Get Better Gear!
- ifrogz Luxe EarPollution Microbud Earphones with Mic from ifrogz, $24.99
- iRingPro iPhone ringtones from Hladecek, US$9.95 per pack
- Retro Recorder 1.1.1 from McDSP, $2.99
- Voi! Lorem™ iPhone case from eNcipient, LLC, US$24.95
- YAPPER from SachManya, $499
Top 5 Free Apps
iTunes New Music Releases
Top 5 Paid Apps
Discover New Music
Every Day: The Best of the Verve Years
- Joe Williams
- Joe Williams was Figure Two in my three-man education in singing. A brilliant vocalist, scatter, and interpreter of jazz and blues, Williams produces music that's totally unique, yet sounds so effortl
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
When I first got hooked to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the only place I could get their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, was through the band's Web site. I listened to the two tracks a
- Phish
- This quasi-concept album (the only of its kind) from these Vermonters finally showcased their ability to convey a message with a studio album, whereas previously they only succeeded in doing so live.
- The Dresden Dolls
The energetic duet of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione that make up the Dresden Dolls have created a wonderfully haunting sound in their self-titled album. They have been able to construct an imme
An Evening with George Shearing & Mel Torm�
- Mel Torm� & George Shearing
- Of the three men who taught me how to sing, the last was Mel Torme. Apparently, Mel Torme is a joke to anyone more than a decade older than me, a living parody of a Vegas crooner. But I stumbled on th
Reader Specials
Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!
News
Future Customers May Sour on BlackBerry, Sweeten on iPhone
Monday, October 8th, 2007 at 4:00 PM - by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Research in Motion (RIM) appears to be an overstressed US$3.5B company that is failing to articulate why customers should select the BlackBerry, according to Blackfriars Marketing. Moreover, its not aiming for the future market.
An anlysis of RIMs earnings call transcript caused some things to jump out for the author, Carl Howe. First, RIM, a veteran company in the business, sold only 3.1 million phones this quarter compared to an estimated 1.25 million iPhones by Apple, a newcomer to the business.
Second, RIM sells through 325 carriers and Apple through one. That seems impressive, but it "must put incredible strain on a US$3.5 billion annual revenue company," Mr. Howe noted.
Third, RIM has overestimated its ability to connect with consumers, "RIM is going after consumers with similar products and features it has used to capture enterprise customers. But consumers arent businesses, and they buy on more than just features," according to Mr. Howe.
Finally, RIM has spread itself too thin. While Apple is focusing on just one "carefully crafted" model, Mr. Howe observed that, "RIM is weighted down by a heavy quiver of Blackberry Curves, Pearls, 8800s, 7200s, and 7100s."
Using an analogy to a great ice hockey player, Mr. Howe concluded, "Wayne Gretsky, Canadian hockey great, claimed, I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. RIM is still skating toward the old mobile phone business model, where businesses and carriers dictated standards and devices. But with Apples focus and strategic marketing, it is skating to where the mobile phone puck is going in the next several years, where no-muss, no-fuss direct-to-consumer relationships will eclipse those carrier and business-driven we know whats best device models."
In the final analysis, unless RIM can articulate why its phone is better for the consumer, itll be Apple reporting on huge consumer phone sales. Worse, RIMs small size compared to Apple will result in any loss of market share being much more magnified.
Recent Headlines
- New App Store Games: Frogger Inferno, More
- Flurry Finds Google Nexus One Sales Lagging Through 74 Days [UPDATED]
- A Diamond-Encrusted iPad Can Be Yours For $20K
- Could E-Textbooks be the iPad’s ‘Killer App’?
- New Google Hire Tim Bray Fires a Volley in the Android vs. iPhone War
- Research Firm Flurry Sees 185 Percent Jump in iPhone App Development
- PayPal App Adds Bump to Pay Support
















Post Your Comments