RIM's Playbook has been having its own quiet "firesale"

[aneftp]

This hasn't gotten the same press as the Touchpad firesale. But quietly over the past week Playbooks have been substantially discounted (mainly through Staples).

Last week Staples had the playbooks 50% off for business customers. This week select customers received email coupons up to $200 off the playbooks.

For example i got 32gb playbook for $299 (50%) off last week. Combine this with $100 mastercard prepaid card mail in rebate means I got the playbook 32gb for around $200 plus taxes.

For those who havent played with a playbook, lets just say its fast. It has similiar 3D hardware graphics chip as ipad 2. of course it has short comings since rim rushed the product out.

But RIM is quietly trying to clear inventory.

i own the ipad 2. But 7 inch tablet is so portable and lightweight to put in my
briefcase. And i own both blackberry and iphone. With Playbook I get free internet via the bridge with Tmobile(ATT blocks the free internet).

 

[FloatingBones]

RIMM will announce its Q2 2012 results after the close of markets on 9/15.

This article talks about bleak prospects for PB sales. In RIMM's Q1, iPad outsold the PB by a factor of 19 to 1. Putting the PB on deep discount between the close of Q2 and the announcement of Q2 results doesn't sound good for the long-term future of the product.

I hope some investor asks RIMM about these deep PB discounts in the earnings call.

 

[FloatingBones]

Update: In Q2, RIM reported shipping 200,000 Playbooks. That makes for a total of 700,000. The 200,000 number is very low -- especially since they rolled out the tablet computer to several new markets in Q2.

RIM announced that gross margins will be decreasing in Q3. That probably means what @aneftp noted: aggressive discounting of Playbooks. The PB is not dead, but the future doesn't look bright at this point.

I believe we have seen the last of the Flash! commercials.

 

[hcho3]

Playbook is still the best 7 inch tablet in the market. However, Rim is still persistent on doing some stupid things on playbook.

This company still has chance to turn things around, but their CEOs do not have visions.

At this rate, playbook faces same outcome as HP touchpad.

 

[Mac.World]

Playbook is still the best 7 inch tablet in the market. However, Rim is still persistent on doing some stupid things on playbook.

This company still has chance to turn things around, but their CEOs do not have visions.

At this rate, playbook faces same outcome as HP touchpad.

Said this once, and i'll say it again. Playbook discontinued within 6 months, but at the rate RIM is going, probaly half that. By the way, hat 200,000 figure is shipped units, not sell through. You think any retailers are going to place any more orders for playbooks that are likely going to sit on a shelf after watching what happened to the Touchpad? The Playbook is done. Firesale for the public will happen right after Xmas.

 

[PracticalMac]

if Apple made a 7" "iPad Mini" a lot of other tablets would vanish overnight.

 

[bembol]

if Apple made a 7" "iPad Mini" a lot of other tablets would vanish overnight.

I wouldn't have bought my 64GB PlayBook but I have to defend it because I'm loving QNX/OS, swiping from the top bezel makes it so easy/fast to switch Videos. Besides the portability, it's the reason why I gave up my 64GB iPad One 3G.

Being a Mac user I hate that I can't watch my HD TV Shows (iTunes purchases), I'm waiting to see what iPad 3/iOS 5 changes/offers.

 

[FloatingBones]

This article from CrackBerry.com notes $200 savings off the $449 price of the 16GB Playbook at Staples stores from 9/25 to 10/1. Half of it is an instant discout; the other $100 is done as a rebate.

The CrackBerry article had a link to their Playbook archive page, which includes a pre-release description of the device:

With screaming hardware specs and the new QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS, the 7" PlayBook tablet is poised to be a real winner in the tablet market while ushering in a new era for BlackBerry devices.

Will the ushering in comment prove to be ironically prophetic?

 

[thewitt]

if Apple made a 7" "iPad Mini" a lot of other tablets would vanish overnight.

And why would Apple create a 7" tablet when none of the other 7" tablets are selling at all? There is no proof there is any market demand.

-t

 

[jca24]

rim is dead

 

[tigres]

rim is dead

Not yet, but it does appear to be the Titanic. Everyone has been screaming iceberg, yet the corporate leaders seem to be deaf.

 

[spammerhamster]

And why would Apple create a 7" tablet when none of the other 7" tablets are selling at all? There is no proof there is any market demand.

-t

The other 7" tablets aren't selling at all because they're not iPads.

I'd instantly buy an 7" iPad + the 9.7" HD iPad. Heck, I'd get the iPhone5 while I'm at the store too.

 

[FloatingBones]

The other 7" tablets aren't selling at all because they're not iPads.

I'd instantly buy an 7" iPad + the 9.7" HD iPad. Heck, I'd get the iPhone5 while I'm at the store too.

Jobs noted during the Q4 FY10 earnings call that Apple thought 10-inch tablets were the minimum usable size. You can read a summary of the comments here.

That call was about 50 weeks ago; Q4 FY11 ended yesterday. It'll be interesting to see if SJ is the next earnings call.

 

[thewitt]

The other 7" tablets aren't selling at all because they're not iPads.

I'd instantly buy an 7" iPad + the 9.7" HD iPad. Heck, I'd get the iPhone5 while I'm at the store too.

Apples research has simply found the market is not interesting for a 7" tablet.

All of the 7" tablets sold last year do not match two weeks of iPad sales. It's just not a market they care about.

-t