Archive for the ‘Operating Systems’ Category
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
BlackBerry maker – Research In Motion (RIM) – has named Thorsten Heins as President and CEO of the company.
Mike Lazaridis remains Vice Chair of the Board while Jim Balsillie takes on a Director role at the company. This is effective immediately.
Outgoing Co-chairs and Co-CEOs Jim Basillie and Mike Lazaridis
Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.
I believe Heins does not have time on his side, given BlackBerry’s rapid loss of market share to rival Android devices and Apple iOS products.
“We have a strong balance sheet with approximately $1.5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt. We reported revenue of $5.2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.” – Thorsten Heins, new President and CEO of RIM.RIM’s market share of smartphones in the US declined from a market leading 44% in 2009 to 10% in 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group.
BlackBerry has been growing outside of America but it is facing similar challenges from its competitors in those markets as well.
Coming from within RIM instead of outside, the natural question will be whether Heins will be doling out “more of the same” at RIM.
I’m not sure having been in RIM since 2007 is necessarily something that will be seen as positive for Heins.
Investors will be keen to know if he had his own ideas but could not act on them because he was not the CEO.
Heins will have a very short time to show how different he is from his predecessors, that he has his own vision and roadmap to bring RIM back to its previous success.
Thorsten Heins, new President and CEO at RIM
I’m hoping his “I don’t think that there is a drastic change needed” spiel during his first press conference as CEO is merely paying due respect to his predecessors.
The succession plan was submitted by the two Co-Chairs and co-CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. RIM’s Board of Directors acted on their recommendations after conducting its own own due diligence.
Investors had forced RIM to consider a change in company leadership in 2011 and was stalled with the company’s promise to study the matter.
RIM promised a resolution in January 2012 and I’ve been wondering if they were going to make the move, after their closed-door meeting in mid December.
Mike Lazaridis, who co-founded RIM with Doug Fregin in 1984, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee.
As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.
Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair.
John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board.
Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.
Tags:BlackBerry, Playbook, RIM, smartphone, tablets
Posted in Announce, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Commentary, Enterprise IT, Gadgets, Opinion, Phones, PlayBook, RIM, Tablets, Tech news | 1 Comment »
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
Redesign your home and plan for new furniture with the help of information and visuals from this new free iPad app.
Blum Connect is a new free iPad app for home renovation ideas and guide.
Thinking of rebuilding your kitchen? Check out this free iPad app from Blum.
Developed by Apostrophe Digital, the app serves as a guide for consumers, designers and reference for the sales team for Blum.
There is a gallery of product and lifestyle images for the kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, children’s room and study. Double-click to zoom in.
Related brochures, prices, memos, videos, press information, and pricing can be easily accessed and shared with friends and family via email or Facebook.
The brochures and memos, containing detailed information for each product or product category can be downloaded and stored as iBooks.
A list of authorised Blum Design & Build partners, carpenters and dealers is also provided.
Tags:Apple, Apps, Blum, iPad, tablets
Posted in App, Facebook, iOS, iPad, Launch, Lifestyle | No Comments »
Friday, January 20th, 2012
Looking to improve efficiency in your photo-editing workflow? Or want to inject some fun and realism into your digital sketching? Check out the Wacom Bamboo series of graphics tablets.
Wacom Bamboo Fun graphics tablet
I’ve been trying out the Wacom Bamboo Fun graphics tablet for some time, using it with a whole spectrum of software during daily use, from photo-editing to digital sketching and painting, and as a replacement for the trusty old mouse – for navigating and interacting with Windows 7.
I came away pretty impressed with the S$329 (incl 7% GST) graphics tablet. It offers a good balance of price versus performance – and fun. If you’re into lots of digital sketching and painting, do check out the Bamboo Fun.
Bamboo Fun is compatible with both Windows (7, Vista, XP SP3 or later) and Macs (OS X 10.5.8 or later, Intel processor).
The graphics tablet measures 352 x 209 x 9.8mm with a relatively large active area of 217 x 137 mm.
Digital artwork
Something I wrote using the pen with Bamboo Fun in Painter Essentials.
When it comes to precise cursor-work, such as during digital drawing, sketching, tracing, colouring and painting – where fine precision is needed – the stylus pen is the undisputed tool-of choice.
The Bamboo Fun comes bundled with Corel Essentials 4 drawing/painting software.
The pen allowed detailed strokes impossible with the mouse.
Moreover, the pen is pressure-sensitive up to 1024 levels so you can use pressure to vary parameters such as the darkness of the drawing stroke, the amount of paint to apply, or the thickness of the stroke etc.
The pen comes with a pressure sensitive eraser as well, just like a real pencil!
It's the dragon year, so here's the Chinese character for dragon, with embellishments.
The only hassle I find is having to pick up and put down the pen when I need to use my right hand to type or press a key on the computer keyboard.
With the mouse, you just let go and it stays in place, ready to be moved the next time you need to do something.
With the pen, you need to place down the pen flat on the table and make sure it doesn’t roll off the table if your worktop is not flat.
And when you next need to use it again, you need to pick up the pen, and place the tip to the graphics tablet before you begin. With the mouse, once you touch the mouse, you can start moving the cursor.
This is a niggling hassle characteristic of all stylus pen-based graphics tablets.
I find the performance of the pen much better than those of graphics tablets I’ve used before – in terms of precision, pressure sensitivity and lag between moving the pen and the appearance of the stroke on the computer screen.
Replacement for the mouse
As a replacement for the mouse, it was equally capable and more intuitive, and less strenuous for the wrist.
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Tags:Bamboo, Fun, graphics tablets, review, Wacom
Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, Graphics tablets, Mac OS, Prices, Review, Software, Specifications, Wacom, Windows 7 | 5 Comments »
Monday, January 16th, 2012
Upgrades to BlackBerry 7.1 (dates TBC) and BBM6.1 (available now), and Visa certification for BlackBerry smartphones.
The BBM6.1 upgrade is available now in BlackBerry App World.
The updates were released by Research In Motion (RIM) during CES 2012.
BlackBerry 7.1 upgrade – dates TBC in Asia
For users of the latest BlackBerry 7 smartphones, some of the features of the BlackBerry 7.1 OS upgrade are described below.
Keep smiling with the free BBM6.1 upgrade.
With the addition of BlackBerry Tag, users of NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphones (incl. Bold 9900, Curve 9360 and Curve 9380) can instantly invite a friend to BBM, exchange contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content, as well as pair their BlackBerry smartphone with an NFC enabled Bluetooth device.
Turn your BlackBerry smartphone into a mobile hotspot that can be shared by up to 5x Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including laptops and tablets.
Free upgrade to BlackBerry Messenger 6.1
Universal Search has been further improved to help users find what they are looking for. The enhancement includes an auto-suggest feature that intelligently filters Bing search results to offer users a variety of relevant Web sites based on their search terms.
Customers with a BlackBerry Curve 9360 or 9380 smartphones will find a nice surprise with the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update in the form of an FM radio.
BBM6.1 upgrade – available now in BlackBerry App World
This upgrade offers support for animated avatars (animated GIFs), a dozen new and fun emoticons to spice up conversations, and the ability to customize chat bubbles with different colors.
BBM6.1 is available now on BlackBerry App World.
In addition, the new BBM app allows users to add customized personal messages of up to 160 characters in their online Profile, more than double the length supported in previous versions.
Users can now set the picture for their BBM avatar directly from the camera app – simply snap a picture and select “Set as BBM Display Picture” from the menu.
Read the full press release here.
Visa certifies BlackBerry smartphones for use as Visa Mobile Payment Devices
Following the approval of BlackBerry devices as the first certified smartphones of the MasterCard PayPass program, Visa has certified the BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Curve 9360 and BlackBerry Curve 9380 as compliant payment products available for commercial deployment by financial institutions.
All the new devices certified by Visa can use the built-in NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to facilitate wireless payments using contactless payment terminals.
Read the full press release here.
Tags:BlackBerry, Bold, CES 2012, Curve, RIM, smartphone, update, upgrade
Posted in Announce, App, BlackBerry, BlackBerry OS, Bold, Curve, Gadgets, Operating Systems, Phones, RIM, Software | 1 Comment »
Monday, January 16th, 2012
An advanced messaging experience; innovative people-centric calendar and contact apps; and improved office productivity tools are some of the features in the PlayBook OS 2.0 upgrade.
An advanced messaging experience with a powerful unified inbox.
Announced during CES 2012, and expected to be available in February 2012, the free upgrade will enable customers to be even more connected and productive with heaps of new features.
People-centric calendar and contact apps integrated with social networks.
For an advanced messaging experience, a powerful unified inbox integrates with built-in messaging and social networking sites (Twitter, LinkedIn etc), as well as ‘tabbed email’ for managing multiple accounts.
You can also compose and edit messages in rich text and manage you inbox with useful new tools (for setting out-of-office alerts, signatures etc).
There are innovative people-centric calendar and contact apps that connects and feeds from your social network to make organising your day and getting in touch with people easy and fast.
Enhnaced office productivity tools such as Word To Go & Print To Go.
Remote control your PlayBook using your BlackBerry smartphone, especially if your PlayBook is connected to a TV via the HDMI output – perfect for watching movies or typing out notes.
Revamped and improved productivity tools with new Documents To Go, and Print To Go application for wireless printing and enhanced browsing, plus much more.
Tags:BlackBerry, CES 2012, Opera, OS, Playbook, RIM, tablets, update, upgrade
Posted in Announce, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Gadgets, Operating Systems, PlayBook, RIM, Software, Specifications, Tablets | No Comments »
Saturday, January 14th, 2012
Here is a round-up of Sony’s electronic gadgets for 2012, as released during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 in Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Sony's line-up for 2012 as announced during CES 2012.
The CES is a chance for consumers to get a glimpse of the gadgets lining up to hit the market in the near to mid-term future.
Sony’s line-up for 2012 includes the new Handycam range; the Cyber-shot W-Series and S-Series; the NWZ-Z1000 series (Sony’s first ever Walkman powered by Android); and a new line-up of BRAVIA televisions.
Here’s a list of these new products.
Handycam
Sony HDR-PJ760VE Full HD Flash Memory camcorder
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- HDR-TD20VE Double Full HD 3D Flash Memory camcorder
- HDR-PJ760VE Full HD Flash Memory camcorder
New camcorder accessories
- RDP-CA1 Portable Speaker
- HVL-LE1 Battery Video Light
- VCT-MP1 ‘Multipod’
- 22MB/s SDHC Class 10 media cards
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- World’s first Balanced Optical SteadyShot for even more stable images while walking/zooming (HDR-PJ760VE)
- Increased built-in projector models led by the HDR-PJ760VE capable of displaying 100-inch screen size (diagonal)
- The world’s smallest and lightest 3D Handycam® (HDR-TD20VE)
- Clearer dialogue with Auto Wind Noise Reduction and Closer Voice (both models)
- By Pixel Super Resolution processing for high-resolution still images and Extended Zoom (both models
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Cyber-shot
Cyber-shot compact digital cameras
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1. W-Series
2. S-Series
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- All-round images with new 360 Sweep Panorama
- SteadyShot image stabilisation for clearer handheld shots
- Intelligent Auto mode recognises up to 33 scene settings for great results automatically
- Picture Effect modes for easy in-camera effects
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Walkman
Sony Walkman NWZ-Z1000 series
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NWZ-Z1000 series |
- First ever Walkman® powered by Android™
- Unique ergonomic body design
- Features the new S-Master MX digital amplifier which greatly reduces noise and distortion level in your music
- A new distinctive W.BUTTON allows one to launch the unique W.Control app; allowing one to explore their music collection in an intuitive manner
- Available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities
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BRAVIA
SonyBRAVIA EX650-series LED LCD HDTV
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- HX855-series LED LCD HDTV with 3D
- HX750-series LED LCD HDTV with 3D
- EX650-series LED LCD HDTV
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- Two distinct series –the flagship HX and the mid-level EX
- Brilliant Full HD (1080p) picture quality with Dynamic Edge LED backlight
- Picture qualities further enhanced with Sony’s X-Reality PRO and X-Reality digital video processors
- They are Skype™ embedded, where users can enjoy free widescreen Skype-to-Skype video calls. Users can also make voice calls while simultaneously watching TV.
- Sony’s HX855 carries forward Sony’s distinctive Monolithic design incorporating Gorilla® Glass by Corning®, allowing for thinner, lighter and stronger screen material.
- Complete with X-Reality PRO and Motionflow XR 960, the HX850 is a fully Internet-connected television with built-in 3D, delivering a premium viewing experience when on, and a stunning addition to home décor even when off.
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Tags:Android, cameras, CES 2012, handycam, Sony, TV
Posted in 3D, Accessories, Android, Audio, Compact camera, Exhibition, Gadgets, Graphics tablets, Lifestyle, Monitors, Sony, TV, Videocams | 1 Comment »
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
The Huawei Ascend P1 S is the slimmest smartphone in the world in the 4.3” smartphone class, measuring just 6.68mm at its slimmest point; while the Huawei Ascend P1 measures at 7.69mm thin.
The Huawei Ascend P1 and Huawei Ascend P1 S was announced during CES 2012.
Huawei announced the Huawei Ascend P1 and Huawei Ascend P1 S at CES 2012.
With the Ascend series of smartphones, Huawei promises fast multi-tasking, video replay and gaming experience for consumers
Ascend P1 S, the world's slimmest smartphone from Huawei, measuring just 6.68mm at the slimmest.
The smartphones in the series will boast SUPER AMOLED screen with Corning Gorilla Glass and will ship with Android 4.0 upon availability.
They will be powered with a dual core 1.5GHz Texas Instrument OMAP 4460 Cortext-A9 processor, 1GB RAM and 4GB ROM.
Both will be equipped with an 8-megapixel BSI rear-facing and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, with the ability to capture 1080p HD videos.
The camera comes with dual flash LED and HDR effect optimization.
The Huaweil Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S have the same tech specs except for the thickness and battery rating.
The Huawei Ascend P1 has a 1670mAh battery while the Huawei Ascend P1 S features a whopping 1800mAh battery.
Both smartphones utilise a PPVD back cover coating that evenly distributes heat, and sport a strong metallic, three-dimensional design with a delicate texture.
Huawei Ascend series: three colours to choose from.
The Ascend P1/P1 S is available in metallic black, ceramic white and cherry-blossom pink with more colors to come.
The Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S will be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Australia, Middle East, and China from April 2012.
Here are the tech specs for the two phones.
(more…)
Tags:Android, Android 4.0, Ascend, Huawei, Ice Cream Sandwich, smartphone
Posted in Android, Announce, Exhibition, Gadgets, Huawei, Phones, Specifications | 1 Comment »
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
The 10.1-inch tablet sports the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the newest NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor. Prices within.
Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201, world's first tablet with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is housed in an ultra slim 8.3mm metallic spun finish chassis that weighs only 586g.
Super IPS+ screen for vivid wide-angle viewing.
The Eee Pad Transformer already boasts a wide 178° viewing angle IPS display, with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass.
Now the Transformer Prime goes further, upgraded with a brighter Super IPS+ screen that enhances the brightness of the screen for a better outdoor reading experience.
It has a 1.2 megapixel front camera for video conferencing and an 8 megapixel rear auto-focus camera with LED flash.
Asus Transformer Prime in Amethyst Gray colour.
The rear-camera boasts a large aperture of F/2.4 and a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low light noise reduction.
A first for any tablet, the 8 megapixel camera also has the ability to take full 1080p HD video.
Battery life of the pad alone is 12 hours, with an additional six hours when combined with the mobile dock.
The tablet itself has a micro SD card slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack and micro HDMI port for sharing.
The docking station comes with keyboard and touchpad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.
The S$199 mobile dock contains a keyboard and touchpad, as well as a USB port and SD card slot.
The other available colour is Champagne Gold.
The preinstalled SuperNote application is able to take, draw or record notes.
Polaris Office gives users the ability to read and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint (MS Office 97-2007 version compatible) files.
In addition, ASUS is offering 8GB of free cloud storage for life via ASUS WebStorage, so users have access to their files via the cloud no matter where they are.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was launched yesterday evening and goes on sale today.
The usual prices for the tablet with and without the dock is S$1,098 and S$899 respectively; although the introductory prices are S$899 and S$759 respectively.
All prices include GST.
The main technical specifications for the Transformer Prime is tabulated below.
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Tags:Android, Asus, EeePad, Ice Cream Sandwich, tablets, Transformer
Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Gadgets, Prices, Specifications, Tablets | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
The world’s first Android 4.0 tablet has been launched in Singapore. The 10.1-inch slate is also the first in the world to sport the new NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core mobile processor.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime was launched in Singapore on 11 January 2012.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime comes in Amethyst Gray or Champagne Gold and the 32GB version will be available from tomorrow at introductory prices at S$899 (with dock) and S$759 (without dock). All prices include GST.
The predecessor of the Transformer Prime in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Attending the launch event for the Transformer Prime brought back pleasant memories of our family holiday in Germany last year, when we had the opportunity to bring along the newly-launched Transformer.
The predecessor to the Transformer Prime was already a powerful performer and proved really useful for the parents and entertaining for the kids during our two-week drive down the castle route from Frankfurt in Germany to Prague in the Czech Republic.
Singapore is the third destination after Taiwan and Hong Kong to launch the Eee Pad Transformer Prime, which has been nominated as a CES 2012 Innovations Honoree.
The new tablet boasts the latest operating system, an extremely powerful processor, highly spec-ed camera and quality music.
The 10.1" tablet comes with a mobile dock with keyboad and touch pad, additional ports and 6 more hours of battery life.
100 units of the tablet were put up for pre-order on Facebook last week and all were snapped up within two hours on 4 January.
The Transformer Prime is the world's first Android 4.0 tablet.
Another 200 units will be put up for sale on-the-spot today after the launch.
These pre-launch units come with Android 3.2 Honeycomb but will be upgraded over the air to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow.
NVIDIA claims that the new Tegra 3 processor is up to five times as fast as its predecessor, the Tegra 2.
Although the Tegra 3 is named a quad-core processor, NVIDIA says there are actually five processors.
The pad is 8.3mm thin while the mobile dock is 10.4mm thin.
A companion processor handles most of the work until additional processing power is needed, at which time the remaining four processors begin kicking in one at a time.
The Transformer Prime is the world's first tablet to run on Tegra 3 Quad-core mobile processor.
A demo showed how the increased processing power of the Tegra 3 and its 12-core GeForce GPU rendered a smoother and better quality output when playing videos and graphics intensive games, when compared with competing tablets.
The Transformer Prime also boasts enhanced audio performance that is powered by ASUS SonicMaster technology, which is known for its crisp and acoustically accurate audio reproduction.
Check out the technical specifications here.
Tags:Android, Asus, EeePad, Ice Cream Sandwich, NVIDIA, tablets, Tegra, Transformer
Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer Prime, Events, Gadgets, Launch, Operating Systems, Prices, Software, Specifications, Tablets, Travel | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
Nokia and AT&T announced the Nokia Lumia 900 at the 2012 International Consumer Electronic’s Show (CES) – the first Windows Phone 7 smartphone from Nokia to feature high speed LTE connectivity.
Large screen, large bandwidth and “large” camera – Lumia 900 will be larger than life.
Nokia Lumia 900 unveiled during CES 2012 on 9 January.
With Nokia’s largest display, the Nokia Lumia 900 delivers a rich content experience from a phone that still fits easily in your hand.
The Nokia Lumia 900 has a 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack Display, for rich, bright images both indoors and out in the sun.
The Nokia Lumia 900 has a large 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack Display.
However, resolution is only 800×480 pixels.
Cutting edge 4G LTE technology enables faster connection speeds of up to 50Mbps on AT&T’s 4G LTE network.
The Lumia 900 is powered by a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8055 + MDM9200 processor, with a long- lasting battery with 1830mAH for 7 hrs talk-time and up to 300 hrs on standby.
Nokia’s third Lumia smartphone (after the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710), the Nokia Lumia 900 builds on Lumia’s head-turning design on the outside and a rich social and Internet experience on the inside.
People Hub is the quickest way to connect with friends using Live Tiles for real-time updates and a fast Web browsing experience with Internet Explorer Mobile.
The Nokia Lumia 900 is designed for the US and comes with 4G LTE.
The camera will put greater pressure on compact cameras. The 8-megapixel camera comes with a large aperture of f/2.2 and wide angle at 28mm. Add to this a Carl Zeiss lens and dual LED flash, it will the owner greater impetus to leave the compact camera at home.
Video is so-so, with hi-res video capture at 720p/30fps. A second, front-facing 1-megapixel camera for video calls has an f/2.4 lens and 30fps capture.
Here is the full data sheet for the Nokia Lumia 900:
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Tags:4G, CES 2012, LTE, Lumia, Lumia 900, Nokia, smartphone, US, Windows Phone 7
Posted in Announce, Gadgets, Lumia, Nokia, Phones, Specifications, Windows Phone 7 | 3 Comments »
Management shakeup at RIM
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012BlackBerry maker – Research In Motion (RIM) – has named Thorsten Heins as President and CEO of the company.
Mike Lazaridis remains Vice Chair of the Board while Jim Balsillie takes on a Director role at the company. This is effective immediately.
Outgoing Co-chairs and Co-CEOs Jim Basillie and Mike Lazaridis
Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.
I believe Heins does not have time on his side, given BlackBerry’s rapid loss of market share to rival Android devices and Apple iOS products.
“We have a strong balance sheet with approximately $1.5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt. We reported revenue of $5.2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.” – Thorsten Heins, new President and CEO of RIM.RIM’s market share of smartphones in the US declined from a market leading 44% in 2009 to 10% in 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group.
BlackBerry has been growing outside of America but it is facing similar challenges from its competitors in those markets as well.
Coming from within RIM instead of outside, the natural question will be whether Heins will be doling out “more of the same” at RIM.
I’m not sure having been in RIM since 2007 is necessarily something that will be seen as positive for Heins.
Investors will be keen to know if he had his own ideas but could not act on them because he was not the CEO.
Heins will have a very short time to show how different he is from his predecessors, that he has his own vision and roadmap to bring RIM back to its previous success.
Thorsten Heins, new President and CEO at RIM
I’m hoping his “I don’t think that there is a drastic change needed” spiel during his first press conference as CEO is merely paying due respect to his predecessors.
The succession plan was submitted by the two Co-Chairs and co-CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. RIM’s Board of Directors acted on their recommendations after conducting its own own due diligence.
Investors had forced RIM to consider a change in company leadership in 2011 and was stalled with the company’s promise to study the matter.
RIM promised a resolution in January 2012 and I’ve been wondering if they were going to make the move, after their closed-door meeting in mid December.
Mike Lazaridis, who co-founded RIM with Doug Fregin in 1984, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee.
As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.
Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair.
John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board.
Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.
Tags:BlackBerry, Playbook, RIM, smartphone, tablets
Posted in Announce, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Commentary, Enterprise IT, Gadgets, Opinion, Phones, PlayBook, RIM, Tablets, Tech news | 1 Comment »