[chalx]

items that go too far ahead tend to fail... sega for example went far ahead with gaming console that wasnt ready for its time and they flopped as well lol.

Well, you are right. Palm had great ideas but badly implemented which is also big reason for their destiny.

[cbvinh]

Well, you are right. Palm had great ideas but badly implemented which is also big reason for their destiny.

Not badly implemented, but implemented ahead of its time...

[MmmHmm]

If I recall, Palm also went into serious debt, owing a ton of money it could no longer pay back. BlackBerry never did go into debt - never owing anyone else a dime.

People forget that about BlackBerry.

Sure, they were within a few million dollars of going into debt (and, they were quickly burning through their cash), but the restructuring has, so far, kept that from happening.

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Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought BlackBerry did go into debt. I think the debt can later be converted into stock at a certain price, which will dilute the value of the shares. I haven't heard that BlackBerry is having any trouble servicing the debt, but I think there is in fact over a billion dollars in debt on its balance sheet. Someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[brookie229]

I ended up reading a blog post about webOS gestures on webOS Nation last year. That interface seemed really cool.

I wish there was some kind of tutorial to explain the BlackBerry Z10 gestures in the carrier stores. I couldn't figure out the gestures when I played with a Z10 in a T-Mobile store shortly after its release.

Even though I had never picked up a BB10 device before, I think that my previous experience with the Pixi Plus made it easy to use the z10. The gestures felt very natural for me and it took all of 20-30 minutes to familiarize myself but I can see where some people may have problems with the devices. I agree that when testing in a store many people are "intimidated" by the different workings of BB10 and they easily give up.

[mornhavon]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought BlackBerry did go into debt. I think the debt can later be converted into stock at a certain price, which will dilute the value of the shares. I haven't heard that BlackBerry is having any trouble servicing the debt, but I think there is in fact over a billion dollars in debt on its balance sheet. Someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

You're not wrong, I was thinking the same thing. BlackBerry currently holds at least 1.25 billion in (convertible) debt that I'm aware of, there may be more on the books but I haven't looked at their financials in a while.
Source: http://business.financialpost.com/20..._lsa=9233-bf7a

[Laura Knotek]

Even though I had never picked up a BB10 device before, I think that my previous experience with the Pixi Plus made it easy to use the z10. The gestures felt very natural for me and it took all of 20-30 minutes to familiarize myself but I can see where some people may have problems with the devices. I agree that when testing in a store many people are "intimidated" by the different workings of BB10 and they easily give up.

I never tried a webOS device, but I've always been an AT&T customer and never used Sprint.

[chalx]

In a certain way, BlackBerry is now in a similar position where Palm was after HP purchased them and just before Veer and Touchpad launch. I remember how Leo talked about focus on business users, about their reach in corporate, how HP will align their business partners, how they they will make universe of connected devices with HP services in the center. They also talked about internet of things...

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[early2bed]

When the HP Touchpad was launched, there were definite indications that it would be a complete dud. It had the dimensions of the original iPad but was launched after the much thinner iPad 2. It was said, though, that HP's enterprise presence would give it an advantage as well as its thousands of retail partners. There were even PR-generated articles about how the plastic case made it a better choice in medical settings because it could be used near MRI machines.

[rthonpm]

In a certain way, BlackBerry is now in a similar position where Palm was after HP purchased them and just before Veer and Touchpad launch. I remember how Leo talked about focus on business users, about their reach in corporate, how HP will align their business partners, how they they will make universe of connected devices with HP services in the center. They also talked about internet of things...

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HP is saddled with a completely dysfunctional board of directors though. Apotheker was more concerned about getting back at his former employer Oracle than he was about turning HP around. Also consider he was hired without ever being interviewed by the board. In short, HP is a squabbling pile of conflicting interests that's only kept afloat by the name more than anything coming out of the company.

The Palm team also used whatever hardware they could get their hands on to build the first generation of webOS devices. With such little money available to them they released what for any other company would be beta hardware as a commercial release. The TouchPad was especially hard hit for this.

Overall, Palm was so cash strapped that their only choices were to be bought out, or close the doors.

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[NamelessStar]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought BlackBerry did go into debt. I think the debt can later be converted into stock at a certain price, which will dilute the value of the shares. I haven't heard that BlackBerry is having any trouble servicing the debt, but I think there is in fact over a billion dollars in debt on its balance sheet. Someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

your not wrong they got 1.25 billion in convertable debt at 6% interest, however whenever the people owning the debt mainly fairfax financial want to convert it into stock it converts at 10$ USD. Until that debt does not convert they just pay interest on it so its nothing major compared to if they had to try and borrow it from a big bank.

[joeldf]

your not wrong they got 1.25 billion in convertable debt at 6% interest, however whenever the people owning the debt mainly fairfax financial want to convert it into stock it converts at 10$ USD. Until that debt does not convert they just pay interest on it so its nothing major compared to if they had to try and borrow it from a big bank.

True enough.

Also, this loan deal came in after BlackBerry put out the "For Sale" sign.

Before all that, BlackBerry still had a lot of cash in their coffers and didn't owe anyone. The Fairfax deal came after that as a way to maintain some breathing room while the CEO and company direction changes were also obviously already planned.

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[chalx]

There were even PR-generated articles about how the plastic case made it a better choice in medical settings because it could be used near MRI machines.

Passport and X-Ray :-)

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[rodney0905]

If you get a hold of BlackBerry 10 phone, you will know.

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I've had the Z10 and Q10. I love them both.

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[rodney0905]

This is an informative thread. Thanks for the replies.

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