Over the weekend, the Globe & Mail's business section ran a story about Research in Motion reaching a crucial strategic crossroad. The thesis, which is far from new, is that while RIM has enjoyed tremendous success and attracted nearly two million users, it is vulnerable to competitive threats from hardware makers such as Nokia and Samsung, and software developers such as Microsoft. This is legitimate argument given Canada's track record in the high-tech hardware sector is less than stellar, but it unfortunately ignores a key element: RIM's growing and powerful cache as the device for mobile e-mail. Say what you want about the Treo 600, or devices made by Danger Technology, Good Technology and Nokia, the RIM Blackberry is a category monster. Until someone comes up with a much better mousetrap, RIM will continue to be the dominant player. What RIM has managed to become is the default for people looking for on-the-go e-mail. This much-coveted but difficult to attain status is similar to what Apple has with the iPod in the MP3 player space, what eBay has achieved in the online auction space, and what Google has in the online search market. When a company is seen as not only the market leader but the market, it becomes very difficult for rivals to knock it off. Over the years, there have been a flurry of “the sky is falling” stories about RIM but the Waterloo, Ont.-based company continues to roll along. It wasn't that long ago that big, bad Motorola was going to roll over RIM, but where is Motorola these days in the mobile e-mail market? Nokia was also going to be a major treat but has, instead, licensed RIM's software after its original N-Gage product bombed out. Nokia should really focus on making sure its wireless phones are as cool as those made by Samsung and LG before it worries about developing a RIM-killer. Clearly, RIM realizes there is competition on the horizon. Its new 7100T pro-sumer device, which looks more like a phone than a Blackberry, is a positive step and an important strategic foray. For corporate executives who want mobile e-mail, the Blackberry will remain the device of choice. For the rest of us (who have to pay for wireless service each month), the 7100T will be an intriguing choice because it's a phone that also happens to deliver e-mail capability. Instead of people worrying about RIM being caught, perhaps they should be more concern that RIM is hot on the heels of Nokia, Samsung, Motorola and LG.