Ampers & Dot

This is a post I never envisioned writing, but is actually long, long overdue.  As an avid Windows Mobile fan, who has more-than-occasionally dissected the smartphone market, I’ve somehow never really addressed Blackberry’s presence.  Mainly, because until recently, there wasn’t much to talk about.

Let’s quickly go through a little background information on Canada’s third largest export (after hockey and grizzly bears): Blackberries. And first, no: RIM (the Canadian company that makes Blackberries) likely doesn’t manufacture the devices up north, but it’s still noteworthy to point out that Canada is home to one of the most successful gadget manufacturers in the world. Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, Canada?

Anyway, RIM has had a strong history of making email-centric devices for the business masses. Originally in silly QWERTY-pager form, RIM started cranking out the Blackberry line about 10 years ago, which is interesting when you think of how few different devices have actually been produced.

Over the last three years we’ve seen the the Electron series, the Pearl series, the 8800 models, and most recently, the Curve series. And even more noteworthy, is that the Curve debuted on US shelves in the beginning of 2007. That was a year and a half ago. No new devices in a year and a half?

Let’s say that a different way: No new devices in a span when Apple produced two different iPhone versions? And even though the second iPhone was more of a haircut than a redesign, Apple will sell 14 million units in a time that Blackberry produced zero new hardware.

So what’s RIM doing to counter this? Surprisingly, a lot.

After 19 months without a new product (and new colors are not new phones, RIM… come on!), there are now FOUR new Blackberry models on the horizon. Seems strange to load the market that way… but wow- four new models!

First, is the long-rumored and highly anticipated follow up to the Curve, the Blackberry Bold (likely launching on AT&T the first week of November). Let me say this: I’m actually impressed with the Blackberry Bold. It’s a great looking device, with a great size factor, that should find its way into the jacket pockets of hundreds of thousands of executive suit-pockets before the end of the year.

Second, the upcoming Blackberry Javelin. A freakishly small but powerful device that has already garnered a large amount of attention (aka: $17,000 on eBay). I have no other comment about this. It sold for $17,000… that’s a lot.

Third, is a device that I personally thought was fake… until it was recently confirmed: the Blackberry Kickstart (Pearl 8220), which is basically two little Blackberry Pearls hinged together to make one whopping flip phone.  There are a number of rumors floating around about when and where this device will land, my guess is TMobile, just in time for the holidays.

And finally, the device that makes the Kickstart look conventional: the Blackberry Storm, RIM’s first keyboardless touchscreen device and a likely answer to the hoards of full touchscreen phones popping up from every corner of the mobile world. Although I’m not wild about the technology used for the touchscreen (the whole thing is one big button… to type you actually have to push the screen in repeatedly), this thing looks sweet and has the features to impress (and possibly convert) any smartphoner.  This will hit Verizon shelves (CDMA getting a Blackberry before GSM!? This deserves a post to itself…) within the next few months.

The point to all this? I’m impressed. Blackberry did exactly what they had to do. A company that generally made the same predictable devices and sold them to the same predictable people now has an arsenal to interest the entire market. RIM took a lot of risks and although they may not have perfect devices coming out of the risks, they’ve taken a step in the right direction by giving consumers options and giving the other guys (Apple and Windows Mobile) a little competition.

If you’re a Blackberry enthusiast, these are good times and it’s worth getting excited.  But if you’re not a Blackberry fan, now might be the time to take another look.