[johnmarki]

Hello everyone,

While doing some tweeting/research today for my company, I came across a tweet linking to Slates columnist @fmanjoo. I dont know if manjoo has a grudge against RIM, but it seems he couldn't just be objective about BlackBerry and provide a real critique about the Playbook. I haven't heard much from this writer, and would like to know what my fellow crackberry peers know about this guy and Slate in general. IMO, he seems jaded. Maybe the Crackberry community can enlighten him!

The name of the article is; BlackBerry Playbook: How did RIM Lose its Way? by Farhad Manjoo

B/C I'm a new member I'm unable to post links.

[Shao128]

Heres the link: BlackBerry Playbook: How did Research in Motion lose its way? - By Farhad Manjoo - Slate Magazine

And its appropriate that the author starts the article with

First, a confession: I haven't used the BlackBerry PlayBook yet.

[johnmarki]

Thank you for posting the link. The first line is absolutely all that anyone should need to read, to fully understand where the article is going! hahaha.

[jd914]

"the PlayBook doesn't include any apps to access your email, calendar and address book. To get those things, you've got to have a BlackBerry phone, too. The PlayBook pairs with the phone, and gives you access to the phone's e-mail, calendar, and address book. Does this sound insane?"

This is actually an observation of many professional reviewers and the concern of many. I personally don't see how how the PB can be a success if it doesn't cater to the public who are non Blackberry owners. Right out of the box you need a Blackberry, this is a recipe for failure IMO.

[andrewmcwhirter]

These reviews are becoming very comical to read. As a technophile I would be super stoked to see a product like the Playbook come to the market.

The Playbook will be a hit for RIM, unfortunately they will have a harder time proving themselves and making it into the mainstream consumer market with the internet filled with articles like these. It will take a bit of time for them to impress the general public again, but I am confident they are going in the right direction.

[i7guy]

No need to read any further than the 1st line. If it had been an ipad, starting off with that first line, there would have been an uprising.

I'm personally very happy with the strategy of the BlackBerry Bridge, it makes the device more useful to me than having the same email replicated.

It seems there might be 60 million reasons RIM adopted this strategy for the initial release.

[jd914]

These reviews are becoming very comical to read. As a technophile I would be super stoked to see a product like the Playbook come to the market.

The Playbook will be a hit for RIM, unfortunately they will have a harder time proving themselves and making it into the mainstream consumer market with the internet filled with articles like these. It will take a bit of time for them to impress the general public again, but I am confident they are going in the right direction.

How would you go about selling a PB to someone who doesn't own or doesn't have any intentions of wanting to own a Blackberry? How would you make it appealing to the general public right out of the box?

[jd914]

No need to read any further than the 1st line. If it had been an ipad, starting off with that first line, there would have been an uprising.

I'm personally very happy with the strategy of the BlackBerry Bridge, it makes the device more useful to me than having the same email replicated.

It seems there might be 60 million reasons RIM adopted this strategy for the initial release.

Doesn't mean those aren't the right reasons. No denying Blackberry has millions of users who are happy with their devices but that doesn't mean those millions are all going to purchase a Playbook. What about everyone else who isn't a Blackberry user? those who want's a tablet device for email,calendar and address book access, you know what comes stock with other tables devices?

[BlackStormRising]

When they launch a tablet targeted at the consumer it will have email and calendar. But there is no need to rush that just yet. From my window I see an iPad market, a Kindle market and a decent niche for the Playbook in businesses. It's a tough sell to consumers at the moment, evidenced by the row of cemetery tablets collecting dust at your nearest retailer.

[johnenglish]

RIM has stated from the the beginning that the PlayBook is "BlackBerry amplified". They've made no secret that they are specifically targetting people that already own BlackBerrys.

It seems that a lot of people have an idea of what a tablet *should be* and if it doesn't meet those requirements then it's a failure. I'd suggest that there's room in the market for several different tablet styles and modes of functionality.

[tkwolf]

How would you go about selling a PB to someone who doesn't own or doesn't have any intentions of wanting to own a Blackberry? How would you make it appealing to the general public right out of the box?

Question: How are you ALWAYS on every ANTI-BLACKBERRY threads mr. non blackberry user?

edit. so are you with us? lol

[BlackStormRising]

He's not anti-blackberry. You don't post 2700 times about a device that bores you.

[_StephenBB81]

How would you go about selling a PB to someone who doesn't own or doesn't have any intentions of wanting to own a Blackberry? How would you make it appealing to the general public right out of the box?

How do you make a Lawn tractor appealing to the general public?

[ren.saiyuri]

Doesn't mean those aren't the right reasons. No denying Blackberry has millions of users who are happy with their devices but that doesn't mean those millions are all going to purchase a Playbook. What about everyone else who isn't a Blackberry user? those who want's a tablet device for email,calendar and address book access, you know what comes stock with other tables devices?

Well, let's think about that here. You've either got the PlayBook, the iPad 2, or the Xoom. The PlayBook and the iPad 2 are about the same price, while the Xoom is a whopping $300 over the base models of both the PlayBook and the iPad 2.

Odds are you're not going to be able to find an iPad 2 without holding someone at gunpoint, so there's that. The Xoom is pretty much available anywhere, but only because it sucks so much.
The PlayBook is just coming out. It's got a decent price point, incredible potential following updates. And there's really no immediate issues with manufacturing parts and/or shipping.

I'm not a mathematician, but I'm pretty sure the math ends up on the PB's side.

[ren.saiyuri]

How would you go about selling a PB to someone who doesn't own or doesn't have any intentions of wanting to own a Blackberry? How would you make it appealing to the general public right out of the box?

I intend on keeping my PlayBook with me at work. That way I can demo one if need be. Even though I'm in PCHO, not Mobile. But sometimes I do get pulled over there. Our stores Apple Expert keeps his iPad 2 on him for that exact reason.

[jd914]

How do you make a Lawn tractor appealing to the general public?

To with that analogy we can surmise that the Playbook will be a niche market item, thanks for the clarification.

[jd914]

Question: How are you ALWAYS on every ANTI-BLACKBERRY threads mr. non blackberry user?

edit. so are you with us? lol

Your join date Feb 2011

My Join date April 2008

It's safe to say I have had more Blackberry devices that you have ever had.

Do us all a favor and read more and p0st less

[tkwolf]

Your join date Feb 2011

My Join date April 2008

It's safe to say I have had more Blackberry devices that you have ever had.

Do us all a favor and read more and p0st less

love your sarcasm babe

ps. idk about reading more and posting less, im no genuis like you

[zensen]

I put this tool in the same category as walt mossberg regarding their take on the playbook.

[red777]

Your join date Feb 2011

My Join date April 2008

It's safe to say I have had more Blackberry devices that you have ever had.

Do us all a favor and read more and p0st less

Wow! What is your problem?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Skeevecr]

Doesn't mean those aren't the right reasons. No denying Blackberry has millions of users who are happy with their devices but that doesn't mean those millions are all going to purchase a Playbook. What about everyone else who isn't a Blackberry user?

Even if you did make the incorrect assumption that only people who used a blackberry would want this high performing and portable tablet, their sales target for the year amounts to basically only 10% of those blackberry customers anyway.

[Skeevecr]

Your join date Feb 2011

My Join date April 2008

It's safe to say I have had more Blackberry devices that you have ever had.

Why should previous ownership entitle you to continue to **** up threads on this board?

Do us all a favor and read more and p0st less

Perhaps you could do the rest of us a favour and take your own advice.

[_StephenBB81]

To with that analogy we can surmise that the Playbook will be a niche market item, thanks for the clarification.

I wont argue with that.

The Playbook in it's current iteration is very much a niche market item

it's primary target is the Blackberry carrying Enterprise user, with a secondary target of the Blackberry carrying Consumer.

with the software addition of an email client in the coming months, it will branch out to gaining traction for other users, and then further when a 3G/4G version is released, and further Still when a 9-11" version is released, and so on and so on.

ALL TABLETS are a niche market, catering to different Niches

[sleepngbear]

I wont argue with that.

The Playbook in it's current iteration is very much a niche market item

it's primary target is the Blackberry carrying Enterprise user, with a secondary target of the Blackberry carrying Consumer.

with the software addition of an email client in the coming months, it will branch out to gaining traction for other users, and then further when a 3G/4G version is released, and further Still when a 9-11" version is released, and so on and so on.

ALL TABLETS are a niche market, catering to different Niches

So glad to see somebody else gets it. And just to add to that, the reason they are initially targeting BlackBerry users is that's where they have the best shot at gaining traction out of the gate. As it's been been noted in a number of articles now, it would be futile to attempt to go at Apple and the iPad head-to-head by targeting non-BlackBerry consumers. The approach RIM is taking makes sense.

I cannot understand why so many people seem to think the initial release of this thing will be the final version.

[i7guy]

Rim I think has to differentiate why the playbook makes sense for consumers, I don't think they can go this until an email client is delivered.

As a blackberry owner I know why I prefer the playbook over the ipad, but most nonsavvy consumers won't.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com