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    US government agency ditches BlackBerry in favor of iPhone

    By Trevor Mogg | Digital Trends – Thu, Feb 9, 2012

    More woes for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced this week that it would be handing out iPhones and iPads to its employees in May, replacing the BlackBerry devices currently used.

    According to a Bloomberg report, the government agency, which carries out research into weather, oceans and fisheries, currently has about 3,000 of its 20,000 full-time workers and contractors using RIM devices. It’s not yet clear how many workers would be receiving Apple devices.

    Speaking to Bloomberg, NOAA’s chief information officer Joe Klimavicz said that it would cost the agency less to securely integrate Apple devices into its information systems than RIM’s products.

    “Times are changing and technology is changing and we have to look at our technologies and see how we can do things more efficiently,” he said. RIM will be dearly hoping other organizations that use its products won’t be having the same thoughts, though the switchover already appears to be part of a worrying trend for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company.

    Only a few days ago oil giant Halliburton announced it would be turning its back on the BlackBerry in favor of the iPhone.

    Credit Suisse, Barclays Capital and Standard Chartered are three other companies that have made moves towards the iPhone and Android devices at the expense of BlackBerry handsets.

    The BlackBerry was once the phone of choice for business professionals, thanks in part to its popular native email system and effective security system.

    But in recent years the mobile phone market has been turned on its head with the launch of Apple’s iPhone and smartphones running Google’s mobile operating system, Android, leaving RIM playing catch-up.

    Last year was a particularly rotten one for the Canadian company, which included a four-day service outage in October and the postponement of the launch of its BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system, an OS which the company is hoping will turn its fortunes around. Last month the company installed a new CEO in an attempt to re-energize the company.

    For Research In Motion, much rests on the launch of phones with the new operating system, which is expected to happen some time this year.

    In the meantime, it needs to work on persuading businesses to stick with its products, though it looks like it has a tough battle on its hands.

    This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

    More from Digital Trends

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    Pay for play: Are marketers manipulating Apple’s App Store rankings?

    BlackBerry devices rejected by Halliburton in favor of the iPhone

    iPhone outselling other smartphones in UK in run up to Christmas

     

    19 comments

    • Billy
      Billy  •  Encino, California  •  3 mths ago
      Who in their right mind would by a BlackBerry now? Its like buying a Super Nintendo.... RIM is done!!!!!! I HAD a BlackBerry, worst phone I have ever had... Loving my iPhone now! Its true, you pay for what you get...BB is crap, iPhone is great!
    • ZZZZ
      ZZZZ  •  3 mths ago
      Again some little bit of news made into a mountain and recycled all over. Any chance to post negative things about RIM, every media outlet wants to jump in.
    • Jason
      Jason  •  3 mths ago
      I do believe it's time to take BlackBerry off life support. Time of death: the day it became a battle between Android and iCrap.
    • Borat Insane Ovomit
      Borat Insane Ovomit  •  3 mths ago
      Blackberry = outdated garbage.

      Anyone who buys a Blackberry needs to have their head examined.
    • My Two Cents
      My Two Cents  •  3 mths ago
      Does the government really need to provide these individuals with an IPhone and iPad? Combined with the monthly costs this will be expensive.
      • Luis
        Luis 3 mths ago
        im thinken they might get a discount.....
      • CommonCitizenLikeYou
        CommonCitizenLikeYou 3 mths ago
        They get a HUGE contract discount. they're buying 3000 phones.. its a special plan which costs about half what you would pay, and free replacement phones, they have special insurance.
    • BenJr
      BenJr  •  3 mths ago
      The Black Berry, has had its time, it has taken it next to last breath.... bye bye Black Berry.... RIP !!!
    • Carrie H
      Carrie H  •  3 mths ago
      20,000 people work for this agency? No wonder the country is going broke. Thanks obuma.
      • Sara Pauline
        Sara Pauline 3 mths ago
        MY GOD YOU ARE IGNORANT!!!!! Regardless of how you feel about the President, HE DID NOT HIRE ALL 20,000 people to that agency! I'm not a fan of his, but you cannot be that ignorant! You're so ignorant MY brain hurts. UGH.
      • General One
        General One 3 mths ago
        no my dear, this country is going broke cause of ignorant people like you who blame everyone else for their problems. Ms. pauline is correct - like him or not, he did not hire 20,000 people to this agency. you're just full of hate and blame.
      • CommonCitizenLikeYou
        CommonCitizenLikeYou 3 mths ago
        5000 people work for Lehman Brothers bank and AIG. Combined they robbed you of 7.7 TRILLION DOLLARS. A government agency which overseas weather and predicts hurricanes is at least useful to you jesus.
    • Carrie H
      Carrie H  •  3 mths ago
      Brilliant. Gov't tax dollars at work. Buy a phone and plan that costs twice as much as other phones. Disgusting govt waste.
      • Sara Pauline
        Sara Pauline 3 mths ago
        Hmm, did you see the part where they said it's cheaper to integrate the iphone then to pay RIM?
      • JV
        JV 3 mths ago
        Wow, you are so full of hate Carrie. I shall pray for you.
    • HalfMarathonDon
      HalfMarathonDon  •  3 mths ago
      I really loved my Palm, then I tolerated my Blackberry, now my iPhone (while not as good as my Plam) is a joy to use.
    • believeroftheway
      believeroftheway  •  Orlando, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Do these tax payer supported civil servants really NEED these? What work do they do that is so important? How did we all survive before the cell phone became so ubiquitous? My guess is that these people and all of us would be just fine if our government did not waste so much of our hard earned money. Last year they spent $1,600,000,000 giving cell phones and paying for cell phone service to people on welfare. I do not use a cell phone and have gotten along just fine...
    • bkhomie
      bkhomie  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      What rim should do is offer bbm to iphone and andriod users to prevent everyone from leaving them. They are a dying breed.
    • Real Real
      Real Real  •  3 mths ago
      Android? Security? BwAhAhaHaHAHahHAhaHAhaHAhAHaHA!!!
    • marcy
      marcy  •  Manila, Philippines  •  3 mths ago
      blackberry is better the iphone. you can see the difference far beyond your imagination.
      • Steve Henderson
        Steve Henderson 3 mths ago
        You obviously have never seen or held an iphone and if you have, something is seriously wrong with you!
    • Brickell Princess
      Brickell Princess  •  Miami, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      I loathe BlackBerry.
    • greene_teeth
      greene_teeth  •  Chattanooga, Tennessee  •  3 mths ago
      "Sister Act, Part II". I did not like the second movie as well as the first movie. I missed the singing by the young, prideful sister who was awesome in the first one.
    • jason
      jason  •  3 mths ago
      yeah give china more of our money.
    • Bob
      Bob  •  3 mths ago
      Little late
    • greene_teeth
      greene_teeth  •  Chattanooga, Tennessee  •  3 mths ago
      This sister blew away a lot of people's preconceptions on how a lady should be physically endowed before having a voice like this little lady .
    • Zach
      Zach  •  St Louis, Missouri  •  3 mths ago
      What do you expect from wimpy canadians? lol
     Post a comment
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