[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by Noodle22

I'm all for friendly debate, but I'm sick of arguements about carrier coverage. It's different for everyone, depending on where they live! My carrier works great where I live, I've never had a problem, but others have based on where they live. It doesn't make my carrier better, or worse.

And I don't doubt other carriers may have better coverage in other areas.

So can we leave that out of this?

[Hauser]

RIM right now reminds me of Palm circa 2000, who built up a huge lead in their particular market then sat back and let the competitors eat their lunch. Amongst the challenges RIM's facing today are a stagnant OS, a terrible browser, zero third party developer interest, total network failures, the most expensive data plans on earth, products like Good empowering the competition with previously-unassailable BES features, and top execs publicly spouting nonsense about conserving bandwidth like some pundit in 1995 claiming the internet would collapse if people streamed video over it.

I wish I knew how they could turn things around, but it doesn't matter as I fully expect RIM to keep their blinders firmly in place, cranking out one hardware form factor after another while Rome burns.

[kathrynhr]

Originally Posted by Hauser

...zero third party developer interest...

THIS one is definitely a problem.

Three years ago, I decided I wanted to try my hand at developing a BB application (I write software for a living). I downloaded the necessary tools and quickly got a small utility working.

When it came time to put the app out for other people to be able to access, RIM wanted me to pay a fee to buy a certificate or license of some kind so I could distribute the software to others (it's been awhile, forgive the terminology). I don't remember the exact cost, but it was more than $100. Irritated, I paid via credit card.

When I checked my transaction log later, I discovered they had charged me more than twice the amount I'd been quoted. Not exactly twice, either, there was one transaction of some random amount upwards of $200.

I called for an explanation, but no one could give me one, and no one would immediately refund anything either. I finally had to email all over creation to get my money refunded (I did eventually get it back, after several rounds of arguments). There was never any satisfactory explanation of what happened with regard to the strange fee. No one tried to contact me about alternate arrangements regarding licensing. There was no customer service of any kind. I walked away with the impression that RIM couldn't possibly care less whether anyone ever developed software for their devices or not.

Suffice it to say that I personally no longer have any interest in developing applications on the BB platform.

[Robert_K]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Who cares? I care. I live in an area with excellent ATT 3G coverage. I get no dropped calls, so what is YOUR point? If ATT doesn't give you good coverage where you live, then fine, use Verizon. I was pointing out, that where ATT has good 3G coverage, their network is faster.

I was just simply pointing out that I live in a major metropolitan area and their coverage stink. See something wrong with this picture?

I need a phone that works good everywhere I travel not just where I live.

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Stop being such a fanboi.

How old are you? 12? Because you certainly sound like it repeating the same whiney mantra with people who don't see things your way....

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Your kidding right? You're telling me that if BB hadn't reached out to the consumer market with media players, cameras and social networking tools, that they would still be, in a post iphone era, #1 based solely on business users? You must be smoking some good s**t!

Please go back and read my posts instead of simply skimming through them. What I said was that RIM has been and still is #1 BECAUSE they started in business and THEN expanded into the consumer market to keep their market share. Without BOTH markets they would not be #1. I really don't know how to make this point anymore clear unless I pull out some Ross Perot charts and pretty pictures for you.

Originally Posted by Noodle22

And I don't doubt other carriers may have better coverage in other areas.

So can we leave that out of this?

I would except it is sort of relavent to the iPhone argument. I believe they would have more of the smart phone market share if they were offerred on a better carrier.

A good comparison, iHeart or Slacker radio 6-8hrs driving down I-40 streaming radio on an iPhone using AT&T.. FORGET IT. On my Verizon BlackBerry music all the way to Emerald Isle, NC.

If iPhone would offer the same choice of carriers that a BlackBerry does it would definitely be a game changer.

[ArgonNJ]

Robert_K sure has a lot to say for someone with only 24 posts on this board.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by Robert_K

I need a phone that works good everywhere I travel not just where I live.

Hence why I use T-Mobile.

[TBOLTRAM]

Ditto Verizon, well at least the global phones.

[Rainbowtyedye]

I have a BB because I want a good phone and something that allows me to communicate with clients during the day, either by email or text. I'm also finding that I'm using it more and more for social media and mobile websites. I could probably get by with any smart phone, but I like the BB keyboard and the push email.

I don't want or need a music player, a hand held gaming system, a digital photo frame, or most other bells and whistles because I'm too busy during the day to play with them. I consider by BB a tool, not a toy.

I also don't think much about the security issue, but find it comforting that I DON'T have to think about security with my BB.

I haven't looked much into the iPhone because from the introduction of it, it was a toy, something to play around with when bored. As it is, I've hiden most of the semi-cool apps that came with my 8530 because I have no use for them.

Basically, it doesn't matter how many cool apps are developed for the iPhone, or how great any of the other bells and whistles are, I just want the functionality of my BB and nothing else. I have no problem with others enjoying their iPhones, but it's just not for me.

Long live the Blackberry!!!

[Noodle22]

Here, here!

[LunkHead]

I am a duck!!!!!

Quack, quack...

[re:charge]

the whole apple fanboy thing is a joke, not many apple owners own every single bit of kit they produce. everyones setup is different. mine is laptop & ipod. don't need a touch, or iphone. imo iphone is just a toy, people have been dazzled by it's touchscreen (which is nice, yes). these are people who aren't really into music so much - if they were, they'd have something with more space available, for higher bitrate music.

i've come from nokia (poor effort touchscreen) & have no desire to continue in that direction. BB is a breath of fresh air - proper keypad (not a slider), & the music player is actually quite good - i'd rather have this AND an ipod so i'm not killing the battery on either device in less than a day.

btw - the BB music player is louder than capped EU ipods - i'm guessing it is with iphones too? (not that i want to damage my hearing, but the inclusion of a safety disclaimer message in BB is a sign that BB owners are being treated as responsible adults who can decide for themselves, aye!)

[ifonline]

Originally Posted by re:charge

imo iphone is just a toy, people have been dazzled by it's touchscreen (which is nice, yes). these are people who aren't really into music so much - if they were, they'd have something with more space available, for higher bitrate music.

It's comments like this that make you look so darn intelligent.

...the music player is actually quite good - i'd rather have this AND an ipod so i'm not killing the battery on either device in less than a day.

You make a brilliant comment above about people not being into music because they have an iPhone with limited memory, and then you talk about how good the BlackBerry media player is. What? So that means you aren't into music either, right, because the BlackBerry has limited memory? Oh wait... you have an iPod too. I see. So let me get this straight... it's okay to have a BlackBerry and an iPod, but it's inconceivable to have an iPhone and an iPod? Sheer genius.

not that i want to damage my hearing, but the inclusion of a safety disclaimer message in BB is a sign that BB owners are being treated as responsible adults who can decide for themselves, aye!

This logic is so incredible it's, well... you do realize that RIM didn't include the same limited volume because they haven't (yet) been forced to, not because they think you're such a swell guy and an adult to boot? Right?

[re:charge]

Originally Posted by ifonline

You make a brilliant comment above about people not being into music because they have an iPhone with limited memory, and then you talk about how good the BlackBerry media player is. What? So that means you aren't into music either, right, because the BlackBerry has limited memory? Oh wait... you have an iPod too. I see. So let me get this straight... it's okay to have a BlackBerry and an iPod, but it's inconceivable to have an iPhone and an iPod? Sheer genius.



This logic is so incredible it's, well... you do realize that RIM didn't include the same limited volume because they haven't (yet) been forced to, not because they think you're such a swell guy and an adult to boot? Right?

this has been my experience with the people i have met with iphones (ok well, mostly just the ones at work). most of these people just want the latest phone / gadget, they're not the ones constantly listening to music. that the iphone plays music is a bonus, & it's like owning an ipod too (albeit in one device).

did i say you can't have ipod AND iphone? no.

my point was that i prefer to have something like an ipod classic that would fill up with lossless music & then carry a phone which would have lower encoded files so that i'm not wasting battery in an all-in-one device.

the comment about the BB player was about SQ - i like the sound it has (compared to sony ericsson Wxxx units, nokia music phones & ipods) in fact i prefer it's sound to my ipod. although this is a subjective thing, obviously.

"RIM think i'm a swell guy & blah blah blah...." ahahahahaa WTF kinda drugs are you on? the comment was about applauding RIM for putting the disclaimer message in the audio boost - why couldn't ipods be trusted to have this? RIM haven't been forced to reduce it yet - so what?

i think you got a bit touchy & took my post as an attack on someoone. it was just an observation

[Hauser]

Research In Motion delivered a quarter that showed buckling market share and disappointing sales as the smart phone marker feels the heat from Apple and Google.

Investors didn't take the news well, with shares of Research In Motion tumbling 9.5%, or $5.59, to $52.97, in afternoon trading on Friday.

"RIM is losing market share," says Andy Hargreaves, analyst at Pacific Crest Securities. "Their devices lack an effective browser, especially compared to what Apple and Google have, and they lack an attractive app environment, and that's what people want now. Email is still a valuable piece, but it's only one piece and if you don't have the whole pie you won't be able to capture any of that high-end share."

I'm no oracle but this latest result shouldn't surprise anyone, RIM seems to be focused on pumping out every conceivable hardware form factor (they're actually working on a tablet now?) while letting their OS languish, ignoring the developer community and dragging their heels on implementing even commodity functionality like a usable web browser.

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by Hauser

RIM seems to be focused on pumping out every conceivable hardware form factor (they're actually working on a tablet now?) while letting their OS languish, ignoring the developer community and dragging their heels on implementing even commodity functionality like a usable web browser.

With all fairness, RIM is putting out a new OS and Browser which is a bit better then what they have, but you're right, they are still behind. Their app store is an abomination and the appearance of most BB apps look straight out of the DOS world.

[NJBlackBerry]

Wow - that's the most even handed comment you've made in a year. I guess that since you no longer use a BB you feel better!

[CanuckBB]

RIM is more profitable than ever. They missed 'analyst expectations'. Which means that they didn't ship as many devicesand/or grow as much as some Wall Street pinhead would want them to. They have a GM of 45% on devices. Some of those analysts don't seem to quite understand that unlike other cell phone manufacturers, RIM has a constant flow of revenue from existing devices, they don't need to grow high double digits in new units.