LOS ANGELES (AP) - The industry group that hosts the annual gadget show known as International CES is dropping reviews website CNET as the picker of its 'Best of CES' awards. It says CNET reviewers' objectivity was compromised by the site's corporate parent, CBS Corp.
The Consumer Electronics Association also elevated the CNET writers' initial pick for the best gadget of the show, Dish Network Corp.'s Hopper with Sling, to co-winner along with a gaming tablet called Razer Edge.
CBS had annulled an earlier vote by CNET staff to award the Hopper because it is in a legal dispute with Dish over the product. The Hopper allows users to automatically skip commercials from prime-time TV shows, undercutting a key source of revenue for CBS, advertising.
After CBS removed the Hopper from contention, CNET staff re-voted and chose Razer Edge as the winner.
The association says it is looking for a new partner for its awards.
The association's president, Gary Shapiro, blasted CBS in an opinion article in the USA Today newspaper on Wednesday, saying its interference damaged its own editorial integrity. CBS also owns TV shows such as '60 Minutes,' ''CBS Evening News' and 'Face the Nation.'
'It not only tainted the CES awards, but it hurt one of the world's classiest media companies,' Shapiro wrote.
The association, which has hosted the gadget show since 1967, had contracted with CNET to pick the awards since the 2007 show. It normally chooses not to get involved, partly because of its relationship with its many exhibitors.
Mark Larkin, the general manager of CNET, said in a statement the website is 'committed to delivering in-depth coverage of consumer electronics' and will continue to cover the show, as it has for more than a decade.
Dish appeared to bask in the controversy, which drew more attention to its device.
'We appreciate the International CES' decision to stand with the consumer in the acknowledgement of this award,' said Dish CEO Joseph Clayton in a statement. 'I regret that the award has come in the face of CBS' undermining of CNET's editorial independence.'
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Apple may use the iPad mini's touchscreen tech to make the next-gen iPad even lighter and thinner
According to a new report from Digitimes, the next-generation 9.7-inch iPad will be equipped with the same "G/F2 (DITO) thin-film type" touchscreen technology as the iPad mini. Apple (AAPL) currently uses a glass-on-glass touchscreen in its iPad models, however the switch to G/F2 technology will reportedly allow the fifth-generation iPad to be thinner and lighter. Digitimes notes that Apple's move to DITO technology shows that the company is "looking to bump up its competition in the tablet segment," adding that it is also expected to have a "more adequate supply" to the technology compared to the one-glass-solution technology Apple was said to be exploring. Recent reports have suggested that Apple will release a new iPad and iPad mini in March.
[More from BGR: Dell founder reportedly plans to spend $1 billion of his own funds to regain control of company]
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: Dell founder reportedly plans to spend $1 billion of his own funds to regain control of company]
This article was originally published on BGR.com
RIM shares down again after new BlackBerry launch
TORONTO (AP) - Research In Motion's stock gyrations reflect investors' key concern: Is the BlackBerry maker's new phone the company's savior or isn't it?
THE SPARK: The company's critical new phone with the BlackBerry 10 operating system debuted Wednesday to mostly positive reviews. But the phone won't come out in the United States, a key market, until March.
Investors worried about RIM's future, had driven its stock to a nine-year low in September. But hopes that the new phone will juice demand for BlackBerrys and revive Research In Motion Ltd.'s fortunes have helped shares more than double since then.
Shares dropped 59 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $13.19 on the Nasdaq Thursday afternoon.
THE BIG PICTURE: Pioneered in 1999, the BlackBerry was a game-changing breakthrough in personal connectedness. It changed the culture by allowing on-the-go business people to access wireless email. But the iPhone's debut in 2007 showed that phones can do much more than email and phone calls, and exploded RIM's market. The company's shares sank for years as the BlackBerry lost ground to Apple Inc.'s iPhone and phones running Google Inc.'s Android system.
RIM promised a new system to catch up. But it has taken more than two years to unveil the new phones, which are redesigned for the multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience that cellphone buyers now demand.
The first device in the new crop of revamped BlackBerrys will be the Z10. It will have only a touch-screen keyboard, like the iPhone and most phones running Android, including Samsung Electronic Co.'s popular Galaxy line. Although the Z10 will go on sale Thursday in the U.K. and next Tuesday in Canada, it won't be available in the U.S. until March.
The Q10 will follow at least a month later, in some markets, and will have a physical keyboard, a feature that has kept BlackBerry users loyal over the years because it makes typing easier. RIM couldn't say when U.S. carriers would have it.
THE ANALYSIS: National Bank analyst Kris Thompson said BlackBerry 10 launched with few surprises other than more delays. The expected March launch in the U.S. for the Z10 is 'very disappointing,' as U.S. business, consumer and government phone buyers are the phone's most important market, Thompson said in a note. The April debut for the Q10 disappointed him as well.
Citi analyst Jim Suva called it odd that RIM is launching a big marketing campaign, including RIM's first Super Bowl commercial to be aired this Sunday, when U.S. customers can't buy the device for another month and a half.
Meanwhile, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu suspects many investors are convinced the new BlackBerrys aren't different enough to diminish the popularity of the iPhone and Android devices.
Wu, who has a 'Neutral' rating on the shares, said he was still concerned with RIM's 'fundamentals.'
THE SPARK: The company's critical new phone with the BlackBerry 10 operating system debuted Wednesday to mostly positive reviews. But the phone won't come out in the United States, a key market, until March.
Investors worried about RIM's future, had driven its stock to a nine-year low in September. But hopes that the new phone will juice demand for BlackBerrys and revive Research In Motion Ltd.'s fortunes have helped shares more than double since then.
Shares dropped 59 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $13.19 on the Nasdaq Thursday afternoon.
THE BIG PICTURE: Pioneered in 1999, the BlackBerry was a game-changing breakthrough in personal connectedness. It changed the culture by allowing on-the-go business people to access wireless email. But the iPhone's debut in 2007 showed that phones can do much more than email and phone calls, and exploded RIM's market. The company's shares sank for years as the BlackBerry lost ground to Apple Inc.'s iPhone and phones running Google Inc.'s Android system.
RIM promised a new system to catch up. But it has taken more than two years to unveil the new phones, which are redesigned for the multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience that cellphone buyers now demand.
The first device in the new crop of revamped BlackBerrys will be the Z10. It will have only a touch-screen keyboard, like the iPhone and most phones running Android, including Samsung Electronic Co.'s popular Galaxy line. Although the Z10 will go on sale Thursday in the U.K. and next Tuesday in Canada, it won't be available in the U.S. until March.
The Q10 will follow at least a month later, in some markets, and will have a physical keyboard, a feature that has kept BlackBerry users loyal over the years because it makes typing easier. RIM couldn't say when U.S. carriers would have it.
THE ANALYSIS: National Bank analyst Kris Thompson said BlackBerry 10 launched with few surprises other than more delays. The expected March launch in the U.S. for the Z10 is 'very disappointing,' as U.S. business, consumer and government phone buyers are the phone's most important market, Thompson said in a note. The April debut for the Q10 disappointed him as well.
Citi analyst Jim Suva called it odd that RIM is launching a big marketing campaign, including RIM's first Super Bowl commercial to be aired this Sunday, when U.S. customers can't buy the device for another month and a half.
Meanwhile, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu suspects many investors are convinced the new BlackBerrys aren't different enough to diminish the popularity of the iPhone and Android devices.
Wu, who has a 'Neutral' rating on the shares, said he was still concerned with RIM's 'fundamentals.'
A room full of Android and iPhone users try to figure out BlackBerry 10 [video]
Sorry, BlackBerry (RIMM), it looks like BlackBerry 10 is the new Windows 8. BlackBerry 10 debuted just one day ago and there are already legions of iPhone and Android users (most of whom haven't yet held a BlackBerry 10 device in their hands) complaining about how difficult it is to navigate the platform. We saw similar complaints arise immediately following Windows 8's debut. Both cases are actually very similar - if someone picks up a Windows 8 or BlackBerry 10 device without having watched the intro video during the setup and without having been given any instruction on how to use it, he or she will inevitably be confused and frustrated. This calls each platform's UX into question, and rightfully so, but the problem is short-lived. Once users are taught by animated demos that play automatically during setup, or instructed by others, they get acclimated to the new flow over time.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10: The beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning]
Regardless, Mashable had some fun handing the BlackBerry Z10 to a room full of Android and iPhone users and watching them flounder with the new phone. A video of the escapade follows below.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10: The beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning]
Regardless, Mashable had some fun handing the BlackBerry Z10 to a room full of Android and iPhone users and watching them flounder with the new phone. A video of the escapade follows below.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
Smartphone cases - Built to survive drops, floods - and lawsuits?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The smartphone patent wars have lit up courtrooms around the world. Next up: the smartphone case wars.
The makers of protective cases that shield cell phones from coffee spills and sticky-fingered toddlers are entangled in countless lawsuits seeking to protect their designs.
The fights come as the mobile accessories market has gone upscale with some cases made by luxury designers costing more than the phones they cover. Some cases are billed as virtually destruction-proof, said to protect precious electronics from crushing blows or cresting waves.
Smartphones themselves are at the heart of a global patent fight, with Apple Inc battling South Korean giant Samsung Electronics Co over the design of the iPhone and iPad.
But now similar fights are escalating over what swaddles the gadgets, as the smartphone case market has become a roughly $1 billion annual industry, according to NPD Group, a market research firm. More than 100 million Apple and Samsung phones were shipped in the most recent quarter, making for more demand.
The damage claims in the case design fights are tiny compared with the smartphone wars, but the lawsuits could help spur a shakeout in a crowded market.
The biggest industry players sell their products at Apple and AT&T Inc retail stores, as well as at retailers such as Best Buy Co Inc. They have had success in getting court judgments against Chinese counterfeiters and domestic sellers of knock-offs, but the lawsuits involving one designer against another aren't as easily resolved.
Otter Products Inc, the maker of OtterBox cases, has become a frequent visitor to the courthouse.
The Colorado-based company has filed lawsuits in federal court in its home state against LifeProof, also known as Treefrog Developments Inc, and Mophie LLC for alleged patent infringement involving waterproof cases for iPhones, iPods and other devices. Mophie and LifeProof in court papers have denied the allegations.
Otterbox and Mophie did not respond to requests for comment. LifeProof declined to comment on pending litigation. Company spokesman Jonathan Wegner said, however, that LifeProof has programs in place to protect its own intellectual property.
The Ballistic Case Co, based in Florida, has also been a repeat plaintiff. The company has sued rivals Cell-Nerds LLC and Boxwave Corp for allegedly copying the look of its rugged 'Shell Gel' series of cases, which feature a dotted back and come in an array of colors.
Designers invest significant resources in case styles and deserve legal protection, said Alan Weisberg, a Ballistic attorney.
The company has sold more than $12 million worth of Shell Gel cases, according to court documents, and they are available at major retailers. Both Cell-Nerds and Boxwave are smaller enterprises that sell cases online. The Shell Gel models are priced at about $35, while similar Cell-Nerds and Boxwave cases go for less than $10.
Earlier this month, a Miami federal judge allowed Ballistic's case against Cell-Nerds to move forward, while the Boxwave case is in its early stages in the same court. Ballistic claims it has so-called 'trade dress rights' to the design of its cases and wants similar, rival products off the market.
An attorney for Cell-Nerds, Ury Fisher, said the company does not think Ballistic has accurately described its trade dress rights, and he noted that such cases are difficult to prove because plaintiffs have to show their product is readily recognizable to consumers.
An attorney for Boxwave did not respond to a request for comment.
For patent-based lawsuits to succeed, plaintiffs will need to prove another company is infringing their patents and may also have to show what is innovative about their designs and worthy of protection.
If found to infringe, some companies could be forced out of the market, said intellectual property attorney Christopher Carani of law firm McAndrews, Held & Malloy.
So far, however, the in-fighting among case designers does not show signs of slowing down the industry.
Casemakers have trotted out models they say are tricked out to withstand two tons of force or can be used to film movies underwater. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas -- where new case designs seemed to be on display everywhere -- one maker even showed off a case lined in soft orange putty that is designed to become 'rock hard' if the phone is dropped.
(Reporting By Erin Geiger Smith; Editing by Martha Graybow and Kenneth Barry)
The makers of protective cases that shield cell phones from coffee spills and sticky-fingered toddlers are entangled in countless lawsuits seeking to protect their designs.
The fights come as the mobile accessories market has gone upscale with some cases made by luxury designers costing more than the phones they cover. Some cases are billed as virtually destruction-proof, said to protect precious electronics from crushing blows or cresting waves.
Smartphones themselves are at the heart of a global patent fight, with Apple Inc battling South Korean giant Samsung Electronics Co over the design of the iPhone and iPad.
But now similar fights are escalating over what swaddles the gadgets, as the smartphone case market has become a roughly $1 billion annual industry, according to NPD Group, a market research firm. More than 100 million Apple and Samsung phones were shipped in the most recent quarter, making for more demand.
The damage claims in the case design fights are tiny compared with the smartphone wars, but the lawsuits could help spur a shakeout in a crowded market.
The biggest industry players sell their products at Apple and AT&T Inc retail stores, as well as at retailers such as Best Buy Co Inc. They have had success in getting court judgments against Chinese counterfeiters and domestic sellers of knock-offs, but the lawsuits involving one designer against another aren't as easily resolved.
Otter Products Inc, the maker of OtterBox cases, has become a frequent visitor to the courthouse.
The Colorado-based company has filed lawsuits in federal court in its home state against LifeProof, also known as Treefrog Developments Inc, and Mophie LLC for alleged patent infringement involving waterproof cases for iPhones, iPods and other devices. Mophie and LifeProof in court papers have denied the allegations.
Otterbox and Mophie did not respond to requests for comment. LifeProof declined to comment on pending litigation. Company spokesman Jonathan Wegner said, however, that LifeProof has programs in place to protect its own intellectual property.
The Ballistic Case Co, based in Florida, has also been a repeat plaintiff. The company has sued rivals Cell-Nerds LLC and Boxwave Corp for allegedly copying the look of its rugged 'Shell Gel' series of cases, which feature a dotted back and come in an array of colors.
Designers invest significant resources in case styles and deserve legal protection, said Alan Weisberg, a Ballistic attorney.
The company has sold more than $12 million worth of Shell Gel cases, according to court documents, and they are available at major retailers. Both Cell-Nerds and Boxwave are smaller enterprises that sell cases online. The Shell Gel models are priced at about $35, while similar Cell-Nerds and Boxwave cases go for less than $10.
Earlier this month, a Miami federal judge allowed Ballistic's case against Cell-Nerds to move forward, while the Boxwave case is in its early stages in the same court. Ballistic claims it has so-called 'trade dress rights' to the design of its cases and wants similar, rival products off the market.
An attorney for Cell-Nerds, Ury Fisher, said the company does not think Ballistic has accurately described its trade dress rights, and he noted that such cases are difficult to prove because plaintiffs have to show their product is readily recognizable to consumers.
An attorney for Boxwave did not respond to a request for comment.
For patent-based lawsuits to succeed, plaintiffs will need to prove another company is infringing their patents and may also have to show what is innovative about their designs and worthy of protection.
If found to infringe, some companies could be forced out of the market, said intellectual property attorney Christopher Carani of law firm McAndrews, Held & Malloy.
So far, however, the in-fighting among case designers does not show signs of slowing down the industry.
Casemakers have trotted out models they say are tricked out to withstand two tons of force or can be used to film movies underwater. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas -- where new case designs seemed to be on display everywhere -- one maker even showed off a case lined in soft orange putty that is designed to become 'rock hard' if the phone is dropped.
(Reporting By Erin Geiger Smith; Editing by Martha Graybow and Kenneth Barry)
BlackBerry shares continue downward slide, one day after new phones debut
TORONTO - Shares in BlackBerry are continuing their downward slide a day after the smartphone pioneer debuted new product offerings to generally positive reviews.
The Waterloo, Ont., company's stock (TSX:RIM) was down almost eight per cent to $12.76 in the first 10 minutes of trading in Toronto.
The drop continued a loss in share value that began earlier this week ahead of the unveiling of the new BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10.
The Z10, a touchscreen model, will be available in Canadian stores next Tuesday, but not in the U.S. until March.
Analysts have noted the later release date for the U.S. market is exerting downward pressure on the stock.
The decline Monday and Tuesday was put down to profit-taking since BlackBerry shares had run up 50 per cent in January alone as of last Friday.
The BlackBerry Q10, which will have the physical keyboard beloved by the so-called CrackBerry crowd, will not be released until April. BlackBerry is the new corporate name of the company formerly known as Research In Motion.
The Waterloo, Ont., company's stock (TSX:RIM) was down almost eight per cent to $12.76 in the first 10 minutes of trading in Toronto.
The drop continued a loss in share value that began earlier this week ahead of the unveiling of the new BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10.
The Z10, a touchscreen model, will be available in Canadian stores next Tuesday, but not in the U.S. until March.
Analysts have noted the later release date for the U.S. market is exerting downward pressure on the stock.
The decline Monday and Tuesday was put down to profit-taking since BlackBerry shares had run up 50 per cent in January alone as of last Friday.
The BlackBerry Q10, which will have the physical keyboard beloved by the so-called CrackBerry crowd, will not be released until April. BlackBerry is the new corporate name of the company formerly known as Research In Motion.
The Apple Rumormongers Demand an iPad Mini with Retina Display
Rumormongering about an iPad Mini with Retina Display is sort of the perfect rumor for gadget blogs because one day between now and forever, when Apple inevitably releases said device, their predictions will come true. Dissatisfied with the iPhone tea-leaves, which suggest fanboys only have a cheap iPhone 5 to look forward to, the tech whisperers have a new white whale: The iPad Mini with Retina Display. The rumor, which has been circulating for months on the blogs dedicated to just mongering, has today made its way to a more mainstream outlets. Looking into a minor Apple TV update discovered in FCC filings, Marco Arment, the creator of Instapaper, concludes: 'It's obvious, in retrospect, what this is probably for: the Retina iPad Mini.' Christopher Mims over at Quartz finds that believable enough writing: 'Here comes an iPad Mini with a Retina display-aka the best tablet ever.' And with that, the iPad Mini with Retina Display rumor was born.
RELATED: Ranking the iPad Mini Rumormongers
It makes sense that this idea would catch on: Techies dream of crystal clear iPad Mini screens, even if they won't admit it. Despite having screen that looks fuzzier than all the other Apple tablets, the iPad Mini has won the hearts of the tech snobs. These people claim the lack of a 'resolutionary' display doesn't matter. But, as Mims notes, that light, little, computer-pad, would go from a techie favorite, to the best ever, if only it had the upgraded display. It would most certainly replace the iPad Mini as the New York Times's Nick Bilton's 'Desert Island Gadget.' (Recently the iPad Mini took the honor from his iPhone.)
RELATED: All of Apple's New Small Stuff: iPad Mini and a Slimmer iMac
But just because the people who care about technology yearn for Apple's best iPad ever, doesn't mean it will become a reality any time soon. Mims even puts out the following loud and clear disclaimer in his post: 'To be clear, Apple has not announced a Retina iPad Mini.' Apple doesn't comment on rumors, generally. But, all signs point to this not happening any time too soon. The mysterious sources haven't put this idea in the ears of bigger publications, as they often do leading up to a reveal. Prominent Apple blogger and leading rumor grader John Gruber, who many say has the ear of the iMaker, hasn't given this one his approval yet, either. The last Gruber had to say about pretty Minis linked to a November post doubting its arrival in the next year. Like many an Apple rumor, this one remains a blogger fantasy.
RELATED: What Does 'Sold Out' Mean for the iPad Mini?
But, this is all a part of the Apple hype cycle. (And congrats to the iPad for getting itself a hype cycle!) The rumor economy thrives off of made-up products that represent what the techies want more than reality. Some of these ideas materialize, after years and years of mongering. (A bigger-screen for the iPhone, for example.) Some don't. (A lot of things, all the time.) When these things don't come true, the rumorers can always say 'next time' and when they do we get an 'I told you so!' In other words, an Apple rumor is a rumor, until it's not.
RELATED: Ranking the iPad Mini Rumormongers
It makes sense that this idea would catch on: Techies dream of crystal clear iPad Mini screens, even if they won't admit it. Despite having screen that looks fuzzier than all the other Apple tablets, the iPad Mini has won the hearts of the tech snobs. These people claim the lack of a 'resolutionary' display doesn't matter. But, as Mims notes, that light, little, computer-pad, would go from a techie favorite, to the best ever, if only it had the upgraded display. It would most certainly replace the iPad Mini as the New York Times's Nick Bilton's 'Desert Island Gadget.' (Recently the iPad Mini took the honor from his iPhone.)
RELATED: All of Apple's New Small Stuff: iPad Mini and a Slimmer iMac
But just because the people who care about technology yearn for Apple's best iPad ever, doesn't mean it will become a reality any time soon. Mims even puts out the following loud and clear disclaimer in his post: 'To be clear, Apple has not announced a Retina iPad Mini.' Apple doesn't comment on rumors, generally. But, all signs point to this not happening any time too soon. The mysterious sources haven't put this idea in the ears of bigger publications, as they often do leading up to a reveal. Prominent Apple blogger and leading rumor grader John Gruber, who many say has the ear of the iMaker, hasn't given this one his approval yet, either. The last Gruber had to say about pretty Minis linked to a November post doubting its arrival in the next year. Like many an Apple rumor, this one remains a blogger fantasy.
RELATED: What Does 'Sold Out' Mean for the iPad Mini?
But, this is all a part of the Apple hype cycle. (And congrats to the iPad for getting itself a hype cycle!) The rumor economy thrives off of made-up products that represent what the techies want more than reality. Some of these ideas materialize, after years and years of mongering. (A bigger-screen for the iPhone, for example.) Some don't. (A lot of things, all the time.) When these things don't come true, the rumorers can always say 'next time' and when they do we get an 'I told you so!' In other words, an Apple rumor is a rumor, until it's not.
iPad tablet share dips in Q4 as Samsung and others gain; Surface shipments total just 900,000
Is the tablet market shaping up to follow the smartphone market? Research firm IDC on Thursday reported that Apple's (AAPL) share of global tablet shipments sank to 43.6% in the fourth quarter last year from 51.7% in the same quarter a year earlier, while Samsung's (005930) share grew to 15.1% from 7.3% in the year-ago quarter. Both companies showed year-over-year growth, with Apple's iPad shipments jumping 48.1% to 22.9 million units from 15.1 million, and Samsung's channel sales spiking 263% to 7.9 million tablets from 2.2 million.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
Other movement last quarter: Amazon's (AMZN) estimated tablet share dropped from 15.9% to 11.5%, Asus shot up from 2% to 5.8% and Barnes and Noble's (BKS) share plummeted from 4.6% to just 1.9% with Nook tablet shipments estimated to have totaled 1 million units.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
IDC also believes Microsoft (MSFT) shipped just 900,000 Surface tablets in the slate's debut quarter. The firm's full press release follows below.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
Other movement last quarter: Amazon's (AMZN) estimated tablet share dropped from 15.9% to 11.5%, Asus shot up from 2% to 5.8% and Barnes and Noble's (BKS) share plummeted from 4.6% to just 1.9% with Nook tablet shipments estimated to have totaled 1 million units.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 browser smokes iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 in comparison test [video]]
IDC also believes Microsoft (MSFT) shipped just 900,000 Surface tablets in the slate's debut quarter. The firm's full press release follows below.
Tablet Shipments Soar to Record Levels During Strong Holiday Quarter, According to IDC
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., January 31, 2013 - Worldwide tablet shipments outpaced predictions reaching a record total of 52.5 million units worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2012 (4Q12), according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. The tablet market grew 75.3% year over year in 4Q12 (up from 29.9 million units in 4Q11) and increased 74.3% from the previous quarter's total of 30.1 million units. Lower average selling prices (ASPs), a wide range of new product offerings, and increased holiday spending all acted as catalysts to push the already climbing tablet market to record levels.
"We expected a very strong fourth quarter, and the market didn't disappoint," said Tom Mainelli, research director, Tablets, at IDC. "New product launches from the category's top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season. The record-breaking quarter stands in stark contrast to the PC market, which saw shipments decline during the quarter for the first time in more than five years."
Apple's iPad once again led the market, and the firm's shipment total of 22.9 million units was exactly in line with IDC's forecast for the period. A strong iPad mini launch, plus availability of the fourth generation full-sized iPad, led to solid 48.1% shipment growth over the same quarter last year. However, strong competition in the market led to Apple's market share declining for a second quarter in a row (down to 43.6% from 46.4% last quarter). Number two vendor Samsung experienced 263% year-on-year growth, shipping nearly 8 million combined Android and Windows 8 tablets during the quarter to grab 15.1% of the market, its same market share total from the previous quarter.
Amongst the other top 5 vendors, Amazon and Barnes & Noble both saw their market share increase sharply as new products gained traction during the holiday season. Amazon shipped more than 6 million tablets during the quarter, increasing its share to 11.5%, up from 8.3% the previous quarter, with year-over year growth of 26.8%; Barnes & Noble shipped close to a million units, increasing its share to 1.9%, up from 0.7%, despite a year-over-year growth rate of -27.7%. Meanwhile, number four Asus saw its share slip from 7.8% to 5.8% despite continued strong shipments of its Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet and the highest year-over-year increase in the top five at 402.5%. Microsoft entered the market during the quarter with its Surface with Windows RT tablet, but failed to reach the top five after shipping just shy of 900,000 units into the channel.
"There is no question that Microsoft is in this tablet race to compete for the long haul. However, devices based upon its new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems failed to gain much ground during their launch quarter, and reaction to the company's Surface with Windows RT tablet was muted at best," said Ryan Reith, program manager, Mobile Device Trackers at IDC. "We believe that Microsoft and its partners need to quickly adjust to the market realities of smaller screens and lower prices. In the long run, consumers may grow to believe that high-end computing tablets with desktop operating systems are worth a higher premium than other tablets, but until then ASPs on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices need to come down to drive higher volumes."
This article was originally published on BGR.com
Analysts greet BlackBerry launch with downgrades
(Reuters) - Research In Motion Ltd's glitzy unveiling of the long-delayed line of BlackBerry smartphones on Wednesday and a new corporate name failed to impress Wall Street analysts, with at least three downgrading the company's stock.
RIM, which renamed itself BlackBerry, showcased two devices, Z10 and Q10, running on its new BB10 operating system as the smartphone pioneer looks for a fresh start.
'Despite recent enthusiasm for RIM's new BB10 devices, we see limited scope for traction in the hypercompetitive smartphone market,' Credit Suisse analysts wrote in a note.
RIM faces an uphill struggle in terms of gaining smartphone market share, the Credit Suisse analysts said, downgrading the stock to 'underperform' from 'neutral'.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were set to open 3 percent lower on Thursday. They closed 12 percent down on Wednesday at $13.78. Its Toronto-listed shares also fell by the same margin to close at C$13.86.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry in 1999 and quickly cornered the market for secure emails, but its market share plummeted after customers jumped ship to Apple Inc's iPhone and devices using Google Inc's Android technology.
Analysts at Evercore Partners said they did not expect the new BB10 devices to cause a stir among customers, and cut their rating to 'equal weight' from 'underweight'.
'The new hardware and operating system is a dramatic improvement versus RIMM's older products but expect a muted consumer response due to RIMM's damaged brand image,' they said.
Barclays Capital analysts wrote in a note that RIM had the best possible device launch it could have hoped for, but there were many challenges ahead.
The analysts said average sales prices might be too high for many emerging market users and raised questions about how quickly businesses would adopt the new devices.
Analysts were also concerned about the delay in the launch of the devices in the United States. RIM said the devices would not be available in the country until March.
National Bank Financial analysts said the delay was very disappointing since the U.S. enterprise, government and consumer is the most important market for the Z10.
The Z10 touchscreen device will be the first of the two models to hit the market, with a rollout that starts in Britain on Thursday.
(Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
RIM, which renamed itself BlackBerry, showcased two devices, Z10 and Q10, running on its new BB10 operating system as the smartphone pioneer looks for a fresh start.
'Despite recent enthusiasm for RIM's new BB10 devices, we see limited scope for traction in the hypercompetitive smartphone market,' Credit Suisse analysts wrote in a note.
RIM faces an uphill struggle in terms of gaining smartphone market share, the Credit Suisse analysts said, downgrading the stock to 'underperform' from 'neutral'.
RIM's Nasdaq-listed shares were set to open 3 percent lower on Thursday. They closed 12 percent down on Wednesday at $13.78. Its Toronto-listed shares also fell by the same margin to close at C$13.86.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry in 1999 and quickly cornered the market for secure emails, but its market share plummeted after customers jumped ship to Apple Inc's iPhone and devices using Google Inc's Android technology.
Analysts at Evercore Partners said they did not expect the new BB10 devices to cause a stir among customers, and cut their rating to 'equal weight' from 'underweight'.
'The new hardware and operating system is a dramatic improvement versus RIMM's older products but expect a muted consumer response due to RIMM's damaged brand image,' they said.
Barclays Capital analysts wrote in a note that RIM had the best possible device launch it could have hoped for, but there were many challenges ahead.
The analysts said average sales prices might be too high for many emerging market users and raised questions about how quickly businesses would adopt the new devices.
Analysts were also concerned about the delay in the launch of the devices in the United States. RIM said the devices would not be available in the country until March.
National Bank Financial analysts said the delay was very disappointing since the U.S. enterprise, government and consumer is the most important market for the Z10.
The Z10 touchscreen device will be the first of the two models to hit the market, with a rollout that starts in Britain on Thursday.
(Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
RIM rebrands as BlackBerry; launches nifty new devices
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Research In Motion Ltd on Wednesday unveiled the long-delayed line of smartphones it hopes will put it on the comeback trail, but it disappointed investors by saying U.S. sales of its all-new BlackBerry 10 devices will not start until March, sending its share price tumbling 12 percent.
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins also announced that RIM was abandoning the name it has used since its inception in 1985 to take the name of its signature product, signaling his hopes for a fresh start for the company that pioneered on-your-hip email.
'From this point forward, RIM becomes BlackBerry,' Heins said at the New York launch. 'It is one brand; it is one promise.'
RIM, which is already starting to call itself BlackBerry, had initially planned to launch the new BlackBerry 10 devices a year ago. But it pushed the release date back twice as it struggled to perfect a new operating system.
Ahead of Wednesday's announcements, analysts had said that any launch after February would be a black mark for the Canada-based company.
'The biggest disappointment was the delay in the U.S., that it will take so long before the devices get going there,' said Eric Jackson, founder and managing Partner at Ironfire Capital LLC in New York.
Heins said the delays reflected the need for U.S. carrier testing, although carrier AT&T Inc offered few clues on what that meant. Instead, the carrier merely stated it was enthusiastic about the devices and would announce availability, pricing and other information at a later date.
'Carriers in all other parts of the world get their devices through the testing process significantly faster than the U.S. carriers do,' said John Jackson, an analyst at IDC, adding that the U.S. process can often take 'weeks' longer.
Nevertheless investors were extremely disappointed with the delay and RIM shares on the Nasdaq ended the day 12 percent lower at $13.78. Its Toronto-listed shares fell by almost the same margin to close at C$13.86.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry back in 1999 as a way for busy executives to stay in touch with their clients and their offices, and the company quickly cornered the market for secure corporate and government emails.
But its star faded as competition rose and the BlackBerry is now a far-behind also-ran in the race for market share, with a 3.4 percent global showing in the fourth quarter - down from 20 percent three years before. Its North American market share is even smaller - a mere 2 percent in the fourth quarter.
RIM shares have tumbled along with the company's market share and the stock is down 90 percent since its 2008 peak. Despite the pullback on Wednesday, RIM's share price has more than doubled over the last four months, reflecting the growing buzz about its new devices.
TOUCH COMPETITION
The new BlackBerry 10 phones will compete with Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android technology, both of which have soared above the BlackBerry in a competitive market.
The BlackBerry 10 devices boast fast browsers, new features, smart cameras and - unlike previous BlackBerry models - enter the market primed with a large application library, including services such as Skype and the popular game Angry Birds.
The BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen device, in black or white, will be the first to hit the market, with a country-by-country rollout that starts in Britain on Thursday.
A Q10 model, equipped with a small 'qwerty' keyboard that RIM made into its trademark, will launch globally in April.
'I'm still confident that a lot of the subscriber base are going to want the upgrade to BlackBerry 10. It's a very strong improvement over what they currently have. This is not going to cause mass defections from iOS and Android, but it doesn't have to be a success for RIM. You've got to start somewhere,' said Jackson of Ironfire, which owns shares in RIM.
The Z10 device won a lukewarm review from The Wall Street Journal's tech blogger Walt Mossberg, who complained of a shortage of apps.
On the other hand, David Pogue, who writes for The New York Times, apologized for describing BlackBerry as doomed in the past. The Z10 touchscreen device was 'lovely, fast and efficient, bristling with fresh, useful ideas,' he said.
While technology analysts conceded that RIM has done quite a remarkable job on many of the features of BlackBerry 10 and on the array of its app selection for a new platform, many argue it will be a very tough slog for RIM to regain its crown.
'I don't think that RIM will return to its glory days,' said Charles Golvin, analyst at Forrester Research. 'Success for them looks like staunching the bleeding and clawing back a percentage or point or two of market share.'
Announcements about pricing so far have been in line with expectations. U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless said the phone would cost $199 for a two-year contract, while Canada's Rogers Communications is quoting C$149 ($150) for certain three-year plans.
GLITZY LAUNCH
RIM picked a range of venues for its global launch parties, including Dubai's $650-a-night Armani Hotel, which occupies six floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
The New York event took place in a sprawling basketball facility on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, just north of the Manhattan Bridge. The BlackBerry has been 'Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented,' RIM said.
RIM, which is splurging on a Super Bowl ad to promote its new phones, also introduced Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alicia Keys as its global creative director.
'I was in a long-term relationship with BlackBerry and then I started to notice some new, kind of hotter, attractive, sexier phones at the gym, and I kind of broke up with you for something that had a little more bling,' Keys said at the New York launch.
'But I always missed the way you organized my life and the way you were there for me at my job, and so I started to have two phones - I was kind of playing the field. But then ... you added a lot more features ... and now, we're exclusively dating again, and I'm very happy,' she said.
($1=$1.0029 Canadian)
(Writing by Janet Guttsman; editing by Frank McGurty, Lisa Von Ahn, Peter Galloway, G Crosse)
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins also announced that RIM was abandoning the name it has used since its inception in 1985 to take the name of its signature product, signaling his hopes for a fresh start for the company that pioneered on-your-hip email.
'From this point forward, RIM becomes BlackBerry,' Heins said at the New York launch. 'It is one brand; it is one promise.'
RIM, which is already starting to call itself BlackBerry, had initially planned to launch the new BlackBerry 10 devices a year ago. But it pushed the release date back twice as it struggled to perfect a new operating system.
Ahead of Wednesday's announcements, analysts had said that any launch after February would be a black mark for the Canada-based company.
'The biggest disappointment was the delay in the U.S., that it will take so long before the devices get going there,' said Eric Jackson, founder and managing Partner at Ironfire Capital LLC in New York.
Heins said the delays reflected the need for U.S. carrier testing, although carrier AT&T Inc offered few clues on what that meant. Instead, the carrier merely stated it was enthusiastic about the devices and would announce availability, pricing and other information at a later date.
'Carriers in all other parts of the world get their devices through the testing process significantly faster than the U.S. carriers do,' said John Jackson, an analyst at IDC, adding that the U.S. process can often take 'weeks' longer.
Nevertheless investors were extremely disappointed with the delay and RIM shares on the Nasdaq ended the day 12 percent lower at $13.78. Its Toronto-listed shares fell by almost the same margin to close at C$13.86.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry back in 1999 as a way for busy executives to stay in touch with their clients and their offices, and the company quickly cornered the market for secure corporate and government emails.
But its star faded as competition rose and the BlackBerry is now a far-behind also-ran in the race for market share, with a 3.4 percent global showing in the fourth quarter - down from 20 percent three years before. Its North American market share is even smaller - a mere 2 percent in the fourth quarter.
RIM shares have tumbled along with the company's market share and the stock is down 90 percent since its 2008 peak. Despite the pullback on Wednesday, RIM's share price has more than doubled over the last four months, reflecting the growing buzz about its new devices.
TOUCH COMPETITION
The new BlackBerry 10 phones will compete with Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android technology, both of which have soared above the BlackBerry in a competitive market.
The BlackBerry 10 devices boast fast browsers, new features, smart cameras and - unlike previous BlackBerry models - enter the market primed with a large application library, including services such as Skype and the popular game Angry Birds.
The BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen device, in black or white, will be the first to hit the market, with a country-by-country rollout that starts in Britain on Thursday.
A Q10 model, equipped with a small 'qwerty' keyboard that RIM made into its trademark, will launch globally in April.
'I'm still confident that a lot of the subscriber base are going to want the upgrade to BlackBerry 10. It's a very strong improvement over what they currently have. This is not going to cause mass defections from iOS and Android, but it doesn't have to be a success for RIM. You've got to start somewhere,' said Jackson of Ironfire, which owns shares in RIM.
The Z10 device won a lukewarm review from The Wall Street Journal's tech blogger Walt Mossberg, who complained of a shortage of apps.
On the other hand, David Pogue, who writes for The New York Times, apologized for describing BlackBerry as doomed in the past. The Z10 touchscreen device was 'lovely, fast and efficient, bristling with fresh, useful ideas,' he said.
While technology analysts conceded that RIM has done quite a remarkable job on many of the features of BlackBerry 10 and on the array of its app selection for a new platform, many argue it will be a very tough slog for RIM to regain its crown.
'I don't think that RIM will return to its glory days,' said Charles Golvin, analyst at Forrester Research. 'Success for them looks like staunching the bleeding and clawing back a percentage or point or two of market share.'
Announcements about pricing so far have been in line with expectations. U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless said the phone would cost $199 for a two-year contract, while Canada's Rogers Communications is quoting C$149 ($150) for certain three-year plans.
GLITZY LAUNCH
RIM picked a range of venues for its global launch parties, including Dubai's $650-a-night Armani Hotel, which occupies six floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
The New York event took place in a sprawling basketball facility on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, just north of the Manhattan Bridge. The BlackBerry has been 'Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented,' RIM said.
RIM, which is splurging on a Super Bowl ad to promote its new phones, also introduced Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alicia Keys as its global creative director.
'I was in a long-term relationship with BlackBerry and then I started to notice some new, kind of hotter, attractive, sexier phones at the gym, and I kind of broke up with you for something that had a little more bling,' Keys said at the New York launch.
'But I always missed the way you organized my life and the way you were there for me at my job, and so I started to have two phones - I was kind of playing the field. But then ... you added a lot more features ... and now, we're exclusively dating again, and I'm very happy,' she said.
($1=$1.0029 Canadian)
(Writing by Janet Guttsman; editing by Frank McGurty, Lisa Von Ahn, Peter Galloway, G Crosse)
TSX stumbles on RIM setback, Fed decision
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index closed lower on Wednesday, led by a 12 percent fall in Research In Motion Ltd after it released its BlackBerry 10 devices and by broader market weakness after the U.S. Fed decision to leave its stimulus program intact.
RIM played the biggest role of any stock in leading the market lower.
The company unveiled the long-delayed line of smartphones it hopes will put it on the comeback trail on Wednesday but it disappointed investors by saying U.S. sales of its all-new BlackBerry 10 will start in March instead of earlier.
'RIM has been the center of attraction. The stock has had such a big run-up on anticipation, nearly tripling from its lows, that some profit taking was to be expected,' said Elvis Picardo, strategist and vice president of research at Global Securities in Vancouver.
But many investors agree that the launch has given the company a new lease of life and may help it survive, he added.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> was down 36.12 points, or 0.28 percent, at 12,794.44. The index earlier in the session hit 12,895.28, its highest since August 2, 2011.
Canadian stocks also slipped following news the U.S. Federal Reserve left in place its monthly $85 billion bond-buying stimulus plan, saying economic growth had stalled but indicating the pullback was likely temporary.
The announcement followed data that showed the U.S. economy had unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, suffering its first decline since the recession ended.
Nine of the 10 main sectors on the Canadian stock index declined.
The energy sector slipped 0.2 percent despite a rise in oil prices. TransCanada Corp lost 1.2 percent to C$48.17.
Materials stocks also weakened as Barrick Gold Corp slipped 1.3 percent to C$32.47. This was partly offset by a 16.5 percent rise in CCL Industries Inc after its plans to buy Avery Dennison Corp's consumer and office supplies unit.
Declines in financials, down 0.2 percent, and industrials, which slipped 0.8 percent, also weighed on the market.
The information technology sector fell 1.4 percent on the RIM stumble.
(Editing by Bob Burgdorfer)
RIM played the biggest role of any stock in leading the market lower.
The company unveiled the long-delayed line of smartphones it hopes will put it on the comeback trail on Wednesday but it disappointed investors by saying U.S. sales of its all-new BlackBerry 10 will start in March instead of earlier.
'RIM has been the center of attraction. The stock has had such a big run-up on anticipation, nearly tripling from its lows, that some profit taking was to be expected,' said Elvis Picardo, strategist and vice president of research at Global Securities in Vancouver.
But many investors agree that the launch has given the company a new lease of life and may help it survive, he added.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> was down 36.12 points, or 0.28 percent, at 12,794.44. The index earlier in the session hit 12,895.28, its highest since August 2, 2011.
Canadian stocks also slipped following news the U.S. Federal Reserve left in place its monthly $85 billion bond-buying stimulus plan, saying economic growth had stalled but indicating the pullback was likely temporary.
The announcement followed data that showed the U.S. economy had unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, suffering its first decline since the recession ended.
Nine of the 10 main sectors on the Canadian stock index declined.
The energy sector slipped 0.2 percent despite a rise in oil prices. TransCanada Corp
Materials stocks also weakened as Barrick Gold Corp
Declines in financials, down 0.2 percent, and industrials, which slipped 0.8 percent, also weighed on the market.
The information technology sector fell 1.4 percent on the RIM stumble.
(Editing by Bob Burgdorfer)
TSX closes lower as RIM, Fed decision weigh
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index closed lower on Wednesday, hurt by a fall in Research In Motion Ltd after it released its long-awaited BlackBerry 10 devices, and broad market weakness after the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to leave its stimulus program intact.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> closed 36.12 points, or 0.28 percent, lower at 12,794.44. Nine of the 10 main sectors on the index declined.
(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Peter Galloway)
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> closed 36.12 points, or 0.28 percent, lower at 12,794.44. Nine of the 10 main sectors on the index declined.
(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Peter Galloway)
BlackBerry says it's 'in talks' with Instagram and Netflix to make BlackBerry 10 apps
Say this for BlackBerry - they seem to know they have an app problem and they're working hard trying to fix it. A BlackBerry spokesperson has told AllThingsD that the company is "in talks" with both Instagram and Netflix (NFLX) to make mobile applications specifically for the BlackBerry 10 platform. However, the spokesperson also added that they "could not confirm when those apps will make their way into the store," so BlackBerry fans may have to wait a while before they have access to two of the biggest apps in the mobile world. As we noted earlier, Instagram's absence on BlackBerry 10 is particularly glaring because RIM claims it has a strong partnership with Instagram owner Facebook (FB).
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
This article was originally published on BGR.com
Investors give cool reception to new BlackBerrys
NEW YORK (AP) - The long-awaited debut of new BlackBerry smartphones is turning out to be a letdown on Wall Street.
The stock of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. began to sink almost as soon as company CEO Thorsten Heins began to show off the redesigned smartphones, the Z10 and Q10. The downturn didn't reverse, even with the publication of mostly positive reviews of the new models.
RIM's stock is down $1.04, or nearly 7 percent, to $14.62 in afternoon trading. The shares have still doubled from a nine-year low of $6.22 in September.
The sell-off may reflect investors' exasperation with the schedule for the new BlackBerrys' release after already enduring lengthy delays.
The Z10 won't go on sale in the U.S. until March.
The stock of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. began to sink almost as soon as company CEO Thorsten Heins began to show off the redesigned smartphones, the Z10 and Q10. The downturn didn't reverse, even with the publication of mostly positive reviews of the new models.
RIM's stock is down $1.04, or nearly 7 percent, to $14.62 in afternoon trading. The shares have still doubled from a nine-year low of $6.22 in September.
The sell-off may reflect investors' exasperation with the schedule for the new BlackBerrys' release after already enduring lengthy delays.
The Z10 won't go on sale in the U.S. until March.
RIM, now known as BlackBerry, launches new BB10 line
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Research In Motion Ltd unveiled the long-delayed line of smartphones it hopes will put it on the comeback trail on Wednesday but it disappointed investors by saying U.S. sales of its all-new BlackBerry 10 will start only in March.
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins also announced that RIM was abandoning the name it has used since its inception in 1985 to take the name of its signature product, signaling his hopes for a fresh start for the company that pioneered on-your-hip email.
'From this point forward, RIM becomes BlackBerry,' Heins said at the New York launch. 'It is one brand; it is one promise.'
RIM, which is already starting to call itself BlackBerry, had initially planned to launch the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones in 2011. But it pushed the date back twice as it struggled to work with a new operating system.
Ahead of Wednesday's announcements, analysts had said that any launch after February would be a black mark for the Canadian company.
'The biggest disappointment was the delay in the U.S., that it will take so long before the devices get going there,' said Eric Jackson, founder and managing Partner at Ironfire Capital LLC in New York.
Heins said the delays reflected the need for U.S. carrier testing, although carrier AT&T offered few clues on what that meant.
'We are very enthusiastic about the devices. We will announce pricing, availability, and other information at a later date. Beyond that, nothing to add,' said spokesman Mark Siegel.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry back in 1999 as a way for busy executives to stay in touch with their clients and their offices, and the Canadian company quickly cornered the market for secure corporate and government email.
But its star faded as competition rose. The BlackBerry is now a far-behind also-ran in the race for market share, with a 3.4 percent global showing in the fourth quarter, down from 20 percent three years before. Its North American market share is even worse: a mere 2 percent in the fourth quarter.
RIM shares tumbled along with the company's market share, and the stock is down 90 percent from its 2008 peak.
The shares fell as much as 8 percent on Wednesday, although they are still more than twice the level of their September 2012 low, reflecting ever-louder buzz about the new devices.
TOUCH COMPETITION
The new BlackBerry 10 phones will compete with Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android technology, both of which have soared above the BlackBerry in a competitive market.
The BlackBerry 10 devices boast fast browsers, new features, smart cameras and, unlike previous BlackBerry models, enter the market primed with a large application library, including services such as Skype and the popular game Angry Birds.
The BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen device, in black or white, will be the first to hit the market, with a country-by-country roll-out that starts in Britain on Thursday.
A Q10 model, equipped with small 'qwerty' keyboard that RIM made into its trademark, will launch globally in April.
The Z10 device won a lukewarm review from Wall Street Journal tech blogger Walt Mossberg, who complained of missing or lagging features and a shortage of apps.
But David Pogue, who writes for The New York Times, apologized for describing BlackBerry as doomed in the past. The Z10 touchscreen device was 'lovely, fast and efficient, bristling with fresh, useful ideas,' he said.
Announcements about pricing so far have been in line with expectations. U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless said the phone would cost $199 for a two-year contract, while Canada's Rogers Communications is quoting C$149 ($150) for certain three-year plans.
GLITZY LAUNCH
RIM picked a range of venues for its global launch parties, including Dubai's $650-a-night Armani Hotel, which occupies six floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
The New York event took place in a sprawling basketball facility on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, just north of the Manhattan Bridge. The BlackBerry has been 'Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented,' RIM said.
RIM, which is splurging on a Superbowl ad to promote its new phones, also introduced Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alicia Keys as its global creative director.
'I was in a long-term relationship with BlackBerry, and then I started to notice some new, kind of hotter, attractive, sexier phones at the gym, and I kind of broke up with you for something that had a little more bling,' Keys said at the New York launch.
'But I always missed the way you organized my life, and the way you were there for me at my job, and so I started to have two phones - I was kind of playing the field. But then ... you added a lot more features ... and now, we're exclusively dating again, and I'm very happy.'
($1=$1.0029 Canadian)
(Writing by Janet Guttsman; Editing by Frank McGurty, Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Galloway)
Chief Executive Thorsten Heins also announced that RIM was abandoning the name it has used since its inception in 1985 to take the name of its signature product, signaling his hopes for a fresh start for the company that pioneered on-your-hip email.
'From this point forward, RIM becomes BlackBerry,' Heins said at the New York launch. 'It is one brand; it is one promise.'
RIM, which is already starting to call itself BlackBerry, had initially planned to launch the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones in 2011. But it pushed the date back twice as it struggled to work with a new operating system.
Ahead of Wednesday's announcements, analysts had said that any launch after February would be a black mark for the Canadian company.
'The biggest disappointment was the delay in the U.S., that it will take so long before the devices get going there,' said Eric Jackson, founder and managing Partner at Ironfire Capital LLC in New York.
Heins said the delays reflected the need for U.S. carrier testing, although carrier AT&T offered few clues on what that meant.
'We are very enthusiastic about the devices. We will announce pricing, availability, and other information at a later date. Beyond that, nothing to add,' said spokesman Mark Siegel.
RIM launched its first BlackBerry back in 1999 as a way for busy executives to stay in touch with their clients and their offices, and the Canadian company quickly cornered the market for secure corporate and government email.
But its star faded as competition rose. The BlackBerry is now a far-behind also-ran in the race for market share, with a 3.4 percent global showing in the fourth quarter, down from 20 percent three years before. Its North American market share is even worse: a mere 2 percent in the fourth quarter.
RIM shares tumbled along with the company's market share, and the stock is down 90 percent from its 2008 peak.
The shares fell as much as 8 percent on Wednesday, although they are still more than twice the level of their September 2012 low, reflecting ever-louder buzz about the new devices.
TOUCH COMPETITION
The new BlackBerry 10 phones will compete with Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android technology, both of which have soared above the BlackBerry in a competitive market.
The BlackBerry 10 devices boast fast browsers, new features, smart cameras and, unlike previous BlackBerry models, enter the market primed with a large application library, including services such as Skype and the popular game Angry Birds.
The BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen device, in black or white, will be the first to hit the market, with a country-by-country roll-out that starts in Britain on Thursday.
A Q10 model, equipped with small 'qwerty' keyboard that RIM made into its trademark, will launch globally in April.
The Z10 device won a lukewarm review from Wall Street Journal tech blogger Walt Mossberg, who complained of missing or lagging features and a shortage of apps.
But David Pogue, who writes for The New York Times, apologized for describing BlackBerry as doomed in the past. The Z10 touchscreen device was 'lovely, fast and efficient, bristling with fresh, useful ideas,' he said.
Announcements about pricing so far have been in line with expectations. U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless said the phone would cost $199 for a two-year contract, while Canada's Rogers Communications is quoting C$149 ($150) for certain three-year plans.
GLITZY LAUNCH
RIM picked a range of venues for its global launch parties, including Dubai's $650-a-night Armani Hotel, which occupies six floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
The New York event took place in a sprawling basketball facility on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, just north of the Manhattan Bridge. The BlackBerry has been 'Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented,' RIM said.
RIM, which is splurging on a Superbowl ad to promote its new phones, also introduced Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Alicia Keys as its global creative director.
'I was in a long-term relationship with BlackBerry, and then I started to notice some new, kind of hotter, attractive, sexier phones at the gym, and I kind of broke up with you for something that had a little more bling,' Keys said at the New York launch.
'But I always missed the way you organized my life, and the way you were there for me at my job, and so I started to have two phones - I was kind of playing the field. But then ... you added a lot more features ... and now, we're exclusively dating again, and I'm very happy.'
($1=$1.0029 Canadian)
(Writing by Janet Guttsman; Editing by Frank McGurty, Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Galloway)
BlackBerry rolls the dice and prices the Z10 high
The BlackBerry Z10 will be first available in the United Kindgom starting on January 31st. The price will be steep, essentially on par with where the BlackBerry Bold was priced at a few years ago, when the company's devices still held more than 20% of British smartphone market and were viewed as premium phones. The mega carrier Everything Everywhere is pricing the Z10 at £50 with a 2-year contract costing £41 per month. This is the same exact plan that is also offered for the Samsung Galaxy S III, the HTC (2498) One XL and Nokia's (NOK) Lumia 920.
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
Similarly, the British phone retail powerhouse Carphone Warehouse seems to be getting ready to offer the Z10 for £480 without a contract. It the precise price point of Galaxy S III and just £20 below the 16 GB iPhone 5. The United Kingdom is the most loyal market that BlackBerry has in Europe. Yet even there, the BlackBerry market share has collapsed from 16% to 6% over the past twelve months. Many loyal BlackBerry fans will gravitate towards the upcoming QWERTY devices. But can BlackBerry withstand direct competition with Samsung and Apple in the touch-screen category at the same exact price point? This was the folly that gutted HTC last year.
[More from BGR: Live from RIM's BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 announcement]
It is possible that BlackBerry is simply planning to keep the premium pricing for two months and skim some extra margin from its loyal fans before moving to more realistic pricing around late March or April. But by refusing to offer the Z10 at even a small discount compared to the mighty Galaxy S III, the cocky Canucks are playing a dangerous game indeed. They are betting that the steep early pricing won't lead to meager early sales, which would trigger an early price cut and inevitable scary headlines. This is a bold gambit, so to speak.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: BlackBerry Z10 review]
Similarly, the British phone retail powerhouse Carphone Warehouse seems to be getting ready to offer the Z10 for £480 without a contract. It the precise price point of Galaxy S III and just £20 below the 16 GB iPhone 5. The United Kingdom is the most loyal market that BlackBerry has in Europe. Yet even there, the BlackBerry market share has collapsed from 16% to 6% over the past twelve months. Many loyal BlackBerry fans will gravitate towards the upcoming QWERTY devices. But can BlackBerry withstand direct competition with Samsung and Apple in the touch-screen category at the same exact price point? This was the folly that gutted HTC last year.
[More from BGR: Live from RIM's BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 announcement]
It is possible that BlackBerry is simply planning to keep the premium pricing for two months and skim some extra margin from its loyal fans before moving to more realistic pricing around late March or April. But by refusing to offer the Z10 at even a small discount compared to the mighty Galaxy S III, the cocky Canucks are playing a dangerous game indeed. They are betting that the steep early pricing won't lead to meager early sales, which would trigger an early price cut and inevitable scary headlines. This is a bold gambit, so to speak.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
RIM changes name to BlackBerry, unveils 2 phones
NEW YORK (AP) - After lengthy delays, Research In Motion Ltd. unveiled its first two phones with the new BlackBerry 10 system. The Q10 will have a physical keyboard, while the Z10 has only a touch-screen keyboard. RIM says it will also change its name to BlackBerry to maintain a single brand. It will have the ticker symbol 'BBRY' on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
RIM redesigned the BlackBerry system to embrace the multimedia, apps and touch-screen experience prevalent today. The question is whether there's time for the once-pioneering BlackBerry to catch up to Apple's trend-setting iPhone and devices running Google's Android system.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins hosted the main event in New York. Video of his appearance was shown at other RIM events in Toronto, London, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, New Delhi and Jakarta, Indonesia.
RIM initially said BlackBerry 10 would come by early 2012, but then the company changed that to late 2012. A few months later, that date was pushed further, to early 2013, missing the lucrative holiday season. The holdup helped wipe out more than $70 billion in shareholder wealth and 5,000 jobs.
RIM had shown off prototypes and previews before. Wednesday's event was the first time RIM showed off a complete product and announced some details on availability.
Most analysts consider a BlackBerry 10 success to be crucial for the company's long-term viability.
RIM is promising a speedier device, a superb typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone. Previews of the BlackBerry 10 software have gotten favorable reviews on blogs. Financial analysts are starting to see some slight room for a comeback. With smartphone sales growing, the BlackBerry 10 can succeed without iPhone and Android users switching.
Regardless of BlackBerry 10's advances, though, the new system will face a key shortcoming: It won't have as many apps written by outside companies and individuals as the iPhone and Android.
Here's a running account of the BlackBerry 10 event, presented in reverse chronological order. All times are EST. Besides Heins, presenters include Alec Saunders, vice president of developer relations, and Martyn Mallick, vice president of global alliances. Frank Boulben, chief marketing officer, joined in a question-and-answer session with reporters.
___
11:55 a.m.
RIM previous announced that it is planning a commercial during the Super Bowl this weekend. Boulben says it's to signal to U.S. customers that the BlackBerry is back.
Although BlackBerry remains popular in many parts of the world, sales have been weak in North America. According to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the U.S. market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
___
11:50 a.m.
RIM plans to continue making the PlayBook tablet despite lackluster sales. The company says it will focus on industries such as finance and health care, where RIM can provide value-added services beyond hardware. An upgrade is planned so that existing PlayBooks will get the new BlackBerry 10 system, too.
___
11:45 a.m.
So how to pronounce the new Z10? It's being called 'zed-10' around the world - but 'zee-10' in the U.S.
During a question-and-answer session, RIM executives say that some 1,600 companies have been testing the new system.
There's no firm timeframe on the Q10 model, with the physical keyboard, but Heins says he's hoping it will be ready in April.
As for the Z10, Heins says it will have about one day of battery life, but the battery will be removable so you can add a spare one.
___
11:40 a.m.
Some of the initial reaction is lukewarm. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek calls the unveiling good, but not great. But he says 'we didn't get any negative surprises.'
___
11:21 a.m.
Event wraps up. RIM says it's giving all audience members a Z10 to go.
___
11:20 a.m.
RIM's stock remains down - about 5.3 percent, at $14.83. It had traded as low as $14.41 earlier as the event took place. It had been up more than 3 percent before the event, with a high for the day of $16.62.
The stock has traded in the range of $6.22 to $18.32 in the past 52 weeks. It's up about 24 percent so far this year, compared with less than 6 percent for the S&P 500 index.
___
11:15 a.m.
RIM brings out singer Alicia Keys, who says she had been in a 'long-term relationship' with the BlackBerry, but saw more attractive smartphones at the gym. She says that with the new phone, with new features, 'we're exclusively dating again.'
___
11:10 a.m.
Heins says the Z10 - which he's pronouncing 'zed-10' - will be out in the U.K. on Thursday, in Canada on Feb. 5 and in the U.S. in March. Prices will vary by carrier, but they will be around $150 with a three-year service contract in Canada. Testing with U.S. carriers is continuing.
He didn't say when the Q10, with the physical keyboard, will be out or for how much.
___
11:05 a.m.
Mallick talks about some of the apps that are coming to the BlackBerry, including Skype video calling, Kindle e-reader and the 'Angry Birds' game. It's also getting social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. He says RIM made a push to get the most heavily used apps on the BlackBerry 10.
More than 70,000 apps will be available. That includes some developed for RIM's PlayBook tablet, first released in 2011. Even so, that's just a tenth of what the iPhone and Android offer. Popular service such as Instagram and Netflix won't have apps on BlackBerry 10.
___
10:50 a.m.
RIM demonstrates the Balance, which allows two personas on the same device. Businesses can keep their data secure without forcing employees to get a second device for personal use. It's a previously announced feature.
RIM also unveils the ability to share your entire screen with other users using a feature called BBM Screen Share.
___
10:45 a.m.
RIM's stock drops further to $14.68, down 6.3 percent.
On stage, executives demonstrate the BlackBerry Hub. You can send a Twitter message straight from it, and it integrates LinkedIn. It also integrates your contacts.
The BlackBerry will emphasize typing with one thumb, with gestures and the ability to delete with a thumb swipe anywhere. It will also recognize if you switch languages in the middle of the email, which could be popular in India and other markets where the BlackBerry is still strong.
___
10:40 a.m.
RIM's stock is down 39 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $15.27.
___
10:35 a.m.
The Q10 has a squarish screen measuring 3.1 inches diagonally. The Z10 will have a 4.2-inch screen for a cinematic experience. Heins says the back is textured so that it will be comfortable to hold.
___
10:30 a.m.
Heins introduces two new phones - the Z10 and the Q10. The Q10 has a physical keyboard, a feature that has kept BlackBerry users loyal over the years. The Z10 will have only a touch-screen keyboard.
Heins says, '''we know there is a lot of physical keyboard lovers out there.'
___
10:25 a.m.
Heins says the company will change its name to BlackBerry in order to maintain one brand and one promise.
Heins says the new BlackBerry is being built for people who are 'hyper-connected socially.' He says it's aimed at people who need balance in their personal and professional lives. Heins made similar remarks when he previewed the BlackBerry 10 at a September speech in San Jose, Calif.
Heins thanks RIM founder Mike Lazaridis and long-time executive Jim Balsillie, who were co-CEOs until Heins took over the helm a year ago. Lazaridis is in the audience in New York and stands up.
___
10:20 a.m.
Heins, who became RIM's CEO last January, says 'It has been easily the most challenging year of my career to date.' He thanks employees and proclaims, 'BlackBerry 10 is here.' But he says the launch is just the beginning.
___
10:15 a.m.
Heins appears on stage.
___
10:10 a.m.
Saunders touts the amount of work done by RIM's outside developers. He says BlackBerry 10 is launching with the largest-ever catalog of apps for a new phone operating system.
___
10:05 a.m.
The event in New York begins with a look at BlackBerry 10 events elsewhere through videoconferencing. Customer testimonials follow.
___
10 a.m.
Several hundred people await the start of the event, which is being held in a large warehouse-like entertainment venue on the shore of New York's East River.
RIM redesigned the BlackBerry system to embrace the multimedia, apps and touch-screen experience prevalent today. The question is whether there's time for the once-pioneering BlackBerry to catch up to Apple's trend-setting iPhone and devices running Google's Android system.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins hosted the main event in New York. Video of his appearance was shown at other RIM events in Toronto, London, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, New Delhi and Jakarta, Indonesia.
RIM initially said BlackBerry 10 would come by early 2012, but then the company changed that to late 2012. A few months later, that date was pushed further, to early 2013, missing the lucrative holiday season. The holdup helped wipe out more than $70 billion in shareholder wealth and 5,000 jobs.
RIM had shown off prototypes and previews before. Wednesday's event was the first time RIM showed off a complete product and announced some details on availability.
Most analysts consider a BlackBerry 10 success to be crucial for the company's long-term viability.
RIM is promising a speedier device, a superb typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone. Previews of the BlackBerry 10 software have gotten favorable reviews on blogs. Financial analysts are starting to see some slight room for a comeback. With smartphone sales growing, the BlackBerry 10 can succeed without iPhone and Android users switching.
Regardless of BlackBerry 10's advances, though, the new system will face a key shortcoming: It won't have as many apps written by outside companies and individuals as the iPhone and Android.
Here's a running account of the BlackBerry 10 event, presented in reverse chronological order. All times are EST. Besides Heins, presenters include Alec Saunders, vice president of developer relations, and Martyn Mallick, vice president of global alliances. Frank Boulben, chief marketing officer, joined in a question-and-answer session with reporters.
___
11:55 a.m.
RIM previous announced that it is planning a commercial during the Super Bowl this weekend. Boulben says it's to signal to U.S. customers that the BlackBerry is back.
Although BlackBerry remains popular in many parts of the world, sales have been weak in North America. According to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the U.S. market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
___
11:50 a.m.
RIM plans to continue making the PlayBook tablet despite lackluster sales. The company says it will focus on industries such as finance and health care, where RIM can provide value-added services beyond hardware. An upgrade is planned so that existing PlayBooks will get the new BlackBerry 10 system, too.
___
11:45 a.m.
So how to pronounce the new Z10? It's being called 'zed-10' around the world - but 'zee-10' in the U.S.
During a question-and-answer session, RIM executives say that some 1,600 companies have been testing the new system.
There's no firm timeframe on the Q10 model, with the physical keyboard, but Heins says he's hoping it will be ready in April.
As for the Z10, Heins says it will have about one day of battery life, but the battery will be removable so you can add a spare one.
___
11:40 a.m.
Some of the initial reaction is lukewarm. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek calls the unveiling good, but not great. But he says 'we didn't get any negative surprises.'
___
11:21 a.m.
Event wraps up. RIM says it's giving all audience members a Z10 to go.
___
11:20 a.m.
RIM's stock remains down - about 5.3 percent, at $14.83. It had traded as low as $14.41 earlier as the event took place. It had been up more than 3 percent before the event, with a high for the day of $16.62.
The stock has traded in the range of $6.22 to $18.32 in the past 52 weeks. It's up about 24 percent so far this year, compared with less than 6 percent for the S&P 500 index.
___
11:15 a.m.
RIM brings out singer Alicia Keys, who says she had been in a 'long-term relationship' with the BlackBerry, but saw more attractive smartphones at the gym. She says that with the new phone, with new features, 'we're exclusively dating again.'
___
11:10 a.m.
Heins says the Z10 - which he's pronouncing 'zed-10' - will be out in the U.K. on Thursday, in Canada on Feb. 5 and in the U.S. in March. Prices will vary by carrier, but they will be around $150 with a three-year service contract in Canada. Testing with U.S. carriers is continuing.
He didn't say when the Q10, with the physical keyboard, will be out or for how much.
___
11:05 a.m.
Mallick talks about some of the apps that are coming to the BlackBerry, including Skype video calling, Kindle e-reader and the 'Angry Birds' game. It's also getting social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. He says RIM made a push to get the most heavily used apps on the BlackBerry 10.
More than 70,000 apps will be available. That includes some developed for RIM's PlayBook tablet, first released in 2011. Even so, that's just a tenth of what the iPhone and Android offer. Popular service such as Instagram and Netflix won't have apps on BlackBerry 10.
___
10:50 a.m.
RIM demonstrates the Balance, which allows two personas on the same device. Businesses can keep their data secure without forcing employees to get a second device for personal use. It's a previously announced feature.
RIM also unveils the ability to share your entire screen with other users using a feature called BBM Screen Share.
___
10:45 a.m.
RIM's stock drops further to $14.68, down 6.3 percent.
On stage, executives demonstrate the BlackBerry Hub. You can send a Twitter message straight from it, and it integrates LinkedIn. It also integrates your contacts.
The BlackBerry will emphasize typing with one thumb, with gestures and the ability to delete with a thumb swipe anywhere. It will also recognize if you switch languages in the middle of the email, which could be popular in India and other markets where the BlackBerry is still strong.
___
10:40 a.m.
RIM's stock is down 39 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $15.27.
___
10:35 a.m.
The Q10 has a squarish screen measuring 3.1 inches diagonally. The Z10 will have a 4.2-inch screen for a cinematic experience. Heins says the back is textured so that it will be comfortable to hold.
___
10:30 a.m.
Heins introduces two new phones - the Z10 and the Q10. The Q10 has a physical keyboard, a feature that has kept BlackBerry users loyal over the years. The Z10 will have only a touch-screen keyboard.
Heins says, '''we know there is a lot of physical keyboard lovers out there.'
___
10:25 a.m.
Heins says the company will change its name to BlackBerry in order to maintain one brand and one promise.
Heins says the new BlackBerry is being built for people who are 'hyper-connected socially.' He says it's aimed at people who need balance in their personal and professional lives. Heins made similar remarks when he previewed the BlackBerry 10 at a September speech in San Jose, Calif.
Heins thanks RIM founder Mike Lazaridis and long-time executive Jim Balsillie, who were co-CEOs until Heins took over the helm a year ago. Lazaridis is in the audience in New York and stands up.
___
10:20 a.m.
Heins, who became RIM's CEO last January, says 'It has been easily the most challenging year of my career to date.' He thanks employees and proclaims, 'BlackBerry 10 is here.' But he says the launch is just the beginning.
___
10:15 a.m.
Heins appears on stage.
___
10:10 a.m.
Saunders touts the amount of work done by RIM's outside developers. He says BlackBerry 10 is launching with the largest-ever catalog of apps for a new phone operating system.
___
10:05 a.m.
The event in New York begins with a look at BlackBerry 10 events elsewhere through videoconferencing. Customer testimonials follow.
___
10 a.m.
Several hundred people await the start of the event, which is being held in a large warehouse-like entertainment venue on the shore of New York's East River.
Blackberry falls after introducing newest phone
NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Research in Motion gave up early gains Wednesday after its CEO introduced the new BlackBerry 10 on a stage in New York.
Company shares have risen 40 percent since the beginning of the year and it wouldn't be the first time that the introduction of a much-anticipated product did not boost share value for a tech company.
Companies like Apple have seen their shares whipsaw on the day that new products are unveiled.
There are actually two models of the new phone - the Z10 and the Q10. The Q10 has a physical keyboard, a feature that has kept BlackBerry users loyal over the years. The Z10 will have only a touch-screen keyboard.
The Q10 has a squarish screen measuring 3.1 inches diagonally. The Z10 will have a 4.2-inch screen.
RIM is promising a speedier device, a better typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone. Previews of the BlackBerry 10 software have received favorable reviews. Financial analysts are starting to see some slight room for a comeback.
The company also announced it would change its name from Research in Motion Ltd. to Blackberry.
Shares, after rising 4 percent, reversed course and fell by almost the same percentage amount. Shares are down 55 cents at $15.11.
TSX hits near 18-month high as golds, RIM gain
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index hit a near 18-month high on Wednesday, led by gold stocks that gained following a contradiction in the U.S. economy, as well as a rise in Research In Motion Ltd on the day of its much-awaited BlackBerry 10 launch.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> was up 55.69 points, or 0.43 percent, at 12,886.25 shortly after the open. The index hit a high of 12,895.28.
(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index <.gsptse> was up 55.69 points, or 0.43 percent, at 12,886.25 shortly after the open. The index hit a high of 12,895.28.
(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
TSX to open lower on soft U.S. data; RIM eyed
(Reuters) - Canadian stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wednesday after U.S. data showed the world's largest economy unexpectedly contracted in fourth quarter.
TOP STORIES
* The U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, suffering its first decline since the 2007-09 recession as businesses scaled back on restocking and government spending plunged.
* The innovative line of BlackBerry smartphones that Research In Motion Ltd will formally unveil on Wednesday has already succeeded on one crucial count - getting RIM back in the conversation.
* The Federal Reserve is expected to keep monetary policy on a steady path when it concludes a two-day meeting, though behind the scenes intensive debate continues over when the controversial bond-buying program should be curtailed.
* Boeing Co reported profit dipped in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, and said its 2013 forecast 'assumes no significant financial impact' from the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet by regulators.
* Spain's economy sank deeper into recession in the fourth quarter of 2012, shrinking at the fastest pace in a year as budget cutbacks and high unemployment prompted households to slash spending.
* Euro zone economic sentiment improved more than expected across all sectors in January, rising for the third time in a row in a sign the economy could be emerging from a low point in the fourth quarter of 2012.
* Chesapeake Energy Corp said on Tuesday that Aubrey McClendon will step down as chief executive after a tumultuous year in which a series of Reuters investigations triggered civil and criminal probes of the second-largest U.S. natural gas producer.
(Reporting by Chandrashekhar Modi; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
TOP STORIES
* The U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, suffering its first decline since the 2007-09 recession as businesses scaled back on restocking and government spending plunged.
* The innovative line of BlackBerry smartphones that Research In Motion Ltd
* The Federal Reserve is expected to keep monetary policy on a steady path when it concludes a two-day meeting, though behind the scenes intensive debate continues over when the controversial bond-buying program should be curtailed.
* Boeing Co reported profit dipped in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, and said its 2013 forecast 'assumes no significant financial impact' from the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet by regulators.
* Spain's economy sank deeper into recession in the fourth quarter of 2012, shrinking at the fastest pace in a year as budget cutbacks and high unemployment prompted households to slash spending.
* Euro zone economic sentiment improved more than expected across all sectors in January, rising for the third time in a row in a sign the economy could be emerging from a low point in the fourth quarter of 2012.
* Chesapeake Energy Corp said on Tuesday that Aubrey McClendon will step down as chief executive after a tumultuous year in which a series of Reuters investigations triggered civil and criminal probes of the second-largest U.S. natural gas producer.
(Reporting by Chandrashekhar Modi; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
Critical, long-overdue BlackBerry makeover arrives
TORONTO (AP) - BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. will kick off a critical, long-overdue makeover when chief executive Thorsten Heins shows off the first phone with the new BlackBerry 10 system in New York on Wednesday.
Repeated delays have left the once-pioneering BlackBerry an afterthought in the shadow of Apple's trend-setting iPhone and Google's Android-driven devices. There has even been talk that the fate of the company that created the BlackBerry in 1999 is no longer certain.
Now, there's some optimism. Previews of the BlackBerry 10 software have gotten favorable reviews on blogs. Financial analysts are starting to see some slight room for a comeback. RIM's stock has more than doubled to $15.66 from a nine-year low in September, though it's still nearly 90 percent below its 2008 peak of $147.
RIM redesigned the system to embrace the multimedia, apps and touch-screen experience prevalent today. The company is promising a speedier device, a superb typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone.
Most analysts consider a BlackBerry 10 success to be crucial for the company's long-term viability. Doubts remain about the ability of BlackBerry 10 to rescue RIM.
'We'll see if they can reclaim their glory. My sense is that it will be a phone that everyone says good things about but not as many people buy,' BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek called it a 'great device' and said RIM does have some momentum just months after the Canadian company was written off for dead.
'Six months ago we talked to developers and carriers, and everybody was just basically saying 'We're just waiting for this to go bust,'' Misek said. 'It was bad.'
The BlackBerry has been the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and crossed over to consumers. But when the iPhone came out in 2007, it showed that phones can do much more than email and phone calls. Suddenly, the BlackBerry looked ancient. In the U.S., according to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
RIM promised a new system to catch up, using technology it got through its 2010 purchase of QNX Software Systems. RIM initially said BlackBerry 10 would come by early 2012, but then the company changed that to late 2012. A few months later, that date was pushed further, to early 2013, missing the lucrative holiday season. The holdup helped wipe out more than $70 billion in shareholder wealth and 5,000 jobs.
Although executives have been providing a glimpse at some of BlackBerry 10's new features for months, Heins will finally showcase a complete system at Wednesday's event. Devices will go on sale soon after that. The exact date and prices are expected Wednesday.
Regardless of BlackBerry 10's advances, though, the new system will face a key shortcoming: It won't have as many apps written by outside companies and individuals as the iPhone and Android. RIM has said it plans to launch BlackBerry 10 with more than 70,000 apps, including those developed for RIM's PlayBook tablet, first released in 2011. Even so, that's just a tenth of what the iPhone and Android offer. Popular service such as Instagram and Netflix won't have apps on BlackBerry 10.
Gillis said he'll be looking to see when RIM releases a keyboard version of the new phone. The first BlackBerry 10 phone will have only a touch screen. RIM has said a physical keyboard version will be released soon after. He said a delay could alienate RIM's 79 million subscribers.
'The No. 1 feature that they like is the physical keyboard,' Gillis said.
Repeated delays have left the once-pioneering BlackBerry an afterthought in the shadow of Apple's trend-setting iPhone and Google's Android-driven devices. There has even been talk that the fate of the company that created the BlackBerry in 1999 is no longer certain.
Now, there's some optimism. Previews of the BlackBerry 10 software have gotten favorable reviews on blogs. Financial analysts are starting to see some slight room for a comeback. RIM's stock has more than doubled to $15.66 from a nine-year low in September, though it's still nearly 90 percent below its 2008 peak of $147.
RIM redesigned the system to embrace the multimedia, apps and touch-screen experience prevalent today. The company is promising a speedier device, a superb typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone.
Most analysts consider a BlackBerry 10 success to be crucial for the company's long-term viability. Doubts remain about the ability of BlackBerry 10 to rescue RIM.
'We'll see if they can reclaim their glory. My sense is that it will be a phone that everyone says good things about but not as many people buy,' BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek called it a 'great device' and said RIM does have some momentum just months after the Canadian company was written off for dead.
'Six months ago we talked to developers and carriers, and everybody was just basically saying 'We're just waiting for this to go bust,'' Misek said. 'It was bad.'
The BlackBerry has been the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and crossed over to consumers. But when the iPhone came out in 2007, it showed that phones can do much more than email and phone calls. Suddenly, the BlackBerry looked ancient. In the U.S., according to research firm IDC, shipments of BlackBerry phones plummeted from 46 percent of the market in 2008 to 2 percent in 2012.
RIM promised a new system to catch up, using technology it got through its 2010 purchase of QNX Software Systems. RIM initially said BlackBerry 10 would come by early 2012, but then the company changed that to late 2012. A few months later, that date was pushed further, to early 2013, missing the lucrative holiday season. The holdup helped wipe out more than $70 billion in shareholder wealth and 5,000 jobs.
Although executives have been providing a glimpse at some of BlackBerry 10's new features for months, Heins will finally showcase a complete system at Wednesday's event. Devices will go on sale soon after that. The exact date and prices are expected Wednesday.
Regardless of BlackBerry 10's advances, though, the new system will face a key shortcoming: It won't have as many apps written by outside companies and individuals as the iPhone and Android. RIM has said it plans to launch BlackBerry 10 with more than 70,000 apps, including those developed for RIM's PlayBook tablet, first released in 2011. Even so, that's just a tenth of what the iPhone and Android offer. Popular service such as Instagram and Netflix won't have apps on BlackBerry 10.
Gillis said he'll be looking to see when RIM releases a keyboard version of the new phone. The first BlackBerry 10 phone will have only a touch screen. RIM has said a physical keyboard version will be released soon after. He said a delay could alienate RIM's 79 million subscribers.
'The No. 1 feature that they like is the physical keyboard,' Gillis said.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Survey shows strong consumer interest in BlackBerry 10, but few are willing to buy just yet
The good news for RIM (RIMM): Lots of people are interested in checking out its upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform. The bad news: Few are willing to commit to buying a BlackBerry 10 device at the moment. According to a new online survey of more than 1,100 Americans commissioned by mobile application specialist BiTE interactive and conducted by reputable pollster YouGov, 47% of Americans find "at least one of BlackBerry's new features appealing," although only around 13% say they'll consider buying a BlackBerry 10 device.
[More from BGR: Apple's 128GB iPad shows the world exactly what Apple does best]
[More from BGR: Apple unveils new 128GB iPad]
The survey found that the new Time Shift Camera, which lets users rapid-shoot multiple pictures of the same subject and then choose the best one from the bunch, was the most popular new BlackBerry feature, followed by BlackBerry 10's new predictive keyboard. But as BiTE operations executive vice president Joseph Farrell notes, there's a big difference between interest in new features and a commitment to spend money acquiring them. Farrell also thinks that RIM will still struggle to be relevant as long as app developers neglect BlackBerry in favor of iOS and Android.
"RIM's much anticipated BB10 launch is a major, and much needed overhaul for the one-time smartphone leader and all indications are that it has, at very least succeeded in convincing Americans to give BlackBerry a second look," he says. "However, it is clear that while all the new features can catch the interest of Android and iOS owners, the key chink in RIM's armor remains its apps ecosystem. RIM has made great efforts to catch up with iOS and Android in this regard, but it, like Microsoft, is likely to find this far easier said than done."
BiTE's full press release is posted below.
This article was originally published on BGR.com
[More from BGR: Apple's 128GB iPad shows the world exactly what Apple does best]
[More from BGR: Apple unveils new 128GB iPad]
The survey found that the new Time Shift Camera, which lets users rapid-shoot multiple pictures of the same subject and then choose the best one from the bunch, was the most popular new BlackBerry feature, followed by BlackBerry 10's new predictive keyboard. But as BiTE operations executive vice president Joseph Farrell notes, there's a big difference between interest in new features and a commitment to spend money acquiring them. Farrell also thinks that RIM will still struggle to be relevant as long as app developers neglect BlackBerry in favor of iOS and Android.
"RIM's much anticipated BB10 launch is a major, and much needed overhaul for the one-time smartphone leader and all indications are that it has, at very least succeeded in convincing Americans to give BlackBerry a second look," he says. "However, it is clear that while all the new features can catch the interest of Android and iOS owners, the key chink in RIM's armor remains its apps ecosystem. RIM has made great efforts to catch up with iOS and Android in this regard, but it, like Microsoft, is likely to find this far easier said than done."
BiTE's full press release is posted below.
BlackBerry 10 Captures Attention of One in Two Americans
But only one in eight will actually consider buying a BB10 device
Los Angeles, January 29, 2013 - Ahead of the launch of Research in Motion's long-anticipated BlackBerry 10 operating system and two new smartphones this week, nearly one in two Americans online (47 percent) finds at least one of BlackBerry's new features appealing.
Despite interest in the new features only one in eight Americans (13 percent) will consider buying a BB10 device, and only one in 100 plans to get one immediately. The findings are according to a report from BiTE interactive, the native mobile application specialist for Fortune 1000 brands, which commissioned YouGov to poll the views of a representative sample of 1,127 American adults online.
Time Shift Camera wins most American hearts, especially with Android owners
RIM's Time Shift Camera is the most compelling new BB10 feature for 16 percent of Americans. The Time Shift Camera takes multiple shots of a subject in a single picture and lets you choose the best composite image. 46 percent more women than men identify it as the most attractive new feature of BB10, while it is most appealing for one in five (21 percent) 18-34 year olds. The same age group is also the most likely to find one of the BlackBerry 10's features appealing (66 percent). RIM's new predictive keyboard feature is the most compelling new feature for only six percent of Americans while only one in 100 picked the new 'flow' interface.
The new BB10 features appeal to more Android (65 percent) than iPhone owners (56 percent).
"RIM's much anticipated BB10 launch is a major, and much needed overhaul for the one-time smartphone leader and all indications are that it has, at very least succeeded in convincing Americans to give BlackBerry a second look," said Joseph Farrell, EVP Operations, BiTE interactive. "However, it is clear that while all the new features can catch the interest of Android and iOS owners, the key chink in RIM's armor remains its apps ecosystem. RIM has made great efforts to catch up with iOS and Android in this regard, but it, like Microsoft, is likely to find this far easier said than done. A lot of eyes will be on the new BlackBerry World from day one, as its success is pivotal to that of the BB10 devices as viable mainstream consumer handsets."
iPhone owners least likely to jump to BlackBerry
According to BiTE interactive's report, iPhone owners are the least likely to buy into BB10. Only around one in 10 (11 percent) have any interest in owning one of RIM's new phones compared with around one in five (21 percent) Android owners. Overall, almost one in two (44 percent) Americans definitely will not get a BB10 device while a further one in four (27 percent) say they will likely not get one.
Joseph Farrell added, "RIM's challenge is compounded by the fact that Google and Apple have already built up huge mobile user bases who, for the most part, have invested lots of time and money learning and using their platform of choice. To switch to any new platform, even between the two, means a new investment of time and resources that many do not wish to spend, let alone taking a perceived risk on the new BB10 platform, no matter how impressive some of the new technology is."
Research methodology
BiTE interactive commissioned YouGov to poll the views of a representative sample of 1,127 US adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between January 23-25, 2013. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
This article was originally published on BGR.com
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