carriers has been the main distribution channel - and don't carry the PlayBooks - there has been no real alternative for support. The way things are today - if anything happens to your PB which require to be shipped to some service facility, you will have to first send the device to US or Canada to some friends, then the BlackBerry partners will send a special FedEx box to pick up the device to that US/CA address (for free), - and after repair - the device will be returned to the same address... and You would have to organize shipping again from your friends and to You.

This process takes time, and cost a lot more than it should.

Now when the PlayBooks have SIM slot in them and can use the data networks, they are also more interesting for the networks to carry.


But from what I hear - things are about to change - so expect to see things happening in 2013, and the Caribbean will be included - one way or the other... As you say - BlackBerry DO have a great market share in the region, and RIM will not let that slip..

[timmy t]

Are there no electronics stores in Aruba that could sell them?

[igor10000]

I actually have seen PB on display at the malls, but I agree with Lindstrom�s point, sounds logical. Based on the context, I doubt anyone here knows about BB10 coming.

[dragonx6]

I have a playbook and know a couple people in Jamaica(where I live) and Trinidad that have.

I'm stuck with my storm 2 but that's only cause I'm waiting on bb10. A lot of people do have the newer blackberry though. Problem is we have to pay full price for the phones which is the only reason more people don't have better ones.