[Thunderbuck]

and what about when they spend a ton of cash on netflix and skype and noone buys and people still knock it? you gotta remember, haters gon hate.

I agree that its important to meet the major demands of the customer, but this forum is honestly the only place i see people asking about skype and netflix.

now if im wrong and skype and netflix will magically cause an influx of customers, then by all means, pay up. Also, if im wrong and people are saying "id love to get the playbook, if only it had skype and netflix i would put it in the running with these other tablets. I'm not saying id absolutely buy it, but id consider it more" then i'd agree and say invest in those apps.

however, i dont really think customers are walking around like zombies trying to get a netflix/skype fix out of their nearest tablet...

I don't completely agree with you. No, I don't believe customers walk into BestBuy saying "I want a tablet that runs Netflix", but when they're getting a demo and the sales person says "...oh, and this Galaxy runs Netflix and Hulu+..." and the customer says "Oh, does this Playbook do that?", and the rep responds, "uh, no..." then that doesn't help.

Skype? Yes, I know many people who specifically want a device that runs Skype. Intriguingly enough, one of those people wound up surprising me and buying a Playbook this week anyway (he's from Lebanon and uses Skype to stay in touch with family), but I know it remains a significant consideration for many.

[Tre Lawrence]

<puts on tinfoil hat>

I think there may be some darker issues at work here when it comes to Netflix and Skype that all the money in the world won't help. If RIM can move a few million Playbooks by, say, this summer, there's a chance this whole landscape can change.

First off, the biggest consideration by far is sales and users. If a platform doesn't attract enough users then there's no percentage in developing for it and maintaining it.

However, in the case of the Playbook there's also the prospect for a developer to port to the Android Player with minimal effort.

In the case of Skype, it's now owned by Microsoft. MS is obliged to continue to provide Skype clients for iOS and Android, because there are tens of millions of user and the clients were provided before their purchase. In the case of the Playbook, though, it's a marginal platform that could potentially compete not just with Windows 8 tablets, but also the BB10 platform will be competing against Nokia Windows Phones, too. So RIM has a serious uphill battle there.

And with Netflix... well, there are an awful lot of iOS users who stream Netfilx now. It's not hard for Apple to quietly suggest that Netflix might not get early access to hooks in, say, iOS 5.1 unless they agree to avoid supporting new platforms. That's sheer speculation, but such pressure has been known to happen in tech. And content is EVERYTHING now.

Not entirely out of the realm of possibility. I have given the ransom thing some though, and this isn't too far off base.

Still think RIM should work to make it/them happen (even though, as noted earlier, I am not certain about the ROI at this point).

[stephaneldugas]

if rim doesnt bring skype the 4g is going to be a even harder sell.

[kbz1960]

and what about when they spend a ton of cash on netflix and skype and noone buys and people still knock it? you gotta remember, haters gon hate.

I agree that its important to meet the major demands of the customer, but this forum is honestly the only place i see people asking about skype and netflix.

now if im wrong and skype and netflix will magically cause an influx of customers, then by all means, pay up. Also, if im wrong and people are saying "id love to get the playbook, if only it had skype and netflix i would put it in the running with these other tablets. I'm not saying id absolutely buy it, but id consider it more" then i'd agree and say invest in those apps.

however, i dont really think customers are walking around like zombies trying to get a netflix/skype fix out of their nearest tablet...

LOL thanks for the good laugh

[Branta]

Something doesn't make sense to me. RIM is giving free PlayBooks to developers in an attempt to lure them to the platform. Let's guess modestly that since launch they've given away 2000 PlayBooks to lure developers to join the platform and make rubbish fart apps for AppWorld. That's $80,000 worth of PlayBooks given away.

I can't help but think it would have been more commercially successful to divide that money between four of the big apps and get them on board quickly. Give $20,000 each to Skype, Netflix, Twitter and Amazon Kindle and say "we'll give you $20,000 cash to make an app for our platform".

My gut feeling says your cash incentive is low by a factor of x500 - x1000 for Skype and probably Amazon. At least $10-20 million is more like the base point Micro$oft would have in mind before they commit to development and initial operating cost and they would probably start with an opening bid closer to $100m. Then factor in the pressure against development for a product which could reduce the competitive advantage for MS or Amazon's own technology.

Finally, I don't rate Netflix which is a trash app with very limited geographical availability. For 95% of the potential worldwide PB buyers it is a useless feature which only serves to inflate the cost of their purchase. RIM would be insane to throw even $1 at a failed company which has already given Blackberry a big "vafanculo"

[kbz1960]

My gut feeling says your cash incentive is low by a factor of x500 - x1000 for Skype and probably Amazon. At least $10-20 million is more like the base point Micro$oft would have in mind before they commit to development and initial operating cost and they would probably start with an opening bid closer to $100m. Then factor in the pressure against development for a product which could reduce the competitive advantage for MS or Amazon's own technology.

Finally, I don't rate Netflix which is a trash app with very limited geographical availability. For 95% of the potential worldwide PB buyers it is a useless feature which only serves to inflate the cost of their purchase. RIM would be insane to throw even $1 at a failed company which has already given Blackberry a big "vafanculo"

While I agree with you isn't everyone saying that RIM has to win back the US? I'm not sure even those apps everyone talks about will do that.

[llllBULLSEYE]

My gut feeling says your cash incentive is low by a factor of x500 - x1000 for Skype and probably Amazon. At least $10-20 million is more like the base point Micro$oft would have in mind before they commit to development and initial operating cost and they would probably start with an opening bid closer to $100m. Then factor in the pressure against development for a product which could reduce the competitive advantage for MS or Amazon's own technology.

Finally, I don't rate Netflix which is a trash app with very limited geographical availability. For 95% of the potential worldwide PB buyers it is a useless feature which only serves to inflate the cost of their purchase. RIM would be insane to throw even $1 at a failed company which has already given Blackberry a big "vafanculo"

yep Right on point
Skype didn't even consider $8million to port an app
so I'm sure the magic number is well over 20mil.
Is it worth it for RIM to pay over $20mil for Skype? Maybe 50mil? absolutely
I don't use Skype, but I certainly see why its liked by the world.
Now is it worth it for RIM to pay 5 Million for Netflix? absolutely not
Next month Netflix is loosing more movie rights and I'm already so bored with
the current selection.

[JasW]

An awful lot of you are missing the point here. It's not that any given consumer will suddenly decide to up and buy a PB if Netflix or Skype is made available. It's all about the perception of the ecosystem. Without these apps -- whether you personally think they are a trash regional app or the must have app of doom in Botswana -- the PB is perceived as second rate. Marketing 101, kiddies.

[BBNation]

sometime these big boys do not want to play nice due to business reasons, money is not issue for them..

[Hawkeberry]

There are just two playbooks in my group. Parents don't have a tablet. Not necessarily a Skype, but a playbook PC video chat software would be nice to be able to talk to those who don't own a playbook

[cfoxx]

Most of you guys have got the right idea, it's not about the number of apps, it's about having those headline-hitting key apps. People may not know what 'Skype' is, but it doesn't look good that PCs, Macs, Android and iOS can all video chat to each other seamlessly with Skype, and BlackBerry is completely isolated without even a text-chat client for the platform.

If Microsoft aren't playing nice, perhaps RIM can threaten to dump the POS that is Bing from the PlayBook until they offer up Skype.

And if it will cost Microsoft too much to develop a Skype app, then RIM should be building it for them for free like they do with Twitter etc on the BB phones.

Saying "you can use Twitter in the browser" is NOT enough. Twitter in the browser may work, but is not seamless and integrated - on iOS you can touch your photos and "send to Twitter" and this is not just what consumers want but is what they expect.

Remember, the PlayBook OS is going to replace the smartphone OS soon - and in its current state that's a BACKWARD step, because we'll be losing apps for Twitter, Tumblr, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, ICQ, Shazam, Google Maps to name just a few that are on BB7 but not BB10.

[southlander]

No doubt about it. I personally know four people who didn't get it because of Skype.

I guess. I work with 100 folks and not a one of them uses Skype on their smartphones, not that I know of. Nor do any of my friends who all use android and iphone devices. I guess people that work in tech or need international comms for free use the heck out of it? Other than that is there a really large mainstream need? If its just free voice calls can't one just use google voice? Sounds just as bad I am sure lol.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9850 using Tapatalk

[mrbkkt1]

I don't use skype, but I do agree that it needs to somehow be integrated.
as for netflix, I canceled eons ago. no way to get decent bluerays (always cached), popular discs are always unavailable... as for streaming. I basically saw everything I wanted to see within a month.... the best or at least decent movies were always disc only.

i have netflix on my tv, on my android phone, on my ps3. on my computer.. I don't need netflix on anything else... I've seen netflix on everything out there, so I'm sure it's not that difficult to make an app. There has got to be something deeper as to the absence of netflix.

[southlander]

I don't use skype, but I do agree that it needs to somehow be integrated.

Now that I can understand. A lot of people I know use Netflix at home and even some on their phones.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9850 using Tapatalk

[JamesDax3]

Just downloaded the Skype beta to my HD7.

Anyway, I still see skype coming to the playbook sooner rather then later.

[ubizmo]

Skype has just this morning been released (in beta) in the WP7 Marketplace. MS owns Skype. MS is in direct competition with RIM, and is in fact trying to push RIM aside to become more competitive against the two leading platforms. Anything that makes RIM products more attractive isn't good news for MS. Skype contracts with Apple and Google were made before MS bought it, and I'm sure those contracts were locked down tight. My bet is that MS bought Skype because they saw that they could use it to help them leapfrog RIM.

WP7 has NetFlix and Kindle too. No Hulu yet, that I know of.

[JamesDax3]

Skype has just this morning been released (in beta) in the WP7 Marketplace. MS owns Skype. MS is in direct competition with RIM, and is in fact trying to push RIM aside to become more competitive against the two leading platforms. Anything that makes RIM products more attractive isn't good news for MS. Skype contracts with Apple and Google were made before MS bought it, and I'm sure those contracts were locked down tight. My bet is that MS bought Skype because they saw that they could use it to help them leapfrog RIM.

WP7 has NetFlix and Kindle too. No Hulu yet, that I know of.

Nahhh, MS will release Skype for BlackBerry devices. You just wait and see.

[kbz1960]

Nahhh, MS will release Skype for BlackBerry devices. You just wait and see.

Maybe if you are with Verizon who has an exclusivity contract with RIM for Skype. Until that is done I wouldn't hold your breath.

[JamesDax3]

Maybe if you are with Verizon who has an exclusivity contract with RIM for Skype. Until that is done I wouldn't hold your breath.

I don't think this is correct. First of all this deal with Verizon was for both BB and Android devices and is almost 2yrs old. Second, if it was an exclusive why then is Skype now availible on all Windows Phone devices, Android devices and iOS devices across all carriers. Nope, MS will determine when BB gets skype not Verizon.

[kbz1960]

Well ms did not make the deal and ms owns Skype now.

[ubizmo]

Well ms did not make the deal and ms owns Skype now.

Exactly. And MS has also just announced that they are launching WP7 in 27 new markets in the developing world, which is yet another salvo at RIM's revenue stream. It's a certainty that they will enter the tablet market with their ducks all lined up. I can't see how it is in MS's interest to let RIM get Skype on any of its devices.

[JamesDax3]

Exactly. And MS has also just announced that they are launching WP7 in 27 new markets in the developing world, which is yet another salvo at RIM's revenue stream. It's a certainty that they will enter the tablet market with their ducks all lined up. I can't see how it is in MS's interest to let RIM get Skype on any of its devices.

Because Skype is already availible on just about every other mobile platform. Having it on BB won't make difference to them at all. It's multiplatform and MS said that it continue to be multiplatform when they aquired skype.

[ubizmo]

Because Skype is already availible on just about every other mobile platform. Having it on BB won't make difference to them at all. It's multiplatform and MS said that it continue to be multiplatform when they aquired skype.

I think it makes a very big difference to them. In the mobile market in the US, MS is still on the bottom, with Android and iOS at the top. RIM has been faltering for a year or so, and this is an opportunity for MS. If they can push RIM aside, that's a major win for them.

Saying that Skype is multiplatform is not equivalent to say it'll be on every platform. It means only that it won't be limited to MS platforms. I'm sure that iOS's and Google's lawyers were very careful to craft contracts that would protect them in the event of a buy-out, but since RIM didn't have any such contract, they're out in the cold.

The more I learn about WP7, the more I see a focused strategy on the part of MS to get RIM out of the way, to eat up as much of its corporate business and developing world business as possible, and then be positioned as the clear alternative to iOS and Android in the consumer market. And we know that MS takes no prisoners...

[peter_betos]

Prioritization on which platform for the app to be developed next is now controlled by MS though.

[JamesDax3]

I think it makes a very big difference to them. In the mobile market in the US, MS is still on the bottom, with Android and iOS at the top. RIM has been faltering for a year or so, and this is an opportunity for MS. If they can push RIM aside, that's a major win for them.

Saying that Skype is multiplatform is not equivalent to say it'll be on every platform. It means only that it won't be limited to MS platforms. I'm sure that iOS's and Google's lawyers were very careful to craft contracts that would protect them in the event of a buy-out, but since RIM didn't have any such contract, they're out in the cold.

The more I learn about WP7, the more I see a focused strategy on the part of MS to get RIM out of the way, to eat up as much of its corporate business and developing world business as possible, and then be positioned as the clear alternative to iOS and Android in the consumer market. And we know that MS takes no prisoners...

Once the Windows Phone and Xbox 360 version are done Skype will be coming to BB. Take off that foil hat. lol