Battered BlackBerry maker weighs options

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By ROB GILLIES | Associated Press


TORONTO (AP) — BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion has hired a team of bankers to help it weigh its options as its business erodes in the face of an exodus to the iPhone and Android smartphones.

RIM issued a dire warning about its business Tuesday, saying it is losing money for the second-consecutive quarter and will lay off a "significant" number of employees.

The company based in Waterloo, Ontario said it has hired J.P. Morgan and RBC Capital Markets to help it evaluate its options. Those including partnering with other companies, licensing software and overhauling its business, it said.

RIM made no mention of selling of the company. But new Chief Executive Thorsten Heins did not rule that out after RIM's last earnings report in late March.

Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Financial, said the company is in a downward slide that's not slowing. He said he doesn't see any buyers for RIM coming forward soon.

"Unfortunately, it falls into the too little, too late category," Gillis said. "It doesn't mean somebody won't try it. It doesn't mean it's going to be a savior for the company either."

The statement from RIM did not detail the coming layoffs, other than to say the company expects "significant spending reductions and headcount reductions in some areas throughout the remainder of the year."

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said he expects RIM to announce as many as 5,000 layoffs soon. The company has about 16,500 employees now after cutting 2,000 jobs in July.

RIM said the company looks to save $1 billion — even as it transitions to its much-delayed "BlackBerry 10" software platform expected out later this year.

RIM's stock fell 7 percent, or 80 cents, to $10.43 in extended trading following the release of the company's statement. Before Tuesday's announcement, the stock had lost almost 75 percent in the last year.

The company that pioneered the smartphone market with its BlackBerry phones is facing the most difficult period in its history. RIM's U.S. share of smartphones dropped from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent in 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group.

It still has 78 million active subscribers across the globe, but Apple Inc.'s iPhone and smartphones from companies including Samsung and HTC that use Google Inc.'s Android software are gobbling up market share.

"The on-going competitive environment is impacting our business in the form of lower volumes and highly competitive pricing dynamics in the marketplace," Heins said in Tuesday's statement. He said the company will likely post an operating loss when it reports its fiscal first quarter results on June 28.

Heins, formerly a little known chief operating officer at RIM, took over in January after RIM founder Mike Lazaridis and longtime executive Jim Balsillie stepped down as co-CEOs after the company lost tens of billions in market value.

RIM has tried to make phones with touchscreens that resemble the iPhone, but those offerings have largely flopped. And so has RIM's tablet, the PlayBook, which uses the very software that will be in the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

The company is following the same trajectory as struggling Finnish handset maker Nokia and California-based Palm, both of which attracted consumers with trend-setting phones and technologies in their heyday, only to be outmaneuvered by competitors. In Canada, there is fear that the nation's biggest technology company could go the way of former Canadian tech giant Nortel, which declared bankruptcy in 2009 and was picked over for its patents.

RIM was "the leader and this is what happens in the technology cycle of creation and destruction," Gillis said. "They rode the first wave of the smartphone revolution and Apple is riding the next one."

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Who would have saw this coming

[Teh One Who Knocks]

What do you think? Out of business by the end of the year?

[Godfather]

As long as their hardware still exists. I'm not answering 50-250 emails and messages day on a touch screen tinker-toy

[Teh One Who Knocks]

As long as their hardware still exists. I'm not answering 50-250 emails and messages day on a touch screen tinker-toy

:empathy:

I'll put my tinker toy up against a Crackberry any day of the week ;)

[Godfather]

Yeah if you're playing games or watching movies I won't argue... but not using it as an actual means of communicating like its meant to do.

[Acid Trip]

As long as their hardware still exists. I'm not answering 50-250 emails and messages day on a touch screen tinker-toy

I'd love to challenge you in typing speed. Swype vs. Blackberry keypad.

[Godfather]

I'd happily accept that challenge if it were possible :lol: Already ended that argument with a friend and his Galaxy S

It's also a matter of comfort. Swinging your fingers around awkwardly is half as comfortable as a full qwerty keyboard that you can actually feel and don't need to stare at.

[MrsM]

Yeah if you're playing games or watching movies I won't argue... but not using it as an actual means of communicating like its meant to do.

Sorry GF - I loved my BB when I had it and only went to an iPhone to try something different...

Once you get used to typing on the touch screen, it's really not that different. Another complaint is the auto correct, but you can turn that off.

Having owned both, I can't see myself going back to BB unless they come out with something different.

I hope they do, and I hope they can ride out this storm - but it doesn't look good.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

As long as their hardware still exists. I'm not answering 50-250 emails and messages day on a touch screen tinker-toy

I answer email/texts and browse the web on it all day. I have owned a few BB, once you get a modern phone you will see you have a kids phone in your hand.


:empathy:

I'll put my tinker toy up against a Crackberry any day of the week ;)

:tup:

[Godfather]

:hand: Enjoy your glorified Game Boy, I'll be at work

[Teh One Who Knocks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTooBnKAdSw

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:hand: Enjoy your glorified Game Boy, I'll be at work

Can I get fries with that

[Arkady Renko]

they are a one trick pony, and now that a lot of other ponies have gotten the hang of that one trick while they can do a lot of other tricks, blackberries don't look so cutting edge anymore...

[Godfather]

Shhh, the men are talking.

[Godfather]

In all seriousness, I do have a free phone from my provider and I'm between quite a few phones still.

This a complaint I hear from friends with Droid, and as Texting/email is the biggest thing I use it's a serious concern for me:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/31/android-still-has-horrible-text-messaging-bugs-thatll-get-you-f/
Android still has horrible text messaging bugs that'll get you fired, busted, or otherwise embarrassed
By Chris Ziegler posted Dec 31st 2010 1:12PM
Pardon us if the headline is a little sensational, but this is one that we've personally experienced -- and it's not pretty. For at least the last couple versions, Android has been plagued with a couple extremely serious bugs in its text messaging subsystem that can ultimately end up causing you to text the wrong contact -- even contacts that you've never texted before. There appear to be a few failure modes; the one we definitely experience on the Gingerbread-powered Nexus S involves being routed to the wrong thread when you tap it either in the Notifications list or the master thread list in the Messaging application, so if you don't notice, you'll end up firing a message to the wrong person.

More seriously, though, there's also an open issue in Android's bug tracking system -- inexplicably marked "medium" priority -- where sent text messages can appear to be in the correct thread and still end up being sent to another contact altogether. In other words, unless you pull up the Message Details screen after the fact, you might not even know the grievous act you've committed until your boss, significant other, or best friend -- make that former best friend -- texts you back. There seem to have been some attempts on Google's part over the year to fix it; we can't confirm that it still happens in 2.3, but for what it's worth, the issue hasn't been marked resolved in Google Code... and it was opened some six months ago.

This is akin to an alarm clock that occasionally won't go off (we've been there) or a car that randomly won't let you turn the steering wheel -- you simply cannot have a phone that you can't trust to communicate with the right people. It's a deal-breaker. We're pretty shocked that these issues weren't tied up and blasted to all affected phones as an over-the-air patch months ago, but whatever the reason, we'd like to see Google, manufacturers, and carriers drop every other Android update they're working on and make sure this is completely resolved immediately.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

That story is 18 months old :-s

I have sent 1000's of texts and I have yet to have one go where it wasn't supposed to

[Godfather]

This too, makes me worried that I'll be moving from an EXTREMELY reliable phone for texting/messaging/email... to something far less so:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57393854-278/youve-got-bad-mail-android-needs-a-better-e-mail-app/

[Acid Trip]

In all seriousness, I do have a free phone from my provider and I'm between quite a few phones still.

This a complaint I hear from friends with Droid, and as Texting/email is the biggest thing I use it's a serious concern for me:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/31/android-still-has-horrible-text-messaging-bugs-thatll-get-you-f/
Android still has horrible text messaging bugs that'll get you fired, busted, or otherwise embarrassed
By Chris Ziegler posted Dec 31st 2010 1:12PM
Pardon us if the headline is a little sensational, but this is one that we've personally experienced -- and it's not pretty. For at least the last couple versions, Android has been plagued with a couple extremely serious bugs in its text messaging subsystem that can ultimately end up causing you to text the wrong contact -- even contacts that you've never texted before. There appear to be a few failure modes; the one we definitely experience on the Gingerbread-powered Nexus S involves being routed to the wrong thread when you tap it either in the Notifications list or the master thread list in the Messaging application, so if you don't notice, you'll end up firing a message to the wrong person.

More seriously, though, there's also an open issue in Android's bug tracking system -- inexplicably marked "medium" priority -- where sent text messages can appear to be in the correct thread and still end up being sent to another contact altogether. In other words, unless you pull up the Message Details screen after the fact, you might not even know the grievous act you've committed until your boss, significant other, or best friend -- make that former best friend -- texts you back. There seem to have been some attempts on Google's part over the year to fix it; we can't confirm that it still happens in 2.3, but for what it's worth, the issue hasn't been marked resolved in Google Code... and it was opened some six months ago.

This is akin to an alarm clock that occasionally won't go off (we've been there) or a car that randomly won't let you turn the steering wheel -- you simply cannot have a phone that you can't trust to communicate with the right people. It's a deal-breaker. We're pretty shocked that these issues weren't tied up and blasted to all affected phones as an over-the-air patch months ago, but whatever the reason, we'd like to see Google, manufacturers, and carriers drop every other Android update they're working on and make sure this is completely resolved immediately.

So you pull an article from 2010 that refers to 2.3 as the highest version of Android?

Someone is reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaching

[Teh One Who Knocks]

This too, makes me worried that I'll be moving from an EXTREMELY reliable phone for texting/messaging/email... to something far less so:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57393854-278/youve-got-bad-mail-android-needs-a-better-e-mail-app/

Maybe I'm naive when it comes to e-mail apps because I have only ever used the Android app, but I have had no problems with it. Besides, I just took a quick peek in the Google app store and there are several other e-mail apps you can d/l if you don't like the default Android app.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Its ok, BB will be making the decision for you soon enough when they fold.

[Godfather]

Its ok, BB will be making the decision for you soon enough when they fold.

It's all good dude, they're just phones. Seriously though, refute or rebuke this article

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57393854-278/youve-got-bad-mail-android-needs-a-better-e-mail-app/

Do Droids suck for email? I don't care how fast they surf the net or open Angry Birds

[Godfather]

Also this makes me worried security is an issue. All of my work is protected by the Insurance Act and the Privacy Act so it's a serious matter.

http://www.theprovince.com/business/Personal+data+Selling+Android+better+drilling+hole s+hard+drive/6588225/story.html

[Acid Trip]

It's all good dude, they're just phones. Seriously though, refute or rebuke this article

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57393854-278/youve-got-bad-mail-android-needs-a-better-e-mail-app/

Do Droids suck for email? I don't care how fast they surf the net or open Angry Birds

The author is bitching about a single problem "conversation view". Then goes on to bitch about how different handsets are different. Holy shit! Different phones from different manufacturers are slightly different?! Somebody call somebody!

I've got 50-75 corporate users on Samsung Galaxy SII phones sync'd with an Exchange server and we've never have a single problem or compliant. That's saying something because everyone I work with is technology defunct.

[Godfather]

The author is bitching about a single problem "conversation view". Then goes on to bitch about how different handsets are different. Holy shit! Different phones from different manufacturers are slightly different?! Somebody call somebody!

I've got 50-75 corporate users on Samsung Galaxy SII phones sync'd with an Exchange server and we've never have a single problem or compliant. That's saying something because everyone I work with is technology defunct.

:lol: Fair enough

[Godfather]

Maybe I'm naive when it comes to e-mail apps because I have only ever used the Android app, but I have had no problems with it. Besides, I just took a quick peek in the Google app store and there are several other e-mail apps you can d/l if you don't like the default Android app.

Hmmm gotcha

[Godfather]

There's also this: Although I'm hoping there is a way you actually can wipe a Droid properly.
http://www.theprovince.com/business/Personal+data+Selling+Android+better+drilling+hole s+hard+drive/6588225/story.html

[Goofy]

Although I'm hoping there is a way you actually can wipe a Droid properly.

A damp cloth works quite well :tup:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

It's all good dude, they're just phones. Seriously though, refute or rebuke this article

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57393854-278/youve-got-bad-mail-android-needs-a-better-e-mail-app/

Do Droids suck for email? I don't care how fast they surf the net or open Angry Birds

I dont know what that guys talking about, I use the gmail app for personal, and I use the native email with active sync on exchange, they are perfectly capable.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

There's also this: Although I'm hoping there is a way you actually can wipe a Droid properly.
http://www.theprovince.com/business/Personal+data+Selling+Android+better+drilling+hole s+hard+drive/6588225/story.html

Its still pretty difficult to get at the data, but you lose your blackberry and the user could have everything too

https://www.hatforce.com/blog/android/wipe

[Teh One Who Knocks]

http://i.imgur.com/WDRMA.jpg

That's how I wiped my last Android smartphone...using a 1/2" drill bit.

[Hal-9000]

Use a proper bloody pc keyboard to communicate with you Lilliputians!!! :x


you all gonna be squinty-eyed midgets in a few years...

[Hal-9000]

*returns to his telegraph handset and fires off a few dots and dashes*

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Luddite :hand:

[Hal-9000]

Ahhhhhhh-mish

[redred]

what will all the kids do without there bbm :lol: thats all teenagers do over here

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I answer email/texts and browse the web on it all day. I have owned a few BB, once you get a modern phone you will see you have a kids phone in your hand.


what will all the kids do without there bbm :lol: thats all teenagers do over here

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha