BlackBerry gets the raspberry
p2p news / p2pnet: State-controlled China Unicom Ltd is giving the raspberry to Canada’s RIM (Research in Motion).
RIM is close to launching its BlackBerry in China. But Unicom, China’s second-largest mobile operator, is slated to sell a rip-off based on the famous Canadian hand-held.
And it’s called – wait for it – the RedBerry
RIM’s China launch, "has been delayed by two years of negotiations and regulatory obstacles, and RedBerry has now been introduced ahead of it," says the Globe and Mail.
China Unicom, "left no doubt that it is brazenly attempting to capitalize on BlackBerry’s global fame" and a company press release states baldly:
"The RedBerry name extends the vivid name of BlackBerry that people are already familiar with, and it also combines the new red symbol of China Unicom."
RedBerry uses the same basic push-mail concept as BlackBerry, automatically sending e-mail to the customer’s phone whenever a new message arrives, using CDMA digital cellphones China Unicom is already marketing.
"RIM announced plans to crack the Chinese market in the first quarter of 2002, and it has already begun selling BlackBerry in Hong Kong," says the Globe and Mail.
"But despite signing a memorandum of understanding with China Mobile in 2004, it has faced lengthy delays in launching in mainland China. Last week, RIM said it would launch its China service with China Mobile by the end of May. But it said it will target only multinational corporations and others in China who already have BlackBerrys."
And another Chinese rival will be offered soon by China Mobile, which will launch PushMail to allow customers to use e-mail on their existing mobile phones.
"Brand piracy remains rampant in China, despite several court rulings against illegal imitators," and, "The likelihood of confusion between BlackBerry and RedBerry among consumers would seem high enough for RIM to have a good case," the story says, adding:
"Last year, it sued Massachusetts-based BackOffice Associates after the firm named some of its software ‘CranBerry’."
Also See:
Globe and Mail – China’s got RedBerry, April 11, 2006
