BlackBerry maker RIM this week hosted the Wireless Enterprise Symposium in Orlando, Fla.
One of the announcements causing the biggest stir was the BlackBerry Bold (formerly “BlackBerry 9000”) –touted by some clueless observers as the device to rival the iPhone.
At the conference, co-CEO Mike Lazaridis was interviewed by Silicon.com reporter Natasha Lomas. One exchange stood out:
RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis on the BlackBerry Bold:
This is three years in the making. So I’m sorry but this wasn’t a response to another device. Either that or we have a time machine somewhere, or some kind of magic crystal ball or something. This was actually designed three years ago and the actual physical design of this product–I have the original models from 2006.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “MacVicta” for the heads up.]
That took RIM three years to make? Sheesh, they’re in even bigger trouble than we thought, if that’s possible:
“RIM has already been dealt a world of hurt with Apple’s iPhone, and Apple wasn’t even really trying with the first go around (few countries, mostly exclusive carriers, ignoring the enterprise, no SDK, no Exchange support, etc.). Those days are soon to be over for RIM. RIM is already bleeding share to Apple’s iPhone; now they’re about to start hemorrhaging. Let the bloodbath begin.” – MacDailyNews, May 12, 2008
We hereby publicly challenge RIM and co-CEO Mike Lazardis to produce the original models of their BlackBerry Bold and prove that they are from 2006.
We can’t wait to see them. Bold italics denote massive sarcasm on a scale heretofore never deployed on this site. And that’s saying something.
There’s a reason why Lazaridis needs a helper (Balsillie) to be CEO of a company with a market value that’s less than half that of Apple’s. There’s also a reason why Steve Jobs excels not only as the sole CEO of Apple, but also concurrently excelled as Pixar CEO for years.
Certainly, in this case, the old maxim is thoroughly disproved: two heads are not better than one.
Again, RIM and Lazardis: Put up or shut up. Produce the original models of the BlackBerry Bold and prove that they are from 2006.
Here’s what RIM will be doing in the near future:
• Pretending that antique technology wrapped in an iPhone-like exterior is innovation
• Talking up physical keyboards over touchscreen keyboards until they finally produce a rudimentary touchscreen keyboard to tout
• Like every other mobile device company, totally ignoring and never mentioning Multi-Touch, especially vs. simple single-touch-screens
• Trying to keep their central email server online up in Canada
• Watching their market share lead erode dramatically
You can judge the distance behind and overall cluelessness of iPhone’s future roadkill by the amount they copy the iPhone’s exterior… This ceaseless quest to dress up antiques in Apple veneer is pathetic and sad. – SteveJack, MacDailyNews, March 29, 2008
MacDailyNews Note: We’ve contacted RIM requesting proof backing up co-CEO Mike Lazardis’ claims, but RIM has not responded as of publication.
Funny – he doesn’t actually say anything about the ‘original models from 2006’ … only that he ‘has’ them.
That means nothing – CEO doublespeak.
It’s not all delusional.
Another important chunk of the interview:
“The iPhone effect…
I think that BlackBerry was the first and best integrated and most secure smart phone solution in the world a decade ago. And it continues to be today. But I think what happened was the amount of marketing and the attention they [Apple] generated in the market – the customers are now coming to the store and saying I didn’t know you could do all that with a phone. And when they get there they realise there’s a selection – there’s not just one device. And so what it’s actually done is increased our sales.”
It looks like any other crummy BlackBerry and to me doesn’t resemble the iPhone in any significant way. I also can’t imagine this being seen as a true competitor to the iPhone which is vastly superior in so many ways.
I somehow doubt they were developing such a device. Everyone laughed at the iPhone for it’s lack of a keyboard, and I believe RIM was one of them. Now, a year later, they release one.
So, Vista(Longhorn) was in the making over 7 years ago.
If you were first, Blackberry, then why ain’t you shipp’in…you’re already a year and a half behind.
Apple showed their product 6 months in advance…let’s see what you got.
Talk is cheap…let’s see a prototype. I would feel BOLD to speak about a product when you can’t show it.
We would be amazed to see how long ideas have been in Apple’s labs…only theirs ships.
If true would they not have some patent apps on file dated 2006
RIM needs a strong, stable, robust programming platform if it ever wants to compete with Apple. It’s the software, stupid.
So i know the resolution is supposed to be great on the bold and all . . . but it’s still a small screen?? who wan’s a higher screen resolution if it’s going to be on an itty bitty screen??
Like Steve said . . . it’s the physical buttons that keep getting in the way.
Buttons are the future. Sorry.
Common sense…a keyboard when you need it and no keyboard when you don’t need one.
I remember when one of those M$ high end executive said about IE…’based upon our research, people don’t want tabs’. Now he is laughingstock.
RIMM was caught blindsided and is delusional now, all knowing they don’t have a comparable OS and true multi-touch technology. A smart reporter would have asked for the 2006 patent number.
It’s a shame that alot of people are going to be fooled by the word “touch” as compared to “multitouch”. If I was Apple, I would pinch/scale those pictures on every commercial.
Three years in the making and Apple’s second generation of iPhone will beat it to market. His next share holders meeting should be fun!
It took three years to make that piece of shit yet the Wall Street Journal claims RIM has an all-touchscreen iPhone competitor ready for Q3 2008?
I’ll believe it when I see it.
@DRM sucks
Talk to Dolby about AAC’s DRM, not Apple. Physical buttons are absolutely not the future. Touchscreen buttons with electrical impulse feedback is the future. Smallmindedwise, you are still typing on an old Royal typewriter, it seems. Look how far it has come since those days, and think large and see the real future.
“This is three years in the making.”
RIM most be so proud that in only 3 years they were able to come up with that thing.
new wallpaper and new icons. its like a whole windows update!
Really, MDN? RIM didn’t respond to a piss-ant website like yours? I’m shocked!
It’s also not shocking to think they’ve been developing that device for 3 years. I’m sure they have.
I don’t know. This design doesn’t really seem to be that much of a ‘leap’ for RIM, I think it’s completely likely it had been in development. It’s very similar to their entire slate of existing devices.
Now did they change the exterior appearance to be a “little” similar to the iPhone? Maybe, but I don’t get all the Rim-hating here. They still make great devices that are happily used by a great number of people. What’s the problem with that?
And competition, though I still think the iPhone is miles ahead of anything Rim can produce at this point, is always good.
Hey, RIM. iPhone++; // Coming in June.
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Those criticizing MDN are upset at the plain truth on display in the MDN Take.
MDN’s bullet point list of what RIM will be doing in the near future is searingly dead on target.
Three years?!?!?! The Japanese can develop a car in 28 months! Three years to develop a small phone is sign of BIG trouble!!!
Perhaps the Bold was 3 years in the making, but that’s only because 18 months ago RIM got to see the first iPhone on display and sh*t their pants. They had to go back to the drawing board, but couldn’t scrap everything (plus they don’t have software solutions to match the iPhone), and try to come up with something better.
I’m sure it produced a better Blackberry, but nothing close to what the iPhone can do, especially after v 2.0 is released.
@ Broker, last time I checked everyone is entitled to their own point of view. Including you. Thanks for yours!
It’s true! The Blackberry Bold has been three years in the making, that’s why it looks like every other Blackberry… exept for the silver trim. I’m sure this window dressing part of the design was “inspired” within the last year.
The Blackberry Thunder is the model that started it’s design process after the iPhone, this model will be released later on down the road since they’re still reverse engineeri- er designing it.
Hey, there is nothing wrong with Blackberrys, although this outer shell (black on an aluminum colored frame) does bear a striking resemblance to the iPhone. I’d say it’s a sincere form of flattery towards Cupertino. For what they do, Blackberrys do it well.
On another note, I’d think Apple may want to put in a physical keyboard on a future model if they want to crack the business enterprise market. But I doubt an Apple phone keyboard design would ever look like a Blackberry’s. It would probably be something uniquely Apple.
I agree – MDN is spot on. RIM have big problems. It took Apple two and a half years to get the iPhone out. Three years to create the Bold is nonsense.
iPhone is going to take 50% of their existing market and 80% of their future market within 2 years is my prediction.