Former RIM executive gives his thoughts on the manufacturer's current condition

While the downward spiral that RIM is on can be felt in the smartphone industry as the illustrious BlackBerry name apparently is down to its last chance with BlackBerry 10, there is also the effect that RIM's decline is having on people and other businesses in Canada. Mike Kirkup, who formerly worked for RIM as Senior Director of Developer Relations, is now involved in the University of Waterloo's Velocity program as The Director of Student Innovation. As such, he has the credentials to tell us how the decline of RIM is affecting the Waterloo area where the BlackBerry maker is headquartered.

Kirkup also has insight into the morale of the workers still employed at RIM as they fear losing their jobs. Unfortunately, because the questioning was done on a morning television show in Canada called Canada AM, Kirkup wasn't asked the hard questions about how RIM squandered its position near the top of the industry under the previous regime, who originally figured the Apple iPhone was nothing more than a fad and a toy. But that is for the historians to sift through years from now. Let's hope BlackBerry 10 does turn around the company and a post mortem doesn't have to be done over the rubble that was once RIM.

source: CTV via Crackberry