[rickbansal]

Tom Krazit, On Saturday October 15, 2011, 5:00 am EDT

Dear Research in Motion (NSDQ:RIMM - News) co-CEO Mike Lazaridis:

Yeah, I know, it�s another gimmicky open letter to a CEO. There seemed no better way, however, to urge you to treat your Tuesday morning keynote address to the BlackBerry Developers Conference as the most important public appearance in the history of your company.

Never before has confidence in RIM been this low. We�ve covered at length the problems that accompanied your early-2011 realization that your hardware road map was on the wrong course, leading to delays in the launch of the BlackBerry 7 handsets. And it�s clear that those handsets are still not generating near the levels of interest that consumers are showing in the iPhone and several new Android phones launched this year.

That�s bad enough. But over the last week RIM seemed to throw away its one remaining advantage: the reliability and security of its network. Regardless of what caused the days-long BlackBerry outage, which one financial analyst called the worst outage in the history of your service, it couldn�t have come at a worse time for the company.

Millions of people bought an iPhone 4S this week, and there were enough anecdotal reports of frustrated BlackBerry users trading in their devices for iPhones to sit up and take notice: if RIM doesn�t do something to revive the strong brand name it once enjoyed, a generation of smartphone shoppers will write off the company.

And as they go, so go the developers you�ll be addressing Tuesday. That�s why you need to treat this address like you�re fighting for your company�s life, because in a way, you are.

You need to explain exactly how and exactly when RIM plans to transition from the BlackBerry OS to the QNX OS on its flagship smartphones. You need to convince developers that you finally understand the need to offer them world-class development tools and resources. You need to show both developers and consumers that you�ve learned the lessons of how to develop next-generation user interfaces on small screens.

These developers are already starting to wonder why they need you anymore. Each month the BlackBerry loses ground in the U.S. to the iPhone and Android, and if you don�t give them a reason to think that you have a plan to revive interest in the BlackBerry among CIOs and soccer moms alike, their incentive to stay with you ebbs by the month.

We�ve looked at how Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT - News) faces similar changes in trying to adapt to a world that passed it by, but Microsoft has at least begun to articulate a vision for mobile software development that resonates. An awful lot needs to happen before Microsoft regains its mojo, but it has at least succeed in piquing interest in what lies ahead.

RIM has yet to do that. QNX brings some interesting things to the table, but the first QNX device released by RIM, the Playbook, has been a disaster. It�s the second-worst mobile product launch of 2011 thanks only to the bizarre August that Hewlett Packard (NYSE:HPQ - News) orchestrated for WebOS and the TouchPad, and it has failed to capture the attention of anyone even remotely interested in technology.

If QNX is RIM�s horse to this new era of mobile software, you need to outline why the world should care in a manner that contains more substance than usually allowed by RIM�s legal and marketing departments. At the same time, you need to reassure your most loyal customers that RIM will continue to deliver a quality service that no other mobile company can hope to duplicate. That starts with being honest about the opportunities that have been missed and being clear what lessons RIM has learned.

There are two things you can no longer do: hide behind the type of jargon marketing-speak that had many wondering if you had lost your mind last December at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference, and hold back details about the plan to get QNX onto the BlackBerry. Should you once again deliver that type of address, several thousand people will walk out of the Marriott Marquis Tuesday morning shaking their heads and wondering how long the line is at the Apple (NSDQ:AAPL - News) Store just across the street.

But something got me thinking: your decision to identify yourself in the mea-culpa video for the recent outage as �founder of Research in Motion� is quite curious given that while that�s certainly true, you�re really one half of the two-man leadership team that includes your longtime colleague Jim Balsillie. Why would you not mention that you�re the boss? Have you reached a point where you�re prepared to seize control of the pioneering company you founded as a grad student all for yourself? Or have you been demoted to some sort of technology-oriented role while Balsillie continues to make the sales calls?

In other words, has RIM finally figured out what to do about its dysfunctional dual-headed management structure that you and Balsillie argued so defiantly earlier this year was best for the company and �fun� at the same time you prepared to lay off thousands amid a shareholder revolt? If so, that�s maybe the one thing that you could announce Tuesday that would get people talking, because the cloud over RIM is about more than software development: it�s about people, too.

If you�re at all determined to ensure that RIM stays afloat in the coming decade, please don�t miss this opportunity. Because a few hours after you speak Apple is going to release its first earnings report card since the death of Steve Jobs, and if you fail to capture the spotlight going into that afternoon, you may never get it back.

Sincerely,

Tom Krazit
Mobile Editor
paidContent

[Mystic205]

sheer hyperbole..


RIM needs actions not talk.

Speeches are for the press and investors and no speech is ever a substitute for timely, innovative quality products with customer appeal. The quality and reception of ANY speech is simply short term....its the company's actions that count.. for me, he could boff a giraffe on stage for all i care.. only time will tell if there is substance and strength in a new RIM direction.

[Frank2029]

RIM is going to follow their own plan and listen to no others. Thats what makes it so frustrating

[Pete6#WP]

I rather feel that the announcement speech for new QNX phones, when they arrive, will be the defining speech in RIM's story.

[rickbansal]

sheer hyperbole..


RIM needs actions not talk.

Speeches are for the press and investors and no speech is ever a substitute for timely, innovative quality products with customer appeal. The quality and reception of ANY speech is simply short term....its the company's actions that count.. for me, he could boff a giraffe on stage for all i care.. only time will tell if there is substance and strength in a new RIM direction.

No doubt there needs to be real action but it's also very important for them to outline a roadmap/strategy that's innovative, believable and realizable in the near-term. They need to execute upon that strategy in a very definitive and expeditious manner. If they don't outline something, they will not have the time to provide "real action".

[world traveler and former ceo]

RIM has a flagship product in the Bold 9900 / 9930 smartphone!! ... for the professional and business person or leader .. this is a very compelling phone! ... and IMO it is Best in Class!!

However, for the average consumer, there is a lacking "world class" product offering from RIM ATM ... Hopefully the QNX superphone, which also would deliver a world class camera, a comprehensive app environment and ecosystem, will gain back that segment of the market that has gone to Andriod or Apple ... this is key!

Playbook is a very good product that has a bad rap and poor marketing and lacked some key features out of the box ...
That needs to be addressed ASAP! ...

Hopefully Playbook 2.0 will be a good start in addressing the deficiencies ... with much more to follow on and build on, coupled with a bold marketing campaign!

Quality software must be released with fewer bugs ...to instill confidence in what was once an amazing brand ... the RIM Brand ...

execution is key ... promise then Deliver!!! ... no delays!! ... and with the highest quality!! ... speed to market is key!!! ... whatever it takes ... overtime .. get it out!!!

... just my thoughts

... a former CEO and Founder of a prominent software company ... and Waterloo CS grad.

[lnichols]

I bet their won't be much media coverage anyways, and what will be there will be slanted negative. And then the Android Ice Cream Sandwich event is on Wednesday, so no matter what the message will not be heard by many and/or will be quickly forgotten IMHO. Being sandwiched in between the iP4S and new Android OS announcements is awful (should have had DevCon in September again RIM. Anyway the only thing I want to hear on Tuesday is "Existing Playbook owners can download OS 2.0 now".

[Frank2029]

Sorry to say but the only thing RIM is lacking is the stupid addicting games that iphone has that most of which are free in the App Store.

Its unfortunate game developers dont want anything to do with RIM. No body cares about Need for speed or Sims or games like that. I dont game on my phone but this is what they need. RIM has a stellar product besides that. Even their browsing has improved drastically despite still trailing the competition. People can put up with 0.5-2 seconds slower per page. I know i can.

[louzer]

Does anybody know if either Crackberry or RIM have plans to provide a live blog and/or live or recorded video feed of the keynote on Tuesday?

[rleo25]

Deeds and Commitment ! ... we are awaiting real products delivered ASAP, strategy to lead all business areas in the right way and its corresponding time frame... should this not clearly announced on next tuesday many of us will start packing because the time for making a shift has arrived... I hope things get to the start of RIM's uprising... 3 days to go !

[menaknow]

Does anybody know if either Crackberry or RIM have plans to provide a live blog and/or live or recorded video feed of the keynote on Tuesday?

Kevin I think will be at the keynote. So most likely crackberry will have a live blog...

But I let the mods state their master plan.

[laurah2215]

Not sure this will be the biggest speech in RIM's history. Did RIM have a bad week? Sure. But companies have bad times. RIM can recover, and making a speech can be part of that recovery, but action will also determine the trajectory of that recovery. RIM needs to deliver innovative communication solutions and devices that customers and business want and need.

[bullguy]

A message from RIM Founder and Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis on the BlackBerry Service Outage [Oct. 13, 2011]

[Xterra2]

Devcon is RIM'ss chance to surprise people, and try to change their fortunes
Can't wait to see what happens @ devcon

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Tre Lawrence]

Sorry to say but the only thing RIM is lacking is the stupid addicting games that iphone has that most of which are free in the App Store.

Come again? The only thing RIM is lacking is gaming (which you profess is not needed anyway)?

[DBX00]

RIM needs the following to have a positive reaction from the press and people:

1) Drop the price permanently for the Playbook
2) Same day release of OS 2.0
3) Let developers get hands on with QNX phones or give them away at the conference
4) Most Important: Release date and domestic carrier support for QNX phones. If they play it secretive AND dont give hands on, the speech will be that they are pulling a PALM
5) Show that they've integrated all these recent acquisitions to produce a good software ecosystem
6) Release the BBX NDK and release a slate of popular apps for Playbook the following couple days so reviewers complain less about app support because of Android Player and new native apps.

Most of this seems to be on tap but letting people play with the next generation phones will be the ONLY way to create buzz. The next thing will be getting the phones out ASAP and on time.

[TBacker]

One thing is for certain: This week is the crossroad for anyone making a decision about their next phone / platform for the next two quarters.

• iPhone 4S & IOS 5 are here.
• Android ICS will be debuted along with new top tier devices from Motorola and Samsung. ICS is likely to be in consumers hands within 4 weeks.
• Microsoft WP7 Mango is out and, while market share is still very small, it's users are generally happy and growing - it's not going away anytime soon. New devices and millions in advertising are happening in Q4.
• RIM will ______________________________________.

After this week, trajectories will be set for a while, including the holidays. RIM's problem is OS7 isn't enough, and BBX isn't going to be in consumers hands for 4-5 months yet. They need to market their a$$es off, but that is their biggest weakness. This is do or (nearly) die for RIM (at least for North America). I hope they step up to the plate, but my gut says "eh, 30/70".

[Jake-44]

I agree with TBacker, RIM is at a crossroads as a company. If they cannot begin to deliver what the average consumer wants - they will quickly become a niche company focusing on their enterprise market and never catch up with Android or Apple.

At DevCon the Co-Ostriches, who had their heads stuck deep in the sand the last 2 years, better give current BB users something to cheer about - or they will quickly jump ship. They also need to stop the "coming soon" and "just wait" BS and deliver the goods - especially on OS2 for the Playbook.

[mithrazor]

One thing is for certain: This week is the crossroad for anyone making a decision about their next phone / platform for the next two quarters.

• iPhone 4S & IOS 5 are here.
• Android ICS will be debuted along with new top tier devices from Motorola and Samsung. ICS is likely to be in consumers hands within 4 weeks.
• Microsoft WP7 Mango is out and, while market share is still very small, it's users are generally happy and growing - it's not going away anytime soon. New devices and millions in advertising are happening in Q4.
• RIM will ______________________________________.

After this week, trajectories will be set for a while, including the holidays. RIM's problem is OS7 isn't enough, and BBX isn't going to be in consumers hands for 4-5 months yet. They need to market their a$$es off, but that is their biggest weakness. This is do or (nearly) die for RIM (at least for North America). I hope they step up to the plate, but my gut says "eh, 30/70".

Actually I liked what they're doing. They're leaving this holiday season for the just released Blackberries. The OS7. I'm sure they'll have bugs and whatnot to fix on the QNX phone. So pretty sure they wouldn't want a lot of people to have it and turn them away from RIM big time.

Plus the OS7 phones just came out, they're gonna try to pull as much money as they can from those.

A lot of people have been getting the new Bolds. We're talking about a company that released two phones last year. The 9780 which is pretty much the same thing as 9700. And the Torch 9800. Bad phone, but still made it to 6th most phone sold last year. If it can do that with a phone like that. I'm pretty sure they'll get farther by the holiday season with the OS7 phones.

Then after that release BBX. It also gives them time to work and polish it by then.

[rickgainsmith]

Bring on Tuesday! Then it will be bring on Q1 2012! Then bring on xyz.... Its always coming with Rim... DELIVER!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[TBacker]

We're talking about a company that released two phones last year. The 9780 which is pretty much the same thing as 9700. And the Torch 9800. Bad phone, but still made it to 6th most phone sold last year. If it can do that with a phone like that. I'm pretty sure they'll get farther by the holiday season with the OS7 phones.

Yes, but all things are not equal. iPhone and Android have even more momentum now than they did then. RIM was not working nearly as much against bad press and bad sales reps back then. "Welcome to Verizon. Blackberry? Why would you want that? I use brand A and it's awesome. Besides, Blackberry is closing soon."

I won't argue that OS7 and the 99xx devices are a significant step forward - just not at the pace of the rest of the world.

If they can make a few more rapid-fire steps forward in tech, development, and speed like the 9800 to 99xx step, AND let the world know through marketing, they may catch up and regain their stature. But they need to make those big steps in quick succession, not once a year. The founder of RIM needs to behave and operate like he has to once again found a cutting edge product and company, not like he is trying to maintain his retirement parachute.

If during this week they fail to generate genuine excitement and provide hard deadlines for the next step (BBX and a BBX NSDK), they will do immeasurable damage to themselves in the North American market yet again. We shall hope and wait.

[i7guy]

One thing is for certain: This week is the crossroad for anyone making a decision about their next phone / platform for the next two quarters.

• iPhone 4S & IOS 5 are here.
• Android ICS will be debuted along with new top tier devices from Motorola and Samsung. ICS is likely to be in consumers hands within 4 weeks.
• Microsoft WP7 Mango is out and, while market share is still very small, it's users are generally happy and growing - it's not going away anytime soon. New devices and millions in advertising are happening in Q4.
• RIM will ______________________________________.

After this week, trajectories will be set for a while, including the holidays. RIM's problem is OS7 isn't enough, and BBX isn't going to be in consumers hands for 4-5 months yet. They need to market their a$$es off, but that is their biggest weakness. This is do or (nearly) die for RIM (at least for North America). I hope they step up to the plate, but my gut says "eh, 30/70".

I want a full screen LTE device that is not android or Microsoft. What is left?

[DBX00]

I want a full screen LTE device that is not android or Microsoft. What is left?

That's the key point there. If they can figure out a way to get LTE with aggressive power management (shut it off immediately when not in use) and get great battery life by maximizing QNX on a lower processor speed (see iphone 4s with a dual core 800mhz) then it is an easier sell to businesses (heavy users) and consumers. When you walk into a store, you complain to the agent that your android phone dies every five minutes and he tells you to get a BBX phone because it has the Android apps but a lot better battery life.

People seem to forget that if you set your Android phone to check emails every five minutes (that's pretty long lag for business), then the battery is dead in three hours. You can't even make it through a management meeting in three hours. Get a phone with a 4.0 plus touch screen, modern OS, and apps they will sell off the shelf. People want to go back to one device rather than carrying a personal and business phone. If BBX is that solution, then it won't have a problem competing because the backend is directly suited toward business.

[southlander]

I am no expert. But I would think since the new Bold 99xx is selling well, RIM needs to explain to developers that are present and watching, how they (RIM) are going to help the developers transition from the current BB OS to QNX. That is, go ahead and get the apps on OS7 (don't wait for QNX), and then be able to get them on to QNX without much extra effort.

Perhaps they'll announce something in the tools?

One thing I was thinking, that would be real news, is they will announce a BlackBerry app player for QNX. This would be the solution, right? And unlike the Android app player, RIM could tie a BB app player in, in such a way that everything works. I mean theoretically a traditional BB app running on one of the new QNX phones could be as fast or faster than the same app running on the older phones, right?

[Frank2029]

Come again? The only thing RIM is lacking is gaming (which you profess is not needed anyway)?

I meant that i dont need it but others want it. Like the teenagers