Is Microsoft really going to buy RIM? Should they? As a gadgeteer, I can say this – Windows Mobile is absolutely the last OS I’d want on any mobile device these days. Having briefly owned a Moto Q and a few other Windows Mobile devices, that OS has a long way to go to be a true competitor.
I would hate to see Microsoft buy RIM – I think the Blackberry is an iconic device and I’d hate to see a larger company saddle it with all of the bureaucracy, infighting, and internal competition for resources that would saddle the RIM division of Microsoft. Even worse, I’d hate to see Microsoft try to stick Windows Mobile on the Blackberry. Buying RIM would be tantamount to admitting that Windows Mobile just sucks and plain doesn’t work.
Ironically, I think that admitting that Windows Mobile doesn’t work and isn’t very good would be a very liberating thing for Microsoft to do. I have no idea how many engineers, product managers, and business development people they have working on making Windows Mobile a viable OS, but I bet their energies could be better directed elsewhere. Perhaps admitting defeat and starting over would allow the company to take a fresh look at building a new mobile OS. Who better to further the future of a closed, single vendor device than Microsoft? I can only think of one company, and they already have the iPhone…
Keep RIM independent unless it goes to a better home. I’ll have more to say on this later.
I love my winmo phone. Mostly for the critical elements that the iphone lacks.
You are the flagbearer for Windows Mobile. They should give you a commission. I have yet to use a Win device that really makes it work for me, despite the deficiencies of the iPhone.