[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How RIM can Save the BlackBerry Brand in Three Easy Steps here

[KyleMcInnes]

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

[W]

Yes. Three steps. Easy.
But whether those are sufficient to save BB is another story.
You can't be this native.

[JohnMandracchia]

I would say they also need to
* Not make a horrible web browser
* Open the door for better app making
* Fire whoever thought of the storm

[NickBurchett]

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

Not if the focus is taken away from their core. I agree with the article, too many fish in the frying pan... Simplify and focus. That is the key.
The author didn't say stay out of the tablet market, but get priorities straight and when things are stable, tackle it head on. Right now they are trying to field multiple technologies half-heartedly.

[tonybradley]

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

No, that wasn't my point. I agree completely there is plenty of room in the tablet market for devices other than the iPad--although the leading tablet competitor is Samsung which has stated its tablet sales are "disappointing", and before that the leading tablet rival was the HP TouchPad, and that was only because it was clearanced out for $99. The market is there, but nobody seems willing or able to fill it. The new line of Galaxy Tabs is probably on the right track because they offer more reasonable pricing.

That said, my point was that RIM is struggling too much with its core business and can't handle distractions. It missed the ball entirely with the launch of the PlayBook, and even the 2.0 update which took far too long falls short. RIM can...and probably should...be in the tablet market. But only if it can first stop its death spiral.

[Timjk9z]

Yep, fixing RIM is simple, just 3 easy steps and they can overtake apple. Surprised all the management consultants aren't trying to hire this guy away.

Out of curiosity though, what biz school did this guy attend? If none, that's fine. Neither Bill, Mark, not Steve did either. How many businesses has Mr. Bradley created or managed? Better yet, when was the last time this guy balanced his checkbook?

Sure RIM's problems might be easy to fix if you don't have to be held accountable, but I imagine shareholders would give this guy the boot in about 10 seconds in the real world.

[metromalenyc]

I know this sounds crazy, but RIM should form a partnership with Microsoft (similar to the Nokia partnership) & transition to Windows Phone 8. This could work for both partners because (1) BB has hardware & security cred in the enterprise sector, (2) Microsoft has software cred in the enterprise sector, (3) Windows Phone could use a "killer app" like Blackberry Messenger, and (4) Blackberry wouldn't have to worry about building an app store (Microsoft's apps store is approaching 100K & will probably grow faster once Windows 8 launches).

I mean, what does Blackberry have to lose?

With Nokia's sleek hardware designs & RIM's reputation for hardware security, this could give Windows Phone a decisive edge over Android. RIM should seriously consider it.

[TimMau]

tonybradley, on 18 April 2012 - 10:40 AM, said:

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

No, that wasn't my point. I agree completely there is plenty of room in the tablet market for devices other than the iPad--although the leading tablet competitor is Samsung which has stated its tablet sales are "disappointing", and before that the leading tablet rival was the HP TouchPad, and that was only because it was clearanced out for $99. The market is there, but nobody seems willing or able to fill it. The new line of Galaxy Tabs is probably on the right track because they offer more reasonable pricing.

That said, my point was that RIM is struggling too much with its core business and can't handle distractions. It missed the ball entirely with the launch of the PlayBook, and even the 2.0 update which took far too long falls short. RIM can...and probably should...be in the tablet market. But only if it can first stop its death spiral.

Creating 1 million angry current customers isn't going to help their business. Pissing off the app developers who have spent time and resources to make apps for the playbook, will not help get new app developers for BB10. The costs are already sunk in the Playbook. They need to get a viable smartphone to market with BB10 ASAP. It is going to come down to Microsoft/nokia vs. Blackberry as the third phone ecosystem.

[DanJay8wt8]

As a software developer who has written a few Android and iPhone apps, all I can say is Blackberry's programming API sucks. Not only is the OS limited compared to other smart phones, but the development tools themselves are weak. When a company selling an OS doesn't write good development tools for that OS then programmers will walk away. That's why Blackberry has very few apps in their market and why users are walking away from it.

[samiup]

in one step:

use Android

[RobertNichols]

Keep the fatastic keyboard and shortcuts, keep emailsecure using BES or Activesync, users choice. Use android for apps and Internet Browser asd a VM.
Thoughts?

[JTDhadda]

Might not be an easy fix as this, but BB started with a certain target market Business people. Between then and now they have lost there ways because they wanted to go after the teens. Scrap the crap phones they have come out with go with a simple keybaord phone like the orginal ones. like my shop teacher taught me KISS keep it simple stupid works like a charm. ie Graf the company produces nothing flashy for skates no big people they pay to endorse it but check out how many people have nothing but the best things to say about this company screw trying to be holleywood.

[RobertNichols]

RobertNichols, on 18 April 2012 - 11:11 AM, said:

Keep the fatastic keyboard and shortcuts, keep emailsecure using BES or Activesync, users choice. Use android for apps and Internet Browser asd a VM.
Thoughts?

Other than I need to proofread before submitting?
Sorry. Android in a VM.

[KLanD]

Nix the tablet?

Dude, the playbook is almost the only thing RIM has going for them.

I say they need to not nix it and get some good high quality business apps in their collection. If you compare the ipad with the PB, the only advantage (imo) that the ipad has are the apps.

[KLanD]

NickBurchett, on 18 April 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

Not if the focus is taken away from their core. I agree with the article, too many fish in the frying pan... Simplify and focus. That is the key.
The author didn't say stay out of the tablet market, but get priorities straight and when things are stable, tackle it head on. Right now they are trying to field multiple technologies half-heartedly.

Nix the tablet sounds like "get out of the tab market" to me.

[Theodore4e0x]

Tony Bradley, I think you hit the nail on the head on everything, sir, ESPECIALLY on the point of the PlayBook! In my mind, your points on this matter are indisputable and complete. Thank you.

I would just like to add that I think RIM's problems began with the Storm and their product offerings have just continued to be one disgrace after another. It's interesting to see, though, how a large company like RIM actually takes so long to die. They have an absolutely phenomenal streak of producing "crappy" product after "crappy" product since the Storm and are somehow still alive enough in the industry that a comeback is entirely possible! Perhaps we'll see RIM make a comeback from the dead like Apple did. Sort of. (Apple's rebound and subsequent success is legendary. It might be hard to top that!)

@Timjk9z - Common Sense hasn't been nice to you at all, has it? Since when was this article and discussion about who is or isn't qualified to have an opinion about a company's terrible product lines and share some idea's about how they could recover? How about you and your high horse just keep riding the Rectal-Cranial Inversion High Road and stop wasting cyberspace posting irrelevant garbage like that? You didn't even offer any input about RIM yourself! Good riddance...

As some randomly passing reader, thanks to everyone else that had something meaningful to say about RIM and the topic at hand. That diverse feedback is most certainly welcomed and intriguing!

[tonybradley]

KLanD, on 18 April 2012 - 12:02 PM, said:

NickBurchett, on 18 April 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

Not if the focus is taken away from their core. I agree with the article, too many fish in the frying pan... Simplify and focus. That is the key.
The author didn't say stay out of the tablet market, but get priorities straight and when things are stable, tackle it head on. Right now they are trying to field multiple technologies half-heartedly.

Nix the tablet sounds like "get out of the tab market" to me.

But, you have to read the whole article, not just the numbered, bold text points. It says right in point #2 "RIM may very well be able to compete in the tablet market some day. But, for now refer to step one—Focus. RIM needs to conserve and streamline its resources if it wants to survive to fight another day. The tablet is a distraction."

[botmline]

DanJay8wt8, on 18 April 2012 - 11:00 AM, said:

As a software developer who has written a few Android and iPhone apps, all I can say is Blackberry's programming API sucks. Not only is the OS limited compared to other smart phones, but the development tools themselves are weak. When a company selling an OS doesn't write good development tools for that OS then programmers will walk away. That's why Blackberry has very few apps in their market and why users are walking away from it.

Well said. We produce business apps for large companies for iOS, Android and BB. Of the programming budget BB takes 60% of the development resources and produces 95% of our tech support calls from users, unsure how to even purchase an app for their BB. BB produces 1.8% of our App revenue.
We have stopped all BB programming and are removing all of our BB applications from the market in the next 30 days.
They owned the segment but failed to continue to innovate. They are done.

[nonseq]

tonybradley, on 18 April 2012 - 12:50 PM, said:

KLanD, on 18 April 2012 - 12:02 PM, said:

NickBurchett, on 18 April 2012 - 10:29 AM, said:

KyleMcInnes, on 18 April 2012 - 10:14 AM, said:

Nix the tablet just because the iPad sells really well? There's plenty of space in the tablet market for multiple players. RIM has over a million tablets in the market. That's something you can build an ecosystem on and worth the investment.

Not if the focus is taken away from their core. I agree with the article, too many fish in the frying pan... Simplify and focus. That is the key.
The author didn't say stay out of the tablet market, but get priorities straight and when things are stable, tackle it head on. Right now they are trying to field multiple technologies half-heartedly.

Nix the tablet sounds like "get out of the tab market" to me.

But, you have to read the whole article, not just the numbered, bold text points. It says right in point #2 "RIM may very well be able to compete in the tablet market some day. But, for now refer to step one—Focus. RIM needs to conserve and streamline its resources if it wants to survive to fight another day. The tablet is a distraction."

As I have said before, I'm not sure that there is a sustainable "tablet market." There is an "iPad market" and a "Kindle Fire market" but a tablet market doesn't seem to have coalesced. As a result the fire sales on Playbook, TouchPad, Xoom, and Galaxy Tabs (Tiger Direct has just dropped the price of the 16GM 10.1 Galaxy Tab).

RIM's problems, again in my opinion, started with their inability to staunch the bleeding of users/subscribers to Android and iOS smartphones. They seemed to think that introducing a whole lot of versions/models of their venerable but obsolete BB's, along with a slapped together Storm that didn't seem to "get" the new paradigm of smart phones, would be enough to maintain their market dominance. It wasn't, and the "leadership" at RIM seemed to be fiddling as Rome burned.

I think Tony is spot on. RIM has a chance to recover and the key is in the enterprise, but the window of opportunity is closing fast. If they are able to do so, perhaps then they can can introduce a tablet device that offers a unique selling proposition that would be attractive to the enterprise as well. It can't be a device that competes with the iPad or whatever Windows RT devices are coming. It has carve out its own market.