[Superfly_FR]

I've been reading this morning the wise & aware post of Chris about TAT.
For almost a year, I've been tracking almost any move of RIM, being a fan -yes- but also as a marketing aware guy. I guess RIM staff is clever enough and don't need such inputs, so this is more a question than an advise ... so I can go "freestyle".

1. Great specs and capabilities
RIM is building a complex Vertical + Horizontal strategy. To summarize, let's say they are vertical with devices, deploying a unified OS on both tablets and phones and a mixed vertical and horizontal with servers, deploying a full featured solution for BB devices and integrating other devices with a lower range of features. Let's name theses; OS10 for devices and BES + mobile Fusion (incl. Balance) for servers.

2. Features, features and features.
On the device side - mostly on its POC PlayBook - RIM has implemented some key features that are really powerful and innovative and others that - at least - matches current opponents level. They raised the PB at the current "state of the art". Once again; let's name some :
- Bridge witch should be #1 advantage, while it has been turned into a *boo* at launch, because the only message that has been associated with it (by media) was "PB is irrelevant if you don't have a BB phone". Hopefully, with the new capabilities like "open on PlayBook" and remote capabilities, plus the new natives and unified mail+contacts+calendar+video+PIM apps, this can be turned into a real advantage.
- Android "emulation" is also a key feature, but once again, it has not been demonstrated as an advantage, but as a promise that AppWorld will grow, because Android devs will join the dance and eventually embrace the dev "unified" environment (read :" yada-yada" for John Does). This time, just one example : Ghost commander. How many times did we read here "damm, i cannot access my network files, it s**s" ? It was a missing key feature to many. It's not anymore, with a free app you can install and run in a snap. How did I know ? Did you ? I'm a lucky boy, I can tell. Not that lucky, 'cause I'm a CB hard reader ... but Mr J. Doe isn't.
- HD video and HDMI. have you EVER heard about his out of technical news/forums/blogs ? This feature is awesome yet never brought to the front for customers.

3. Time line
All of these features have been revealed or updated to a "ready to market" level one after each other; those (like me) that were screening this can assemble this and have a quite precise idea of what "it can bring to user", for others it's just a couple of anecdotes.
I recently shared some findings about PB with one of my friends (@Charles_Nouyrit) that has a great knowledge of the market & its perception. What was his answer ? "Well, that's very cool, indeed, but others can and will do the same in no time ...". Bummer.

Even if I stick to these sole 3 points (there is much more, I guess) I can't understand why RIM isn't running at least some viral, turning theses into concrete experiences. C'mon, just 4 blackberry videos, no need of worldwide advertising campaigns. Something we can use to demonstrate on our FB pages or whenever someone asks :"hey, looks coll, but do I need this ?" :

- I'm a BB OS7 phone user, what can I gain with a PB ?
- I don't have a BB phone, what can I do with a PB ?
- I'm a corporate employee, why is the PB cool for me ?
- I'm a small/mid-size corporate owner, how RIM can help me ?

Yes, tons of novelties and messages will be released with OS10, witch seems to be the expected momentum and, in the background, the resistance sharpens its weapons. Good.
But now, right now, the puzzle needs to be completed into a clear usage advantage, not only into a brand image "I'm bold and I'm proud" kinda message. PB + BB phone is to me one of the most profitable experience I've made after over 20 years in the IT world; put some music on it, make it sexy ... and start selling it !

So, this was supposed to be a question ... then : what do you think ?

EDIT : WOW ... these guys are good ... sooo fast ...
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-pla...s-new-features

[Sith_Apprentice]

This is very well written and thought out from a marketing perspective. RIM needs to use their twitter, FB, youtube, and blog posts MUCH more effectively. Its "free" advertising.

Oh yeah, and market DIRECTLY to existing BB users. Send PINs out with links, coupons, downloads, etc.

[anthogag]

I think they need to do what they say...they make "tools not toys"

Make the native functionality (flow, integration, features, specs, etc.) in the playbook and upcoming BB10 phones as strong as possible.

Give us the cool stuff we're seeing at conferences It's much cooler to demo a feature at a conference and state we'll get it shortly after

50% of the apps in App World suck (App World garbage)...don't rely on developers to make the playbook an awesome device

[Dapper37]

Good read, thanks. I agree, although BB10 Launch will produce the most coherent time to come out with a blitz of the complete story, perhaps? Thats not saying they don't have a story to tell right now. Maybe they should at least, start planting the seeds of the future add blitz.
There's good buzz right now and RIM needs to start capitalizing.

[Superfly_FR]

[...] There's good buzz right now and RIM needs to start capitalizing.

+1 with all, but on this particular point this is precisely why they could illustrate, to popularize the usages that can already be made with the devices. Something easy, concrete and in some ways sexier. Feed the buzz, not with concepts, but with true and simple stories.

[Superfly_FR]

I think they need to do what they say...they make "tools not toys"
Make the native functionality (flow, integration, features, specs, etc.) in the playbook and upcoming BB10 phones as strong as possible.
Give us the cool stuff we're seeing at conferences It's much cooler to demo a feature at a conference and state we'll get it shortly after
50% of the apps in App World suck (App World garbage)...don't rely on developers to make the playbook an awesome device

Yes, I agree, but this is on our point of view. And neither you or I are John Does ...
OS7 / PB OS2 need to be shown in action. It'll take a while until OS10 hit the wide market ...
Couldn't they raise some kind of communication with a few simple concepts and materials and hire some rocking community managers ? Just take 1 from the 100 million announced communication expenses; I bet it'll do the trick .

[addicted44]

There's good buzz right now and RIM needs to start capitalizing.

I disagree.

1) There is no buzz outside the Blackberry fan circle. There is a lot of opportunity to create buzz, with the release of OS2.0 the way the OP is suggesting, but as things stand, no one who doesn't obsessively visit Crackberry, or already owns a PB, knows, or cares about OS2.0. And this is true even in RIM strongholds.

2) I think this might be a good (well, not good, but essential) thing. The fact is that RIM cannot promote OS2.0 too much because it invites the obvious question of why BBs are running outdated OSes. It serves to further Osborne current selling BB devices.

Crackberry obsesses a lot over the Playbook. However, as RIM is also aware, the Playbook's ONLY purpose is to allow developers to have a stable of apps ready when BB10s are released. The Playbook is a huge loss making venture for RIM. Their bread is buttered completely on the Blackberry side.

It would be foolhardy for RIM to possibly imperil current BB devices (which they make money on) in an effort to further popularize Playbooks (which they lose money on).

What they should be doing is preparing for a massive marketing blitz when BB10 is released. In the meanwhile focus on marketing BB7 devices to customers to keep your cash flow running, and market PBs to developers, so they familiarize themselves with RIM dev tools before BB10 devices are released. And this seems to be the strategy RIM is indeed employing.

[Superfly_FR]

I disagree.

1) There is no buzz outside the Blackberry fan circle. There is a lot of opportunity to create buzz, with the release of OS2.0 the way the OP is suggesting, but as things stand, no one who doesn't obsessively visit Crackberry, or already owns a PB, knows, or cares about OS2.0. And this is true even in RIM strongholds.

2) I think this might be a good (well, not good, but essential) thing. The fact is that RIM cannot promote OS2.0 too much because it invites the obvious question of why BBs are running outdated OSes. It serves to further Osborne current selling BB devices.

Crackberry obsesses a lot over the Playbook. However, as RIM is also aware, the Playbook's ONLY purpose is to allow developers to have a stable of apps ready when BB10s are released. The Playbook is a huge loss making venture for RIM. Their bread is buttered completely on the Blackberry side.

It would be foolhardy for RIM to possibly imperil current BB devices (which they make money on) in an effort to further popularize Playbooks (which they lose money on).

What they should be doing is preparing for a massive marketing blitz when BB10 is released. In the meanwhile focus on marketing BB7 devices to customers to keep your cash flow running, and market PBs to developers, so they familiarize themselves with RIM dev tools before BB10 devices are released. And this seems to be the strategy RIM is indeed employing.

Agree with that, this is the $99 millions left is about.
But in the meantime and - you're right - especially for OS 6/7 owners, explainig what benefice the PB can bring (both personal and pro usage) is a 2ble win message :
1. Get it now to expand your phone experience
2. Will become even better when OS10 is out.
I see it as a parallel to the developers strategy : get it now, it's cool and will last.
The combo effect is IMHO a chance; while phones are going to be more an more "the same", the combination of phone+tablet and their close collaboration is innovative.

Side :
This pops me an idea about future usage of mobile devices.
What if tomorrow's trend is ... "a phone to phone, a tablet for the rest" ?
For the price of a high grade smartphone ... you've got a BB phone (+ bridge + BBM) and a tablet.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I've been reading this morning the wise & aware post of Chris about TAT.
For almost a year, I've been tracking almost any move of RIM, being a fan -yes- but also as a marketing aware guy. I guess RIM staff is clever enough and don't need such inputs, so this is more a question than an advise ... so I can go "freestyle".

What did you base this assumption on????

RIM has a lot of potential if they can get everything DONE. And then let everyone know about it...

[Superfly_FR]

What did you base this assumption on????

I meant "more clever than me", probably

[addicted44]

Agree with that, this is the $99 millions left is about.
But in the meantime and - you're right - especially for OS 6/7 owners, explainig what benefice the PB can bring (both personal and pro usage) is a 2ble win message :
1. Get it now to expand your phone experience
2. Will become even better when OS10 is out.
I see it as a parallel to the developers strategy : get it now, it's cool and will last.
The combo effect is IMHO a chance; while phones are going to be more an more "the same", the combination of phone+tablet and their close collaboration is innovative.

Side :
This pops me an idea about future usage of mobile devices.
What if tomorrow's trend is ... "a phone to phone, a tablet for the rest" ?
For the price of a high grade smartphone ... you've got a BB phone (+ bridge + BBM) and a tablet.

That makes sense. They should certainly at least focus on existing users, and show them how the PB enhances their BB7 experience. If nothing else, it might help stem some of the bleeding.