Linked List: December 11, 2010

Saturday, 11 December 2010

Michael Mace on What’s Wrong With RIM ★

I can’t recommend this piece by Michael Mace strongly enough. It’s a detailed, cogent analysis of what’s wrong with RIM, based on a close reading of the details of their financial disclosures. It’s a strong case for how a company with growing revenue and growing profits could in fact be in big trouble. One small example:

Five years ago, RIM was getting .7 new subscribers for every BlackBerry sold. In other words, most of its sales were to new users. Today, RIM is getting .37 more subscribers per BlackBerry sold, and that figure is at an all-time low. To put it another way, RIM now has to sell more than two and a half devices to get one more subscriber. Either RIM is selling most of its units to its installed base, or it is having to bring in a lot of new customers to replace those who are leaving for other devices. My guess is it’s a mix of both.

Must-read.

Angry Birds Developer Rovio Building Its Own Billing System ★

Ryan Kim, for GigaOm:

Rovio is taking its success with mobile game Angry Birds — 50 million downloads and counting — and using it to launch a new in-app purchase, carrier-billing payment system. The mobile developer said it’s launching Bad Piggy Bank early next year with Finnish carrier Elisa, allowing users to upgrade to an ad-free version of Angry Birds or buy Angry Birds’ first virtual good — the Mighty Eagle character — with one tap.

They Don’t Make Them Like Richard Nixon Any More ★

From a new batch of Nixon White House tapes:

“The Jews have certain traits. The Irish have certain — for example, the Irish can’t drink. What you always have to remember with the Irish is they get mean. Virtually every Irish I’ve known gets mean when he drinks. Particularly the real Irish.”