Frank Castle

What's Wrong with the Gaming Industry?

You continue to be confused by the glut of casual gamers Wii (and now iPhone) pulled into the market that simply DON'T buy games. If I was a game developer / publisher do I want the casual gamer who maybe buys 2 games a year or the gamer who buys a game a month (if not more).

It's not there is a lack of trying to develop new IP, some just don't attract gamers but some great ones have come out in the past couple years - Assians Creed, BioShock. Is Madden tired? Yes - the only people still buying it are the hardcore fans. Same with titles like Tekken and most FPS.

I will be in line Monday at 11:30 .. COD:MW 2 is going to have incredible sales 1st week and pretty much own gaming the rest of the year. I doubt any game will see half the on-line activity.

I don't think there is an answer of piracy across all gaming platforms (Apple's being the worst lately). It's always been and issue and there will always be a % that circumvent / hack their system to obtain free games. DLC and online play is a good start.

DLC is a great thing for their "developers to do" between major title cycles as well system generations. This current generation likely has another 1 - 2 years (if not longer) PS 2 lasted almost 10 years and STILL sells games. Infinity Ward made a killing on a map pack for COD 4 on XBL. As well smaller games which don't have such a long development time can be profitable (Castle Crashers, etc)

The major problem now is gamers have a wealth of ways to spend gaming time as well other media diversions so it's spread out.

RIM's Crisis Could Be an Opportunity, Again

*yawn* I see James is still asleep.

Does anyone on this blog even work in a large corporation? Enterprise Mobility in 2009 is so much more then if a device can do email and connect to Exchange. Whoop-De-F-Doo. That was great in 2001 when RIM made it work. Everyone is all excited about Microsoft ActiveSync? It's functional but provides NADA for managing a growing enterprise mobile deployment.

How do you intergrate with your PBX for your other critical applications? Sharepoint, Unified Messaging? Trust me they are not on Android and Apple only if they've opened the API. Everything on iPhone is up to a company to make an App, doesn't help none of your Apps are allowed to run in the background which something like Unified Messaging will require so your presence is always on.

*ALL* these other devices only have a connect to Exchange via ActiveSync - it's like a car with no wheels. RIM's Blackberry server is a total solution that is STILL not matched. It allows application deployment, connection to other enterprise resources (internal websites, Sharepoint etc) as well has a number of Unified Messaging solutions.

Everyone is so focused on the DEVICE they fail to grasp how a company will oversee that asset. But I forget - no one has regulatory concerns anymore, it's all about bringing your own smartphone to work and it just works. Unless one of the third party solutions gets traction and provides the tools enterprise wants and needs (Good, MobileIron, Trust Digital, Zenprise etc etc) You will not see anyone moving off their Blackberry backend. Do you honestly think any CIO is concerned that uses can't use Apps that have nothing to do with driving the business? Don't get lost in the explosion of CONSUMER mobility and think the same things matter in Enterprise.

RIM keeps pushing their enterprise solutions, it's feature set is beyond anything on the market unless all you care about is mobile email. For any company that's been on Blackberry since the early 2000's email is no longer the main draw. It's all about extension, and to do that you need SECURITY.

Has iPhone or Android proven anything in that?

Let me know when that happens.

Research in Motion Negativity Looks Overdone

I'm sorry but you compare a product that has been out since late 1999 to one that launched in 2007. What iPhone / Android are doing now was not even possible pre 2006 from a cost perspective not to mention wireless network speeds.

Does RIM need a shiny new OS? Sure - it's what consumers want. But if anyone thinks RIM will turn into Apple that is an expectation that will never be met. Will Apple ever be Microsoft?

Unsure what application you are trying to develop but if you get stuck I have many internal contacts at RIM and around the industry that would be happy to help you out.


On Nov 02 10:35 PM Remon wrote:

> James,
>
> Basically I think you are spot on. I'm not a financial analyst, but
> a software developer. From a technical point of view I can tell you
> that there are a lot of warning signs of trouble ahead for RIM. For
> one, the development environment is miserably primitive, which shocked
> me because of how long RIM has been around. For another, RIM's support
> is miserable. Finally the whole software platform is 1980's with
> a thin veneer 2000: very shaky, and prone to crashes.
>
> I'm really worried about what I see under the hood.

Research in Motion Negativity Looks Overdone

James - you need your own blog your spin on everything and how insightful you are on everything wireless is just too precious to be stuck only on articles railing RIM (who likely fired you for being a nutcase). I'd love to know who you've consulted for.

Keep your dream alive - meanwhile being a "security freak" I'll keep making sure iPhones and Androids never connect to our network unless they provide the same level of control and security that RIM does. I'm not being anti anyone. I've used pretty much every mobile device and carry a iPhone 3GS, Blackberry Tour as well have a Pre. VZW will likely share the droid with us but I doubt they will even care pitching it as a enterprise device as everyone knows how Apple failed making any traction. Any company that has Blackberry and BES - that is the standard, if another device cannot match that why bother? That my friend is reality.

Research in Motion Negativity Looks Overdone

I surely hope no one considers a word James writes as anything more then iPhone propaganda. Now it's Android that will do in RIM. Who's next? Let's put bets on some phone not even developed as it will have new functionality blah blah blah. James you get so caught up in the consumer side of this you fail to recognize what is really going on enterprise side.

We have well over 10,000 Blackberries deployed world wide, we have a total of 5 iPhones and ZERO android devices .. the simple matter is NOTHING on the market can match RIM's backend that makes this all work and provides enterprise with the management and security needed to support enterprise mobility. I suppose we should all just install iTunes and forget any security / regulatory mandates we have. If / when these consumer devices can provide that - and it's coming along via 3rd party solutions it will be a hard CB / TCO / ROI discussion - until that happens .. it's your own little pipedream. Please let me know when ANY company is purchasing and deploying iPhone or Android devices .. not personal liable .. CORPORATE liable. Huge difference.

Android and iPhone have a huge disadvantage - they only work with Exchange ActiveSync. So touch luck for companies running Lotus Notes, Groupwise etc. Android doesn't even support half the security policies iPhone 2.0 did. Why do you think anyone would go for LESS security considering the continuing data protection regulation and fines for lost data? As I noted above to get what RIM provides via their server solution, you need a 3rd party solution which is often equal is not more expensive - so again where is your CB to explain to your CTO/CIO why you should switch??

Watching the World Series I see a Blackberry ad every other commercial so they are getting their name out there and unlike Apple has devices on every carrier on the planet. You still living that Verizon iPhone dream? Please stop your BOGO madness - that is a VERIZON program made to provide VERIZON with 2 data plans (hence they make profit). RIM makes the sale on the 2 devices only. It's a nice way for verizon to get data customers and RIM to keep clearing stock.

How Apple Sets Smartphone Industry Pricing

Don't forget Sprint includes tethering which is $15 on Vzw and not possible on iPhone at the moment.

On Oct 20 11:28 AM Aryamehr wrote:

> @Gerrard, when buying a smartphone we like to know that their are
> no hidden charges. Can you compare Sprint's 'Everything Mobile Plan'
> at less than $70/month with ATT and Verizon? I think they are substantially
> lower than the $5 difference you mentioned. Sprint's Everything Mobile
> Plan includes, Voice/Data/Text/email/... to Talk etc for less than
> $70/month. ATT and VZ both offer the same service for almost double
> that of Sprint. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Why Android Is Gaining Ground on Apple

Personal liable gets a lot of press but it's just not happening on a large scale at all.

I'd say RIM's security is what gives its a very large portion of it's enterprise business, the same reason why Apple cannot even get a foot into enterprise (other then employee owned) Is there any company in the states deploying large number of Nokia devices?

They can bring them all they want, ActiveSync is disabled for everyone so good luck to them getting access to enterprise data other then web based email as it's not happening until Apple decides to care about security we require.

James we are just Yin and Yang .. We each feel the other is wrong but try and not be so outlandish with some of your remarks as they have no logic and do not represent enterprise support.

Why Android Is Gaining Ground on Apple

Good old James is at it again mouthing off the craziest stuff on any blog.

Android presently has very limited enterprise support, I think has 1 device with basic Exchange ActiveSync support. I think maybe one vendor has announced their middleware will support Android (at some point Q1 2010) so keep me posted on the exodus to all these platforms for enterprise that provide 25% of the security, management of Blackberry server. I've been waiting for a LONG time for something equal to come out. And please somehow the TCO will be cheaper then BES too right James - heck it's even free since it uses Exchange ActiveSync policy!

Apple's biggest failure will be how much they love that fat $400 subsidy at&t gives them .. raking in the profit so why even bother going else where it will be a lot less and they'd have to deal with Verizon's control issues, insistentance to validate and certify everything so how again will iPhone OS updates work? They takes MONTHS after other carriers get the same OS so I just don't ever see that happening. So Apple will go where? Sprint? T-Mobile (even less of a 3G presence). My gut is they stay with at&t until LTE has suffient build out - so 2012 likely but they'll pray mid 2011 to match their summer release schedule.

Android just feels like Windows Mobile all over again, different hardware manufactors, different OS builds, etc. On one hand it offers something for everyone but it's just a mess at the end and for enterprise - which model do you support? Right now Hero looks like the better device.

If Apple found a way to prevent jailbreak they fixed one of their glaring security risks for enterprise, now get your encryption FIPS certified and maybe they can put some heat on RIM.

RIM: Are Enterprise Storm Clouds Brewing?

James you are so full of @#$# it's almost comical. I sure as heck hope no one on here even thinks a word of the crap you right is any reflection of enteprise mobility support. Have you even worked at a job that consisted of more than "Would you like frys with that?"

I could go through all your lies and crazy ranting but it's not even worth it.

The main article notes two things:

- Companies are looking to move to a personal liable model to avoid hardware / carrier plan expense.

- Companies are questioning if a BES solution is worth the expense.

1. Personal liable while it may save you some upfront money on cost opens your enterprise to a whole other set of risk factors you need to understand. I keep tabs on this in the fortune 100 vertical we are in and 1% are entertaining this model. It's a nightmare to support and your still liable for any data on the personal owned device - good luck with that. Any company with regulations to adhere to wants nothing to do with this model.

2. I'll admit BES has an expense but lets stop kidding ourselves that Exchange with ActiveSync is "free". You still have CAL expense and you have way less management (actually none other then enabled for EAS or not). and a handful of security policy. If you want to equal what BES provides for Blackberry you need to install a 3rd party solution like Trust Digital, Good, Mobile Iron which yes HAVE A CAL COST and considering your volume is 2x the cost of a BES CAL so where is this magical savings? Right its at all these companies that have no security standards, no compliance / risk management group that has a say on mobility usage etc. Please point me to that company as it must be a DREAM admin job.

Any company that is cutting cost by reducing mobile deployment is just short sighting their growth and workflow efficiency. White paper after white paper has shown how more production a mobile enable employee is and the cost benefit / ROI by supplying a mobile device. So you cut 100 devices this year .. you'll grow by 300 devices next year. It's 2009 mobility usage is not some CEO perk anymore - it has proven value and can be a competitive advantage.

Apple has had some of the worst security failures since I've been supporting mobility, They develop some have ass encryption standard that is worthless. They "fix" the encryption reporting to exchange 2007 and basically break all connectivity for any company that enforces this policy on anything less then a 3GS (Thanks for the heads up on that one Apple!)

The RIM NOC has been fine, Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) has had some outages due to upgrades but the NOC is still putting up four 9's .. I guess we can forgive Apple for the Mobile Me Failure for weeks and Google's outages though.

Market Reaction: The RIM Lesson

Funny .. you should read more up to date articles by Galen who seems quite dismayed by iPhone and that he can now understand why no enterprise wants anything to do with iPhone support.

Two major players serving vastly different verticals. RIM has an easier job going after consumers vs. enterprise. Giving up control is not Apple's strong suit.

Apple's iPhone Still the Gold Standard - RBC

For anyone in Enterprise, Blackberry and BES are the Platinum standard.

iPhone is what it is and being a hardened enterprise tool is pushing that expectation.

Stick to little apps and web / media and your golden. I've seen a number of articles that AppStore is now a disadvantage to the platform due to the controls over what apps you can load as well the mountain of utter junk to browse through to locate the few good apps. The average iPhone user has downloaded 5 apps, 4 of them free so the gold rush is over.

All that said - it's a fun device for casual users.

Nokia / Microsoft Threat to RIM Is 'Limited' - UBS

SharePoint still has a small % of enterprise using it. Majority are just starting to roll it out and are doing so due to public folder support in Exchange is slowing dying / migrating to SharePoint. Also once you buy into it - it's a pretty big infrastructure often with dedicated staff to maintain and govern it.

Blackberry can view and leverage a SharePoint site decently once you have your BES MDS configured properly and if you want full SharePoint functionality 3rd party solutions are available.

Again James shows what little he knows about this space. Let's see our BES environment is tied into SAP, using Pyxis to extend our Siebel CRM, about to intergrate with Concur Expense Management, via Avaya tied into the PBX, snapped into our enterprise IM OCS, all while providing mobile email on the most secure platform on the market. Not to mention Chalk which will get RIM a ton of business. Does BES have a cost? Sure - just like the expense you risk using iPhone with it's busted encryption and limited security. So pick your poison I guess.

BES is still way ahead of anything on the marker and for large enterprise has a very competitve CB/ROI compared to anything using the ActiveSync hook. Microsoft would make some business by putting some of Mobile Device Manager into Exchange. As noted anyone can open Office Documents with edit capability just fine with DataViz DocstoGo (included with any recent Blackberry) so unsure what this partnership offers.

Blackberry’s 26 Advantages over iPhone

I don't need to get in a pissing contest .. I use both and for different reasons. iPhone to me excels at entertainment / information (be it app or web based). BB excels at intergrating with my enterprise backend and email is still much cleaner on Blackberry. I have better management of my mailbox. ActiveSync is meant to sync .. thats all it really does. It doesn't let me connect to our SharePoint (sorry we don't use Cisco routers and the network engineering team is not about to open ports).

For me the bottom line is iPhone is limiting.

- lack of carrier selection. I doubt this improves beyond MAYBE Verizon next year - when LTE is deployed in 2011 they better be ready to be on all carriers.

- lack of security. Come on 3GS was touted as having "encryption" and it was torn up and spit out in less then 10 mins?!? Any corporation deploying iPhones is just begging for a TJX incident. No thanks until Apple takes security seriously. Until then it's a great prosumer / casual usage device and really that is what it excels at.

- AppStore fiasco. I don't need Apple to tell me what I can or cannot use. I don't even want to have to use AppStore to get my app. I own the iPhone and all the controls seem like Apple can change how I use the device any OS update. How many power users would be happy if they couldn't jailbreak anymore?

- No multitask. Push notifications are a poor alternate. I love how on BB I can jump between the core apps and yes if I do that heavily the battery takes a hit but its MY choice - no Apple's idea on how I should use the device.

Blackberry’s 26 Advantages over iPhone

You sir are wrong and misinformed. There was not been ONE story of an encrypted Blackberry being "hacked". Look for one ... please share your discovery. Blackberry encryption works. Not like the scam Apple is pendling with 3GS.

The president cannot use a Blackberry as ALL communications by the president are a matter of public record. Since by default messages to and from a BB are either 3DES or AES encrypted it is easier to just not have the president use one. In fact the use of email by said official is frowned upon.

On Aug 10 04:55 PM daylove wrote:

> That is untrue like any other PDA devices the Blackberry has been
> hacked numerous time. Why do you think the FBI argued that the President
> should not get the BB? because they know too that BB are hackable.
>
> Unfortunately, BB users live on their own world they still think
> their devices are the best and more widespread out there..well you
> can get any BB free just for signing up to a carrier but you cannot
> get a free iPhone so when you look at selling # you should consider
> that. Bottom line, the iPhone is a great device and if it wasn't
> why BB itself felt the need to copy it(unsuccessfully) with the Storm?
>
> I have owned a BB for 3 years and after trying the iPhone for just
> 3 days I had to switch ..no comparison on all fronts.

iPhone Undermining Microsoft in Enterprise?

I'm sorry but being right in this veritical and overseeing thousands of deployed smartphones this outlines some of what Apple will need to become anything more then a niche in enterprise. I doubt Apple will put in the needed effort and instead allow 3rd party solutions to fill this gap (Good, Trust Digial, Sybase etc). The major problem right now is iPhone security is a joke so for any company that has compliance concerns / regulatory controls to adhere to - they want nothing to do with iPhone as it currently is.

The OS is jailbroken within hours of updating, allowing access to tools to circumvent any security you enforce via EAS.

The 3GS "encryption" is anything but and has been shown to be cracked in less then 10 mins - with full data copy in less then an hour. Remote Wipe is useless in a window like that. Any CTO/CIO/CRO should be not comfortable with security like that on any other platform used for corporate data. Did TJX not teach anyone the value of data protection?

A roadmap would be nice but I'd give anything to dump the whole iTunes bit for activation and OS updates. An enterprise controlled AppStore would be nice too so one could control what apps are allowed on corporate liable devices and a means to deploy company developed applications.

Blackberry's "book" was get the security right first. That allowed enterprise to extend mobility and know everything was secure.

In Microsoft's case - I think at this point its a lost cause. Their management of WinMo via Exchange is woefully lacking compared to BES and SCMDM2008 is a bear to configure / admin and has a higher ROI / TCO then BES. So unless you already have a good size WinMo investment - nothing is prompting anyone to migrate to it. EAS is a poor mans BES - it's great if all you want is mobile access to email but once you move beyond that you see all that BES provides enterprise - that no one is close to equaling.

One to watch - mobileiron .. they have a unique approach and sould be a major player if it works like the claim.