RIM faces pressure from Pocket PC Phone and Smartphone

[Ed Hansberry]

http://www.nationalpost.com/financialpost/story.html?id={44D934FC-0B6B-4F32-AE8E-E22293BB0C50}<br /><br />"Research in Motion Ltd. was hit with two potential competitive blows yesterday that could hurt sales of its popular BlackBerry handheld device. Analysts believe a strategic alliance between AT&T Wireless Inc. and Microsoft Corp. is a threat to RIM because it will see AT&T sell Microsoft's new Pocket PC handheld device and Pocket PC wireless phone to business customers."<br /><br />The second threat was from Dell, the number one PC maker that has huge inroads to the enterprise customer, RIM's primary market.<br /><br />It is going to be a whole new ballgame in the US when Pocket PCs and Smartphones start shipping in quantity. This is what Microsoft has been working towards for years now, not on a disconnected PDA. I think the PDA landscape will look very different in 12 months. What about you?

[willh]

I don't know about you - but I'm more comfortable sticking with two devices - a phone and a PDA...

About the only way I could see myself using a Phone Edition PPC is if I had a wireless headset (Jabra?) that was compact, rugged, had BlueTooth, and could easily slip into my pocket without getting broken...

[Ed Hansberry]

I think I am there with you on this Will. Not because I don't think converged devices will eventually win, but I cannot give up CF and my foldable keyboard. There is no phone device yet with those capabilities. :roll:

[GadgetDave]

I don't know about you - but I'm more comfortable sticking with two devices - a phone and a PDA...

Agreed ... but you can do this ... PPC with Bluetooth and an enabled phone (like Ericsson T68) ... works great ...

Although having been a blackberry fan for a long time (what it does - mail - it does very well), I'd still like to see a PPC with the Blackberry sync software ... that would be killer.

[Jeff Rutledge]

Although having been a blackberry fan for a long time (what it does - mail - it does very well), I'd still like to see a PPC with the Blackberry sync software ... that would be killer.

I agree. Bringing push capability to a PPC could be the killer app (at least as far as the enterprise market goes).

[jdhill]

I agree. Bringing push capability to a PPC could be the killer app (at least as far as the enterprise market goes).
Yes indeed. I am seriously considering this device so that I can reduce the number of things on my Batman utility belt. The Phone/PDA will help bring that number down by one. However, since it doesn't do "push" e-mail, I will still be carrying my Motorola P-935 (wireless e-mail device with a thumb-keyboard; similar to a RIM Blackberry).

This looks like a great device, and I will most likely get one after you early adopters post a few reviews. However, I will be counting on the next release of the Phone Edition hardware/software to support push e-mail and a thumb keyboard.

[fundmgr90210]

I think this assumes a lot though. Smartphone COULD be a success; however, no one knows if it will ever ship in the quantity to get any momentum (as we know the carriers seem to be having some trouble with the software, etc.). Also, who really knows what usability, stability, battery life, etc. will be like.

PPC 2002 phone edition on the other hand is never going to be a big seller. The battery life is horrible and consumers want something smaller that at least approaches the form factor of a typical cell phone. The RIM combo units will have the same problem.

[JMountford]

All I have to say is RIM? What? Who?

I had an alpha numeric pager in HS. AND YES, I DO KNOW ther is a difference. But Still RIM is just not a solution for me.

[innersky]

pressure from smartphone? What smartphone???

[splintercell]

A couple of interesting additions:

First this story on InfoSync:

http://www.infosync.no/news/2002/n/2120.html

I find it really neat - segregate the functions, have a tiny wireless display with optional keyboard, a little headset, and the rest tucked away someplace.

The second is here:

http://www.dangerinfo.com/

About time too, I have been drooling over the Danger device for a long time. If only it had a color screen, but with a price point of around $200 I shouldn't really complain.

[Ed Hansberry]

pressure from smartphone? What smartphone???
Presumably the one MS has finished and should have hardware shipping in 9 months. :wink: I see RIM's biggest threat the PPC phone. All that RIM data and an integrated phone is a big device, but RIM users are used to it. Smartphone really has no compeititon in that until 2002, there were no real smartphones. Once the P800 ships with Symbian and Palm gets an integrated device together on OS5/6 and Nokia can figure out something smaller than the Communicator, that will be who SmartPhone 2002 will face. Looks lke the P800 will be first out of the gate too.

[jdhill]

I see RIM's biggest threat the PPC phone.
Perhaps. However, the Blackberry's forte is the always-on email and the thumb-board. Give me a Pocket PC Phone Edition with always-on e-mail and a thumb-board and I'll be in 'hog heaven' !!!

[GadgetDave]

I see RIM's biggest threat the PPC phone. All that RIM data and an integrated phone is a big device, but RIM users are used to it.

Only one problem - RIM has a phone (AT&T and VoiceStream are selling it in the us) - the 5710. Earbud only, but they have a model you can hold like a phone coming out later this year. So then you have the phone and BB always on email. So that's the Smartphone competition.

I think the avaialbilty of outside software and expandibility (as well as looks and style) will be what seperate the Smartphone. I'll keep my full PPC, just want a GSM/GPRS phone card for when I'm not around the WiFi. :lol:

[Ed Hansberry]

Only one problem - RIM has a phone (AT&T and VoiceStream are selling it in the us) - the 5710. Earbud only, but they have a model you can hold like a phone coming out later this year. So then you have the phone and BB always on email. So that's the Smartphone competition.

Depends on the size. Remember, a Smartphone has no touch screen, only the 10key pad, a thumb pad and a few other buttons for menus and such. If they fit QWERTY on the phone coming out this year, it is going to be Treo size at a minimum, and that is bigger than a Smartphone.