RIM Has Done A Horrible Job At Explaining What BlackBerry Bridge Is

by Robb Dunewood on March 24, 2011 · 7 comments

BlackBerry Bridge

We are less than one month away from the highly anticipated launch of the BlackBerry PlayBook, Research in Motion’s first tablet computing device.  Because of what can only be described as a horrible job at marketing by RIM, what should be one of the coolest features of the PlayBook, BlackBerry Bridge, is viewed by most as one of it’s biggest shortcomings…

What is BlackBerry Bridge?

BlackBerry Bridge allows you to wirelessly connect your BlackBerry to your BlackBerry PlayBook.  Once this connection is made you get real time access to Email, calendar, address book, task list and BlackBerry Messenger.  When it comes to these specific BlackBerry applications, you can view the PlayBook almost like an extended monitor an input device while connected to your BlackBerry via BlackBerry Bridge as none of the data from these apps is ever stored on the PlayBook.  This is a really cool feature that IT Admins concerned about the security of data on corporate provisioned BlackBerry devices will appreciate.

Bad Marketing and PR

RIM’s poor marketing job, or, lack thereof, depending on your point of view, makes it seem as though BlackBerry Bridge and a BlackBerry are required for Email, calendar, address book, and tasks lists.  They are not…  RIM, however, hasn’t really definitively said whether or not native or OEM applications will come pre-loaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook which will allow for these basic functions that all tablets should have out of the box and offer up web based email as an alternative.

RIM really needed to be in front of this objection before it ever became one by ending the sentence where they explain what BlackBerry Bridge is with, “and, if you don’t have a BlackBerry apps for Email, calendar, address book, and tasks lists come pre-installed and you will have the ability to install 3rd party applications for these features as well.”

This is, of course, is not what Research in Motion has done and they have let a pretty cool feature become a big reason not to buy the PlayBook.  All Things D’s Walt Mossberg, who who moderated a panel discussion about new mobile device trends at the CTIA Wireless 2011 conference yesterday, was absolutely right when he said to RIM SVP of Business and Platform Marketing Jeff McDowell “So when I write my column, I can tell my audience not to bother if they aren’t huge blackberry users?”  If RIM actually thinks they are going to be able to sell a tablet that can’t do email or hold contact info out of the box unless you have a BlackBerry to tether it to, sadly, the company is even worse off than their hemorrhaging share in the smartphone market indicates.

[Source]

 

BlackBerry

, , ,

Related Posts

  • Norman R.

    Unfortunately Robb, I think that RIM honestly thought they they could release a BlackBerry tablet with no native email support. It’s hard to believe that a company that built its reputation on email, didn’t think it important to put email on a device with the BlackBerry namesake.

  • iPaul

    All iPhone fanboyism aside, RIM actually admitted earlier today that no native email support exists on the PlayBook because they designed it with BES users in mind.

    That is a load of crap. RIM has been pushing this thing hard at consumers since they announced it. It comes with Need for Speed preloaded on the thing for goodness sake.

    • http://www.rimarkable.com Robb Dunewood

      I would have to agree with you here wholeheartedly.

      RIM did say that native email support is coming in the coming months, but, unless they mean by next month before the PlayBook ships this will be a problem for them.

      I am just waiting for someone to create a pro iPad vs PlayBook commercial titled, “Can you email me now” ala those Verizon vs. AT&T commercials.

  • Jono

    If it supports Android software, then watch out BES, Touchdown for Android is going to stir up some trouble. I find that Touchdown is the single best ActiveSync client out there.

  • Tim

    Does anyone REALY think RIM would release a highly-touted, brand new device that doesn’t do email, and do it very well? I don’t think so. They will do this right.

  • bluehorseshoe

    “RIM’s poor marketing job, or, lack thereof, depending on your point of view, makes it seem as though BlackBerry Bridge and a BlackBerry are required for Email, calendar, address book, and tasks lists. They are not… RIM, however, hasn’t really definitively said whether or not native or OEM applications will come pre-loaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook which will allow for these basic functions that all tablets should have out of the box and offer up web based email as an alternative.”

    Just going to point this out…if it “makes it seem as though BBB and BB are required…They are not,” then point out how you can. It IS reliant on a BB until they announce or provide an application that will allow you to utilize these features.

    Also, for those that do have a BB and the bridge is possible, now we’re looking at battery life with the BT connection on most of the time.

    RIM has done a wonderful job of limiting themselves to a very small market. At this point, it only seems feasible for someone that owns a BB to purchase a PlayBook, and not even that entire audience/consumer is willing to buy one based on need, already own something else, etc. While I don’t believe RIM will prevent other mail and calendar apps from being used on the PB, it’s the BB ecosystem that would attract folks to purchasing one of these, without the reliance of having to carry a BB at all times.

    If RIM thought people would go out and purchase a BB to have a PB function at 100%, they are delusional. Serious fail on RIM’s part.

  • Jeff

    Wow, just wow. Robb, great article, and I wish more in the BlackBerry community would’ve made a bigger fuss about this earlier, rather than just sucking up to RIM and assuming they would get it right. They may still “get it right”, but that fact that we don’t know that even as release dates are pretty much known now is a sad thing.

    They are getting KILLED in tech circles over the confusion about bridging. I think everybody understands that you’ll be able to use the browser and log into something like Gmail from Day One, but NOBODY wants to do that. The whole point of apps is to make the experience “mobile-specific” so that it’s quick and tied into notifications, etc. Otherwise, all you have a ghetto stripped down laptop without a keyboard.

    This is a horrific marketing effort. If they could beat Apple in price, fine, $499 is not unreasonable for this type of tablet. But if showed you a 52″ Sony HDTV and then you showed me a 36″ Samsung TV, and they were the SAME PRICE, but you couldn’t explain to me what features would be better about the smaller TV, I’d think you were nuts for expecting me to get less for my money. This is how consumers will think. And what’s more, aside from Flash (the loss of which is mitigated by Apple’s huge library of apps), I’m not sure there are any clear reasons to think the PlayBook will actually WORK better than an iPad2.

Previous post:

Next post: