RIM PlayBook sells 50,000 on Day One; Amazon tablet (probably) imminent

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"Research in Motion’s (RIMM) new tablet, the Android app-compatible PlayBook, hit the streets this week. It also sold better on its first day of shelf life than many expected, moving 50,000 tabs on April 19.

Here’s a quote from MSNBC.com’s Gadgetbox on the subject from its story:

‘The launch appears to have been stronger than the launch of Motorola's Xoom [Android] Tablet, or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, although it's too early to judge sustainability,’ said RBC Capital Markets' analyst Mike Abramsky in a note to clients.

Of course, the PlayBook’s numbers aren’t exactly comparable to what Apple’s iPad pulled down -- 300,000 sold on its first day in April 2010, 19.5 million iPads and iPad 2s sold to date -- but in the increasingly crowded tablet market, it’s not a bad showing, especially given the fact that RIM has been struggling to catch up with Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) of late. Abramsky told the Montreal Gazette that RIM is on track to ship 500,000 PlayBooks by the first quarter of 2012.

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RIM introduces BlackBerry PlayBook tablet

Courtesy of CNET – BlackBerry maker opens its annual developer conference in San Francisco by introducing its PlayBook, which it calls the first professional tablet.

iPhone is No. 1 phone, while Android is No. 1 OS

CLICK to read article on Technolog

"The best-selling phone in America is the iPhone, according to two different reports. But the same research shows Android is the top-selling OS, and it continues unimpeded in its march to worldwide domination. Meanwhile, BlackBerry's Research In Motion is getting stepped on, and dumb phones — those not blessed with any of the so-called 'smart phone' OSes — may well be headed for extinction. The question is, will Android keep it together at the top, or spread itself too thin?

Selling the top phone — not just smart phone but phonephone — should be good news for Apple. But compared to the quarter that ended a year ago, Apple's market share declined by 21 percent against Android. RIM's share drop is a lot worse, though: It's down 53 percent compared to a year ago.

'Much of Android's quarterly share growth came at the expense of RIM, rather than Apple,' said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD, in a press release. 'The HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X and other new high-end Android devices have been gaining momentum at carriers that traditionally have been strong RIM distributors, and the recent introduction of the BlackBerry Torch has done little to stem the tide.'

With nobody excited about new BlackBerry products, the best thing RIM can do is lower prices on its older more venerated handsets. Its Curve series, the No. 2 selling phone in the U.S., is listed at several carriers for the low low price of ... free. At least, with a two-year contract.

The iPhone beat another free-ish phone, the LG Cosmos, a messaging phone. As the only non-'smart' phone in NPD's top 5, and one that only got there through heavy-duty subsidies, another message is clear: Dumb phones are dying. But that might just mean more Android-powered phones of modest IQ being handed out for free or next to nothing.

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RIM Readies Its Answer to iPad — Codename "BlackPad"

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"BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (NasdaqGS: RIMM - News) could unveil its new tablet computer—as well as the operating system that will power it—as early as next week at a developers' conference in San Francisco, said people familiar with RIM's plans.

The tablet, which some inside RIM are calling the BlackPad, is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of this year, these people said. It will feature a seven-inch touch screen and one or two built-in cameras, they said.

It will have Bluetooth and broadband connections but will only be able to connect to cellular networks through a BlackBerry smartphone, these people said. Since the tablet won't be sold with a cellular service, it's not clear which carriers or retailers will sell the device.

In a significant development, RIM's tablet will eschew the recently revamped BlackBerry 6 operating system in favor of a completely new platform built by QNX Software Systems, these people said.

RIM bought QNX, a maker of operating systems used in everything from cars to nuclear reactors, earlier this year, in what industry watchers said was a bid to replace software criticized as slow and buggy.

RIM eventually plans to transition its BlackBerry smartphones to the QNX operating system as well, people familiar with RIM's strategy said.

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VIDEO: Top 5 smartphones, not the iPhone

Yahoo! Finance - Financially Fit

Don't care for an iPhone? Here are the top choices on the market. Click on the link above to watch this video I found on the Yahoo! Finance site.

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SHOW #93 - NerdBoyTV: DecalGirl Phone Skins

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee uses a cool skin from DecalGirl.com to spruce up the look of his old Blackberry Curve 8330.

SHOW #92 - NerdBoyTV: Blackberry with Luis Merlos

On this episode of NerdBoyTV (using Skype), Ryan Yee talks with Luis Merlos of BerryReview.com on how RIM will compete with the iPhone and Android smartphones in the consumer market soon with the Blackberry 9800.

RIM Introduces Two New BlackBerry Phones

Research in Motion has announced two new BlackBerry devices today, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and the BlackBerry Pearl 3G. The announcement comes a day before the company’s Wireless Enterprise Symposium (WES), where it will show off further software and hardware developments. Both phones offer significant upgrades to their respective product lines.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a CDMA device that appears to be a bit of a souped-up BlackBerry Tour in both appearance and features. However, the phone trades the scroll ball for an optical trackpad, more device memory (512MB as opposed to 256MB) and the addition of Wi-Fi support for 802.11b/g networks.

Check out this video for the BlackBerry Bold 9650:



The BlackBerry Pearl 3G is an update to the immensely popular BlackBerry Pearl series, which combines BlackBerry functionality with a more traditional candy bar design. The new phone adds speed, more device memory (256MB), 3G support, GPS and an optical trackpad. The phone includes support for Wi-Fi 802.11.b/g/n networks and has a higher resolution 360×400 screen. The Pearl has always been marketed as a starter BlackBerry, or a BlackBerry for the non-business user. This is in part because the smaller size compresses the QWERTY keypad.

The BlackBerry Pearl 3G will be available in two models with different key layouts. The BlackBerry Pearl 9100 has the traditional 14-key layout while the Pearl 9105 has an expanded 20-key layout for an enhanced QWERTY experience.

Oprah goes mobile with iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps

iPhone app article - Kristen Nicole: "Oprah is now officially mobile. The release of her mobile apps today span the gamut of major platforms - including titles for the iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm and Android. It’s a hefty and widespread release, with ambitions of reaching every consumer on every smart phone. Given Oprah’s latest moves towards extending her brand with an evening show, the empire that already covers print, film, television and social media can claim the mobile industry as well.

Oprah Mobile for iPhoneWith a first look at the $1.99 Oprah Mobile app for the iPhone and Android devices, I admit I was surprised to find the app’s icon does not feature Oprah’s image—simply her name. With Oprah celebrating her 100th magazine cover, I imagined that the mobile apps would be more distinctly branded."

Newest Verizon Wireless Smartphones

From abcnews.com

Verizon's Mike Maiorana shows you the company's latest smartphones.

SHOW #85 - NerdBoyTV: Cool Cellies, Microsoft LifeCam

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee shares the three "coolest" smartphones that came out over the holidays (Droid, Blackberry Bold 9700, Motorola Cliq) and Microsoft's LifeCam Cinema webcam.

Review: BlackBerry Bold 2 9700

By techradar.com (CLICK to read more)

NerdBoyTV NOTE: Here's a very thorough review of the Blackberry Bold 2 9700 posted by techradar.com. My daughter got this phone for Christmas and couldn't be happier!

"RIM has updated its flagship model with a sleeker and more powerful model – the Bold 2 9700. Featuring an improved processor and latest UI, the phone certainly has the specs but can it stop the iPhone and Android onslaught?

The BlackBerry Bold was one of the standout devices of last year “ it was RIM's statement that it was coming for the consumer market.

And while it was successful, there always comes a time for a refresh, and that's where the new BlackBerry Bold 2 9700 comes in."

BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on video

Take a video tour round the BlackBerry Bold 9700. Does its svelte new package deliver all the Berry goodness?

NerdBoyTV NOTE: Just upgraded my daughter's phone on T-Mobile to the BlackBerry Bold 9700—she absolutely LOVES it! It's optical "track pad" is sooooooooooo awesome.

CNET Top 5: Best Cell Phones

VIDEO: How To Type Faster on Your iPhone

Sure, you’ve got the hottest phone on the planet, but all your friends on BlackBerrys are typing circles around you. Here’s how to even the playing field.

How To Type Faster on Your iPhone on Howcast

CNET Top 5: Most popular products for August

SHOW #77 - NerdBoyTV: RealPlayer SP (beta)

In this episode of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee demos the RealPlayer SP (beta) and shows how to convert YouTube videos to play on your iPod, Blackberry, or Palm Pre.

RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630—Verizon Wireless (courtesy of CNET)

Long awaited, the RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 has finally arrived in town, and it's putting on quite a show. As the replacement to the RIM BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, the Tour offers 3G world roaming capabilities and brings a number of improvements in all three departments of design, features, and performance.



While we're disappointed by the lack of Wi-Fi and other minor annoyances, the pros far outweigh the cons. It's one of the strongest smartphone offerings from Verizon Wireless, and its business customers will be well-served by this device. The RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630 will be available from the carrier starting July 12 for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $70 mail-in rebate.

Blackberry Storm Vs. iPhone 3G (via Jon Rettinger)

Why BlackBerry Still Beats iPhone For Some

News that the Research In Motion BlackBerry Curve outsold iPhones in Q1 surprised many observers, but for those who follow the smartphone market closely, it makes a certain kind of sense. Push-button BlackBerry models like the Curve play well against the iPhone's most notable weakness: text entry. Among other things, this demonstrates why RIM would be wise to skip the consumer smartphone business and stick to what it does best--business handsets. And, in my opinion, that requires keypads, not touchscreens.

It is easy to understand why CEO Jim Balsillie is telling investors a sequel to RIM's touchscreen BlackBerry Storm is in the offing. Consumer handsets are a huge market, but it is not one I can imagine RIM will ever control.

My guess is that about the time RIM comes out with a Storm replacement that Verizon will start getting iPhones. Verizon customers who now purchase Storms because they do not want to change carriers will jump at the iPhone the moment Verizon has some to sell.