Right now, RIM is the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. That's a state of affairs that is likely to change before too long. RIM is losing market share to Apple fast as BlackBerry owners desert the cause in order to try out the iPhone for themselves. A lot of the fault for these problems falls on RIM themselves. Their outdated OS and terrible app store are both in need of a major overhaul.

Thankfully, RIM is nothing if not clever. They've finally admitted to themselves that they have a problem, and now they're seeking help for it. They've created a social community for BlackBerry owners called, appropriately enough, MyBlackBerry. It's basically a bulletin board/social media outlet where users can set up their own accounts and talk about RIM products. Depending on which phone you own, sections on the site will be filtered to ensure you don't end up bombarded by discussions of products you don't use.

But the main purpose of MyBlackBerry is to give customers a place to vent. Users are being encouraged to talk about what they like and don't like. RIM needs constructive criticism if they're going to fix the problems they're having and start putting out smartphones that people love again.

MyBlackBerry will launch tomorrow. With any luck some consumer feedback will be just what RIM needs to all of their holes patched up. They've got to energize their hardcore consumers and keep them excited about RIM products. If they can't, they'll be destined for the ignominy of the #3 spot.