Folks, the tablet/pad market is ablaze–and RIM was the last one in the room. Well their catch-up efforts just walked through the door. So far? Not impressed with their positioning.
RIM has always been the corporate device maker–because of their security protocols; however, they’re only lightly leaning on this differentiator.
In their massively heavy ad space on NYTimes.com, they start with “Introducing the world’s first professional grade tablet.”
That makes sense.
But then they show the tablet in use: screen shots of the NYTimes.com, video, games… Why wouldn’t they put in the Office products or graphs or charts?
And then the name! Playbook. Sure, this has sports connotations which are perfectly suited for biz, but it also denotes the stuff my kids do: play. How about something that connotes ‘professional grade’.
I think if RIM wanted to leap frog back over the competition it should have started from its strong point: get the the IT managers excited. It’s not a bad place to be–ensconced in major corporations. It’s a market in and of itself.
