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Can Blackberry Make A Comeback?

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Despite releasing a decent Blackberry smartphone as well as a tablet that is out selling everyone save iPad 2, investors do not seem to be pleased with RIM overall.

“We believe RIM has now squandered nearly every opportunity and competitive advantage it enjoyed through ineffective R&D resource management, delayed product launches and misreads of the competitive environment,” Morgan Stanley analyst Ehud Gelblum wrote in a note to clients on Friday. (Wall Street Journal)

While it’s still too early to write off the company as the next Titanic, if RIM doesn’t find a way to change their current state of affairs, they will end up suffering Nokia’s fate (who ditched their home grown OS MeeGo for Windows Phone 7). [Read more…]

Originally posted on June 13, 2011 @ 4:16 pm

Playbooks Outperforming Android Tablets?

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Chalk one up to RIM, whose Blackberry Playbook is apparently outselling all their rivals save for the  iPad 2 (who dominates the tablet market).

Since its April 19 launch in the U.S., Abramsky thinks RIM has moved about 250,000 PlayBooks. Further, he believes RIM is on track to sell 500,000 PlayBooks by the end of the quarter. […]

“Checks at 180 Best Buys show 14% of the 16 GB sold out, 71% of the 32 GB sold out, and 84% of the 64 GB sold out; however, 32 GB/64 GB stockouts appear allocation-related,” he wrote. Are many PlayBooks being returned? Not really, he said, calling PlayBook returns “nominal.” (Information Week)

Despite being half the size of Motorola’s Xoom as well as requiring a Blackberry device in order to access basic features like a calendar (note: seriously RIM?), the Playbook seems to be a hit amongst the masses.

Motorola also reported 250,000 units sold, although they only mentioned how many tablets were sold to stores and not directly to consumers (which is a way of saying a product is a dud).

Although RIM’s quarter million sales to consumers are not blockbuster figures, it does give them something to boast about when addressing their critics (this author included).

If RIM is able to perform this well underneath Apple’s shadow with a mini-tablet, how much better could they do with a full sized tablet with all of the bells and whistles? Food for thought.

Originally posted on May 18, 2011 @ 1:42 pm

Hulu To Playbook: No Videos For You

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Hulu apparently is continuing their “iOS only” campaign, as the company has reportedly blocked Blackberry Playbook lovers from viewing videos over the web.

Some sad but expected news folks — we’ve started getting tips in the forums and through the CrackBerry support tips line that Hulu has gotten a little cranky about offering content on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Although PlayBook owners previously have had access to all movies and TV shows it now looks that Hulu has added the BlackBerry PlayBooks browser string to their blocked list. (Crackberry)

The block came within 48 hours of Playbook’s release which means fans of the device now have no way of watching Hulu as the company has yet to make an app for Playbook (or even Blackberry smartphones for that matter).

Currently there is no workaround for Playbook fans (at least not yet), although hopefully Hulu considers releasing an official app in the future (at least for Hulu Plus fans).

Originally posted on April 21, 2011 @ 1:32 pm

Out: Blackpad. In: Playbook? (RIM Tablet)

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After showcasing their Blackberry Torch, it looks like the smartphone giant has decided against calling their tablet “blackpad” (which was a stupid name truthfully) and has instead embraced Playbook. Yes, seriously.

The tablet thus far seems eerily familiar to the iPad, although unlike Steve Jobs greatest creation the Playbook can view flash websites which should make up for RIM’s anemic app store.

It also boasts a 3 MP front facing camera (note: iPad 2.0 will probably receive this as well), as well as a 5 MP rear camera which should help give the Playbook some distinction in the tablet wars.

Unlike the iPad however, I’m seeing no mention of a built in 3G service, although they do say you will need a Blackberry smartphone if you want to surf the net outside of WiFi.

Either way it’s smart that RIM is debuting the Playbook now before the world goes ga-ga over the iPad this holiday season.

Note: Unfortunately for HP, Playbook’s debut makes it all the harder for them to make a webOS comeback with PalmPad (although their HP Slate should keep the company relevant through 2011).

Originally posted on September 27, 2010 @ 6:28 pm