[yunvi]

Loving the night and day difference in RIM's reaching out to the consumers... the following is from The Globe and Mail..

A lavish launch party for the new Porsche Design store on Toronto's Mink Mile this week featured the predictable tailored suits, models strutting down a makeshift runway, people wearing enormous sunglasses indoors and very high heels.

But the blackberries at the bottom of the guests' champagne flutes hinted at the evening's rather unlikely Bavarian luminary, who, at 6-foot-6, stood at least a head taller than anyone else – even in a room full of stilettos.

Thorsten Heins, Research In Motion Ltd.’s new CEO, was grinning, shaking hands and posing with fans in front of a 2.4-metre-tall copy of a BlackBerry outside the Bloor Street store. The party must have been a reprieve from the travails of his day job, where he is attempting – against steep odds – to turn around the struggling, Waterloo, Ont.-based smartphone maker.

Mr. Heins was at the launch to unveil a high-end collaboration between RIM and Porsche: a BlackBerry made of forged steel and handcrafted Italian leather that costs nearly $2,000. The price tag, combined with a distinct Porsche-designed interface and keyboard, make the BlackBerry P'9981 more of a statement than a product that will materially affect RIM's dwindling revenues.

“We wanted to show what BlackBerry is capable of,” Mr. Heins said, standing among the throng that had spilled out onto Bloor Street. “It talks to our strengths, it talks to our audience.”

BlackBerry sales have shrunk dramatically as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Google Inc.'s Android software have altered the smartphone sector. RIM has suffered through several disastrous fiscal quarters, weak product launches and profit warnings, and is about to undergo a dramatic restructuring likely to feature thousands of layoffs across its worldwide operations.

But as RIM seeks to retain its dominant market share in a slew of emerging markets such as Nigeria, Brazil and Indonesia, as well as in the Middle East, the posh new phone helps show that BlackBerry “is truly an aspirational brand,” Mr. Heins stressed, adding that it shows RIM's devices are “about being out there and being successful.”

Though a big hit at Harrods in London, and apparently prized by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Jay Z, the new phone is unlikely to gain wide traction outside of exclusive circles.

“It just creates a lot of halo effect,” said Mr. Heins, who, ahead of RIM's earnings later this month, was unable to discuss much company business. “We wanted to go high-end, not luxury – not an $8,000 phone,” he said, describing the new device as “still affordable.”

RIM's attempt to stand out from the crowd - The Globe and Mail

[janeka]

Loving the night and day difference in RIM's reaching out to the consumers... the following is from The Globe and Mail..




RIM's attempt to stand out from the crowd - The Globe and Mail

So since RIM busy polishing QNX for the official release in a couple of months, since RIM is to busy baking in the rest of there innovations that means RIM is standing out? Enlighten me on this I'm not getting it.

Now my thing is anything from the globe and Mail about RIM has BS written all over it they have no love for RIM. I can see RIM staying focused and ignoring the kids "blogs and media" BS with no true facts behind those so called articles. RIM knows what it's focus is with the new captain steering the ship "make the best product ever come from waterloo and deliver the best user experience on a Blackberry EVER.

[amazinglygraceless]

I have to be missing something here because there are no positive take-aways in this
as I read it.

1) RIM is in trouble (degree I'll leave to others to quantify) and a lavish party is seen as a
way to promote the brand?

2) The big feature of this party was the Porsche designed BlackBerry? A phone that very few
in their target markets can afford?

3) Mr Heins (who I have been quite charitable toward) touts THIS phone as an example of
what RIM is capable of? Seriously?

4) Mr Heins' statement about RIM being an "aspirational brand” has to be the biggest load of
branding BS any CEO has uttered in decades.

With all that RIM has been doing right lately, this is one huge misstep.

[louzer]

I don't get it. The P'9981 is launching in Canada in June 2012. It's essentially the 9900 in more expensive clothing. It's based on a phone that is not jumping off the shelves. But, furthermore, it's running an OS that is a dead end.

I understand the notion of wanting to have an offering for the conspicuous consumption crowd. But I think that a Porche designed BB10 phone would do more to make RIM stand out as an 'aspirational brand'. As it stands right now, at least to me, it's simply a very expensive Bold 9900. And, going way out on a limb with this one, I think it's a wierd looking phone.

[tchocky77]

Didn't we first hear of this idiotic Porche phone nearly a year ago? It's only now being released?

[hkkelvinlee]

I reckon this phone is mostly to those who would like to show off his/her wealth and bosses who have to use a BB for work communication but do not want to use something his/her staff do. in those cases, the OS matters very little. Just look at Vertu.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

[MartyMcfly]

“We wanted to go high-end, not luxury – not an $8,000 phone,” he said, describing the new device as “still affordable.” “We wanted to show what BlackBerry is capable of,” Mr. Heins said

^^^^Looks like someone is a bath salts user...

[hurds]

That's gotta be some sweet margins.

9900 is the best phone I've ever owned.

[h20work]

Rim should hide until bb10? Like it or not, the porsche phone is selling....

[h20work]

Didn't we first hear of this idiotic Porche phone nearly a year ago? It's only now being released?

I'm sorry, but your credibility sucks...... Wrong wrong wrong over and over again.

[h20work]

Didn't we first hear of this idiotic Porche phone nearly a year ago? It's only now being released?

Just curios, but didn't you say the ios apps on the pb were "fake" ? Help me understand how you hAve a clue......

[h20work]

�We wanted to go high-end, not luxury � not an $8,000 phone,� he said, describing the new device as �still affordable.� �We wanted to show what BlackBerry is capable of,� Mr. Heins said

^^^^Looks like someone is a bath salts user...

How so? Using facts to back up one's arguments

[Dapper37]

H20work well said, to some people here RIM is aways wrong, can never do anything right and all words spoken are an end and total statement about the company. Get a life. Where's your billion dollar company? Shining a positive light/spin as much as possible, on the product is the job right now. Once BB10 is out everything changes!

[MartyMcfly]

How so? Using facts to back up one's arguments

There's nothing high end about the Porsche 9981 outside it's ridiculous price tag...Specs are underwhelming for what you're paying, not to mention it's fugly....I'd rather get drunk and go to some baseball games vs paying that much for a device.....

[MasterOfBinary]

There's nothing high end about the Porsche 9981 outside it's ridiculous price tag...Specs are underwhelming for what you're paying, not to mention it's fugly....I'd rather get drunk and go to some baseball games vs paying that much for a device.....

I can sense some jealousy....

[SnoozerBold]

I'm usually a big supporter. Of rim and am loyal to the brand but I just never got the porche bb? Some like the look, I don't but ok everyone has different tastes but the price?!? That's insane.

[polytope]

There's nothing high end about the Porsche 9981 outside it's ridiculous price tag...Specs are underwhelming for what you're paying, not to mention it's fugly....I'd rather get drunk and go to some baseball games vs paying that much for a device.....

A tablet that doesn't have flash costing $499 for a meager 16GB storage is ridiculous as well. I would rather get two PlayBooks with $100 leftover for apps and accessories.

[rigwrecker]

There's nothing high end about the Porsche 9981 outside it's ridiculous price tag...Specs are underwhelming for what you're paying, not to mention it's fugly....I'd rather get drunk and go to some baseball games vs paying that much for a device.....

Clearly you/me/most of us here, are outside the focused consumer group this handset was intended for. You are entitled to you opinion, I am of the same opinion (basically a 9900), I support RIM in their ventures. I hope they sell a sh!t ton of these things to the stupid rich/Keeping up with the Jones's/one up folks out there, and then do another theme phone BB10 for Ferrari, Buck Rogers, Crusty the Clown, whoever, just keep the (good) ideas coming RIM.

[MartyMcfly]

I can sense some jealousy....

Not even close...

I seen all your magic tricks
Abracadabralous
My crowd gather around; it's the resurrection of Lazarus

[Rickroller]

. Get a life. Where's your billion dollar company?

Apparently the CB membership requirements have changed...

[MartyMcfly]

A tablet that doesn't have flash costing $499 for a meager 16GB storage is ridiculous as well. I would rather get two PlayBooks with $100 leftover for apps and accessories.

I'll take developer support over flash...I side loaded some android apps and the experience so far has been underwhelming..I love the functionality, I just wish I could do more.

I seen all your magic tricks
Abracadabralous
My crowd gather around; it's the resurrection of Lazarus

[Doc Z]

Gonna need a lot more than an expensive phone with old tech to make RIM stand out.

Yesterday I met a guy who was a BB enthusiast. First time I've ever met one actually. We had a really interesting exchange. He loved my Bold, told me he has the old one, and can't wait for RIMs new phones. I told him I'm sick of mine and I'll be changing to iPhone soon, I gave RIM a chance for as long as I could but its time to go. He says oh no, not another one and that the new phone is gonna be miles ahead of the iPhone! I said that's probably not true and even if it were, they will launch with a poor ecosystem and it will take a couple years to get all that sorted out. He just looked at me broken hearted and said yeah that's probably true. Changing all THIS is what RIM needs in order to stand out.

[h20work]

There's nothing high end about the Porsche 9981 outside it's ridiculous price tag...Specs are underwhelming for what you're paying, not to mention it's fugly....I'd rather get drunk and go to some baseball games vs paying that much for a device.....

I don't like baseball, maybe I should complain that the mlb is a complete waste of everyone's time

The nice part is, you don't have to like the Porsche phone or any other product on the market. It's kinda cool to be able to choose what we want isn't it?

[dandbj13]

Clearly you/me/most of us here, are outside the focused consumer group this handset was intended for... I support RIM in their ventures. I hope they sell a sh!t ton of these things to the stupid rich/Keeping up with the Jones's/one up folks out there,

Right on! These are probably the same people who bought that $500 clock app just because they could. Love RIM's new target market. Fools! Good thing no one associated with this site meets that description. What? Oh, never mind.

[polytope]

I'll take developer support over flash...I side loaded some android apps and the experience so far has been underwhelming..I love the functionality, I just wish I could do more.

By saying this, you have just admitted that there are things more important than features when judging the value of a device.