Email is an app, not part of the OS. As an OS the Tablet OS is more than a match for iOS. This is another example of what I've commented on here already of how RIM focuses on enterprise and then get blasted. The 1.x release of PlayBook is very obviously intended to be a companion device for a BlackBerry. If it was intended to be a standalone device, it would have had an email app instead of Bridge. You're taking an orange and trying to call it an apple.

It wasn't their first attempt at touch screen (the Storm was released in 2008), thankfully they've learned something since the first one. I'm not sure where the idea came from that the PlayBook is a "dog". Not everyone wants to haul around a 10" beast of a tablet. The hardware is also quite capable, take a look at games like Need For Speed to see what it can really do.

As a business device, even with the "co-operation" (which they resisted), the business email remains securely transmitted. But in those countries, the government has legal access to any email servers inside the country anyway. If you expect privacy you shouldn't be trying to operate there. If these countries were abandoned by businesses they'd change their tune to save their economy. I don't think RIM has forgotten what they do best, the share holders and analysts have. They constantly blast RIM for failing to appeal to consumers, forgetting that the BlackBerry was built for enterprise usage.

The problem with not shifting that focus is that businesses are increasingly moving to employee owned devices, instead of company owned. If they can't appeal to consumers it will negatively affect their presence in the enterprise. Now, instead of having to appeal to IT purchasing departments you have to appeal to individual employees who don't really care if their admin can remotely wipe their data etc. They care more if they can play Angry Birds (which you can on a PlayBook now: https://twitter.com/#!/BlackBerryDev/status/149521163180191744)

Sure, if by lack of response you completely ignore their QNX Tablet OS (and future BB10) and that they've finally released a phone with no keyboard that doesn't suck (9860), for all those people that never have to type more than 140 characters at a time.

Another option is to write an app implementing PGP using BB PIN messages with a BBM style UI. The only text they would intercept is a public key and base 64 encoded encrypted data. Even of they got one persons private key they'd only see half a conversation. Also, they wouldn't need their own server because they would just use RIM's as the transport. This probably wouldn't be too difficult for the more sophisticated groups. The problem with lawful access is it only catches the dumb ones, but still exposes the innocent.

Actually they busted it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2007_season)#Birds_in_a_Truck

Most Android phones have keyboards that aren't very ergonomic. It's hard to argue that BB doesn't have an edge if you seriously use a keyboard.

There are actually plenty more hurdles. For example S/MIME support, which BB has supported for years has just been included in iOS 5, as far as I know there's no good solution for it on Android. How about support SmartCards like DoD CAC? Currently an adapter seems to be required for the iPhone (besides the reader itself). Don't forget about FIPS 140-2 (which is only in progress on iOS4), CAPS, CC and the various international governments and NATO certifications. These are all time consuming to achieve and maintain. Android and iPhone still have a long way to go before they can actually challenge BB security. I'd also like to add that I've never heard of anyone rooting/jailbreaking a BlackBerry. I know it gets less attention for that kind of thing since users aren't locked into AppWorld but I'm sure it's been attempted.

I have Swype, it's still much slower. I will admit it's much better than the standard keyboard though.

Apparently everyone missed that RIM is already doing this: http://us.blackberry.com/apps-software/business/server/full/balance.jsp They're taking a bit of a beating right now but I have to say, if I want to actually type quickly and accurately I won't be using my Android, I'd rather do it on a BB. I can type about twice as fast when there's a real, well designed, keyboard.

They're brute forcing it

If you actually read this one you'll realize it's useless if the card isn't encrypted (ironically) or the user chose one of the other 3 options. Plus this option is designed to be less secure so you can put the card in another device and decrypt it with just a password. I also wonder what character set is included in their claim of cracking a 7 character password in just hours. http://xkcd.com/936/

These are getting popular in Canadian cities as well. I don't know about in the US but there is nothing in the driving handbooks put out by our Ministry of Transportation on proper use of them, so many people are unsure and just "wing it". Years after the city I'm in started installing them the city finally took upon themselves to educate the public with pamphlets sent to every house.

There's a decent list of them