The Gadget Gurus Podcast Ep 155 – Metaphysically
The Boss is back but that doesn’t mean he can control the craziness that is The Gadget Gurus Podcast! This week the guys talk comics, Facebook passwords, RIM’s consumer strategy, ban on cell phones in the car and much more!
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RIM Giving Up on the Consumer Market?
RIM has had a rough time breaking into the consumer market. Competing, or lack there of, with the iPhone and Android has proven to be much harder for the Waterloo company. With flops like the Blackberry Storm and the Playbook, RIM hasn’t been able to capture the hearts or minds of consumers. In 2005 a blackberry was seen as “the cool device” to have. Now they are loathed by even business people. After failing to meet investor expectations, RIM’s new CEO has announced their renewed focus on a business strategy.
“We believe that BlackBerry cannot succeed if we tried to be everybody’s darling and all things to all people,” Heins said. “Therefore, we plan to build on our strength.”
RIM also stated they may be considering partnering with others in order to bring their services to consumers.
“We can’t do everything ourselves, but we can do what we’re good at,” RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said
With the Playbook able to use Android apps, RIM has already dabbled in going outside their own failed ecosystem. Maybe we will see them form stronger relationships with others that have been successful in the market.
This new strategy isn’t the only major change as Jim Balsillie, one time co-CEO and co-founder of RIM, has resigned.
At this point I think RIM is just trying to get there feet back on the ground and collect themselves. Will this be the end of RIM in the consumer space? Only time will tell, but looks like we won’t see much from them in the immediate future.
via [Associated Press]
Patented Up: Google Gets Approval to buy Motorola; Apple, RIM & Microsoft get Nortel Patents
My your cup runneth over with patents tech giants. Yesterday Google was given the go ahead from the Department of Justice to purchase Motorola Mobility. The acquisition will help bolster Google’s patent portfolio and give them and their partners some defense against Android lawsuits. The DoJ also made sure to let Google know that they will keep an eye on them and make sure they are licensing these patents fairly.
In other exciting (sarcasm) patent news, Apple, Microsoft and RIM were also granted the purchase of 6,000 Nortel patents by the DoJ. The three companies, along with others, teamed up to create “Rock Star Bidco” and collectively bid $4.5 Billion for these patents.
Now that every one is all “patented up”, things might get more interesting since all sides will have all kinds of BS to throw at one another. Hopefully they can just work out license agreements and everyone can go back to innovating instead of dragging this stuff to court.
via [Engadget and Ars Technica]
RIM co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis to Step Down
When we think about pulling RIM out of the hole they have dug themselves, one of the first thoughts is to start at the top. RIM’s co-CEO strategy has been questioned very heavily lately and it looks like those questions have been answered. Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis will finally step down and current COO Thorsten Heins will take over as CEO.
RIM has stated that thier current stratgy to move forward with a new OS will remain as planned, but Heins makes sure to point out “It’s going to be continuity, but it’s not going to be a standstill.”
via [The Verge]
Sprint Getting New Blackberry Phones this Fall
AT&T has always been the carrier known to get the latest Blackberry phones previously, but now Sprint is getting some flagship devices from RIM this fall, the Bold 9930 and the Torch 9850. Both phones will be sporting RIM’s latest iteration of their OS Blackberry 7.
The new Bold is Blackberry’s thinnest smartphone to date coming in at 10.5MM thick and sports the famous physical QWERTY keyboard that most Blackberry owners have been known to love. The newest Torch has the biggest screen that has been on a Blackberry phone to date at 3.7 inches.
These phones processors have been pushed up to 1.2GHZ and have Liquid Graphics Technology for fast and smooth performance and very responsive touchscreen. It sounds like Blackberry is pushing the right way in this new hardware but it is more of the same. Is this what they need paired with Sprint and other carriers to stay prevalent in the game?
