One tech reviewer has likened RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook to “the herpes of tablets.” Although the CNN writer was joking, not so funny is how consumers are shying away from the iPad rival.
Like most tech writers, CNN Money’s Matt Stuart gets a product to review for a couple weeks, then sends the item back to the manufacturer. However, RIM seemed not interested in getting the PlayBook back. “Every time we contact RIM asking where to send it back to we don’t get a response,” he wrote. Although RIM eventually contacted Stuart, the tablet became a measuring stick for other not-so-popular products.
“‘At least it’s not as bad as the PlayBook,'” the writer would often remark.
“It’s the herpes of tablets — once you have it, you can’t get rid of it. And unlike herpes, even the person who gave it to you doesn’t want to see you again,” Stuart wrote. No so funny is that more and more Wall Street analysts agree something must be wrong with the PlayBook.
Just days ago, Goldman Sachs’ Simona Jankowski told investors she believes RIM will sell just 2 million of the tablets this year, down from 2.6 million units other Wall Street experts predict. The reason is limited interest by corporations, by consumers and by carriers. By comparison, analysts expect Apple will sell 6.75 million iPads in the June quarter alone. Little wonder experts predict RIM and others will have to cut build plans by up to 10 percent.
