Trouble Up North?

What was once one of the world’s most influential and forward thinking companies is no longer a force to be reckoned with.

It is now just a wreck, a far cry from its glory days in 2008 when you couldn’t take a step without bumping into somebody that had their eyes glued to their blackberry screen.

The company, now legally known as Blackberry changed its name this past January.

The Company adopted to the name of its revolutionary BlackBerry Smartphone to coincide with the launch of its new mobile computing platform, BlackBerry 10. The move consolidates the company’s brand into a single cohesive global presence.

However the presence of Blackberry hasn’t really been felt in a very long time, Back in 2009,the Smartphone company was sitting pretty with a stock price of $83.02, and it currently sits at $8.03.

Its stock prices are a true testament that other companies and platforms can always come and recapture territory that were thought to be off limits. With companies like Apple and Google finally putting their hands in the Smartphone business and strived to make advancements, it was clear that Blackberry wasn’t.

Blackberry could have stayed on top or at least in the top tier if they listened to the needs of the people, instead of the voices in their heads and the people in those giant corner offices.

As other companies made their phones more usable, thinner, and bigger screens, Blackberry stayed in the lane of Business phones and refused to budge.

They were given ample warnings as well. The first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007 for a whopping $599. It wasn’t until a year and a half later that Apple would release a second, more affordable version, which would of course sell better. During this time Blackberry could have developed a newer device or at least target a different audience to increase sales.

However, Blackberry didn’t release a touch phone until March 2013.

This phone, called the Z10 produced horrible sales for the company, which is mostly what they attribute the expected $1 billion net operating loss in Q2 of 2014.And for the first time, the consumers aren’t the only ones being affect. As Blackberry looks to cut nearly 40% of their global employees, adding up to about 4,500 people being laid off.

CEO Thorsten Heins said in a statement that "We are very disappointed with our operational and financial results this quarter and have announced a series of major changes to address the competitive hardware environment and our cost structure."

 Canadian investment company Fairfax put in a $4.7 billion buyout offer earlier this week. It is likely that Blackberry will agree to the deal, making the phones only available to the enterprise market.

Blackberry may have lost touch in the Smartphone world but some hate the idea of touch phones.

Audre Canon, a sophomore at St.Francis College hates even thinking about having to use a touch phone.

Holding out his hands, he says “Look at these fingers, can you imagine typing on a touch screen with these fat things?”

“If I have to get a iPhone I’ll be able to type a word with one press from these huge thumbs” said Canon.

Others are a bit more excited that the future of Blackberry isn’t so bright.

Ariana Turkson, a St. John’s student thinks it’s about time the company reaped what they sew.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder right? Maybe if I stop seeing those archaic phones I wont hate them as much as I do now. They can’t seem to do anything right”

This statement holds true to even last week. On September 22 BBM was supposed to come to iOS and Android devices. BBM, which stands for Blackberry Messenger is a messaging platform made exclusive to Blackberry Handsets until recent. At the tail end of June it was announced by Blackberry that the company would make BBM available to everyone by summer’s end.

Apparently someone took this time frame very literal as September 22 was the official first day of fall. BBM, which was suppose to be the world’s first true cross platform messaging system never even came to fruition. Due to sudden complications, the release was delayed. This announcement of course was made on the day it was suppose to release.

As Blackberry continues to go down the wrong path, many hope that the once dominant company will find its way.

iPhones For All

Last week, Apple had consumers feverishly waiting for the new generation iPhone to be revealed to the masses.

And for the first time, Apple released two iPhones at once. One is called the iPhone 5C and is just $100 on contract, a perfect phone for those on a budget or young children who will also be attracted to the jolly rancher-esque colors its available in.

The other is the more expected of the pair, the iPhone 5S. Somewhat of a re-up of last year’s ever popular iPhone 5, which sold 55 million units. The iPhone 5S boasts a  speedier processor and a slew of camera improvements. Which include a better light sensor, a more life-like flash, the ability for slow motion video, and live video zoom.

Even for those not into photography, the new iPhone has something for them as well. There has been an entire overhaul of the OS, in an attempt end the redundancy of a system that has seen little change since its inception in 2007.

Perhaps the most surprising change in Apples flagship device is the finger print scanner. A welcomed change from the monotonous passcode route and the infamous “slide to unlock” feature.To unlock it now, all you’ve got to do is push your finger onto the home button, which will then scan you finger and unlock your phone. A novel feature that will no longer leave people scratching their head when trying to remember that pesky passcode. The last and possibly most noticeable update is that the iPhone now comes in a gold hue.

But the question is, is iPhone still the gold standard when it comes to mobile devices? Or are they now playing catch up to other platforms?

Their stock prices are a direct reflection of this, as it is currently $463.50, and just a year ago it was $700.00.

The idea of a budget device is nothing new to the Cupertino tech giant. The iPod which debuted in 2001 offered a cheaper model, which is now called the Nano. A more affordable version of their laptop was available too, the Macbook. Yet it took them six years to release a price conscience iPhone. In the tech world, six year is a very long time.

Other companies such as Samsung, LG and Huawei have been releasing cheaper versions of their top tier devices for years, usually aimed for the enormous domestic Chinese market, and billions of other people in other countries have been waiting to get their hand on a technology that still seems so intangible.

It has taken Apple awhile to see what potential a country like China can hold. For instance, Reuters reported that back in March, 1.5 billion people in China had cell phones, and 280 million of those people were Smartphone users. Here in America, there are just 254 million cell phones all together.

Aside from the obvious competition between companies, bringing this type of technology into burgeoning markets benefits the world. It will lessen the economic inequality that doesn’t include billions of people from accessing such important and large amounts of information.

On the other hand, it has become another option in markets that have already been established, such as in America, where people who don’t feel like (or cant) spend that extra few hundred bucks to have the same phone as everyone else.

Jennifer Horowitz, the mother of an 18-year-old who has just started college has been delighted by the fact that Apple is finally paying attention to those that can’t afford such expensive devices.

“I’ve got a kid who just started college and another in High School, and for the price of one expensive iPhone, I can get two of the cheaper ones now. You know, with tuition being as high as it is, every dollar helps,” mentioned Horowitz.

Some people believe that Apple is just a little too late when it comes to releasing the iPhone 5C.

“It’s almost like they’re running out of ideas for things to do,” said Andrew Gross, a student at St. John’s. “I want an iPhone because it’s a status symbol; if I had the iPhone 5C people would know that I had the cheap one and not the expensive one. So I’m definitely just gonna get the iPhone 5S instead, there’s nothing better than Apple because it’s so cool.”

Those who aren’t iPhone fans at all have a totally different view when it comes to the iPhone’s newfound territory, or lack thereof.

After all, you can put lipstick on a pig.

“I had the first three iPhones and I loved them, until one day the new one came out and I got tired of how it looked, it hadn’t changed much,” said Candace Christine, a senior at Baruch College.

She thought that it was time for a change and decided to get an android handset, and has not looked back.

“It’s more customizable ,I can put icons wherever I want, and if I want a giant clock on the home screen, than that’s what I get,” she exclaimed.

It’s hard to deny the foot print that Apple has left in the mobile computing world, though some wonder if they have strayed from their innovative and groundbreaking ideas. Perhaps Apple just isn’t built to innovate forever; many other companies come to this point as well.

Companies rise to relevance, dominate for a period of time, then fade into the scenery, after all it's the cycle of capitalism and it happens every day.

Kissland, The Weeknd- Review

It’s hard to determine where The Weeknd is in his career, although it started with the release of three mysterious songs at the tail end of 2010.  The subsequent release of three mixtapes in 2011 ("House of Balloons," "Thursday," "Echoes of Silence") cemented his place in music, a space that had never before been occupied. For an artist to carve their own lane, it is impossible for the public to have any inkling on when that lane will vanish, or even merge.

The Weeknd, whose birth name is Abel Tesfaye grew up in Scarborough, a small town in Toronto Canada. Although small, it has plagued him with experiences that effect who he is and his music.

Upon releasing three works in one year, it is easy for fans to become spoiled, greedy and downright bored. How much life can someone live in one year to make them feel comfortable enough to embark upon such a trilogy?

A lot of life, apparently. The first mixtape dubbed “House of Balloons” isn’t filled with the usual sappy love songs or those hip party songs that have no depth beyond the catchy chorus and nonsensical rhymes. Instead, it’s about a shadowy enigmatic teenager who sees the world as his oyster, as long as it included partying, drugs, and girls to brag about.

Once you move onto the second installment, titled “Thursday,” the mood becomes a little more serious, or as serious as it can be for a kid who thinks he can take over the world, by doing as he pleases, even if it comes at someone else’s expense. Sentiments like such can be heard in a song titled “Lonely Star” where he sings “ It seems like pain and regret are your best friends/ Cause everything you do leads to them/ Well baby, I could be your best friend”

Once you move onto the 3rd and final chapter of the trilogy, the mood changes completely, even the title “Echoes of Silence” evokes sadness. It is here where Tesfaye realizes that his actions were wrong, as if he were at a party the night before, and during his hazy hangover a friend retells him the tales of the night. None of which are flattering. All of those things you’d hoped you didn’t do, you did, and all of the things you’d hoped you didn’t say, you yelled. After all, the last words uttered on the trilogy are “Baby please/Would you end your night with me/Don't you leave me all behind/Don't you leave my little life.”

Thus bringing us to his newest offering, titled “KissLand”. Nearly a year after The Trilogy was released to the masses, little is still known about The Weeknd. Not one interview has been conducted, and the only pictures available were those released by his team. With such a carefully designed method, many wondered if he’d maintain this cloak of anonymity , and if the quality of the music would stay up to par.

Starting with the album cover, The Weeknd has decided to go a different route, instead of a party-ridden woman on the cover, it is him, with his head tiled in a condescending way, as if looking down on you, in a dimly lit room with the only source of light coming from the city behind him.

The album is in no way trekking on new territory, neither is it completely rehashing old material either. It is the type of brash, non sentimental existential hate that encompasses The Weeknd. The subject matter is similar, but on a much grander scale, with deeper bass and more pain.

The first song “ Professional” sets the stage for KissLand  "So you're somebody now/ but what's a somebody in a nobody town?" asks Tesfaye with assertion, letting you know from the start that he still holds the power. The track swings between smooth R&B sounds and odd voice in the background and ends with creepy guitar strings in the background.

It is a very laidback track with increased tension as the beat switches half way in and then you know, The Weeknd has returned.

“The Town” is a sensible follow up, with similar atmospheric changes in the tempo where The Weeknd sings about how much his hometown of Toronto, Canada has changed since his rise to fame has allowed him to do shows around the world, for the past year.

The next song “Adaptation” is one of standout tracks on the album, where it’s obvious his lyrics have improved with lines like “I think I lost the only piece that held it all in place/

Now my madness is the only love I let myself embrace. ”

His musical influences of Prince, R. Kelly and Michael Jackson can be identified on this song, especially when it comes to harmonies and cadences. He rambles on about a girl he has lost, which may have been his one true love. Not once does he deny his wrong doings, but he also sees no point in running a race that has already been lost. What other choice does he have, but to adapt?

“Love in the Sky” features a strong, guitar focused beat, with hard hitting lyrics about even harder drug use. He feels as if the world doesn’t understand him and his only way out is to dream.

This is followed by “Belong to the World,” which is filled with memorable hooks. It is a record that is likely being pushed as the single by his label, Universal Records, who slowly try to push The Weeknd towards commercial success.

Commercial success comes up again in the next song ”Live For,” which features one of the most successful modern day artists, Drake. Drake’s guest verse is a welcomed break from The Weeknd’s over indulgence of life and its generosity. It is here where we catch wind of The Weeknd’s first braggadocios lyrics about money. The high-life is finally his and the only way he can express himself is to explain the reality of his situation, nothing more nothing less.

“Wanderlust” is the sore thumb of the album. A beat laden with quick paced drums trying to emulate an 80’s disco track. Paired with falsetto vocals it sounds like a “Thriller” left over. Its unlike anything you’ve heard from The Weeknd before, with an unmistakable pop/rock influence. A welcomed surprise of sorts as he channels his inner Michael Jackson.

The title track, “KissLand” is next, a story about how much his life has changed in the past year: "I went from staring at the same four walls for 21 years to seeing the whole world in 12 months." The only downside is that he barely remembers how his new condo looks because he hasn’t had a chance to enjoy it yet.

“Pretty” gets confessional again with a beat that seems to force its grips onto you before slowly letting go enough for you to breath and decipher the intricacies of the instrumentals. In this song he revisits an old fling, with his only quip being "You will never feel this beautiful."

The last song is “Tears in the Rain” where The Weeknd feels it all slipping away and fully acknowledge what he has lost. But with this new level of notoriety comes love, that will satisfy him.

Well, for now at least.The last words uttered are ‘it’s so sad it had to be this, she forgot the good things about me/she let it slip away. ‘

KissLand is an album about The Weeknd trying to discover himself. And with money and fame now being tossed his way, it’s harder than ever to be loyal to his true person. He has yet to satisfy himself. However, the rogue and unapologetic journey he travels makes for entertaining, truthful and raw music .All I can ask is that this journey never ends.

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