[kidcalis]

Interesting interview and he is currently using an BB10 Z10 Porsche version and new owner of his baby (Passport) .

Check it out :

Ex-BlackBerry CEO Heins: 'I have no regrets' (Q&A) - CNET

Posted via CB10

[sk8er_tor]

Yes, he is.
But this was clear from before because John Chen said so when Mr. Chen took to the stage and said he can take credit for the Passport simply because he didn't chop it and let it be a device that came to fruition.

[jojo beaconsfield]

I think it was consieved about 7 years ago, so I don't think so ,and any ways that piece of s+++ said that he thought that BB was to Innovative for it's own good,remember that? lol

[sandman10]

Nope, the Passport was around since the Lazaridis days. He wasn't sure about it at the time. Then when shown to Heins, he wasn't sure about it either and didn't green light it.

Then they showed it to Chen, and he wasn't sure about it either but ultimately gave it the green light when the ppl behind the PP project were relentless and complained that they 'didn't want to make another iphone'.

Thanks to Chen for not killing the PP and green lighting it!

Posted via CB10

[Fistmaster]

I miss him. He stands for the new Blackberry , new start, new devices, new OS. So sad that things didn't worked out very well.

[thurask]

I believe the first phone entirely conceived, developed and released under Chen is the Classic. Z3 is 95% the same as the Kopi/Cafe, and work on 8974/Passport/Ontario started before TH left.

Posted via CB10

[BBUniq01]

I think it is pretty cool that he uses BlackBerrys even after being ousted.

Posted via Q10 with 1154

[Prem WatsApp]

He was a COO.
Not practical in a CEO role.
That created quite a few problems when he was at the helm.

:-D

? ? ? Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[jimlockhead]

I think it is pretty cool that he uses BlackBerrys even after being ousted.

Posted via Q10 with 1154

Why not, with millions of dollars pay off.

Posted via CB10

[webber27]

I think it is pretty cool that he uses BlackBerrys even after being ousted.

Posted via Q10 with 1154

BB10 was his "baby". It makes sense that he's still loyal.

Posted via CB10

[SuperionMaximus]

I believe the first phone entirely conceived, developed and released under Chen is the Classic. Z3 is 95% the same as the Kopi/Cafe, and work on 8974/Passport/Ontario started before TH left.

Posted via CB10

There is no such thing yet as a phone developed under John Chen. Even the Z3 and the Foxconn deal were well in the works under Thorsten Heins. John Chen took over the job and signed the papers, but the deal was primarily negotiated and the Z3 planned under Mr Heins. The Classic was also originally the Z20 and was well into development when John Chen took over. All BlackBerry 10 phones to date are Thorsten Heins phones.

Ron Louks, the guy John Chen Hired as President of Devices, filling a role that Thorsten Heins' held in his role as COO before he became CEO, has only been on the job since January of this year. Not long enough for a product to come to fruition from drawing board to market. I'm sure he's got great stuff in the pipeline for us next year and has had an impact on the product road map for this year, but we have not yet seen his work in the form of a phone first hand or even in prototype form yet. That may come at Mobile World Congress next March. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with.

[SuperionMaximus]

Nope, the Passport was around since the Lazaridis days. He wasn't sure about it at the time. Then when shown to Heins, he wasn't sure about it either and didn't green light it.

Then they showed it to Chen, and he wasn't sure about it either but ultimately gave it the green light when the ppl behind the PP project were relentless and complained that they 'didn't want to make another iphone'.

Thanks to Chen for not killing the PP and green lighting it!

Posted via CB10

Did you even read the interview? The one where Thorsten Heins himself says, referring to the Passport; "It was the last phone I designed with my team. That keyboard as a touchpad -- it's so cool."

Heins absolutely intended the Passport to see a consumer launch. All BlackBerry phones to date are Thorsten Heins Phones. The Classic was delayed by John Chen as it was originally supposed to launch before the Passport as the Z20. But the Z3, Z20, P'9983, and the Passport are all phones that Thorsten Heins had in the pipeline.

We will likely see what John Chen's guy, current President of Devices Ron Louks, hired this passed January, can do with his team, and what they have in store come Mobile World Congress in March 2015. That's when we will see the post-Thorsten Heins hardware era at BlackBerry begin. Considering prior to becoming CEO, Thorsten was COO in charge of hardware, and brought us such notable devices as the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and later devices at the peak of BlackBerry popularity, we've all been enjoying the contributions Mr Heins has made at BlackBerry for awhile. He may not have been the guy to lead BlackBerry back to growth, but he did contribute allot to BlackBerry.

[OneofLittleHarmony]

Nope, the Passport was around since the Lazaridis days. He wasn't sure about it at the time. Then when shown to Heins, he wasn't sure about it either and didn't green light it.

Then they showed it to Chen, and he wasn't sure about it either but ultimately gave it the green light when the ppl behind the PP project were relentless and complained that they 'didn't want to make another iphone'.

Thanks to Chen for not killing the PP and green lighting it!

Posted via CB10

What else has been around since those days that is yet to come?

Posted via CB10

[spikesolie]

Did you even read the interview? The one where Thorsten Heins himself says, referring to the Passport; "It was the last phone I designed with my team. That keyboard as a touchpad -- it's so cool."

Heins absolutely intended the Passport to see a consumer launch. All BlackBerry phones to date are Thorsten Heins Phones. The Classic was delayed by John Chen as it was originally supposed to launch before the Passport as the Z20. But the Z3, Z20, P'9983, and the Passport are all phones that Thorsten Heins had in the pipeline.

We will likely see what John Chen's guy, current President of Devices Ron Louks, hired this passed January, can do with his team, and what they have in store come Mobile World Congress in March 2015. That's when we will see the post-Thorsten Heins hardware era at BlackBerry begin. Considering prior to becoming CEO, Thorsten was COO in charge of hardware, and brought us such notable devices as the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and later devices at the peak of BlackBerry popularity, we've all been enjoying the contributions Mr Heins has made at BlackBerry for awhile. He may not have been the guy to lead BlackBerry back to growth, but he did contribute allot to BlackBerry.

Well Chen said the pp was 6 years of work in the making. Surely heins didn't design z10, q10, z30, q5 and passport all in one swoop. All you other phones are so different from it I refuse to believe. He didn't even eeke release a keyboard phone at first and I'm a touchscreen guy but even I know keyboards and bb

Posted from zee flicking coolest smartphone evah!

[Bla1ze]

Well.. 2012 the idea of a wide device was there. But there's no debate it would have been in development in Thorsten's time and design choices were made then as well.



https://twitter.com/Bla1ze/status/531985410465865728

[bakron1]

Well.. 2012 the idea of a wide device was there. But there's no debate it would have been in development in Thorsten's time and design choices were made then as well.



https://twitter.com/Bla1ze/status/531985410465865728

Good point and to me, I really don't care who gets credit for this great device, I am just happy that it became a reality.

Sent from my Lovely Passport on T Mobile USA

[sandman10]

Did you even read the interview? The one where Thorsten Heins himself says, referring to the Passport; "It was the last phone I designed with my team. That keyboard as a touchpad -- it's so cool."

.

Heinz is a muppett. Plain and simple....

Please read this article...... (I've found Globe and Mail to be very accurate when it comes to BB reporting, they surely have a reliable sources inside the company)

-"Former co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis liked the screen size but felt it was too drastic to alter the keyboard, say people familiar with the matter. Successor Thorsten Heins and other executives were skeptical because Passport tested poorly with focus groups." ......... Heins wasn't crazy about it!

-"the company was working on it 7 years ago".... long before Heins was CEO

-"Finally, in 2013, the Passport was placed on the company’s product “road map.” Prototypes were ready by early 2014, when a new group of executives under Mr. Chen joined." ........... imho, Heins was more focused on selling the company and his golden parachute rather than launching the Passport.



-"But it had staunch defenders who protected the product in part by arguing that if companies were led by focus group feedback that “you’d make an iPhone every time,” one insider said."

Screw the focus groups...... I'm glad Chen pushed this through. Great outside-the-box thinking from BlackBerry!



With Passport, BlackBerry bets on 'polarizing' device - The Globe and Mail

[Hlao-roo]

If Heins is the father, who is the mother?

[Hlao-roo]

For some reason I'm imagining the Passport clinging precariously to a gantry overlooking an abyss as a menacing Mike Lazaridis stands above it, proclaiming, "No, I am your father!"

[mnc76]

Why not, with millions of dollars pay off.

Posted via CB10

Good point!!! It's hard to harbour any ill will after that dump truck of money arrived at his front door LOL!

Posted from my awesome White Z30

[RyanGermann]

Heinz is a muppett. Plain and simple....

Please read this article...... (I've found Globe and Mail to be very accurate when it comes to BB reporting, they surely have a reliable sources inside the company)

-"Former co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis liked the screen size but felt it was too drastic to alter the keyboard, say people familiar with the matter. Successor Thorsten Heins and other executives were skeptical because Passport tested poorly with focus groups." ......... Heins wasn't crazy about it!

-"the company was working on it 7 years ago".... long before Heins was CEO

-"Finally, in 2013, the Passport was placed on the company’s product “road map.” Prototypes were ready by early 2014, when a new group of executives under Mr. Chen joined." ........... imho, Heins was more focused on selling the company and his golden parachute rather than launching the Passport.

-"But it had staunch defenders who protected the product in part by arguing that if companies were led by focus group feedback that “you’d make an iPhone every time,” one insider said."

Screw the focus groups...... I'm glad Chen pushed this through. Great outside-the-box thinking from BlackBerry!

With Passport, BlackBerry bets on 'polarizing' device - The Globe and Mail

If Thor is taking "credit" for the Passport, it's because it's relatively successful and it looks good on him. I didn't think it was possible that I could like Thor even less, but now I do.

[IndianTiwari]

The idea might have been conceived during Thorsten days but the architect of success has been only Chen and Chen. Chen inherited a company from Thorsten which many predicted was nearing it's end.

Posted via BlackBerry Passport

[lnichols]

I got the impression from the video that this has possibly been in the works since Mike and Jim were running the show.

Posted via CB10

[crackedup77]

If Heins is the father, who is the mother?

Well technically, Chen is the mommy. However long it has been in progress or who was responsible for its conception, he 'delivered' it.



Posted via CB10

[garpt]

The idea might have been conceived during Thorsten days but the architect of success has been only Chen and Chen. Chen inherited a company from Thorsten which many predicted was nearing it's end.

Posted via BlackBerry Passport

Correct. A lot has to do with perception. There is certainly, at least currently, a positive energy re: Blackberry's future since Chen took over. With perception comes the right business decisions. Whether the Passport concept was developed 6, 8, or 2 years ago, Chen was the guy in place when the decision was made to market it. So far, his strategies and decisions have garnered positive percepitons and press regarding the direction of the company.
That is the first step. Time will tell.
2015 will be a very important year for Blackberry's viability moving forward.