"The iPhone is a mobile computing platform that happens to have a phone in it."
Liking that! Can I steal it for future arguments?
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Apple should be scared
- Thread starter Stang68
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Which ties you into one vendor's approved software range. Symbian has a number of shops all offering a range of software which can be downloaded directly or installed from the Nokia PC Suite - most people use S60 or Nokia Software Market. Blackberry has the 'Built for Blackberry' site. I can't comment on WM.
So they all have easy to use distribution systems already.
Perhaps. Then again Nokia owners have more choice and NSM is child's play to use.
Well it would be if it was the same OSX. RIM and Symbian's software have been proven by years in their relevant markets though.
Right. If you read the Register article from 2007 that refers to you would notice that you would have to install the applications on your 'phone. This is not dissimilar to the recent crack on Safari where the user had to be directed to upload software to get in. You'll also note that they say "Infections for mobile malware are rare and ordinary Symbian users have little to fear".
Symbian viruses are as rare as OSX viruses. Try again.
You're going to explain which ones and why aren't you? Otherwise I'm just going to assume you've never used them and don't have a clue what you're talking about, k?
"The iPhone is a mobile computing platform that happens to have a phone in it."
Liking that! Can I steal it for future arguments?
Probably start coming into play a bit more, still iPhone OS vs. Mac OS.
Probably will see OS X Desktop and OS X Mobile later, Apple Marketing still has to make that move if they want to unify the message in the future.
But people to like some of the feature improvements with .Mac to Me.com
I don't know if you have actually used a BlackBerry or not. I have owned them a few times, and used my 8800 and 8310 for about a year with BES/Exchange. Since I am independent I rented the Exchange / BlackBerry Enterprise Services from Mail2Web.
Here is a breakdown of the cost involved when I used one...
Exchange Server for 1 GB of mail space...
$14.95 mo.
BlackBerry Enterprise Services
$14.95 mo.
AT&T Blackberry BES Data Plan
$44.95 Mo.
450 Minutes talk
39.95 a month.
I also had other services like SMS, TeleNav, but let's not even add those. The email alone is $30 in total for push with integrated calendar and address book and much less space than dot mac. With dot mac I am getting 10 times that for less than $8 a month. And in July, I get 20 times the storage, and push just like BlackBerry for the same $8 a month. In addition the data plan is $15 less a month than BES.
What about software?
RexWireless ToDoMatrix, Ascendo DataVault, JiveTalk, and a few others are hands down the best applications for the BlackBerry. And they don't hold a candle to the software on the iPhone. RexWireless is a fantastic ToDo app with nothing to compare it to on the iPhone at this time. However, just looking at the March 6th event, and the yesterday's WWDC event I can tell you the depth of the software on the iPhone is years ahead of BlackBerry.
It's not just touch screen and a virtual keyboard. It's a platform architecture that separates the iPhone from the BlackBerry. All RIM is doing by adding TouchScreen to their Thunder is changing the method of input. The architecture of the operating system remains the same. Meaning you still have the concept of an Options key. You still have the same legacy technology driving the device. It's essentially a new skin on an older technology.
Does Apple have anything to fear? Of course there are always unforeseen technologies in development. But so far Windows Mobile 6.1, BlackBerry Thunder, Treo devices and Nokia devices have nothing that effectively competes with the iPhone. Google's Android is perhaps the best competition I have seen to date.
Now let me first explain a potential in the SmartPhone market. We may be seeing a large growth rate in SmartPhones. If this proves to be true, everyone could win, literally, and no losers. What I mean is simply this. Apple's iPhone may simply expand the market in which case iPhone, Android-based devices, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry all gain in unit shipments in an expansion that takes marketshare from the one-billion standard hand-sets sold per year. In this case, everyone wins. BlackBerry experiences growth. Apple experiences growth. Windows Mobile experiences growth.
But what if the pie is not expanding. What if the SmartPhone market is as large as it is going to get?
In that case, I believe the iPhone will take marketshare away from RIM's BlackBerry, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, the Palm Treo, and Symbian based devices.
RIM supporters love to say Enterprise this and that. Well, I am an Enterprise class customer. I use my iPhone for 95% business and 5% personal. When I was a member of the BlackBerry forum I can tell you I was in the minority for using a database, Push ToDo, and Push Travel software on my device. You know what most folks in that forum use? A call app which blocks certain calls from causing the phone to ring. Most used an IM client. Most used a spell-checker. Most used a email, and many, not most, used an HTML parse engine to see HTML mail as RIM does not provide this natively. Many, not most used a poor music app called FlipSide, and boasted at how great it is. It's seriously a joke compared to the iPod app in the iPhone. In fact the way you handle all entertainment on the BlackBerry is a joke compared to the iPhone eco system of management. Most of those folks in the forums are fanboys the same as most of us could be called a fanboy. We are here talking about the platform after all. We go to forums and read news about the platform, don't we? So to some extent, yes, we, you and me, could be called fans.
Personally, I think many, dare I say most, of those RIM users are blind to what is really possible with the iPhone. They'd rather hang on to outdated ideals than face up to reality. I, just like they, said I wanted a physical keyboard. And yet here I am no longer caring for one. I said, as they do, that email on the BlackBerry is like no other. Well, that's true. No one else has such lame email as RIM. They have Push. They have Security. But the iPhone is releasing Push as well. And it's not tied to a NOC.
They love to say big business won't be interested in iPhone. I hear this one a lot. Yet 35% of the fortune 500 is already in trials for the iPhone before the 2.0 release even hit. Now that speaks volumes in my opinion. Before the 2.0 release 35% of all fortune 500 companies are already considering it and dropping their existing smartphone. Why might that be? Look at the March 6th event. Look at the SalesForce.com demo. I was blown away by that. That software is so far and away better than anything RIM has ever seen in its existence and they did what we saw in 2 weeks. How can that not reveal the very definition of new generation versus old?
Look how quickly developers can get a seemingly desktop quality experience on the iPhone versus a clunky mobile subset of an application on devices such as the BlackBerry.
Good software is a business enabler. And I can tell big business agrees with me on this. They don't care about RIM. They don't care about Apple. They care about the tool. The better tool means they can better engage their clients. It's the software. It's the opportunity to have the tools you need when you need them. Mark my words, BlackBerry cannot compete with Apple. And their coveted enterprise markets are about to be pulled away from them. Not because of fanboy-ism. Not because it's cool. It's because the software is so much better. Applications like SalesForce.com are so easily better for sales people in the field that it will become the standard. It's going to be like comparing a full class word processor to a note pad. RIM has simplistic software. Software that is a subset and second-class. The iPhone has software far closer to desktop quality and this sets the bar out of reach of RIM.
Adding touch screens and a virtual keyboard neglects the very core of what I am writing about. Does adding a touch-screen change the software and platform opportunity for RIM and its customers? No of course not. It merely changes the method of input. It's like saying a new keyboard and mouse changes the foundation of the computer. It doesn't do any such thing. The keyboard is merely the interface to the platform, not platform itself. Apple's wonderful touch-screen is not the iPhone's strength. It's merely part of the interface. The iPhone is so much better because the architecture is so much better. The Kernel, the optimized OSX operating system creates a mobile platform that is far and away better than RIM's simple Mobile OS. The touch screen is merely part of that system. For RIM to think that adding a touch-screen to their existing platform somehow brings them on par is not only ridiculous, it's almost offensive. It's like painting a clunker of a car and expecting me to believe it will somehow run like new again. Paint and the mechanics of the car have absolutely nothing to do with each other. And the fact that RIM appears to think so little of their customers is downright offensive to me. And it should be to you as well.
RIMs must think we're all stupid or something. Of course they understand what truly separates their legacy device from a next generation device. And yet they show you some picture and attempt to infer that they are releasing something on par with the iPhone, when they are doing nothing of the kind. They didn't release the car mechanics to do an overhaul on their aging car. They sent out the painters to give it a new coat of paint with a gloss finish, and they mean to tell you that's all you want or need. Sorry, but it's not even close to reality.
Ever wonder why good companies lose their markets right out from under themselves? It's because a market opportunity came and went. I write went, because what often happens is the current leader falsely believes they know their own market. If that were true, RIM would have better hardware that moved itself forward and closer to desktop quality. Instead, RIM has performed exactly like Palm. They are not far from what they started with. The current RIM architecture is all RIM has to offer. The mechanics are long since gone. And what is left is marketing and paint. Lot's of paint. Sorry sir, the food is awful, try some salt. No thank you, I'd rather something else to eat entirely. RIM's response; the food is fine, just needs a little more spice. Well, it's not at all true.
I actually enjoy watching this sort of thing happen. Companies that are so well thought of exposed for what they are. One-trick ponies. RIM, the one-trick pony will do nothing but bring paint to an engineering fight. And they will leave humiliated and overwhelmed. And I'll chuckle years from now as I recount how I called this the same as I called the downfall of Circuit City, and the slow, but coming downfall of Sun Micro. Give customers what they demand, or watch as someone else does this and takes your market away from you.
Alex Alexzander
@ alex:
I agree with almost everything you said. I fully understand the magnitude of the App store because I have a touch. I am sooo excited for all of the potential apps. But you cannot say that Blackberry will keep the same UI for their Thunder. They are smart guys over there and know that the interface is the most important thing on a touchscreen device. LG screwed that up. The iPhone UI is by far the best and simplest interface on a phone. Blackberry will probably be able to make something semi-close to that simplicity...maybe. No one knows yet, though. So don't count out RIM because they are in trouble and have to throw some punches.
As for the pricing points you brought up, it doesn't really apply to me because I am in a family plan, so the costs are different. You have a valid point there.
I also agree with you on the point that the iPhone will continue to evolve bc of the App store. BB doesn't have anything like this yet. But to say that BB's are bad devices is wrong. I think my Curve is a great device...even though I would like an iPhone. Next year, June '09 is when the contract is up because my friend works at the 5th ave store and he claims they get memos about this stuff.
It will be an interesting holiday season this year. Its going to be Apple vs RIM!
I agree with almost everything you said. I fully understand the magnitude of the App store because I have a touch. I am sooo excited for all of the potential apps. But you cannot say that Blackberry will keep the same UI for their Thunder. They are smart guys over there and know that the interface is the most important thing on a touchscreen device. LG screwed that up. The iPhone UI is by far the best and simplest interface on a phone. Blackberry will probably be able to make something semi-close to that simplicity...maybe. No one knows yet, though. So don't count out RIM because they are in trouble and have to throw some punches.
As for the pricing points you brought up, it doesn't really apply to me because I am in a family plan, so the costs are different. You have a valid point there.
I also agree with you on the point that the iPhone will continue to evolve bc of the App store. BB doesn't have anything like this yet. But to say that BB's are bad devices is wrong. I think my Curve is a great device...even though I would like an iPhone. Next year, June '09 is when the contract is up because my friend works at the 5th ave store and he claims they get memos about this stuff.
It will be an interesting holiday season this year. Its going to be Apple vs RIM!
Who cares as long as you don't work for Apple or own Apple stock. If Apple make a product that people want, they do well. Otherwise, they do poorly.
Any chance you could summarise all of that in, say, a three-panel cartoon?
Haha hey, I read the whole thing, you should too!
Honestly, I don't see RIM doing anything else besides adopting a touch screen. I know this because they are using the same 4 button principle in the Thunder product. You are of course correct in that I don't "know" this, but I'd be willing to make a cash bet I'm correct.
I do count out RIM. I am actually posting the watered down version of how I feel. I'll sum up my true view on this. RIM is dead if the market is closed and finite in size for the smart phone. If it is expanding then they have hope.
Best,
Alex Alexzander
I do count out RIM. I am actually posting the watered down version of how I feel. I'll sum up my true view on this. RIM is dead if the market is closed and finite in size for the smart phone. If it is expanding then they have hope.
Best,
Alex Alexzander
I agree with you when you say that RIM will die if they don't get on something quickly. The App store will be the death of RIM. I think that it is premature to call RIM dead, though. Apple didn't deal enough of a "death blow" yesterday. The App store will eventually contribute to the end of RIM if they don't act soon.
I disagree. I went to disneyland with the kids and our regular camera gave up the ghost before I could take one picture. N95 to the rescue.
I admit it does take a second or two to actually take the picture, but the quality or the pictures was great. It saved my ass as the kids love the photos.
Yup, I have seen pages and pages of Symbian virus listings, but TBH anyone who installs a app from a random Bluetooth device deserves whats coming to them
THANK YOU!!
I am a current BlackBerry user that frequents certain BlackBerry forums. EVERYDAY I see the blind (BIS users mostly... go figure...) users slam the iPhone for everything under the sun when they don't have a clue to the reality of the situation. Everyday I fight them and try to make them understand the iPhone and the potential it presents. Everyday I am told that nothing will beat BlackBerry in the enterprise and blah, blah, blah....
I have always said to use the device you want, but don't needlessly hate on another simply because you lack the understanding to see what it is capable of. They concentrate on the small things, the no MMS, the no video, the no keyboard; and they completely ignore the bigger picture. It is a sad state of affairs over there, it really is.
I am just so happy to see someone else that actually gets it. You sir, have made my day!
Hmmm, that's interesting. You might have something there! Ol' Stevey may have "one more thing" since he didn't yesterday!
I wonder why they want to hide radio diagrams and antenna stuff? Maybe there is DVB-H (thats what its called, right?) for Mobile TV!
Also, thy are hiding internal and external photos, front facing camera for video conferencing me thinks?
Here's a snip of info on Apple/ATT agreement:
The latest estimates have "unlocked" iPhones costing Apple over $1 billion in lost revenue the next 3 years. Apple's (AAPL) AT&T (T) tie-up in the US is for another 4 years, meaning the company will continue to not realize monthly revenue, estimated at $120 annually per subscriber from phones "unlocked" for use on other carriers.
Full article is here....
That would hold water if there wasn't a statement made yesterday by AT&T about the revenues. I'd give you a link but I can't bc I'm posting from my Curve. Just Google "iPhone and AT&T" and click on "news".
It's the other way around. They're bringing Exchange 07 to iPhone. THey're baking it into the OS by WWDC 09. They're giving you Enterprise level Push features. whilst the 3G iPhone might not have flash, or might not have front facing cam - it's got a LOT going for it.
GPS makers are nervous, it's showing Enterprise it can do everything bar have a physical keyboard that RIM does and then some, it's giving .mac users enterprise level functions. It's got sync in the bag to mac AND PC outflanking Windows' Mesh. Come App Store etc, we'll see
People are talking more about LTE, not CDMA.
Why would you want a GSM phone that only works with a U.S. SIM?