[markmall]

Albeit overpriced... BlackBerry can make Hardware... only, absolutely nobody knows it...

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

Correct. Nobody knows it. This is true of both BB10 and the Priv(y). Someone should tell Chen that bi-annual appearances on CNBC are not a substitute for marketing.

[markmall]

Quarterly losses are significantly lower and the company isn't for sale. Were it not for Watsa/Chen the company would have hit Chapter 11 or be sold to the Chinese.

Have you tried loosening your tin foil hat?

No need to insult. Chen has made huge mistakes even if he cut expenses. Watsa had the financing BB needed before Chen came on board so don't give Chen too much credit. Firing people and selling real estate is something lots of CEOs can administer.

The big, big problem I have with Chen is that he spent maybe $1 billion plus on startup software companies but wouldn't spend enough to give new BB10 devices -- or the Priv(y) -- a chance at succeeding by marketing them the way they needed.

[johnny_bravo72]

Quarterly losses are significantly lower and the company isn't for sale. Were it not for Watsa/Chen the company would have hit Chapter 11 or be sold to the Chinese.

Have you tried loosening your tin foil hat?

It's probably screwed tightly on his head.

*A3-A20

[markmall]

Wrong. John Chen came at 7 months after the launch of bB10 and decided to go android. We now know that from Chen himself.
Priv has already had 6 months and sold less than 500K, an order of magnitude less than z10.
Android is a bigger failure for BlackBerry than bb10, and bb10 was sabotaged by Chen and the board.

I suspect that the board (Prem) talked to Chen, and Chen said, "I'm a software guy and I can make this business run as a software business." Also, Chen probably discussed the Android conversion.

After that it was just a matter of time. Chen neglected the BB10 smartphones. The Z30 "rollout" was nothing. Passport generated a ton of media buzz (non-BBRY users were talking about it), but you couldn't find one for 3 months because Chen didn't built more than a few thousand pre-launch.

So Chen got what he wanted. And it sucks.

[thurask]

The big, big problem I have with Chen is that he spent maybe $1 billion plus on startup software companies but wouldn't spend enough to give new BB10 devices -- or the Priv(y) -- a chance at succeeding by marketing them the way they needed.

Software companies that could diversify BBRY instead of putting yet more eggs into the device basket.

[joeldf]

This.
I have 100 BlackBerry 10 apps. I have no android apps. I have several map apps, I have Ambient Details with Wikepedia connection, Wherels, CBC. Radio, BBC World Service radio, BBC World News TV streaming live anywhere in the world, New York Times, Globe and Mail, Kobo e-book reader, 7digital for music, ghostcommander to sftpt files remotely to and from my Linux work computer from anywhere in the world.
I am not really missing any app on my Passport without sideloading any android spywhere. No Google Play Store, no gmail for me, no Cobalt, no Snap.

I have a MacBook 12 inch. Checked the Apple app store. Nothing useful..
The only "apps" I have on my mac are X11 and Openoffice, both open software.

Most of the android apps are garbage. As you wrote, developed for 10-year olds by 15-year olds (or equivalent), and datamine the heck out of you.

Great for your specific use case.

Unfortunately, I have to account for my 7-year-old for some things like long trips or grocery shopping, so Netflix and Hulu are required - no BB10 equivalent. For me personally; no NPR app for BB10, my credit union (bank) has no app for BB10, none of my insurance companies have apps for BB10, no AutoCAD 360 for BB10, no Autodesk Sketchbook for BB10. So, I have to rely on Android apps to cover those. I also like my IMDB, Newegg, eBay, LSU Sports, and Google Earth apps.

None of those android apps I use are developed by 10 year olds, by the way. So you really don't need to make such blanket statements. Are there a lot of trash apps? Sure. You could say the same for BBW a year ago. They cleared a lot out recently, but still, they were there.

I do run about all of 10 BB10 apps, beyond the ones that come with the OS.

Also, ghostcommander is an android app - just ported to BB10. But still...

Posted via CB10

[Jerry A]

I do agree, but when one reads critical reviews of the Classic, one complaint is the availability of apps.

Another criticism seems to take aim at BB10 vs. Android, Sorry, I have seen Android demonstrated to me on various mobile phones of my friends and I am not impressed. Compared to BB 10.3.2, the Android user experience is confused, cluttered, and haphazard.

BB should retreat to their niche market - the business user. No other brand can touch BB as a mobile business communicator tool. Drop the consumer market, since the consumer market has dropped BB. Realign market and investor expectations.

You mean like focusing on the "prosumer?" Or how about "focusing on core, regulated customers?"

Oh wait, they tried the niche market approach - didn't work.

Methinks that the CB definition of "niche" is really "CB users who want BB10 devices."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's neither a profitable nor sustainable market.

[Prem WatsApp]

You mean like focusing on the "prosumer?" Or how about "focusing on core, regulated customers?"

Oh wait, they tried the niche market approach - didn't work.

Methinks that the CB definition of "niche" is really "CB users who want BB10 devices."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's neither a profitable nor sustainable market.

CrackBerry Collector's Edition � , hand signed by John Chen

:-)



�   There's a Crack in the Berry right now...   �

[pineapple2607]

BlackBerry waked up and changed their website Cell Phones, Smartphones & Mobile Phones from BlackBerry.com
It looks so horrible! Who is in that team.. The priv font and advertisements was also a bad choice..

[JeepBB]

For me it is bigger, because now they filled the app gap, and they sold less by a big number than BB10 devices in their time. Going Android instead of closing the harware division was a big mistake, and if it is not enough, now Chen wants to be remembered for another two Android failures in 2016, lets see how those two U$400 phones make no impact in the market, like the Priv. Sincerely how a CEO can think that he could overpriced an outspeced phone from a tarnished brand in an oversaturated market like Android and sell the phone well, just a big lol for Chen.

The failure of the Priv is certainly embarrassing, but embarrassment is rarely fatal. BB10, on the other hand came very close indeed to killing BlackBerry.

Chen will be remembered as the guy who saved BB by transitioning away from loss-making hardware IMO.

As to the Rome/Hamburg, I'll believe them when I see them for sale. Chen will be remembered for stopping hardware, not for handsets that will never see the light of day.

And, once again, Chen has never said he will release a phone at $400. What he said is that people were telling him they were (only) willing to pay $400 for a BB Android phone.

[pstrusi]

Business users are not a separate species. They're people--consumers--too.

I do think BB should focus on 'fleet' sales of phones to big corporations and government accounts with a good-not-great midlevel phone. It'd be like Ford or GM selling work trucks/vans. It'd be a direct lease, and they could structure the contracts with discounts on bundled deals with their software solutions. BlackBerry would provide custom mobile IT support on the phones, making further inroads into corporate customer consulting. It would take the production/inventory guessing out of their abysmal attempts at mainline consumer phone sales. They could keep a 'flagship' in the catalog for the managers. Any retail sales would be gravy.

I guess we're basically in agreement. But they should have done this x-years ago, as usual.



Posted via CB10

Absolutely correct. If BB began to see the individual-consumer as initial chain, with phones ( android, good specs, extra BB features, at competitive prices ) I'm sure that BB could initiate a slow but sure come back to grab some market, therefore with a good chances to escalate into the corporate world cause firms always will want to have an excellent and reliable platform. Still the big problem ( so far ) is that BB will no longer make its own OS but using google's, so this battle outcome seems complicated, unless BB will achieve some success and finally would be bought out by the giant. This is only my humble speculations. I hope to see some significance changes in BB, otherwise I'll have to jump to Nexus or Samsung s7 ( by the way pretty fragile both of them )

[lang007]

As much as I love BB I just do not feel they will ever market the hardware anymore. Word of mouth is all we are going to get. So if us loyal BB owners do not market BB it just will not be marketed.

[Bbnivende]

Can somebody explain to me this app craze?

I have recently bought a Classic and, initially, was somewhat curious over the Android Player support for Android apps in Amazon AppStore. Well, my prior skepticism over the entire app scene has been confirmed. What a lot of rubbish! I haven't seen such a collection of senseless nonsense outside of a street market. Take this so-called Editor's Choice in Google Play, for example:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/c...s_choice?hl=en

I could only spot two apps of value there, viz. SoundCloud and BBC News. Otherwise, endless pointless games plus an assortment of other trivialities. It seems the entire app business is aimed at children below the age of 10. What is this hurrah over apps about? And why the howling over the "lack of apps" in BB World? I have more than enough useful apps as standard on my Classic. I have added SoundCloud, Skype, Shazam, SoundHound, Wikipedia, and Kindle. I do not need Google Play App store. I have browsed it with my PC and have found nothing compelling there except Facebook Messenger. So much talent wasted. Or perhaps, not so much talent in the first place. Or, perhaps, some would blame it on my Classic. Don't try. I had the option of some Android thing. No thank you.

I guess you never use Google Maps for turn by turn navigation.

Posted via CB10

[Ethereo]

@JeepBB, He could have stopped the hardware division months ago without making stupid decisions like launching the Priv, it was predictable that it would be a big flop, at least for me, it has nothing new or even attractive for the market, maybe in 2017 he could launch a U$2000 BB IOS and see how it fails again and again.

[Ulferini Schusterotti]

BlackBerry has to adress the professional users, esp. those who left BB OS and BB10 because of productivity tools (note taking, enterprise, drawing / sketching, Pinterest, WebDAV clients, etc. etc.). It makes no sense to tell people that BlackBerry is hip or cool or anything.

Of course, there are not as many professional users than average casual users but they exist. And BlackBerry needs to build devices that match their needs. Notebook like landscape and portrait sliders, that enables them to leave their Notebook at home. They need long lasting, swappable batteries, very bright displays, professional looks and solid build quality.

I'm trying to understand why many handsets failed until now:
- Z10: No keyboard, BB10
- Q5 / Q10: Too small, BB10
- Passport: Akward keyboard, no shift key for example. No swappable battery, BB10
- Classic: Underpowered, no swappable battery, BB10
- PRIV: Heat issues, build quality issues, cramped keyboard, high price

So, lets hope the Rome will succeed. I will definitely buy it if its not underpowered, has a big (swappable) battery, bright screen, large keyboard and a good speaker. What's more to expect from a great smartphone?

[brookie229]

has a big (swappable) battery,

You can probably forget about the swappable battery. Very few devices are being made this way anymore. (I know, there are still a few)

[Al moon]

BB is just too stupid for their own good by now you would think that maybe just maybe they should be having a fire sale with their older bb10 devices but heck no a PP is still $500 are you serious bb wake the hell up stop living in this bubble world of yours

[web99]

@JeepBB, He could have stopped the hardware division months ago without making stupid decisions like launching the Priv, it was predictable that it would be a big flop, at least for me, it has nothing new or even attractive for the market, maybe in 2017 he could launch a U$2000 BB IOS and see how it fails again and again.

As a Priv owner, I am glad that CEO Chen launched this device. I have owned my device since January and have not experienced a drop in productivity. For me it has performed up to my expectations.

The other thing is that it once again made BlackBerry devices available for purchase in 3 out of the 4 major US carriers stores.

Posted via my BlackBerry Priv

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

It seems that the BB10 Brigade is having a hard time accepting a massive failure with BB10, but what is more interesting is that the BBdroiders are neither accepting this paramount Android failure (even bigger than BB10).

People want value.

They don't see locking the boot rom as adding value, at least not compared to fingerprint reader or waterproofing. And when Carrier's are doing BOGO offers or other discounts on current flagships... just makes the PRIV look like even less of a value.

Never mind the lack of marketing or brand repair. I bet most saw the name BlackBerry, didn't even bother to look at what OS it ran. That's the ones that got past the price.....

[anon(679606)]

I need the pkb... we're it not for that, I would already be elsewhere...

[Graheem]

Not with the BB Keyboard, Hub, Contacts and Calender. IMO these are better then any other options in the Play Store.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Not with the BB Keyboard, Hub, Contacts and Calender. IMO these are better then any other options in the Play Store.

Funny, BB Keyboard, Hub, Contacts and Calendar.... are all in the Play Store now.

And all running fine on my Droid. Granted Hub isn't as good as it was, but it has improved.

[bakron1]

Funny, BB Keyboard, Hub, Contacts and Calendar.... are all in the Play Store now.

And all running fine on my Droid. Granted Hub isn't as good as it was, but it has improved.

I agree a 100% and I feel the Hub is getting better and will only improve with future updates. I am just as productive on the Android based Blackberry as I was with my OS10 devices and I have the apps my clients require me to use.

[hwhver]

Thats what the car's built in GPS is for.

[bitek]

Android smartphone market is already saturated and horrendously competitive, even big firms as Samsung are seeing its profits plummeting. Most companies offer phones with similar good specs, camera and direct access to all android Apps...at the best prices possible although mostly of them are made with poor quality ( many can not overcome a simple drop to the sidewalk ). The only chance for Blackberry to enter this battle with chances is offering all of the above already demanded features at competitive prices, but adding powerful differences: good quality manufacture, hub, security. Perhaps I'm deluding myself thinking that BB has a chance to strive under actual conditions, because all aims that only big companies that makes the OS has more chances as Apple and Google. I actually have a Classic with the excellent OS10, ( a pity many of good apps are not available ) and I think to stick to this phone at least for one year more, after that if BB doesn't show another attitude, unfortunately I'll have to jump to Android ( maybe a a better built future Nexus ). I hope BB can overcome the challenge.

I know that my comment will not be popular but frankly speaking priv is the best blackberry i have ever owned. bb10 cannot touch android. it really cannot. my priv is the best and most productive phone i have ever owned. blackberry best bb10 features,plus blackberry awesome keyboard and many excellent and high quality business apps available for android are just perfect combination for me.

I do not have to kill myself porting android apps that run like crap on bb10 and i do not have to deal with 3rd party apps that are simply not as good as official apps for android.

blackberry tried with bb10, developers did not bite it and end of story. priv has good reputation as a phone but price is killing sales. if blackberry comes out with midrange phone with all blackberry goodies blackberry sales will improve.

blackberry has unique features not found on other devices.