Posted on March 21, 2007, at 7:45 AM .
A recent article in the New York Times cited concerns regarding the number of cell phone operating systems:
Two operating systems run more than 95 percent of the world’s computers, but dozens of systems are behind the 2.5 billion mobile phones in circulation, a situation that has hampered the growth of new services, industry executives and independent specialists say.
The article points out that so many operating systems slow down the development of new applications. Moreover, small software companies, which often have been an important source of innovation in the computer industry, are often shut out of application development since the barriers to entry are so much higher.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Are There Too Many Smart Phone Operating Systems?’
Posted on March 14, 2007, at 7:20 AM .
With rumors of the new BlackBerry 8300 surfacing, the drama is played out once again. People invariably ask which carrier will be the first to get this new device, with each person rooting for their own carrier like they do their favorite sports team. I can relate; where I live Verizon has the best service, yet is always a Johnny-Come-Lately where BlackBerry’s are involved.
Yet by now the question should not be a mystery any longer: in most cases it will be AT&T/Cingular that will get the new BlackBerry devices first. The reasons are driven by pure economics, and will not change until and unless there is a major change in the fundamentals of the mobile market.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Why AT&T/Cingular Gets Most of the New BlackBerry’s First’
Posted on February 21, 2007, at 7:45 AM .
Since its announcement there have been many articles on how Apple’s iPhone will serve as a competitive threat to RIM’s BlackBerry devices. This website and others have noted that the iPhone will not be a serious competitor for RIM’s core enterprise business, but will be a challenger in the consumer arena.
I’d like to explore another dimension, which is the idea that the iPhone may help to grow sales of the BlackBerry. The entrance of a strong new competitor can create opportunities for existing companies in a market.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Will the iPhone be good for RIM?’
Posted on February 14, 2007, at 7:07 AM .
David Pogue, technology editor for the New York Times, once remarked that “simplicity sells.†All things considered, consumers generally opt for the most simple, elegant solution.
Consider Google: it’s the most valuable piece of web real estate in the world, and yet its home page is remarkably simple and basically unchanged from when it began. Google’s philosophy is to keep the complexity as far removed from the consumer as possible.
Continue reading ‘ThoughtPiece: Simplicity Sells’
