Nothing says I'm Sorry Like Free Apps, Apple Sells 4 million iPhones in Three Days

RIM announced that it would apologize to users for last week's network outage by offering a selection of free apps (that you'd normally have to pay for) up until December 31. Also, corporate users will get a free month of technical support.  That's a nice idea, but I hope they improve the list. There isn't much there that interests me. Wouldn't it be nicer if they just offered a credit on their app store to each user and let us decide which apps we want to apply it to?  Click the link below to see what they're offering so far. 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/apps-being-offered-by-rim/article2203244/

Apple announced that it sold over 4 million iPhone 4S phones over the first three days of availability. (Also, 25 million users downloaded IOS5, the latest version of the operating system for iPods, iPhones and iPads.)  For a phone that is just an evolutionary improvement over the last model, that's an incredible number.  Apple has an awesome marketing machine.

Long Line Ups Greet iPhone 4S.... Seriously folks?

Apple's new iPhone 4S arrived in Canada and the U.S. today and was greeted by Apple groupies lined up before the stores opened this morning. Really? I just don't get it. I love my iPhone 3GS and my iPad but to line up at the store before it opens on launch day? I don't think so. In both cases, I bought mine long after the lines and hysteria had died down. It's not like they're going to run out of them and it's not like they are or ever will go on sale.

I walked by my local Apple store around 5 pm this afternoon and people were still queued up outside the store. You have to take a number to even get in the store! Geez. I think I can wait.

The thing is, the new 4S model has some nice features but it's not revolutionary. Will I get one? I might but only if the battery on my old one becomes too feeble and I certainly won't stand in line for hours. It is, after all, just a tool for me to do my job with some nice entertainment features thrown in.

Here's a CBC news article about today's hysteria:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/10/14/technology-apple-iphone4s-sales-canada.html

Blackberry Problems Continue... What am I thankful for?

I know it's a few days past Thanksgiving here in Canada but you know what I'm thankful for?   I'm thankful I don't work in RIM's technical support department.   With the stock falling and the CEO having to make a public apology, there must have been some sleepless nights in Waterloo this week.   

There may be more to come as the problems still haven't cleared.   Will this be a watershed event in the company's history?  Time will tell, of course, but if the QNX-based Blackberries that RIM plans for next year don't have that "wow" factor necessary to pull some momentum away from its competitors, I hate to think where RIM goes from there.

Here's the latest news on the outage:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/10/13/rim-blackberry-service-outage.html?cmp=rss

Blackberry Problems today? It's not you, it's RIM.

On the day that Apple is releasing IOS 5, the latest release to it's iPhone, iPod and iPad operating system, RIM Blackberry users are experiencing intermittent connectivity issues today. I'm sure Steve Jobs is smiling somewhere. Anyway, RIM is "working of it" so sit tight.

See the news article below from CTV News:

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20111012/blackberry-smartphone-server-problems-day-three-111012/

Apple's Lunchbag Letdown

Apple's big announcement today was, in my opinion, a letdown.   It was widely expected that Apple would today introduce a new and compelling new version of the iPhone - called the "iPhone 5".  Instead, all we got was an improved iPhone 4 called the "4S" model.   Yes, it has some nice features - the voice control looks interesting and the faster processor is certainly a welcome addition.  It also has a sharper camera and improved antennae.  It's evolutionary not revolutionary.  Ho hum.    We've come to expect more from Apple.

The iPhone 4S will ship with a new operating system (IOS version 5) that does have some nice features but IOS 5 will also be available for older iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS phones so you don't need to buy a 4S for that.   The new phone will ship in the U.S. in mid-October and, so far, no word on Canadian availability.

There were also rumours that Apple would introduce a slimmed-down iPhone 4 with slimmed-down pricing to allow it to compete in the lower end of the market.  That didn't happen either.  Pricing is about the same as earlier models.

So, I've still got my iPhone 3GS for now.  I'll upgrade the operating system to IOS 5 when it appears on October 12 but I don't see any compelling reason (aside from the fact that my battery is getting weak) for me to upgrade to the iPhone 4S.  Maybe it's time to look a little more closely at the Windows Phone instead. 

Apple's stock dropped today after the announcement.  So, I guess I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Here's a link to the CBC news article:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/10/04/technology-apple-iphone-event.html?cmp=rss