Cell Phones

Blackberry Passport - *smh*

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Jun 4, 2007
484 posts
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Rural Alberta
Solsearchin1 wrote: With blackberry partnering with amazon, I think the lack of apps will be quashed. Most people just want the mainstream apps which the amazon App Store will have. Not to mention, a few simple clicks and you can side load the android store onto your blackberry. I'm interested to see what the amazon App Store will bring.
Side loading and the extra 200k or so apps that the Amazon store has is not going to bring in the consumer. The key apps that most people use are still missing.

The only thing that can save Blackberry at this point is aggressive pricing. That's what they've been doing with the Z3 and that's what they need to do with the rest of their lineup. Unless they go corporate of course, then the consumer market doesn't matter.

Just my 2 cents.
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Aug 2, 2004
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Yorker86 wrote: The key apps that most people use are still missing.

The only thing that can save Blackberry at this point is aggressive pricing. That's what they've been doing with the Z3 and that's what they need to do with the rest of their lineup. Unless they go corporate of course, then the consumer market doesn't matter.
The key apps are there. It is everything else that is missing.

Aggressive pricing is not going to save BlackBerry, and it shouldn't. The only way to achieve cheap devices is to cut corners. BlackBerry hardware is not cheap. I would gladly pay for a premium product.

The problem is the narrow minded people. They have already written off BlackBerry. The open minded people understand the merits of QNX, the ease of BB10 gestures.

You honestly tell me, if BlackBerry offered to sell you a phone at manufacturer's cost would you consider it over iPhone or Android? I doubt it. You've already given up on the platform.
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Gee wrote: The key apps are there.
The key apps are not there.
Gee wrote: It is everything else that is missing.

Aggressive pricing is not going to save BlackBerry, and it shouldn't. The only way to achieve cheap devices is to cut corners. BlackBerry hardware is not cheap. I would gladly pay for a premium product.
Aggressive pricing is going to save Blackberry. The Z3 has sold out in most places it launched so far. When was the last time you saw a Blackberry phone sell like that? Probably when the original 9000 came out and apps didn't matter.
Gee wrote: The problem is the narrow minded people. They have already written off BlackBerry. The open minded people understand the merits of QNX, the ease of BB10 gestures.
So that's what the real problem is. Blackberry can't sell phones because of those "narrow minded people."
Gee wrote: You honestly tell me, if BlackBerry offered to sell you a phone at manufacturer's cost would you consider it over iPhone or Android? I doubt it. You've already given up on the platform.
Absolutely I would. How else do you think a company can penetrate such a fierce and competitive market? Microsoft is hundred times bigger than Blackberry and even they have the very same issue. The thing is however, Microsoft is doing something about it. They're practically throwing money at developers to port over apps.

The only way to penetrate the consumer market is to have apps or cheap hardware. Both if possible. Otherwise you just can't sell on the word security alone. Not unless I'm at a bank and you're my teller.
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Mar 18, 2006
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jvnanu wrote: I'm not talking about the idea itself. It's more about BlackBerry trying to introduce something new and different. Don't know enough about the phone itself yet to comment on the device itself, but from a business perspective this doesn't seem like a smart move for BlackBerry. They don't have enough influence to introduce a new form factor like this, regardless how functional the phone may or may not be.
Please post your experience in the world of marketing or even turning around a company. You are giving an opinion, without much else.

Companies who struggle often go for new and different if it is truly better. And they recover.
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Nov 24, 2012
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it's looking more and more like the CEO is aiming the company for a sell off. That's just my opinion, and I hope I'm wrong. It's hard to turn around a company with a name that has been dragged through the mud. The cell phone market is super competitive and once consumers have made up their mind, it's VERY hard to change it.
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Aug 2, 2004
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Yorker86 wrote: The key apps are not there.
Name one key app that is not available? With the ability to load Android apk files, virtually every app is available.
Yorker86 wrote: Aggressive pricing is going to save Blackberry. The Z3 has sold out in most places it launched so far. When was the last time you saw a Blackberry phone sell like that? Probably when the original 9000 came out and apps didn't matter.
The Q5 is the current Curve aimed a price conscious consumers. I don't see it making a splash. What's the point of aggressive pricing if you can't make a profit?
Yorker86 wrote: So that's what the real problem is. Blackberry can't sell phones because of those "narrow minded people."
The same narrow minded people that want their phone to do everything. The platform with the most apps rule. If people just stop and consider how much time they spend on their phone everyday and evaluate what they do, I'm sure you will find that apps don't play a role in their productivity. Those that use their phones for games and Facebook have to much free time and should be either studying or working.
Yorker86 wrote: Absolutely I would. How else do you think a company can penetrate such a fierce and competitive market? Microsoft is hundred times bigger than Blackberry and even they have the very same issue. The thing is however, Microsoft is doing something about it. They're practically throwing money at developers to port over apps.
I doubt you would. Accordong to you, the key apps are missing. If you get a BlackBerry, what would you use it for? Heaven forbid, you might have to use it for communications and productivity.

Microsoft has tossed in the towel. Theyre making an Android phone. BlackBerry threw money at developers too and it didn't work.
Yorker86 wrote: The only way to penetrate the consumer market is to have apps or cheap hardware. Both if possible. Otherwise you just can't sell on the word security alone. Not unless I'm at a bank and you're my teller.
The cost of hardware is chump change compared to what you pay for service over the life of that hardware. The same narrow minded people are afraid to commit to contracts for a subsidized phone. The subsidy makes the phone cheap. Do you plan or for see your self with out a phone in the next two years? Even if you want out of your contract, buy out the phone and you're no better off that paying full price up front with no contract.

All things being equal. If you can get a BlackBerry for $99 on a contract or an Android / iPhone for slightly more, you're getting the other phone. The perception of apps is the lure.
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Feb 17, 2012
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Got to play around with one, was definitely impressed. The screen is really nice and while the ratio is unique it works really well for reading. For people who watch a lot of videos, this may not be the best device due to the screen ratio, but for people who do a lot of reading online, word/excel, and lots of communication, I think it is an excellent device for those purposes.

It is definitely a two-handed device but in a good way. I find that even with the note series, holding it with two hands still makes your hands cramp together (I don't think have large hands, can't touch the top of the screen with one hand) but with this, because the phone is wide, it just feels comfortable when your hands are separated enough. The square shape wasn't that much of an issue.

Assuming this is with the business individual in mind, I think headphone/BT headset will be best way to talk but the phone even with one hand is not an issue as long as you are just holding it and not using it (I think they have included some technology in the keyboard for one hand usage but not sure).

With regards to apps, it is what it is at this point. If you use your phone as a media consumption device, will this be the best device for your needs? Maybe, maybe not as Android apps can be used but will you want to use them with that screen. If you use it for communication and productivity, especially with the keyboard technology they have implemented, it would be hard to fault this especially if they have all day battery life through heavy use. The added benefit would be that you could still use the Android apps for media consumption without sacrificing the productivity.

It will be interesting how the large screen phone segment plays out now with the Passport and the 5.5 iP6 and the Note 4.
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Jun 4, 2007
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Gee, you're not getting the point of my argument man and we're just gonna go in circles. I stopped reading when you asked me to name one app that isn't sideloadable.
gizmo8 wrote: Yorker86 you dont get it do you?..BB is targeting a different segment of the prosumers.They are aiming for white collar workers,businesses,corporations,government agencies,etc,etc they already signed contracts in asia and europe for their BB security services and handsets.Chen even said he is going after the core business contracts and not targeting the Apple users,android users even though he said BB will be aligning themselves with android apps soon.BB is not after the fanboy users its going after the utility players who actually do work from their phone and not play lame games and surf youtube.
Yeah, I thought I read something like that on crackberry Gizmo. Good luck to them. Hopefully the pro-sumer will dish out pro-prices.

As a former and long time Blackberry user I want the company to be successful.
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utsmaster18 wrote: Got to play around with one, was definitely impressed. The screen is really nice and while the ratio is unique it works really well for reading. For people who watch a lot of videos, this may not be the best device due to the screen ratio, but for people who do a lot of reading online, word/excel, and lots of communication, I think it is an excellent device for those purposes.

It is definitely a two-handed device but in a good way. I find that even with the note series, holding it with two hands still makes your hands cramp together (I don't think have large hands, can't touch the top of the screen with one hand) but with this, because the phone is wide, it just feels comfortable when your hands are separated enough. The square shape wasn't that much of an issue.

Assuming this is with the business individual in mind, I think headphone/BT headset will be best way to talk but the phone even with one hand is not an issue as long as you are just holding it and not using it (I think they have included some technology in the keyboard for one hand usage but not sure).

With regards to apps, it is what it is at this point. If you use your phone as a media consumption device, will this be the best device for your needs? Maybe, maybe not as Android apps can be used but will you want to use them with that screen. If you use it for communication and productivity, especially with the keyboard technology they have implemented, it would be hard to fault this especially if they have all day battery life through heavy use. The added benefit would be that you could still use the Android apps for media consumption without sacrificing the productivity.

It will be interesting how the large screen phone segment plays out now with the Passport and the 5.5 iP6 and the Note 4.
Sounds promising. Any pictures to share :) ? How does the keyboard feel? Are the keys clicky?
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Aug 2, 2004
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Yorker86 wrote: Gee, you're not getting the point of my argument man and we're just gonna go in circles. I stopped reading when you asked me to name one app that isn't sideloadable.
I think you're missing the point. The days where you convert an Android apk and then sideload are long gone.

You can directly install Android apk in BB10. The deal that BlackBerry made with Amazon is to make the apps available in BlackBerry world. There won't be a separate app store.
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Dec 27, 2013
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Timbo420 wrote: Please post your experience in the world of marketing or even turning around a company. You are giving an opinion, without much else.

Companies who struggle often go for new and different if it is truly better. And they recover.
What a ridiculous response. You don't need experience in a field to be able to understand what experts are saying. If you've bothered to read any of my other posts you would have known that I'm basing my opinions on those of industry experts.

BlackBerry isn't struggling. At least not all of it is. It's struggling with respect to the hardware division. The rest is what they need to focus on
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Nov 19, 2010
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Timbo420 wrote: Please post your experience in the world of marketing or even turning around a company. You are giving an opinion, without much else.

Companies who struggle often go for new and different if it is truly better. And they recover.
Yep. Whatever they're doing right now clearly doesn't work so they've got to try something new. The BB Passport is intriguing but the form factor seems a bit ridiculous. I guess for someone who still loves keyboards this is a match made in heaven.
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Dec 27, 2013
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gizmo8 wrote: professionals who needs a work phone would appreciate it.
Nobody is disputing that fact. But the market of professionals who would use this is too small to save BlackBerry's hardware, unless they focus exclusively on professional solutions.
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gizmo8 wrote: BB is targeting a different segment of the prosumers.They are aiming for white collar workers,businesses,corporations,government agencies,etc,etc

They already signed contracts in asia and europe for their BB security services and handsets. Chen even said he is going after the core business contracts and not targeting the Apple users,android users even though he said BB will be aligning themselves with android apps soon.BB is not after the fanboy users its going after the utility players who actually do work from their phone and not play lame games and surf youtube.
+2 on the bolded - it is a losing battle for BB to try and win the regular consumers against Apple and Samsung - I feel that the new direction is a good change and will be profitable as well...

Target the large corporations, governments, hospitals that require security, integration of different devices and basically managed services and solutions for their communication needs.

BB doesn't need to "save" its hardware operations - Chen has already partnered with FoxConn for some of its devices which will help the time-to-market factor, lower the HW risk for BB (i.e. production, inventory management etc)and still provide a bit of revenue...

And BB still will produce its own premium handsets (only offer a small number of these ones) - so you can still purchase BB renowned quality handsets...

I think Chen is doing a great job in turning around the company - the vision is sound and seems pretty exciting....

Hoping for BB's turnaround
jvnanu wrote: Nobody is disputing that fact. But the market of professionals who would use this is too small to save BlackBerry's hardware, unless they focus exclusively on professional solutions.


Hardware will be part of BB's offering but won't be its bread and butter......the bread and butter should be professional solutions (mobile servies, security, integration) and BB will manage all this....

Should be exciting!
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video of it in action at recent trade show. remember it not finished yet so software, etc likely to get better.

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Jun 17, 2013
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sprung wrote: video of it in action at recent trade show. remember it not finished yet so software, etc likely to get better.

That actually seems pretty cool. cant wait to try it
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if we go by the op, there is no innovation here ...
sprung wrote: video of it in action at recent trade show. remember it not finished yet so software, etc likely to get better.

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Passport looks good..might convince me to commit to a work device lol
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