∞ RIM and Microsoft sitting in a tree…

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I imagine as the world changed millions of years ago, Dinosaurs gathered together for comfort — yesterday proved the tech industry isn’t much different.

[ad#Google Adsense 300x250 in story]Not knowing how to deal with their changing world, two tech dinosaurs — Microsoft and RIM — joined forces on Tuesday to fight for their survival. So what is it these two monoliths came up with to fight off Apple and Google?

From the Bing blog:

Blackberry devices will use Bing as the preferred search provider in the browser, and Bing will be the default search and map application for new devices presented to mobile operators, both in the United States and internationally. Also, effective today Bing will be the preferred search and maps applications with regular, featured placement and promotion in the BlackBerry App World carousel. Bing is also now shipping as the default search experience, and map app, for the newly released BlackBerry Playbook. Together, we’ll also market and promote the strength of our joint offerings as “Making better decisions with Bing on BlackBerry.”

And they wonder why they are in trouble.

I have no doubt that having millions of existing BlackBerry users on Bing will help Microsoft’s search share — if the users don’t immediately switch to Google — and co-marketing will probably help both companies in some small ways.

Even with all the hubbub of the announcement, the bigger problems with both companies are still there. Fewer people want their products because they can’t compete in the new mobile landscape.

The proof of that came from RIM itself. Just last week the company lowered its profit outlook citing lower shipments of BlackBerrys.

I hope the CEOs enjoyed the high-fives yesterday because that’s as good as it’s going to get.



  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IDVL2OJYRG36WZNKMLXF4XOUKQ David

    You are correct Jim, in that bundling Bing likely won’t help RIM’s sales prospects. Especially since the Bing app is already on the iPhone and iPad, so it is not a differentiator. Funny, though, that the Bing iPad app is just gorgeous and I’ve been preferring it over Google.

  • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

    What an odd partnership.

    • Player_16

      Yeah. RIM + Android Apps + MS Bing Search + Adobe AIR/Flash…

      Can never have enough partners.

  • Anonymous

    I still like the quote from the guy on Cnet (paraphrase): “Is anyone else thinking about that old couple holding hands(spooning I think) while the Titanic was sinking?”

  • Nick

    Well I am actually surprised that MS has hung in there this long with virtually no innovation beyond video games. I knew their software sucked back in ’85. And Steve Ballmer is another issue.

    • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

      Actually, I think Ballmer will reinforce the tendency of his counterparts at RIM to publicly spout marketing slogans that should only be heard by their hydrocephalic Sales teams. That’s one problem that describes a lot of what we hear from both of these companies.