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.
Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.
33 responses to “CNN Calls RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook The ‘Herpes of Tablets’”
A year from now, when we are all collectively looking through RIM’s entrails, this two million figure will be revealed to be more like 800,000 and sage heads will nod wisely about how obvious it was that the Playbook would fail. Possibly some of the same heads that are today speaking about how RIM “has a chance.”
I look forward to buying my RIM PlayBook on Woot or at BigLots for about $12.00, (+ $5.00 shipping) some time next year!
i want to know what that game is that is in the picture
I want to know the name of the game in the picture
The only interesting thing in the post
It will probably drop in price to start competing w/ the Kindle and the whatever crap Touch eReaders of today
It is just hard for RIM to compete when they can’t let go of cutting edge technology of 7 years ago
Simple, most people looking to buy a tablet are looking for a device that does what the iPad does. Hard to find a better iPad than iPad.
Two million units will still be a tall order.
I read lots of reviews … I believe media writers have a responsibility to be factual, forget being cute … the oh, i was just kidding doesn’t cut, it. Reporting this crap is also borderline on not being authentic. IHMO
This article has to be the worst thing I have read on the internet to date. I support the Ipad but lets be real the playbook is SO much better for UI and graphics and web display… It makes the Ipad look like a child’s toy. Yes the app store is better on the ipad but you do not need 95 apps when you have full access to the internet. As far as CNN producing a real opinion, well that’s a joke this is the same website that has more biased views then the 18th century. Usually I read this site because it has insightful articles, today I am very disappointed that this even got the nod to be published.
The playbook isn’t so bad for a new device from RIM with a new OS. I’ve tried one and except for the lag when rotating the screen (which isn’t always a bad thing) the device is quite good; at least they’re trying (albeit a little late) and it’s hands down better than that Samsadsong Galaxy craplet. However, RIM should probably just stick to what they’re good at and update the OS on their phones since they need to master that and catch up with Apple and Android. That being said, I think aardman is right, when people go to buy a tablet they are most likely going to compare it to ipad (not just the device, but the ecosystem as they are part and parcel with each other – no apps no ipad) and at the prices manufacturers are charging, why pay the same or more for something that doesn’t deliver the same user experience.
2 million tablets sold for the Playbook is pretty damn impressive in the real world of numbers, sales, and market share. There will always be multiple players in every tech field, and there’s no shame in being second tier. To do so would be saying Apple has failed at building laptops/notebooks because HP/Dell consistently outsells them quarter after quarter. Truth is, Apple makes some pretty damn good laptops too, even if they aren’t the #1 selling devices. Same goes for the Playbook, it may not outsell the iPad but it’s a pretty damn impressive device when you really analyze it. If the biggest issues the tablet faces is lack of native apps (as expected for every new OS), and lack of native e-mail, then it’s not doing bad at all. Another way of looking at it is, 2 million tablets sold that are from a competing device, are 2 million tablets sold that iPad lost market share on. It will be interesting to see how those Android 3 tablets sell—that interface is pretty damn solid too. Apple has some catching up to do in the interface-game, and iOS5 is just not going to cut it. iOS5 will help the iPhone more than any other iDevice.
This was an interesting
name that Stuart wrote lol. I have a Samsung Galaxy tablet and I love it and
the best part about it is I can watch all of my programming just like I get at
home plus all of my DVR content on my Tablet through DISH Network. An employee
at DISH told me about this and once I got the 922 DVR I was amazed on how well
this works! DISH Network provided me a free app called DISH remote access that
allows me to use my tablet as a remote as well to manage my DVR and live TV at
the house while I’m on the go. Check out this cool link http://goo.gl/Qsggz.
You are flat out, an idiot. This article is a waste of my time. Maybe learn to write something of substance and value by which readers can make a more informed decision rather that wasting oxygen.
Typical American ignorance. A far superior product than the Ipad. Just wait and see….
Your a moron. QNX is the BEST processor out there as it is used in Nuclear Plants b/c of the need for reliability and consistency. By the way, do us all a favour and change your picture. Nobody likes to look at a couple of ugly losers.
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The big problem with the PlayBook is that no one knows if it will be around in a few years. If I buy one today, will there be apps and updates for it a few years from now? Will there be cases and plugs, etc to buy for it?
I have a Dell Axim which for its time was a great little device (2003). It had Wifi, bluetooth, an 800 mhz processor, etc. But it was not the iPhone of its time and even though I hacked it up to CE 6.5 last year, there still aren’t any apps for it because no one made any for CE 6.5 that were worth it.
The PlayBook is nice but having a nice product isn’t enough anymore.