Book Review: Blackberry – The Inside Story of Research in Motion
When you think Research in Motion, you think BlackBerry. The two have become synonymous—as synonymous as BlackBerry became with wireless email through the early-to-mid 2000s.
While there may be myriad competitors now, from Apple's trendy iPhone to Android-running phones, BlackBerry is inarguably a leading pioneer in the smartphone market. But, while RIM's success never exploded until its first 'Berry, the company—now more than 25 years old—is founded on the principle of innovating technology ahead of the curve. And this is where BlackBerry: The Inside Story of Research in Motion gets interesting.
This 300-page hardcover is authored by Rod McQueen, a journalist of three decades:
I've written for numerous magazines and newspapers. My major focus has been business, the economy, and international trade, but I've also written about politics and entertainment. As the author of a dozen books I won the National Business Book Award for "Who Killed Confederation Life?" and the Canadian Authors Association award in history for the #1 best-seller, "The Eatons: The Rise and Fall of Canada's Royal Family."
The main issue with any book written about a company is bias. With a foreward dually written by Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis—the dynamic duo of RIM CEOs—you can make an edcuated guess that the book will lean toward favouring RIM in a positive light. And it does, but not to an offensive degree. RIM haters wouldn't be interested in this story either way; RIM lovers will gain even more pride for the company; and neutral readers will likely develop a newfound respect for the company, even if they take the boastings with a grain of salt.
Starting detail from Mike was a child, long before RIM even began, BlackBerry's level of thoroughness is easily appreciated. The fact that RIM's prized creation—the BlackBerry—isn't mentioned until two-thirds the way into the book speaks volumes about how this about RIM, about the principles of innovation that stand behind it. It's not a 300-page release; rather, it's an interesting history of one of Canada's most successful companies of all time, in any industry.
Research in Motion is a Canadian legend, and if BlackBerry is in anyway correct, this is only the beginning for Mike and Jim's amazing company.
To BlackBerry and beyond.
BlackBerry is available on Amazon Canada and Chapters for $21 plus tax and shipping.
