I know, everyone has their two cents about RIM’s current situation, highlighting where they’ve failed, where they’ve succeeded and where they’re headed. Today I join the group... sort of.
I’ve had a BlackBerry attached to my hip for over 5 years now, in those years they’ve seen me go through my daily routine, I’ve thrown them in anger, slept with them under my pillow, and some of the most important messages I’ve ever received have come through my BlackBerry. It will go off, take focus and stop me mid-conversation with someone. I lay in bed at night replying to emails and I’ll wake up in the morning to read all the flyers that came in at 3am. This thing is an integral part of my work and personal life and it always will be. Here’s where I think a few things have gone astray in the past few years.
The BlackBerry I know is a best-in-class communications device. Its emails received on my hip in about 3 seconds and replied to in under a minute. It’s BBM/PIN messaging with family or colleagues out in the field. It’s battery life that blows every other device out of the water. Do we all remember the 7200 series? I’m convinced that thing is sitting in my desk drawer with at least 20% battery left.
I’m carefully writing this, but the mistake, if you will, that RIM made was taking these business class devices and putting them on the same consumer level as Apple and Android devices. I can basically pin-point it to when the first Curves hit the shelf, that’s when RIM decided it was going to enter the consumer market and suddenly every Timmy, Sue, and Billy had one in high-school.
Every time I hear the comparison that iPhone or Android beats BlackBerry, I cringe. They aren’t the same devices. It’s like having two oranges and a banana, and stating that the banana will never be like these oranges. That’s right: it’s a banana, it’s not supposto be an orange!
So I think that RIM should have maybe lessened their entry into the consumer market and focused on the business users, but you know what? They’re working on it and I have faith. It’s hard to go from one business idea that you’re so used to and merging that into an existing market. I get that.
BlackBerry is my workhorse, as an Engineer with Rogers in Canada I need it for work most, but it’s nice that it plays music, has Facebook, a web browser, a camera and can do things like play YouTube videos, but to me it will always be the best messaging device, ever. When I want to sit back and play games, I’ll pull out my PlayBook.
I’m proud to say I’ve owned every BlackBerry from the 7250 to the 9900 I have now, and I’m sure I’ll be one of the first in line for the next one, and the next one, and the next one.
Instantly Unlock Your Blackberry
I’ve had a BlackBerry attached to my hip for over 5 years now, in those years they’ve seen me go through my daily routine, I’ve thrown them in anger, slept with them under my pillow, and some of the most important messages I’ve ever received have come through my BlackBerry. It will go off, take focus and stop me mid-conversation with someone. I lay in bed at night replying to emails and I’ll wake up in the morning to read all the flyers that came in at 3am. This thing is an integral part of my work and personal life and it always will be. Here’s where I think a few things have gone astray in the past few years.
The BlackBerry I know is a best-in-class communications device. Its emails received on my hip in about 3 seconds and replied to in under a minute. It’s BBM/PIN messaging with family or colleagues out in the field. It’s battery life that blows every other device out of the water. Do we all remember the 7200 series? I’m convinced that thing is sitting in my desk drawer with at least 20% battery left.
I’m carefully writing this, but the mistake, if you will, that RIM made was taking these business class devices and putting them on the same consumer level as Apple and Android devices. I can basically pin-point it to when the first Curves hit the shelf, that’s when RIM decided it was going to enter the consumer market and suddenly every Timmy, Sue, and Billy had one in high-school.
Every time I hear the comparison that iPhone or Android beats BlackBerry, I cringe. They aren’t the same devices. It’s like having two oranges and a banana, and stating that the banana will never be like these oranges. That’s right: it’s a banana, it’s not supposto be an orange!
So I think that RIM should have maybe lessened their entry into the consumer market and focused on the business users, but you know what? They’re working on it and I have faith. It’s hard to go from one business idea that you’re so used to and merging that into an existing market. I get that.
BlackBerry is my workhorse, as an Engineer with Rogers in Canada I need it for work most, but it’s nice that it plays music, has Facebook, a web browser, a camera and can do things like play YouTube videos, but to me it will always be the best messaging device, ever. When I want to sit back and play games, I’ll pull out my PlayBook.
I’m proud to say I’ve owned every BlackBerry from the 7250 to the 9900 I have now, and I’m sure I’ll be one of the first in line for the next one, and the next one, and the next one.
Instantly Unlock Your Blackberry
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