Crushing the juicy AppleBerry rumor

Although they agree that the idea of the --a combination iPod/BlackBerry--is enough to send gadget addicts directly into rehab--bloggers just aren't biting on the rumor mill's latest flavor-of-the-month.

The concept of the hybrid fruit began to propagate around the Web after analyst Peter Misek of Canaccord Capital suggested Apple Computer and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion might be working on a product together based on the advice of their common partner, Intel. The pairing combines Apple's design expertise with RIM's relationships with carriers and handset makers, Misek said.

But bloggers quickly poked holes in the idea, and, like former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee, questioned whether the strong personalities leading the two companies could work together.

"I want to see the two CEOs of RIM and [Apple CEO Steve] Jobs working together,”" Gassee told the Globe and Mail. "The thought of this menage a trois is absolutely hilarious."

Blog community response:

"When it comes to competition, my money says Jobs would be much more interested in the iBury."
--The Technology Chronicles

"The first hole in the story is why would any sane company ever want Apple iTunes on their employee's phone? I can see just see personnel department counting the man hours being lost to drumming on the desk like you are John Bonham. Second hole is that Apple is already friends with lots of manufacturers and about to release their own phone so why would they upstage themselves with a BlackBerry release?"
--MobileScraper

"Both companies are headed by strong personalities that have historically had "control issues." Getting them to collaborate probably would not be as simple as having Apple drop its metaphorical chocolate into RIM's metaphorical peanut butter. If you have any doubts, just look at how nicely Apple played with Motorola last year with the Rokr cell phone."
--ArsTechnica

"Riiight. As much as we'd love to believe that Apple is partnering with RIM to create some sort of 'AppleBerry' device to play music, check email and cook our breakfast for us, we're going to refrain from getting too hyped up about this latest rumor. Just like most of the "juicier" (i.e., rather fanciful and completely unfounded) rumors these days, this one comes from an analyst...We hope we're wrong, Peter, we really do."
--Engadget