It just keeps getting worse for RIM, but when you rush a product to market that isn’t finished, you have to expect a backlash.
PlayBook
∞ RIM has to rearchitect entire system to get email on PlayBook
RIM co-CEO Jim Balsille publicly stated that email was not a core component that its customers wanted on the PlayBook. We all knew that was hogwash, but now the real reason has come out.
∞ RIM's mismanagement fallout begins as layoff notices go out
Not even a week after RIM reported disappointing financial results, the company started handing out layoff notices to some workers.
∞ A history of RIM infographic
With everything that’s been happening with RIM in the past little while, I thought this infographic was kind of cool. It was put together by the folks at Geekaphone and used with permission.
∞ Dolby sues RIM for patent infringement
Dolby Laboratories filed a patent infringement lawsuit against RIM late in the week, adding to RIM’s already bad week.
∞ RIM co-CEOs praise themselves as the company burns around them
It’s hard to tell how executives will react after delivering poor quarterly results, but praising themselves probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
Unfortunately for RIM shareholders, that’s exactly what happened last night. After announcing weaker than expected shipments of BlackBerrys, weak PlayBook shipments, poor financials, and a lower outlook for next quarter, co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis praised their leadership of the company, according to quotes from the call posted on AllThingsD.
“Mike and I would like to address some of the concerns that have been expressed surrounding the executive management structure at RIM and, specifically, the joint nature of our leadership,” said Balsillie. “Mike and I have been partners in this business for almost 20 years, and during that time RIM has grown to $20 billion in annual revenue. We are currently approaching the tail end of a significant transition in our business, that, frankly, few companies would have survived. But we have. And I believe, and I think Mike would agree, that neither of us could have taken RIM this far alone.”
∞ RIM needs to shut up and get a new CEO
It is a sad day for many employees of RIM. During the company’s disastrous first quarter results, they learned some workers would be laid off. But it’s not the workers that are responsible for this mess.
I first came out against RIM back in February when the company was the darling of the media and the PlayBook was the device expected to kill the iPad. At that time, I wrote a story called “RIM needs to shut up and ship,” chastising the company for announcing three generations of PlayBooks before they even shipped one.
RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said, “I think the PlayBook redefines what a tablet should do.”
Ultimately, RIM released a device that doesn’t even have email or calendaring. This from the company that made its mark in the mobile arena based on secure email. What’s even worse is the response that RIM’s CEO had to the lack of basic features.
∞ RIM implodes: announces layoffs, 500,000 PlayBooks shipped
According to the company’s results, net income for the quarter was $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, compared with net income of $934 million, or $1.78 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $769 million, or $1.38 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.
∞ PlayBook is the 'herpes of tablets'
RIM may want people to compare its PlayBook tablet to the iPad, but journalists have a less complimentary comparison for the device.
While I was attending WWDC last week, CNN said the PlayBook was the “herpes of tablets.” Apparently the news organization was trying to return the PlayBook to RIM and got no response.
∞ Law firm investigating RIM for violating federal securities laws
Georgia-based law firm Holzer Holzer & Fistel on Monday said it was launching an investigating into RIM.
According to the law firm, the investigating is focusing on statements made by the company between December 16, 2010 and April 28, 2011. The investigation will try to determine if the statements “were materially false and misleading at the time they were made.”
∞ PlayBook vs. Etch A Sketch: A head-to-head battle
I was surprised with how many PlayBook fans were upset when I compared the device to the iPad 2. So I thought I’d try again.
According to the emails I received, a comparison between the PlayBook and iPad 2 wasn’t fair. These comments came despite the fact that RIM’s co-CEOs blathered on about how much better the PlayBook was than the iPad.
So if comparing the iPad 2 isn’t fair, what is? There aren’t very many modern devices that don’t allow its users to send email or work with calendars.
∞ PlayBook returns high, misses sales targets by 90%
The news just keeps getting worse for RIM’s PlayBook tablet. Not only is the company missing targets, but return rates for the device are quite high.
Citing a source from a big box retailer, BGR on Friday said the PlayBook missed the retailer’s internal projected sales targets. RIM didn’t just miss the targets by a little — according to the source, the PlayBook fell short of the targets by over 90 percent.
∞ Fail: RIM sells 250,000 PlayBooks
It’s almost a month to the day that RIM’s PlayBook tablet went on sale and according to one analyst’s prediction, the company sold 250,000 so far.
RBC Capital Markets General Manager Mike Abramsky said in a note to clients on Wednesday that according to his channel checks, sales have been steady since the launch of the device. He also predicted that RIM would sell 500,000 PlayBooks during its first quarter on store shelves, according to BGR.com.
∞ RIM blames faulty OS for PlayBook recall
RIM issued a recall over the weekend for about 1,000 PlayBook tablets. Until now, we weren’t sure of the reason for the recall.
RIM’s PR firm contacted The Loop and said the recall was issued because of an operating system issue. It also wasn’t known whether the PlayBooks in question had made it into customer’s hands or whether they were still in distribution.
∞ RIM recalls faulty PlayBooks
RIM executives argued that its PlayBook tablet would change the way people viewed the devices. Apparently they meant it would be the first to be recalled.
RIM has reportedly issued a recall for over 900 faulty PlayBooks. At least some of the PlayBooks were shipped to Staples stores, but it’s not clear that they were the only location to receive the faulty devices, according to Engadget.
∞ RIM declares 'Amateur Hour is Over'
I saw a link on Twitter to a new ad campaign from RIM that states “Amateur Hour is Over.”
My first thought was that RIM had given up and taken the PlayBook off the market. Afterall, that is the only “amateur” tablet on the market. Turns out they are still selling it.
∞ RIM cuts profit outlook, stock price plummets
RIM on Thursday issued a warning to Wall Street that the company would not meet guidance for the first fiscal quarter of 2012.
RIM said the cause for the projected shortfall in Q1 is because of lower shipments of BlackBerrys. The company said shipments are now expected in the lower end of the 13.5 million to 14.5 million forecasted in March.
∞ Apple grabbed 85 percent tablet market share in 2010
Apple’s iPad garnered 85 percent of the tablet market share in 2010, according to new research released on Wednesday.
ABI Research said that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab came in second place with a distant 8 percent market share. Archos’s Internet Tablet came in with just 2 percent of the market.
∞ A solution for PlayBook users who want email
It’s called the iPad 2 and it’s really cool.
∞ AT&T blocks BlackBerry Bridge from PlayBook users
When RIM introduced the PlayBook, it did so without an email client, but not to worry you can download BlackBerry Bridge and tether the PlayBook to your BlackBerry. Or maybe not.
It seems that AT&T may be blocking the BlackBerry Bridge due to tethering restrictions, according to CrackBerry.com. Even a note on BlackBerry’s App World says the BlackBerry Bridge software is supported by all carriers, except AT&T.
∞ Pictures of the line-up for the RIM PlayBook
Today is the big day for RIM. They are betting the company on the PlayBook tablet, and today it’s available in stores.
I’ll admit that where I live isn’t a hotbed of technology like Silicon Valley, but we know our devices like most other communities in North America. I live in a city of about 450,000 people, so there should be lots of interest in a new tech gadget.
∞ RIM CEO defends PlayBook, says email 'really isn't a core element'
RIM is on an all out blitz to defend its PlayBook tablet after negative reviews began hitting the Web on Wednesday.
Among the major criticisms from reviewers was the lack of a native email client for the PlayBook — a strange omission from the company that made its name on secure email.
RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said that people are “overplaying one aspect that really isn’t a core element that we’ve seen from our enterprise customers or webmail people.”
Did RIM’s CEO just say that email isn’t a core element of the BlackBerry PlayBook.
∞ An email to RIM
I sat last night reading reviews of the RIM PlayBook and wondered what the hell the company was thinking releasing this product. I’d email the company, but they wouldn’t get it, since the PlayBook doesn’t have an email client.
Yes, you read that right. The mobile company that built its name on being the email company doesn’t have an email client on its tablet. That is one of the most asinine decisions I’ve seen of any tech company in a long time.
The only thing that could be worse is if they left their users with no way to do calendaring and contacts too. Yes, you guessed it — you can’t do calendaring and contacts either.
∞ PlayBook reviews hit: It's not good news
RIM’s PlayBook is due to hit stores next week and the first reviews from the big gadgets sites are in. It doesn’t look good for RIM, so far.
Before we take a look at the reviews, let’s take a quick look at how RIM views the PlayBook.
“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.
Okay, there is our starting place. RIM thinks it’s amazing. Now let’s see what the reviewers say. I’ll take a few quotes from the reviews, so I recommend you go to each site and read the full review. Both reviewers had a few positive things to say too.
∞ RIM CEO has another interview meltdown
RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis wasn’t impressed with the way an interview was going with the BBC and terminated the interview.
As soon as the interviewer started asking Lazaridis about security issues with the governments in India and countries in the Middle East, the interview started to fall apart.
“That’s just not fair,” said Lazaridis. First of all, we have no security problems.
Lazaridis went on to explain why he feels people are focused on RIM.
∞ RIM's co-CEOs: 'Whine' and 'Denial'
RIM shareholders were probably sitting back with their mouths hanging open yesterday as the interview with the company’s co-CEOs hit the Internet.
RIM is one week away from the release of the PlayBook, a product that could make or break the company, and instead of remaining quiet, the CEOs give an interview. Mistake.
I suppose giving an interview isn’t a bad idea if you are a masterful speaker like Steve Jobs, but if your name is Lazaridis or Balsillie, you should avoid interviews like the plague. In a moment of trying to be helpful, I actually recommended this to RIM a couple of weeks ago, but they didn’t listen.
So, what brilliance did we get from RIM? One week away from the PlayBook introduction, what wisdom did the co-CEOs impart on us? Let’s take a look at what Mike “Whine” Lazaridis had to say.
∞ RIM CEO bitter towards Apple in interview
The pressure of not being prepared for the tablet revolution may be catching up with RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, as his bitterness shines in a recent interview.
“Why is it that people don’t appreciate our profits? Why is it that people don’t appreciate our growth? Why is it that people don’t appreciate the fact that we spent the last four years going global? Why is it that people don’t appreciate that we have 500 carriers in 170 countries with products in almost 30 languages?,” Lazaridis said in a New York Times interview.
That’s quite a bit of non-appreciation from consumers and market in general, but Lazaridis isn’t that concerned.
∞ RIM's PlayBook was delayed a month because of Apple
A report on Monday says that RIM’s PlayBook tablet release was delayed because Apple bought all available touch screen displays.
RIM had apparently planned to release the PlayBook sometime in mid-March, but because Apple had already book all the touch panels, the company had to postpone the launch, according to DigiTimes.
∞ RIM has two CEOs and three COOs
Purchasing a product from any company shows a level of trust by the consumer, but how are we supposed to trust a company like RIM.
I had a look at RIM’s executive team over the weekend and was surprised to find the company has three Chief Operating Officers. Of course, we all know they already have two Chief Executive Officers, which adds up to a corporate structural mess.
Seriously, how is the buying public supposed to trust a company that can’t even decide who the hell is running the place? It’s like the hierarchy of the company is a straight horizontal line.
∞ iPad generated $9.5 billion in revenue; everyone else $34 million
We all knew the iPad was dominant last year. It leads in market share and the mind share of consumers, but what about financially.