Blackberry Woes A Warning To Other Players

Blackberry's maker, Research In Motion, has been having a bad time of it lately and it got worse yesterday.  I don't want to get into the gory details from yesterday's financial call.  Only some personal observations about the market and what stagnation and arrogance can do to one individual or an empire, be it corporate or a political entity.

First, there's denial.  I was going to start with arrogance but they kind of go hand-in-hand at times.  Apple went through it in the 90s.  Microsoft, Palm, and countless others went through this during the 2000s with the music players.  And then as if that isn't enough, nearly all of the major mobile device makers were arrogantly in denial about the iPhone.

And I'm sure that while Apple has done quite well with the iPhone and other iOS devices, Steve Jobs likely was pretty arrogant when he thought Apple was years and years ahead of the competition.  I'm sure the folks at Cupertino were shocked when Google's Android so quickly overwhelmed the iPhone in the marketplace.  By some measure, Apple is still doing well where it counts:  it owns about 70% of the mobile profit.  

The worst is RIM.  It's palace enclosed CEOs simply didn't think competition could ever touch them based on the strength of the Blackberry brand.  They also believed their expertise in security for corporate emails and messaging would allow them to weather the tides of innovation happening just beyond their reach.

Hence, the only thing that I came away from the RIM earning call yesterday was that the company was open to being sold off.  Nothing else mattered.  The next Blackberry OS reminds of Web OS in a way.  It's fantastic for some and does some things differently from its competitions but it really offers nothing revolutionary in terms of experience.  And oh, no apps.  

Of course, this is a warning to the incumbent leaders in the wireless market.  Apple and Google.  However, they have an advantage the fallen have not.  They've seen what could happen if they sit on their asses and try to milk existing market for all its worth.  Someone will come along and knock them down.

Now, the question is can RIM make a comeback.  I've said above that RIM is open to offers of a takeover but let's supposed they want to try one more time to recapture its glory days.  Can it happen?  Apple did it, why not RIM?

I think it's possible.  Difficult but it can happen if innovative juice is still flowing there.  I don't know if it is.  Like a wounded beast, it'll have no choice to but strike out.  And because RIM could be desperate to try anything, that thing brought upon by primal desire to survive could be just what will end up disrupting the market.

So, everyone best stay on their toes.  Competition is alive and well in the mobile market regardless of the state RIM, Nokia, or HP is in.  And for us mobile warriors, competition is awesome!

Credit Cards Exposed; Millions of Numbers Taken By Hackers

Okay, this isn't about wireless, politics, or green tech.  Just a life post but a very important one.

A payment processor called Global Payments has detected a security breach in which 50K credit/debit card numbers were taken (CNET). Both MasterCard and Visa have warned potential customers.  While a serious situation, CNBC and MSNBC seems to think this is more serious than the fifty thousand credit card information taken since they used the word "millions".  

Not sure if it's millions of credit card numbers or millions in value. It's likely these two networks believe the situation to be bigger than what's being reported.  

Isn't it always like that?  Anyway, check your bank and credit card information just in case?  I've had it happen to me before so I'll be calling my credit card and banks after work today.  

Now, if I win the $600+ million in MegaMillion lottery today, I'd be a lot less worried about this breach.  Wish me luck!

Those Turned Away By Microsoft's Windows Phone Scam Should Be Considered Winners

Microsoft turned way more than a few potential Windows Phone users when they limit the number of people who wanted to participate in the Windows Phone challenge.  Essentially, Microsoft forfeited.  It's unfortunate that there are no records of how many.

I was one of them.  I called up the Century City store in California to participate in the challenge.  I asked how long the line would be but they said the line was about a twenty minutes.  Great, I said, I will be there between  6:30 and 7 PM. However, the store employee said that they're cut off time is 5:45pm.

Given the LA traffic and my obligations at work, there was no way I would have made it there in time.  However, the rules said that the challenge is available during store hours.

WTF, right?  I was so excited about getting my hands on a Lumia 710.  I was sure that I would eventually get Lumia 900  and Windows 8 a tablet later this year.

Redmond can forget about that.  And now the national media is wondering about the challenge with Forbes call it a scam.

Sorry, I thought I could be open about this but we'll be making Microsoft our bitch in all this - now and forever.  They care nothing about the customers as far as I'm concerned.  I truly thought given the drumming they've received in the mobile market by the likes of Google that they would have changed.

The publicity that they thought they are getting is slowly and surly turning into a nightmare.  We'll provide examples of how they've rigged to so that they can't lose but still manage to do so anyway.

Honestly, I thought Microsoft could provide viable competition to Android and the iPhone.  I'm beginning to think I'm wrong about this.  Outside of Nokia's Lumia, which is just a draw for aging Symbian users, it doesn't appear anyone is interested.

As far as I'm concerned, those of us denied the challenge won because Microsoft forfeited.  People have been right about picking Androids and iPhones.

Tapose: This Is The Kinds Of Innovation The iPad Has Spawned

This is the kind of innovation that the iPad has spawned...you'll be hearing a lot about this app by tomorrow.



What's interesting is who helped fund this app.  Oh, the irony...

Source: Tapose, a lot more at 9to5Mac.

Harry Potter Books: Will Tim Cook Or J.R. Rowling Blink First?

As you know by now, Harry Potter books are now available via Pottermore and they can be purchased on an assortment of ebook stores except for the iBookstore.  The going guess is that Apple wants 30% of the cut but Hogwarts Publishing is saying no to Apple.

The question I have on this is who will cave first?  Or not at all?

Is it important that you get Harry Potter books in your iBooks app or are you going to be happy with reading them through Kindle or the Nook app?

Well, there is a way to get these books on your iPad or iPhone.  These books are in unprotected ePub format so you can still get them via other platforms and then upload them directly to iBooks.  Most folks are suggesting that you do it through iTunes but I wonder if you can do it simply by emailing them to yourself.

My guess is that a deal will be struck eventually.  I'm sure the folks working for Pottermore are just as much fans of Apple as Apple fans are of Harry Potter.  What I'm hoping is that once a deal is struck, the iOS books will be created with a richer format unlike the textbooks that Apple is pushing.

Imagine these books created with iBooks Author - special edition books that has rich media of video, music, and games that also offer much social media elements  Words and images would come alive right before your eyes.

You know, just like them books at Hogwarts.

Apple's Tim Cook In China: Expect More Of These Visits By Execs

Tim Cook was spotted in China via a Weibo account (TechNode via Appleinsider).  Weibo is China's version of Twitter.  As I said before, China's growing mobile use will have influence on mobile development and directions app developers take in the future.  And the influence won't just be isolated to Apple.  Others like Google and Microsoft will be impacted as well.


While the linked posts focused on the iPhone, you have to know that there is more to it than that.  Apple recently added to its Mac OS a few social and video sharing features native to China, like Weibo



In the past, there were talks that a major hangup between Apple and China Mobile was largely due to CM's request to add apps and revenue sharing for apps which Steve Jobs has explicitly ruled out.  So, the direction of iOS development could be influenced further as Apple has staked its future in the Middle Kingdom.


How about other mobile players like Google and Microsoft.  Microsoft realized its large following could be key to getting back into the mobile game while forked versions of Android are pretty popular right now.  Google and Beijing has had a chilly relationship but Google has maintained a sizable research and development outpost in China.


For Apple, it finds its iOS following somewhat behind.  With the potential addition of China Mobile as a carrier in a year or so from now, Tim Cook and his team could be in a for a real challenge trying to meet demand with the next iPhone.

Friday Movie: Walking Dead Game Trailer And Game Play

Walking Dead is one of the best drama on television right now.  Yes, yes.  Despite it's subject matter, it's a drama just like The X-Files was too even though it touched on the paranormal and extraterrestrial conspiracies.

And I'm very excited by the prospect of living in this world where I'm trying to not only stay alive but to also make sense of a zombie apocalypse.

And so, this is this Friday's movie clips.

The Trailer

The Game Play

More on the games at  NG4, Toucharcade.