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BBGeekcast: January 27th, 2012 – Episode 171

Joe — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:41:46 +0000

RIM has a new CEO, and he’s talking up a storm. This calls for a podcast. Today I’m talking Thorsten Heins and his words upon ascending to the company’s top position. Plus, plenty more in the world of BlackBerry.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (9 min, 2 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

The show actually doesn’t open with the bit on Heins. It starts with RIM’s 2012 roadmap, which is a bit less interesting than their previous ones. That’s because RIM doesn’t have much, in terms of quantity, on tap for 2012. But they do have some relatively big releases coming up.

Then we’re onto Heins, who has been talking a lot about RIM. I think it’s something of a mistake to say that there doesn’t need to be change within RIM, even if that’s what he believes. But all told, he had a good first week in his position.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: January 27th, 2012 – Episode 171

BBGeekcast: January 20, 2012 – Episode 170

Joe — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:02:04 +0000

The RIM rumors just will not stop. It makes me think we’re going to be reading them, in some form or another, from now until the end of time. Either that, or when RIM completely turns around the company. But we have more sales rumors this week. We also have some actual BlackBerry rumors as well.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (11 min, 00 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

Could RIM sell the company? It seems unlikely, but you never know. If the price is right, I’m sure they’ll consider anything. But we’re talking about possibly selling divisions. I take a look at the possibilities.

New PlayBooks in 2012? It seems as though software is a bit more important at this juncture, but that apparently won’t stop RIM. They’re looking at at least one new PlayBook model, perhaps released relatively soon.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: January 20, 2012 – Episode 170

BBGeekcast: January 6, 2012 – Episode 169

Joe — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:40:23 +0000

We’re back after a holiday hiatus, and boy did we pick a good time for our first broadcast of 2012. The RIM world was rocking with rumors this week, so I dig into them to see where the company is going.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (11 min, 13 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

Good news: RIM increased its market share in December! It wasn’t by much, and they’re still behind the competition. But it’s something.

Could we see a new face on the RIM board? Maybe not, but we could see one of the current members promoted to chairman. Does this have any implications for the future?

You know what does have implications? Licensing the BlackBerry 10 operating system. That says a lot about the company. I get the conversation started, but clearly there’s way more to discuss in this matter.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: January 6, 2012 – Episode 169

BBGeekcast: December 16, 2011 – Episode 168

Joe — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:00:02 +0000

RIM announced their third quarter results, which always gives us discussion fodder. Unfortunately, things aren’t looking so great right now. In the podcast I run down the positives, which doesn’t take long, and then to the negatives. It was definitely a tough topic.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (11 min, 07 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

While RIM lowered their guidance numbers for the third quarter, they still did fairly well. They added subscribers, but those PlayBook numbers are just not attractive.

Worst of all, we won’t see BlackBerry 10 smartphones until the second half. The latter part of 2012, says co-CEO Jim Balsillie. That’s not good news for anyone. It leaves a massive void in the first half of 2012, at which time RIM’s competitors will release new and dazzling devices.

Still, I have faith that the devices themselves will be good. And with RIM focusing on marketing in America, maybe they’ll make some inroads. But it’s getting tougher and tougher to believe that.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: December 16, 2011 – Episode 168

BBGeekcast: December 9, 2011 – Episode 167

Joe — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:58:45 +0000

It looks like BBX won’t be a thing. Another company holds that trademark in the US, and RIM had to change the name. So now we’re waiting for them to release BlackBerry 10 smartphones. I’m not as keen on the name, but it’s just an OS name. The devices themselves still look exciting.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (10 min, 27 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

Warning: I rant a bit about the nature of BlackBerry naming. Seriously, it’s the one thing I absolutely want to see changed with BlackBerry 10. Do you know how much of a pain it is when someone writes in and describes a problem, and then says they have a BlackBerry Bold?

It looks like we’ll get a whole array of BlackBerry devices with BlackBerry 10. It’s still unclear when the first one will drop — it could be anywhere from February to August. But it won’t be the only one. We’ll get a full touch model, a slider, and a Bold-like device. As long as they don’t call it the Bold, it all sounds great.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: December 9, 2011 – Episode 167

BBGeekcast: November 11, 2011 – Episode 166

Joe — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:00:31 +0000

While there are some issues going on in the BlackBerry world, I decided to tackle a different topic today. Should you buy a BlackBerry 7 smartphone? There are some good reasons for and against, and I explore them on this week’s podcast.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (12 min, 44 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

Why wouldn’t you get a BlackBerry 7 smartphone? There are a few reasons, I guess, but most of them have to do with waiting for BBX. There are some carrier issues, too, which I go into on the show. It’s important to remember: you’re not getting shortchanged by these devices. It’s going to be a huge upgrade over whatever BlackBerry model you currently use.

Then I dive into some BBX issues. You can tell RIM is taking their time to get this right. And with good reason. They have to put their best foot forward. If that means a mid-2012 release, so be it. It’s better to do that than to rush what might be their biggest release ever.

Also, if the audio issues aren’t fixed this week I might tear all of my hair out.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: November 11, 2011 – Episode 166

BBGeekcast: October 28th, 2011 – Episode 165

Joe — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:16:16 +0000

It hasn’t been a great week in terms of BlackBerry news, but as always I’m trying to put a positive spin on things. There’s some deep honesty about the challenges RIM faces in the future, especially in the face of these most recent setbacks, but there’s still some optimism in there.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (11 min, 58 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

We do kick things off with a bit of good news: the Porche Design P’9981. It’s a high-end device for sure, probably not meant for you and me. But it’s still pretty.

Next order of business is the delayed PlayBook update. That one’s going to sting. We won’t see it until February, which changes things not only for us PlayBook owners, but also RIM. They had some opportunities with this update, and those are no longer in play.

Finally, what’s with the trade-ins of BlackBerry devices? It was inevitable in a way, but with a record number of trade-ins RIM could face further challenges in getting BBX off the ground.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: October 28th, 2011 – Episode 165

BBGeekcast: September 23, 2011 – Episode 164

Joe — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:35:20 +0000

We’re running down some recent news on new BlackBerry 7 smartphones, the BlackBerry 7 smartphone line in general, and of course the PlayBook.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (12 min, 22 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

RIM isn’t done with its BlackBerry 7 line yet. Not only do we have the tiny Curve, but we also have two more on the horizon. That’s the touchscreen Curve and the Bold 9790.

I don’t get either of them, since they’re not clear value adds to the existing models. But I really don’t get the Bold 9790. It’s the Bold 9930 in a different case. Is that really what RIM wants to do at this point in time, with its current place in the market?

And the PlayBook: it’s getting cheaper. It’s going to get better soon, too. Snap one up now and realize the benefits with the massive update next month. There are many deals to be had.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: September 23, 2011 – Episode 164

BBGeekcast: September 16, 2011 – Episode 163

Joe — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:04:59 +0000

It’s earnings call time. RIM had theirs yesterday, and everyone in the world had an opinion on it. Well, you know what? I have an opinion about their opinion. That’s the opening remark in this week’s BBGeekcast.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (10 min, 52 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

RIM came in under earnings, and everyone wants to jump on them for it. It’s understandable, though. They’re reeling from a poor 2010, and oftentimes it takes a while for these earnings to catch up to them. But they did grow their subscriber base, which is a plus.

Now it’s onto the future. DevCon is just a month away, and RIM has already announced their intentions. That is, we’ll see a massive PlayBook update, which will bring all those native functions we’ve craved. We’ll also get a video store and Android apps. And then there’s the QNX-based smartphone line, which RIM will unveil there. Get the developers on board, and they might have a competitive product on their hands.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: September 16, 2011 – Episode 163

BBGeekcast: September 9, 2011 – Episode 162

Joe — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:00:51 +0000

We’ve been out on summer break, which consisted of more than vacation. But that’s OK, because we’re back in full force. There’s plenty to talk about, of course, since plenty has happened since our last episode. So jump right in.

So click on over here to hear the BBGeekcast (15 min, 27 sec)

And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss future episodes!

You can also subscribe to the BBGeekcast in iTunes.

Highlights include:

First we’re talking about the new BlackBerry models. What do they offer over the old ones? Are they enough to pull RIM out from the trenches?

Really, the entire first half of the show is about how much these devices were necessary for RIM. Not just now, but for the future. They have a reputation to rehabilitate.

Then we move to the future. Some analysts have RIM making a small turnaround later in the year. That also assumes a bit of disappointment in their upcoming quarterly earnings announcement. But a quick, small turnaround could be good in the long-term.

Finally, we’re talking about QNX devices. Timing is the key here.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

BBGeekcast: September 9, 2011 – Episode 162