He has already headed in the wrong direction. He could have substituted "more of the same" in place of almost every other word that came out of his mouth. If the company needed more of the same they could have let old men keep their positions. This was nothing more than a feel good replacement.

@Adam Zeis: May I suggest making this post a "sticky" one? I have learned much about Mr. Heins thanks to not only this post, but also the similarly focused ones from the past few days, consolidating such posts under a tabbed section would be a great source of information for all CrackBerry visitors.

Nice tag line! "Zeis Lens", indeed!. :D

Nice Thorsten puttin on for GIFHORN, NIEDERSACHSEN

New CEO but same principles. I am a lifelong BlackBerry fan but still not convinced if this change was right. Even investors didn't like this. Just hope September launch for BB10 is bang on time. That might bring some credibility to RIM management.

-www.harryminhas.wordpress.com-

This is guys is total dud. Did you hear him speak on the posted video? I've gotten more excited from eating oatmeal than watching RIM's new CEO.
I am just curious... Perhaps part of the conditions set by Mike L. & Jim B. were that in order for Thornstein to become CEO he must first remove his testicles??

Who knows maybe he'll do a great job.. He just doesn't seem like he has much "fire in his belly" to shake things up over there in Waterloo. Time will tell I guess..

Same old...same old.

he actually has my confidence vote , he is and can be a true successor to the legacy that Balsillie and Lazaridis left in place . if change were to happen w someone else but him it could be an interesting way to put blackberry in a hole , to open all your data towers to the world to peep in through your life - i hope it never comes to that .

I am rather new to the crackberry world. Know a bit about business though and what would go a long way for RIM at this point in the new CEOs perspective to the world would be to release another Beta of the Playbook OS with a majorsolution to show the world he is serious about what he is gonna do. This would make the world look twice to see where things are gonna go under his tutalige...........Just a thought.

LOL, what needs to change? They're (RIM) CHANGING EVERYTHING!!! Only a blind, def, and well - dumb person can look at RIM and suggest they're not changing. Seriously? They're CHANGING THE ENTIRE PLATFORM! Like, what are people even talking about? Makes no sense whatsoever to suggest RIM isn't changing. Wow, a lot of people are really dense.

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in the time of your life, live so that in that good time, there should be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life that your life touches, seek goodness everywhere

Its too early to say if the change is for better or for worse. Much of what is going on how is still the doing of the Co-CEOs that were before him. We won't see how Hein's turns the company aroud (or fails to) for at least a few months to half a year.

Good grief! Another post on Thorsten Heins. Is he running for office or something? There have already been at least half a dozen posts on this very website on the man.

who bloody cares!! stop hyping this man up CB!!! just don't put him in the limelight and trying to get people to like him! when he makes one bad move people will be disappointed! this website keeps on posting about him! SO WHAT?! yes he is new END OFF! - you aint getting a new BB out of him!

@ Barredbard & phoenix raiden

I see nothing wrong with what CB is doing. There is a lot of interest in a previously unknown guy & they are meeting that demand.

If they were still going on about him next week you guys would have a point, but it's hardly been 24 hours.

@bbpandy: I have no quibble against the man at all; my commentary would be much the same if proves to be the Steve Jobs of innovation. I've read article after article about him since Sunday. It has in fact been 48 hours. More. There's only so much one can learn.

RIM is both wall street's and the media's whipping boy. The only change in CEO that would have made the general public happy was if RIM stole a Apple exec and made him CEO. For that matter it could have been someone from the Apple mail room and the stock would have doubled. Let's give Heins a chance to do something before the entire world calls him a dud.

Apple stocks are down 7 dollars today, Google is down, MSFT is down, Nokia is down. Everyone just focuses on RIM and the sky is falling.

Everyone is jumping on his comments that RIM is headed in the right direction. Wake up people. Jim and Mike already made huge changes by purchasing QNX, TAT, etc and getting the ball rolling on the BB OS. All Thorsten is saying is that he is going to continue in that direction. Meaning he will see the changes through. Did people expect him to say that he will drop QNX, not develop a BB10 phone and sell off all of RIM to the highest bidder?

He is educated, experienced in the field, clearly brilliant and knows RIM inside out - of course he is a perfect choice for CEO. He has acknowledged the areas that need work, he clearly knows what he is doing and where the needs are. Did people expect him to fall over apologizing? He appears confident and ready to get RIM production in line with regard to deadlines and quality. RIM is pure innovation and they have well built, practical, productive technological aids not just hype, dazzle, and marketing schemes. Their products are the real McCoy. The Playbook is the the only pocket computer on the market. The rest are just tablets. I am expecting great things from RIM and a complete turnaround. This new CEO has a goal in mind, to put RIM in the top three for wireless products, and I expect he will do it.

Seriously, you guys need to arrange an interview quick, if for no other reason than to shut-up BGR.

bb 6 was supposed to be the saving grace. they just need to make a 4 inch playbook thats thin with good battery life and good cameras

The continued negativity is ridiculous. Enough BS comes from the Android and Apple fan boys and the tech blots beholden to them, and even fans of BB are believing it! Mike & Jim made the acquisitions and strategic moves necessary for this transition, and Thorsten is hopefully going to give us some real execution that is needed for that plan to work. He stated the areas that need to be improved on. RIM is going all in, so let's see what happens. Changing strategies now would be idiotic. Full steam ahead. If they fail, then so be it, but they (and Thorsten) need to be given the chance.

The new guy is a team builder. You don't build a team by tearing up the previous bosses. He made a responsible statement.

RIM is an awesome company and profitable but it does need to make changes. It has the most customizable devices but the user experience is choppy. Not the easiest device to use. However, it is the most powerful to get things done in my view.

Mike focusing on innovation will be good. That is really what he should do.

I think we all agree that better marketing would be a good thing. So he is right there. Hopefully he narrows down the product line to become more focuses (as Kevin has suggested).

This German will bring efficiency and a bit more order to what started to seem chaotic changes.

RIM is changing but it need to do so smartly. I have a Bold 9930 and I don't want anything else. Some improvements? Sure, but not so much that they lose their way. I love my Bold and I love my Playbook.

Great post Adam, and... "Under the Zeis Lens"... I don't know whether I love you or hate you. You HAVE to keep this as a monthly/biweekly segment. It would be awesome.