RIM has no netbook plans

Phones are the focus, says CEO in Nokia dig

18 May 2009 11:31 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Research In Motion’s co-CEO Jim Balsillie has promised that the company will stay focused on phones, despite its competitors - particularly Nokia - talking about diversifying to netbooks and laptops.

Balsillie wants instead to focus on diversifying his range of handsets. Candybar handsets, touchscreens, mini-QWERTYs, full-QWERTYs - form factor isn't important, Balsillie says, adding:

"It’s got to be something that lasts the better part of the day and you can hold up to your ear and clip onto your belt. Those are a very tight systems constraints for a netbook. If you want richer keyboards and richer displays you can just use peripherals and Bluetooth".

Analysts have predicated that the wave of popularity in netbooks won't die down any time soon, thanks to their low prices and the fact that most consumers don't need a powerful machine for email and web browsing.

Full tags

Phones, BlackBerry, Netbooks, RIM, Nokia, Hardware