[koroshiyax]

I just heard from someone working at Linkedin that their employees using corporate Blackberry smartphones are being forced to switch to either iPhone or Android in the coming weeks.

I wasn't told if this is a company-wide mandate or just for specific departments.

This is an unfortunate development, and hopefully it doesn't turn into a trend in the corp world. Supposedly there's a large anti-Blackberry movement/perception over there from the top down, and it may or may not also explain the lack of support and updates for their BB Linkedin app.

[Economist101]

Supposedly there's a large anti-Blackberry movement/perception over there from the top down, and it may or may not also explain the lack of support and updates for their BB Linkedin app.

Wait, so now even RIM customers are anti-BlackBerry? Please tell me you're being facetious.

[koroshiyax]

Wait, so now even RIM customers are anti-BlackBerry? Please tell me you're being facetious.

I was just saying that there is a perception (I think a misguided one of course) that BlackBerry phones are really bad up Linkedin's corporate chain. I never said anything about BB customers being anti-Blackberry. And if anything, from my impression, those employees who are being forced off their BBs are unhappy about it.

[Goldwing07]

Haliburton replacing 4500 BB,s with iphones, on news today.

[Economist101]

I was just saying that there is a perception (I think a misguided one of course) that BlackBerry phones are really bad up Linkedin's corporate chain. I never said anything about BB customers being anti-Blackberry. And if anything, from my impression, those employees who are being forced off their BBs are unhappy about it.

In this case, you mentioned "corporate issued BlackBerrys," which means LinkedIn is the customer. So yes, your post implied that a RIM corporate customer is in fact "anti-BlackBerry." This would be a recent development, as LinkedIn is only 9 years old, and from what I understand it still has the same management it's always had.

[blackhawksfan75]

This is not really surprising as Linkedin has basically stopped supporting the Blackberry platform. The app is not even available for OS 7. If Haliburton, Linkedin, or whoever else feels the need to make a switch to a different device all the power to them if they are paying for it. If the employee wants to stay with a particular device for personal use then it is up to them.

[koroshiyax]

This is not really surprising as Linkedin has basically stopped supporting the Blackberry platform. The app is not even available for OS 7. If Haliburton, Linkedin, or whoever else feels the need to make a switch to a different device all the power to them if they are paying for it. If the employee wants to stay with a particular device for personal use then it is up to them.

In that case, then I'm unfortunately not being facetious. Do note that this is just information based on hearsay between low-level Linkedin employees (Anti-BB perception). The only thing I was able to confirm for sure is that a small number of employees are being forced to switch to other platforms. Like I said previously, I've no idea if it's company-wide or not.

[diegonei]

Just download the app from their site if you're using OS7. LinkedIn for BlackBerry | LinkedIn

The good news is: OS2 will have some level of integration with linkedin. That means BB10 will as well. Add the ProInsights app in and you won't really want their app.

[Economist101]

This is not really surprising as Linkedin has basically stopped supporting the Blackberry platform. The app is not even available for OS 7. If Haliburton, Linkedin, or whoever else feels the need to make a switch to a different device all the power to them if they are paying for it. If the employee wants to stay with a particular device for personal use then it is up to them.

Okay I think you're in the wrong forum. You're probably looking for "rational- people-who-just-want-great-devices.com"

Don't worry, it happens all the time.

[anthogag]

So this is the new angle trolls are using to cause a stir in this forum.

Obviously LinkedIn is a network for business and a huge chunk are probably BB users. Alienating BlackBerry by not making an app for the phone is nonsense.

This is probably to be expected leading up to the launch of OS2. Recent OS2 videos are showing the playbook is about to 'arrive' and trolls are losing the ability to criticize software shortcomings

[missing_K-W]

Trolls ......silly.....silly....trolls....The reality is if RIM wasn't as significant a player on the global market, they wouldn't receive any attention at all. Not too mention negative attention. lol

[Economist101]

Obviously LinkedIn is a network for business and a huge chunk are probably BB users. Alienating BlackBerry by not making an app for the phone is nonsense.

When you use terms like "probably," it makes it sound like you don't really know what you're saying to be true, and are just guessing. Additionally, it seems logical to me that if LinkedIn was at all worried about "alienating BlackBerry" (I'm not sure how you alienate a phone, but okay) then there'd be a BlackBerry app. Therefore, either BB users aren't a "huge chunk" of their user base, or they aren't concerned about alienating anyone.

[missing_K-W]

Companies will adapt to technology that best suits their needs...For this all 4 major NA os platforms will find a home that best suits them. Different companies...different needs....For RIM. One door closes, another door opens.

[johnenglish]

A friend of mine who works for AMD told me that most people there are switching over to iPhones. It's not being mandated but everyone is being "strongly encourged" to hand in their BBs for a new iPhone 4S.

[tack]

Most of you don't seem to know what the term troll means.

[fernandez21]

Most of you don't seem to know what the term troll means.

Sure we do, it's anyone who says or hints at anything negative about rim and its products. Duh!

[menaknow]

Trolls ......silly.....silly....trolls....The reality is if RIM wasn't as significant a player on the global market, they wouldn't receive any attention at all. Not too mention negative attention. lol

LOL, so true.

So anyone hear what that Windows Phone been up to nowadays btw?

[menaknow]

It's not being mandated but everyone is being "strongly encourged" to hand in their BBs for a new iPhone 4S.

Wonder why the encouragement?

If it is BES, with the assumption that now people can use iPhones to connect to there corporate emails would BIS be an option? (This is an assumption on my part) but wouldn't BIS just be a cause based on a the data plan and not an extra cost on the company?

[AWDragon200]

I just heard from someone working at Linkedin that their employees using corporate Blackberry smartphones are being forced to switch to either iPhone or Android in the coming weeks.

I wasn't told if this is a company-wide mandate or just for specific departments.

This is an unfortunate development, and hopefully it doesn't turn into a trend in the corp world. Supposedly there's a large anti-Blackberry movement/perception over there from the top down, and it may or may not also explain the lack of support and updates for their BB Linkedin app.

I find it baffling the recent spate of news of Haliburton and now LinkedIn switching over to iPhone from BB. What possible advantage do they see here? What is compelling them to make such a capital expenditure? I wonder if it is mainly a USA phenomenon?

[iN8ter]

So this is the new angle trolls are using to cause a stir in this forum.

Obviously LinkedIn is a network for business and a huge chunk are probably BB users. Alienating BlackBerry by not making an app for the phone is nonsense.

This is probably to be expected leading up to the launch of OS2. Recent OS2 videos are showing the playbook is about to 'arrive' and trolls are losing the ability to criticize software shortcomings

Edit:

WI = windows phones. This app sucks.


The fact that OS 2 is almost a year late is rough criticism with no external input necessary.

And WI does phones had LinkedIn integration 6 months ago.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

[iN8ter]

I find it baffling the recent spate of news of Haliburton and now LinkedIn switching over to iPhone from BB. What possible advantage do they see here? What is compelling them to make such a capital expenditure? I wonder if it is mainly a USA phenomenon?

They can get rid of BES. Which not only costs Money to run, but you need someone to admin it. Its yet another thing that can break needs updates etc. Plus, every other platform on the planet supports ActiveSync. It can save a ton of cash to migrate off of BB to other platforms for businesses with large fleets of smartphones. Those people don't run besx clusters, sorry.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

[Laura Knotek]

They can get rid of BES. Which not only costs Money to run, but you need someone to admin it. Its yet another thing that can break needs updates etc. Plus, every other platform on the planet supports ActiveSync. It can save a ton of cash to migrate off of BB to other platforms for businesses with large fleets of smartphones. Those people don't run besx clusters, sorry.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

In addition, rather than supplying the device and paying for the entire cost of the plan, most companies that allow other devices than Blackberry do not pay for the entire cost. They provide a stipend to an employee to purchase a device and supplement part of the voice/data plan. They also are not responsible for dealing with replacement if the employee loses or damages his device. They will remotely wipe the device if it is lost, but the employee has to pay the cost of replacing it.

[BitPusher2600]

In addition, rather than supplying the device and paying for the entire cost of the plan, most companies that allow other devices than Blackberry do not pay for the entire cost. They provide a stipend to an employee to purchase a device and supplement part of the voice/data plan. They also are not responsible for dealing with replacement if the employee loses or damages his device. They will remotely wipe the device if it is lost, but the employee has to pay the cost of replacing it.

And there good sir is the real root of the subject, I would bet

[palmless]

And there good sir is the real root of the subject, I would bet

Yep. Employees gladly foot part of the bill to pick their device.

Also, LinkedIn is probably promoting "Eat our own dog food", have the employees use the devices customers use, or at least in proportion to the customer base. If 10% of LinkedIn customers have (for example) one phone OS and app, LinkedIn benefits by having roughly the same percentage of their employees have that phone OS and app. Free, built in QA team if you match the employee usage patterns with the customer usage patterns.

BYOD will get this close without any intervention on LinkedIn's part.

[JasW]

Just download the app from their site if you're using OS7. LinkedIn for BlackBerry | LinkedIn

The good news is: OS2 will have some level of integration with linkedin. That means BB10 will as well. Add the ProInsights app in and you won't really want their app.

The current version truly is an awful app. You're better off relying on email for notifications and the like, because the app won't tell you unless you refresh. Also, it runs constantly in the background, as you can see in App Switcher. And (probably for that reason) it's a memory leaker. There's a reason it's unavailable in App World for OS 7. I would not suggest that anyone sideload it.