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Former RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie's very different rescue plan revealed

Daniel Cooper — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:57:00 EST

Sources close to former RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie have revealed his plans to save the company before he was shown the door, a plan that didn't involve handsets. He'd entered into talks with AT&T, Verizon and several European carriers to offer them use of the company's BlackBerry-exclusive network to provide limited data plans to featurephone users that included social networking and BBM -- with the aim of reducing the cellphone operators data burden and coaxing users to upgrade to smartphones. The company was working on Mobile Fusion; software that allowed enterprise and government users on iOS and Android devices to join RIM's system, which reportedly earns the company $1 billion per quarter. However, while talks progressed, company execs grew nervous and ousted him in favor of Thorsten Heins with a mandate to focus on BB10 and new devices rather than turning RIM into a service company. However, given that it's still losing money on its handset business, Heins has reopened the door to Balsillie's plan. It's just a shame Balsillie himself is keeping quiet, as we'd love to hear his thoughts in an executive-level edition of How Would you Change.

Former RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie's very different rescue plan revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM CEO Thorsten Heins clarifies comments on change, rejects Android speculation

Amar Toor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:49:00 EST

Freshly anointed RIM CEO Thorsten Heins sat down with Crackberry this week to discuss his vision for the future of BlackBerry, his thoughts on Android and, most strikingly, his recent comments about maintaining the status quo. Shortly after his appointment, Heins issued a video address in which he implicitly claimed that RIM doesn't need an overhaul. "If we continue doing well what we're doing, I see no problems with us being in the top three players worldwide in the next years in wireless," the exec said. At the time, we and many other observers read this as a sign that the Heins era would look a lot like the Balsillie-Lazaridis era, but according to the new CEO, that's not the case. "I was talking about drastic or seismic changes," he clarified. "What I was trying to address was that there was some suggestion that RIM should be split up or should even be sold. My true belief is that RIM has the strength and the assets that we can really succeed in this market." Heins went on to claim that there's already "a lot of change" going on at the company -- citing the company's adoption of QNX as a prime example -- and that there's "no standstill at any moment here at RIM."

During the same sitdown, Heins also reiterated his belief that RIM shouldn't outsource its software needs to Android, because BlackBerry, in his view, is a hallmark of differentiation. "Just take a look where the Android OEMs are," Heins said. "Take a look at their recent announcements and what you will immediately see is there is just no room for differentiation because they are all the same." The exec acknowledged that RIM may be taking the road less traveled, but seemed confident in its ability to rise to the challenge -- even if there are some bumps along the way. "This is not baking cookies," Heins elaborated. "This is building high tech products. From time to time your aspirations and your development timelines hit some bumps in the road that were not foreseen."

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins clarifies comments on change, rejects Android speculation originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM stock falls eight percent following CEO transition

Brad Molen — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:07:00 EST

We rarely meddle with stock news around these parts, but this was a pretty significant piece of meat to chew on. After Research in Motion introduced Thorsten Heins as the new CEO last night and again in a conference call this morning, the company's stock price tumbled a whopping 8.47 percent. When it comes to what kind of difference the transition will make for the struggling company, we haven't had a high amount of confidence; while we hope for the best and want to see RIM turn things around, the falling stock appears to indicate that we're not alone in expressing concerns about this morning's events. Here's some food for thought: when rumors that Samsung was interested in purchasing RIM flooded the internet, the latter company's stocks spiked by nearly ten percent.

RIM stock falls eight percent following CEO transition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's Thorsten Heins formally introduced: liveblogging the media call

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:58:00 EST

If you missed it, RIM attempted to interrupt the Giants vs. 49ers matchup last night by dropping a wee bit of news: it's co-CEOs are gone, and taking the solo CEO badge is former COO Thorsten Heins. The new head honcho will be formally introduced in a media call slated to begin at 8:00AM ET on January 23rd, 2012, and we'll be liveblogging every moment of it for those who can't tune in. We've already learned a fair amount about the gentleman's plans courtesy of an introductory video, but we'll be listening in for any hints as to future QNX plans, PlayBook ambitions or BlackBerry wizardry. Join us after the break for the play-by-play!

January 23, 2012 8:00 AM EST

Continue reading RIM's Thorsten Heins formally introduced: liveblogging the media call

RIM's Thorsten Heins formally introduced: liveblogging the media call originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: RIM's new CEO isn't the shakeup it needed

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:32:00 EST

For a brief moment, I had hopes that RIM had made a move that would unseat it from the funk it's been sitting in for years. And then I watched the introductory video of newly-appointed CEO Thorsten Heins. Anyone who assumes that a simple CEO swap is the answer to all of RIM's issues is woefully misinformed, or worse, just blinded by false hope. Sure, removing Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis -- both of which have been rightly criticized for not responding to market pressures quickly enough -- is a start, but it's not like they're gone. In fact, the two are still situated at a pretty fancy table within Research in Motion's organizational chart.

RIM, we've been here before

RIM seems to be as lost as my BlackBerry

Dear RIM, I'm your customer and I don't wear a suit

Have a listen at this: Mike is hanging around as the Vice Chair of RIM's Board and Chair of the Board's new Innovation Committee. You heard right -- the guy who has outrightly failed to innovate at anything in the past handful of years is now championing an innovation committee. Sounds right up his alley, no? Jim's staying put as an outright director, and if you think anyone at RIM is going to brush aside the input of the founders, you're wrong. Jim and Mike may have new titles, but they're still here, and I have no reason to believe that they'll act radically different going forward than they have in the past. Oh, and about Thorsten Heins? Let's go there.

Continue reading Editorial: RIM's new CEO isn't the shakeup it needed

Editorial: RIM's new CEO isn't the shakeup it needed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10

Darren Murph — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:28:00 EST

After months upon months of investor backlash, RIM's making some significant changes. And by "significant," we mean the co-chief executives (and founders) are out. As of tomorrow, both Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis will be stepping away from the top posts, enabling "a little-known company insider" to take over, according to The Wall Street Journal. Purportedly, this is all part of "a board and management shuffle," with COO Thorsten Heins (seen above) to step into what many expect to be an impossible role to thrive in. The Globe and Mail asserts that he'll be immediately seeking a Chief Marketing Officer to polish up the company's severely damaged brand, and he "will not rule out licensing RIM's new BlackBerry 10 operating system to other handset manufacturers." In an interview with the outlet, he stated that he'll be executing "flawlessly" and with vigor -- not unexpected, but still, bold words.

Startlingly, Heins also asserted that he's "confident" in the existing lineup of BlackBerry handsets and the software update recently made available for the PlayBook; call us crazy, but he'd be wise to just spout out reality and make clear that RIM's existing lineup is nowhere near competitive in the grand scheme of things. As for Mike and Jim? The former will become "vice-chair of the board with special duties to examine innovation," with the latter becoming a traditional director. In an interesting move, outgoing co-CEO Lazaridis stated the following: "I think it's that unwillingness to sacrifice our long-term value for short-term gain. That's why we didn't choose Android. That's why we decided to build the future on QNX." So wait, RIM had the chance to choose Android... and didn't? No time like the present to reach back and shake things up, Mr. Heins.

Update: Catch an introduction video to the new CEO just after the break!

Continue reading RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10

RIM's Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are out, new CEO Thorsten Heins may license BlackBerry 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Financial Post report suggests RIM's Balsillie and Lazaridis may be out as chairmen of the board

Donald Melanson — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:12:00 EST

Nothing is official just yet, but Canada's Financial Post is reporting that RIM co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis may soon be relinquishing their positions as co-chairmen of the company's board. According to the paper's sources, RIM board member and former TSX Group head Barbara Stymeist is the leading candidate to replace the duo. Notably, the report makes no suggestion that there would be any change to Balsillie and Lazaridis' status as co-CEOs, as some have also been pushing for, although it would still be a fairly big change for the company. As the paper notes, Balsillie and Lazaridis have long resisted previous attempts to divide the Chairmen and CEO roles and, if appointed, Stymeist would be the company's first ever independent chair.

Financial Post report suggests RIM's Balsillie and Lazaridis may be out as chairmen of the board originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM: BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't arrive until end of 2012

Zachary Lutz — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:40:00 EST

Some unfortunate news was revealed for those BlackBerry addicts who've waited patiently for a QNX-based smartphone from RIM. The company's co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis, reports that, due to a critical chipset that's not expected to be available in production quantity until mid-next year, we're unlikely to see a BlackBerry 10 device emerge until late in 2012. We know, ouch. When asked during today's conference call about the delay, the company leaders defended the decision and reiterated that a suitable alternative wouldn't be available that delivers a sufficient balance of processing power and battery longevity. As RIM's fans cope with the latest news, the firm promises that it's continuing to work on delivering a high-quality user experience and industrial design for its upcoming lineup. With the farm riding on this release, we can only hope so.

RIM: BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't arrive until end of 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM reports Q3 2011 earnings: $5.2b revenue, $265m net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped

Zachary Lutz — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:47:00 EST

News out of Waterloo isn't all bad today, as Research in Motion has revealed its financial results for the third quarter of 2011. While the company previously had to scale back its earlier earnings projections of $5.6 billion in the quarter, it's apparent the firm came close to meeting that mark. After close of the markets today, RIM reported $5.2 billion in revenue with $265 million in net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped. The company was only able to eke out 150,000 PlayBook tablets during this time frame, however, which no doubt contributed to these reduced numbers. Unfortunately, the market hasn't taken so kindly to the revelation, as RIM's stock has fallen seven-percent in after hours trading. In a small bit of positive news, the firm reports that its subscriber count is up 35-percent year-over-year, which now totals 75 million subscribers.

Looking forward, the company expects to bring in between $4.6 and $4.9 billion in revenue for the next quarter, where it hopes to ship between 11 and 12 million units. Co-CEO Jim Balsillie referred to the last few quarters as among the most trying in the company's history, and promised to re-evaluate RIM's product portfolio, R&D strategy and to "leave no stone unturned" as it seeks to regain prominence in the smartphone world. Meanwhile, co-CEO Mike Lazaridis reaffirmed the commitment to the PlayBook OS 2.0, which remains on track for a February launch. As for the QNX-based BlackBerry 10 smartphones that we've been looking forward to, Lazaridis said to not expect anything until late 2012. Apparently, its availability will be hampered by a critical chipset supply that's not expected to become available until mid-next year. In other words, unless consumers develop a love for BlackBerry 7 OS real quick, 2012 may sadly be another ugly year for the folks in Waterloo.

RIM reports Q3 2011 earnings: $5.2b revenue, $265m net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM offers free apps to make up for that whole BlackBerry outage thing

Amar Toor — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:46:00 EST

RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has already apologized for last week's widespread BlackBerry outage, but apparently, that wasn't enough. Today, the manufacturer announced that it's offering customers a full slate of "premium apps" for free, in the hopes of earning back some of the goodwill it lost following that mysterious blackout. In a statement, the company said the gesture is "an expression of appreciation" for the patience that many BlackBerry users demonstrated during the incident, with Lazaridis adding that his company remains "committed to providing the high standard of reliability" that consumers have come to expect. For now, the company's offering a total of 12 apps (collectively valued at around $100), including SIMS 3, iSpeech Translator Pro and Shazam Encore among others, though more will be added at a later date. The offer kicks off on Wednesday and will last for a month, so head past the break to see which goodies are up for grabs.

Continue reading RIM offers free apps to make up for that whole BlackBerry outage thing

RIM offers free apps to make up for that whole BlackBerry outage thing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 260 - 10.14.2011

Trent Wolbe — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:45:00 EST

Things are happening in the air around us: our tabazine is beaming its way to iPads around the globe, iThings are being shuffled to and from various parts of the stratosphere, and there was a frightening dearth of airborne activity in the BlackBerry-based community. Tangible inventions have also made their usual marks on the week in tech news: newly-minted iOS 5 guru Dante Cesa joins Tim and Brian this to bring it all down to earth and straight to your ears in this, the 260th episode of the Engadget Podcast.

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guest: Dante Cesa
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: I Can't Go For That

00:01:30 - Engadget Distro is ready for download!
00:03:45 - Photoshop contest: send us your best / most terrifying Frankengadget
00:05:00 - iOS 5 review
00:13:30 - iCloud opens to the masses, iOS 5 lurks near
00:23:45 - BlackBerry services offline for some in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Again. (update: RIM confirms India, South America, too)
00:25:13 - BlackBerry outage spreads to US and Canada, continues in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, South America (update: RIM confirms)
00:26:00 - Mike Lazaridis apologizes for BlackBerry outage: 'We've let many of you down' (video) (Update: full services restored)
00:38:40 - Motorola Atrix 2 hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)
00:41:18 - Archos 80 G9 review
00:46:11 - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II review
00:52:15 - HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio review
00:56:51 - ASUS Zenbook UX21 and UX31 headed to the US October 12, starting at $999
00:59:02 - Samsung crashes iPhone 4S block party, lures Aussies with $2 Galaxy S IIs
00:59:29 - Dennis Ritchie, pioneer of C programming language and Unix, reported dead at age 70
01:00:12 - Listener questions

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Engadget Podcast 260 - 10.14.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Lazaridis apologizes for BlackBerry outage: 'We've let many of you down' (video) (Update: full services restored)

Amar Toor — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:11:00 EST

Now that BlackBerry services are returning to full functionality, RIM founder Mike Lazaridis has decided to issue a public apology for this week's mysterious global outage. In a video address published today, Lazaridis acknowledged that RIM dropped the ball this week, but assured that his company is working hard to remedy the situation. "I apologize for the service outages this week," Lazaridis said. "We've let many of you down." The executive went on to say that services are approaching normal levels across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa, but could not give an estimate as to when RIM may see full global recovery. "It's too soon to say that this issue is fully resolved," Lazaridis explained, adding that there may be some instability as the system returns to normalcy. He reiterated, however, that his company is "working tirelessly" to restore services and, perhaps more important, consumer trust. Skip past the break to see the full video for yourself.

Update: RIM is holding a conference call now and Mike just said "we have restored full services." That's said to be the status globally, so go ahead, spend a few minutes and get that BBM backlog out of your system. You deserve it. If you're still not receiving messages, RIM suggests pulling your battery and rebooting the phone. And those RIM folks probably need some sleep... "nobody's gone home since Monday," following "the largest outage we've ever experienced."

Continue reading Mike Lazaridis apologizes for BlackBerry outage: 'We've let many of you down' (video) (Update: full services restored)

Mike Lazaridis apologizes for BlackBerry outage: 'We've let many of you down' (video) (Update: full services restored) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM to launch 6.1 update as BlackBerry 7 OS at BlackBerry World next week? (update: yes)

Jacob Schulman — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:58:00 EST

CrackBerry has just dropped word via "numerous sources" that RIM will be revealing the next iteration of its mobile OS at the fast approaching BlackBerry World conference -- and no, it's still not QNX. Despite consistent rumblings that upcoming devices like the Bold Touch, and Monaco would be launching with OS 6.1, it seems that RIM has decided to re-brand the update completely as BlackBerry 7, perhaps to increase the value proposition and differentiate new devices being announced along with it. However, the site also speculates that current phones running BB6 may not get any BB7 action right off the bat -- which could make sense, given that new features like NFC are only present in upcoming devices. All this is naturally unconfirmed, but if this is indeed yet another version of the BlackBerry OS, well, that certainly won't help the platform get any more developer love.

Update: It's offficial. CrackBerry is reporting that RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie has informed investors of the new nomenclature on its earnings call, adding that "It's such a big update from 6." We can't wait to see for ourselves.

RIM to launch 6.1 update as BlackBerry 7 OS at BlackBerry World next week? (update: yes) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: Dear RIM, I'm your customer and I don't wear a suit

Jacob Schulman — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:52:00 EST

Like Joanna shamelessly admitted in her editorial a few months back, I was a BlackBerry addict. I'm also a 20-year old college student / tech-head whose phone serves every purpose from communications device to music player to TV remote. I tried to switch cold turkey and bought an iPhone 4 in August, but somewhere around Thanksgiving I gave in and picked up a Verizon Bold. I've been double fisting ever since -- using the BB almost exclusively for BBM, and my iPhone for everything else.

Fast forward to late last week when I attended a meeting in New York with Tim Stevens and RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis to get the latest dish on the PlayBook. As Lazaridis demoed myriad features from HDMI presentation mode to the built-in music player on the company's hotly debated tablet, it hit me: the one question I've been pondering since getting a real look at the device. Who is it for? At that moment, I realized the problem that's been plaguing RIM as of late -- and not just in its tablet strategy, but its phone strategy as a whole: it doesn't know who its products are for and subsequently can't deliver. Am I crazy? Read on after the break and hear me out.

Continue reading Editorial: Dear RIM, I'm your customer and I don't wear a suit

Editorial: Dear RIM, I'm your customer and I don't wear a suit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: RIM, we've been here before

Donald Melanson — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:12:00 EST

By now you've no doubt read or at least heard about the New York Times interview where RIM's co-CEOs wound up asking most of the questions and challenged conventional wisdom about the company, or seen the BBC interview that Mike Lazaridis put an abrupt end to (see below, if you haven't). Those both offer plenty of juicy morsels for folks like us to chew on, but they're also indicative of a broader sense of frustration from the company that's getting difficult to ignore. One that is strikingly similar to what we've recently seen from another company that grew to dominate on the world stage, became a figure of national pride in its home country, and is now struggling to reinvent itself in the face of stiff competition: Nokia.

Continue reading Editorial: RIM, we've been here before

Editorial: RIM, we've been here before originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: RIM seems to be as lost as my BlackBerry

Joanna Stern — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:02:00 EST

The only way to open this editorial is to admit something I've been rather shy about on the pages of Engadget: I've been an avid BlackBerry fan and user for about six years now. I mean a real addict -- the kind who wakes up each morning looking for a blinking red LED, the kind who's refused to give up push email and BlackBerry Messenger in favor of more powerful, polished, and progressive mobile operating systems like iOS, Android, and webOS. In fact, when my Verizon contract was up last year I opted to get a Curve 8530 instead of the Motorola Droid or Palm Pre -- to say nothing of making the leap over to AT&T for the iPhone.

There were lots of reasons I didn't want to give up my BlackBerry, but five days ago I lost that very Curve in a San Francisco cab. Then coincidentally, a day later I saw RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis speak at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference, where he almost embarrassingly avoided every question about the company's immediate smartphone strategy. I had always known that RIM was behind the curve (always a great pun!), but I also always had hope that the company would catch up with modern smartphones of today. Sadly, watching Mike dodge questions on the D stage took that hope away from me -- it's crystal clear that RIM won't have a solution to compete with those powerful smartphones anytime soon. So, what happens to a BlackBerry diehard like myself? Where do I go from here?

Continue reading Editorial: RIM seems to be as lost as my BlackBerry

Editorial: RIM seems to be as lost as my BlackBerry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All Things D posts full Mike Lazaridis video from D: Dive Into Mobile

Donald Melanson — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:08:00 EST

By now you've no doubt heard about Mike Lazaridis' recent appearance at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference, where the RIM co-CEO arrived with his own personal reality distortion field and made statements like the surprising fact that RIM "arguably" invented the smartphone, and that the BlackBerry Torch is actually fast. Don't believe us? Well, thanks to All Things D, you can now watch the complete 40-minute appearance for yourself, which just so happens to also include a fairly lengthy demo of the PlayBook. Check it out after the break.

Continue reading All Things D posts full Mike Lazaridis video from D: Dive Into Mobile

All Things D posts full Mike Lazaridis video from D: Dive Into Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry PlayBook demoed courtesy of RIM's Mike Lazaridis and Adobe's Kevin Lynch

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:23:00 EST

RIM has now uploaded the full video of its PlayBook's brief stint in the limelight during Adobe MAX yesterday, where Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch and none other than Mr. BlackBerry himself, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, take the "professional tablet" through its very first public test drive on the keynote stage. The duo run through an MRI scan viewing app -- presumably in an attempt to woo the lucrative medical market -- along with the PlayBook's Air-based video player and browser-embedded Flash player, both of which seem to work pretty well. We also get a quick look at the tablet's multitasking cards, where we see that apps continue to function even from within their card views; it looks pretty nice, but at a glance, it doesn't do any tricks webOS wasn't pulling off a year ago.

Interestingly, the edited video has a number of cuts -- some seem like harmless attempts to cut out boring parts, but there are a couple suspicious ones where we suspect something unsavory happened on the PlayBook or it ran just a little slower than RIM would've liked (of course, with the PlayBook's release still months out, they've got plenty of time to tighten that up while they wait for developers to submit their wares in exchange for a free PlayBook of their own). At the end, Lazaridis expertly skirts Lynch's question of when exactly the device will be released... and he didn't even need a seasoned PR rep standing next to him to deflect it! Follow the break for the full demo.

Continue reading BlackBerry PlayBook demoed courtesy of RIM's Mike Lazaridis and Adobe's Kevin Lynch

BlackBerry PlayBook demoed courtesy of RIM's Mike Lazaridis and Adobe's Kevin Lynch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Devcon 2010 keynote now ready for your streaming pleasure

Vlad Savov — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:27:00 EST

Can't get enough PlayBook in your life? We understand how it is. After all, it's not every day that you hear of ultraslim 7-inch tablets that promise to take your BBM life to another level. RIM must sympathize with your eagerness as well, since it's now made its Devcon 2010 keynote available for streaming online -- replete with Mike Lazaridis' impassioned speech about a "no compromise" tablet that's enterprise-ready, multimedia-friendly, and even comes with "a full gigahertz of RAM" (19 minutes into the video). It's stirring stuff, and you might even learn a bit more about the QNX-built BlackBerry Tablet OS underpinning the whole thing. The source link is where you'll find the full 142-minute show.

[Thanks, Moazam]

BlackBerry Devcon 2010 keynote now ready for your streaming pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's Lazaridis: if goverments can't deal with the internet, 'they should shut it off'

Donald Melanson — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:39:00 EST

RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis has made some pretty bold statements in the past, but he may just have topped himself in responding to the recent issue of countries banning or threatening to ban BlackBerrys -- to which you can now add Indonesia to the list. Speaking with The Wall Street Journal in what's described as a "fiery" interview, Lazaridis said that "this is about the Internet," and that "everything on the Internet is encrypted. This not a BlackBerry-only issue," before adding that if "they can't deal with the Internet, they should shut it off." But that's not all. Lazaridis further went on to saying that "we're going to continue to work with them to make sure they understand the reality of the Internet," noting that "a lot of these people don't have Ph.Ds, and they don't have a degree in computer science." Despite those statements, however, Lazaridis seems confident that the situation will get sorted out, saying that it "will get resolved if there is a chance for rational discussion."

RIM's Lazaridis: if goverments can't deal with the internet, 'they should shut it off' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM co-CEOs pull no punches responding to Apple's antenna statements

Chris Ziegler — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:56:00 EST

Thought Nokia's statement was strongly worded? That was nothing compared to the little tirade put together by RIM co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie -- a pair of dudes known for having some of the bigger mouths (and bigger egos) in the wireless industry -- in direct response to Apple's Friday press conference on antenna issues. Of course, unlike Nokia, Apple made it personal for RIM because it used the Bold 9700 as a demonstration device in its attempt to prove that signal loss was a problem for phones and manufacturers from all walks of life, but Mike and Jim are having none of it. Phrases like "self-made debacle" and "deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding" should give you an idea of the statement's overall flavor, but basically, they're saying that RIM puts a lot of time, money, and energy into avoiding dropped call issues and that you don't need a case to use any of their phones. Snap!

Here's the full statement:

"Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple's claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple's difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage. One thing is for certain, RIM's customers don't need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple."

RIM co-CEOs pull no punches responding to Apple's antenna statements originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This day in Engadget: RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis talks about his first 'touch product'

Laura June — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:59:00 EST

Welcome to 'This day in Engadget', where we crack open the archives and take a whimsical look back at the memories and moments of our storied past. Please join us on this trip down random access memory lane.

Earlier today, RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis laid down a doozy when he implied that full touchscreen phones aren't that popular -- but last year at this time (on April 16th!) he was scrambling to explain why the BlackBerry Storm failed to live up to high expectations. Speaking to Laptop, Mike explained that the Storm was RIM's first "touch product," explaining that "nobody gets it perfect out the door." RIM's head honchos are well known for their candor, so it's no surprise that he's now talking trash on tablets. Still, you have to admire any company that proclaims buggy software the new reality, right?

Also on this date:

April 16th, 2009: Apple hit back at Microsoft's Laptop Hunter ads, Nokia's profits were reported to have dropped 90 percent in the first quart of the year, a hellraising carrier pigeon was reported to have been caught red handed smuggling cellphone parts into a prison, and a new atomic clock claimed to be the most accurate in the world.

April 16th, 2008: Microsoft hatched a Bruce Springsteen-laden promo vid for Vista, Republican lawmakers accused Google of gaming the 700Mhz auction, and a computer synthesizer gave voice to Neanderthal man.

April 16th, 2007: A few screenshots of Leopard Beta 9a410 shocked the internet, Microsoft admitted it was possible the Xbox 360 was scratchin' discs, Vonage admitted it was pretty much screwed, and the RED ONE got a hands-on.

April 16th, 2006: Noelle the Robot gave birth (sort of), a Darmouth professor was reported to have invented instant de-icing film, and the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player got disassembled, possibly predicting its death.

April 16th, 2005: Future-minded peeps started thinking past Tiger, the AirScooter II was shown off, and a disgusting Hello Kitty (seriously, this thing couldn't have been officially licensed) BE@RBRICK set was unleashed.

April 16th, 2004 : Phil Torrone showed us how to read RSS feeds on an iPod, the man behind Nokia's N-Gage got interviewed, and mobile social networking seemed like something that could take off.

This day in Engadget: RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis talks about his first 'touch product' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's Mike Lazaridis makes the case for QWERTY keyboards on phones, says market for tablets not 'clear yet'

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:48:00 EST

Both of RIM's co-CEOs have reputations for being pretty opinionated dudes, and we feel like Mike Lazaridis in particular would go to the ends of the Earth to support BlackBerry's business model -- but at the cost of one of his own products? Speaking at a tech conference in Toronto today, Lazaridis apparently said that the long-term viability of the tablet market (iPad included) is in doubt, especially as smartphones get more powerful; that would probably serve to quash the rumors from a few days back that the company is working on its own large-display device for release later this year. ~~More interestingly, though, were his comments that full touchscreen phones like the iPhone "aren't that popular"~~ -- that's news to us -- and that many that end up buying them ultimately go back to a physical keyboard handset. You know, like a Bold or a Curve, for instance.

~~Whether Lazaridis is conveniently forgetting the existence of his own~~ ~~Storm~~ ~~and~~ ~~Storm2~~, suggesting that touchscreen devices don't have a long-term future at RIM, or just saying that they'll remain a niche play for the company going forward is unclear -- but any way you slice it, we'd say it's a pretty significant dis for the Storm series and its owners. Looking at the bigger picture, it might also be a sign that these guys are still very much on the fast track to becoming the next Windows Mobile -- dinosaurs paralyzed by their own past successes -- but who knows? Maybe there'll always be limitless demand for an endless array of barely iterative hardware paired to a decade-old user interface.

Update: We've received the full transcript of Mike's session from the conference relating specifically to the touchscreen phone and tablet comments, and the reality is quite a bit different from the summary we'd been working from before. As tablets go, he says that "you can't say what's the market for tablets in exclusion of... other devices" -- a fair argument, considering that the iPad's ultimate target demographic still isn't totally fleshed out -- and actually never disrespects touchscreen phones outright, instead saying that the "QWERTY push messaging experience" is still "really, really important" while acknowledging that the company "[continues] to evolve with the research and [investment] in the Storm technology to make sure we get those right." Follow the break for the transcript.

Continue reading RIM's Mike Lazaridis makes the case for QWERTY keyboards on phones, says market for tablets not 'clear yet'

RIM's Mike Lazaridis makes the case for QWERTY keyboards on phones, says market for tablets not 'clear yet' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM CEO claims we are staring 'down the barrel of a capacity crunch,' should all get BlackBerrys to prevent it

Vlad Savov — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:50:00 EST

Capacity crunch, isn't that a breakfast cereal? RIM's Mike Lazaridis seems to have been a real grouch at MWC this week as apparently he hasn't stopped talking about the doom and gloom awaiting mobile carriers over the next few years. Focusing on the bandwidth-hungry North American market, Lazaridis has criticized the apparently irresponsible network saturation growth, which he sees as being primarily driven by app-centric operating systems. If you're wondering who he could possibly be referring to, let Mike clarify it -- according to him, you could carry five BlackBerry devices for each iPhone on a network. As evidence of his firm's focus on efficiency, he points us to that freshly demoed WebKit browser, which he claims uses a third of the bandwidth required by the competition from Apple and Google. If only he wasn't implying that owning a BlackBerry would save the internet, Mike's sales pitch would be rather compelling -- those are mighty impressive numbers he is citing.

RIM CEO claims we are staring 'down the barrel of a capacity crunch,' should all get BlackBerrys to prevent it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Storm 2 up to something "this week," socially promiscuous in November

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:26:00 EST

The New York Times has a lengthy piece on RIM's and Verizon's failed attempt to upset the iPhone's dominance with the BlackBerry Storm launch. Interesting, but not as interesting as this little nugget:

"This week, Verizon and R.I.M. are trying again with a Storm do-over, the Storm 2."

What that means, isn't exactly clear but it would seem to point to an official Storm 2 announcement this week, possibly today. Mike Lazaridis, RIM's co-CEO was also paraphrased as saying that RIM was "about to release" version 5.0 of its BlackBerry software. Meanwhile, RIM's other CEO, Jim Balsillie, boasted of plans to "shake up the market" in November when it opens it private communication network to social network updates and entertainment content from outside sources. A move that could swiftly bring an end to the BlackBerry's "for suits only" reputation, like, totally forever.

[Via Phonescoop]

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Verizon Wireless, BlackBerry OS

BlackBerry Storm 2 up to something "this week," socially promiscuous in November originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Storm 2 up to something 'this week,' socially promiscuous in November

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:26:00 EST

"This week, Verizon and R.I.M. are trying again with a Storm do-over, the Storm 2."

BlackBerry Storm 2 up to something 'this week,' socially promiscuous in November originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Research In Motion CEO Mike Lazaridis live from D7

Joshua Topolsky — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:23:00 EST

We're snug in our plush, comfortable seats at D7, waiting patiently for RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis to take the stage. Sit tight and the show should begin momentarily. No word on what's coming up, but you never know...

Thanks to our editor-at-large and gdgt co-founder Ryan Block for handling photo duties during the show!

Continue reading Research In Motion CEO Mike Lazaridis live from D7

Filed under: Cellphones

Research In Motion CEO Mike Lazaridis live from D7 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door"

Darren Murph — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:04:00 EST

If there's ~~one~~ two things we love, it's hearing RIM's own Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis open their gaping traps. While the former was sufficiently panned back in January for exclaiming that buggy smartphone software was simply the "new reality," his partner in crime may have just done him one better. In a recent sit-down with Laptop Mag, Mike was specifically asked to address that aforementioned quote. His response? "That's our first touch product, and you know nobody gets it perfect out the door. You know other companies were having problems with their first releases." If you're struggling to translate that into layman speak, allow us: "Tough luck, early adopters!"

As the interview progressed, the co-CEO took the opportunity to snub Apple on its inability to get Push Email out early on, noting that BlackBerry OS has "constantly been underestimated" and was "designed to multitask from day one." He also stumbled all over himself when it came to speaking about the BlackBerry's web browser, stating that "by writing our browser in Java, that provides our CIOs and wireless managers the assurances they need, to allow the browser to access internal information at the same time it accesses external information." We've literally meditated on that for a solid half-hour, and we still have absolutely zero idea what it means in English. Nevertheless, the whole thing is a pretty great -- if not comical -- read, so give it a look and share your colorful opinions in comments below.

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA, BlackBerry OS

RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door"

Darren Murph — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:04:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

RIM CEO on BlackBerry Storm: "nobody gets it perfect out the door" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC charges, settles with RIM executives over backdating issue

Donald Melanson — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:23:00 EST

Well, it looks like RIM's top executives weren't about to get off the hook after just paying a little fine to the Ontario Securities Commission over that backdated stock options issue, as the US Securities and Exchange Commission is now getting on the act with some charges of its own. In a bit of a twist, however, the SEC has simultaneously announced that it has already reached a settlement with the four top RIM executives in question (co-CEOs Balsillie and Lazaridis, plus Chief Operating Officer Dennis Kavelman and former vice president of finance Angelo Loberto), who have agreed to pay $1.4 million in fines and give back the more than $800,000 they made in profits. No more shakeups on the board, it seems, although there's only so many times you can step down from your position before you start to look silly.

Filed under: RIM, Misc

SEC charges, settles with RIM executives over backdating issue originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEC charges, settles with RIM executives over backdating issue

Donald Melanson — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:23:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

SEC charges, settles with RIM executives over backdating issue originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM reaches settlement with Ontario Securities Commission over backdating shenanigans

Ross Miller — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:21:00 EST

Gearing up to close another chapter in its tale of cooked books, RIM announced this week that the company and "certain of its officers and directors" have reached a settlement with the Ontario Securities Commission over backdating stock options. Those certain officers are more than likely co-CEOs Jim Balsillie, who also serves as a director, and Mike Lazaridis. Both men were fingered in a report last month that suggested the commission would seek a record-breaking $100 million fine. The deal is still subject to approval by a panel of OSC officials, who are scheduled to meet on Thursday. No word on what penalties they'll incur, but we'd be surprised if RIM didn't manage to skirt at least some of that record-breaking amercement.

Filed under: RIM, Misc

RIM reaches settlement with Ontario Securities Commission over backdating shenanigans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM reaches settlement with Ontario Securities Commission over backdating shenanigans

Ross Miller — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:21:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

RIM reaches settlement with Ontario Securities Commission over backdating shenanigans originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs

Ross Miller — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:42:00 EST

Uh oh. Remember that RIM backdating controversy from 2007? The Ontario Securities Commission sure does, and according to ReportonBusiness, it's seeking a record $100 million Canadian (that's about $79 million US) fine against co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. If approved, that'll be the largest penalty ever to be paid by individuals to the OSC, with Balsillie expected to pay the bulk of the penalty. As usual, none of the parties involved are commenting on the case, but we reckon this won't be the last we hear about it.

[Via Mobile Syrup]

Filed under: RIM, Misc

Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs

Ross Miller — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:42:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's president calls BlackBerry Storm a small netbook

Darren Murph — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:49:00 EST

Clearly, Mike Lazaridis has the chops when it comes to running a business. What he clearly lacks, however, is a firm definition of the term "netbook." To his credit, we still feel the exact boundaries for netbooks have yet to be determined (fret not, Psion Teklogix is hammering out those details), but calling a BlackBerry Storm one is -- how do you say? -- a bit of a stretch. During a recent sit down with RIM's president, CNET Asia heard the bigwig answer like so when questioned about viewing netbooks as competitors: "No, I think I can put netbooks in here [referring to the BlackBerry Storm]. These are netbooks. They are just smaller." Wait, Mike -- don't you think smartphones are more like MIDs or UMPCs? Or do we just have you all wrong here?

[Via phoneArena]

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, EV-DO, CDMA

RIM's president calls BlackBerry Storm a small netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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