BlackBerry PlayBook reviews - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

james99 · 2011-04-14, 08:56 AM

The BlackBerry PlayBook isn’t just the first tablet out of Research In Motion — it’s the first product to emerge from the company’s new do-or-die strategy. The PlayBook combines and showcases the underlying fabric that will set RIM up for the next 10 years. With RIM rumored to have only started working on the PlayBook within the last 10-12 months, is RIM’s tablet a true, viable competitor in the tablet space? I’ve been using a PlayBook for more than a week now, and I have to say… the PlayBook definitely surprised me in several ways. Hit the break for my full review of RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook.

james99 · 2011-04-14, 08:58 AM

Officially announced in September of last year, the long-awaited BlackBerry PlayBook finally goes on sale April 19th, with a starting price of $499. Featuring the all-new BlackBerry Tablet OS, the PlayBook sports a 7" display that makes this tablet more portable for everyday use than Apple's iPad.

NeilN · 2011-04-14, 09:27 AM

http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20110413...aybook-review/

Quote:

PlayBook: A Tablet With a Case Of Codependency

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet has a great interface and a beautiful screen. But its dependence on a nearby BlackBerry connection makes it impractical for most people, writes Walt.

NeilN · 2011-04-14, 09:35 AM

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/t...ref=technology

Quote:

[T]he PlayBook does three impressive things that its rivals — the iPad and the Android tablets — can only dream about.

First, with a special HDMI cable (not included), you can hook it up to a TV or projector, which is great for PowerPoint presentations...

The second cool feature has to do with loading the tablet with your music, photos and music. [O]nce you’ve set up this process using a USB cable, you can do it thereafter over Wi-Fi — wirelessly. The PlayBook can even accept such wireless transfers when it’s in sleep mode, sitting in your purse or briefcase across the room.

Finally, there’s a wild, wireless Bluetooth connection feature called BlackBerry Bridge. In this setup, the PlayBook acts as a giant viewing window onto the contents of a BlackBerry phone. Whatever e-mail, calendar, address book and instant messages are on the BlackBerry now show up on the PlayBook’s much roomier screen — a live, encrypted two-way link.
...
The PlayBook, then, is convenient, fast and coherently designed. But in its current half-baked form, it seems almost silly to try to assess it, let alone buy it.

Remember, the primary competition is an iPad — the same price, but much thinner, much bigger screen and a library of 300,000 apps. In that light, does it make sense to buy a fledgling tablet with no built-in e-mail or calendar, no cellular connection, no videochat, Skype, no Notes app, no GPS app, no videochat, no Pandora radio and no Angry Birds?

You should also know that even now, only days before the PlayBook goes on sale April 19, the software is buggy and still undergoing feverish daily revision. And the all-important BlackBerry Bridge feature is still in beta testing. It’s missing important features, like the ability to view e-mail file attachments or click a link in an e-mail.

If all of this gets fixed, the apps arrive, and the PlayBook can survive this year’s onslaught of rival tablets, then it may one day wind up in the pantheon of greats. For now, there are too many features that live only in R.I.M.’s playbook — and not enough in its PlayBook.

hugh · 2011-04-14, 11:39 AM

Review by Walt Mossberg was negative.

He liked the device and the user interface but was negative on the inability to do email etc without being tethered to a blackberry and the lack of apps.

james99 · 2011-04-14, 12:53 PM

There are a few pieces of software that are not available at launch time and tethering is the short term solution.

These items are coming but not at launch.

Not a issue for me since my Blackberry smartphone works fine with my POP3 personal email but I'll be glad to have it on the device as well. I'll be patient.

I can also access email via webmail.

Once wifi tethering comes out for Blackberry handsets, it will also improve the overall experience since my experience with bluetooth tethering wasn't as straight forward.

Veee · 2011-04-14, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugh

Review by Walt Mossberg was negative.

He liked the device and the user interface but was negative on the inability to do email etc without being tethered to a blackberry and the lack of apps.

The user interface is the most important factor. Those two negatives are temporary -though you can do email and everything else with the browser.

NeilN · 2011-04-14, 02:54 PM

Isn't the Playbook supposed to be able to run Android apps? I haven't seen a review of that functionality.

james99 · 2011-04-14, 03:08 PM

Apps need to be ported by android developer. Not sure if any are in production yet since the tool is very new for doing this.

Collection of reviews:

More BlackBerry PlayBook Reviews

Anandtech
PCMag (Sascha Segan)
BGR
Josh Topolsky
Engadget
Gizmodo
WSJ
NYT
CNET
TechCrunch
Laptop Mag
Gigaom
PCMag (Tim Gideon)
Bloomberg
USA Today
Associated Press

99semaj · 2011-04-14, 04:43 PM

Not a very warm reception looking at the first half-dozen or so reviews that are coming across the wire, with most reviewers panning the lack of apps, browser performance and particularly Flash performance as below expectations.

Most reviews concede there is strong potential, but many important elements are not available at launch. Given that RIM is last one to the party, I would have hoped they could waited and released a mature product instead of racing in with an unfinished offering. At the very least, an email client and a PIM, which is the one thing they should have had going for them!!!

But...reviewers are known to be twits, so let's see how the market responds. Here's hoping that RIM can reinvent themselves with Playbook!

135iAndy · 2011-04-14, 04:44 PM

Android apps will run in VM.
Android runs on Cellphones, in VM.
Cellphones with Android boot the Linux kernel then run the VM engine.

All RIM has to do (not that minor, but do-able) convert VM engine from Linux to QNX.

james99 · 2011-04-14, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99semaj

Given that RIM is last one to the party,

HP is still coming out with the Palm OS Tablet.

Blu-ray was also an unfinished product when it was released.

Nuje · 2011-04-15, 01:02 AM

Interesting how much leeway james99 is willing to give Blackberry on their release, while so quick to find fault with the iPhone and iPad.

From the reviews, it sounds like they're rushing it out the doors just to say they have it released; for all intents and purposes, though, it sounds like another few months of development time would have lead to a much stronger first impression among many pundits.

hugh · 2011-04-15, 09:15 AM

Yeah but it does Flash!

IMO, I think this is a huge disaster for Blackberry.

Coming to market with a half baked product was a huge mistake. No one will care six months from now when the PlayBook finally lets you send texts and emails with it.

And don't get me started on the tethering issue!

Since it's baseball season, I'd say Apple's hit a home run, the Tab struck out, Xoom hit a single and the Playbook got on base with a walk.

Next up: Acer and HP.

jem · 2011-04-15, 02:40 PM

RIM's approach always seems to be staid. I really don't see them taking the general tablet market by storm any time soon. They just don't have the "flash" (sorry) to capture that audience. As good, solid business tools, they rule, but I don't see a solid business reason for the Playbook. Do I really want to have to carry both?

2011-04-14, 08:56 AM	#1
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	BlackBerry PlayBook reviews The BlackBerry PlayBook isn’t just the first tablet out of Research In Motion — it’s the first product to emerge from the company’s new do-or-die strategy. The PlayBook combines and showcases the underlying fabric that will set RIM up for the next 10 years. With RIM rumored to have only started working on the PlayBook within the last 10-12 months, is RIM’s tablet a true, viable competitor in the tablet space? I’ve been using a PlayBook for more than a week now, and I have to say… the PlayBook definitely surprised me in several ways. Hit the break for my full review of RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook.

2011-04-14, 08:58 AM	#2
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	CrackBerry.com's Review of the BlackBerry PlayBook - the first BlackBerry tablet Officially announced in September of last year, the long-awaited BlackBerry PlayBook finally goes on sale April 19th, with a starting price of $499. Featuring the all-new BlackBerry Tablet OS, the PlayBook sports a 7" display that makes this tablet more portable for everyday use than Apple's iPad.

2011-04-14, 11:39 AM	#5
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Review by Walt Mossberg was negative. He liked the device and the user interface but was negative on the inability to do email etc without being tethered to a blackberry and the lack of apps. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

2011-04-15, 09:15 AM	#14
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,492	Yeah but it does Flash! IMO, I think this is a huge disaster for Blackberry. Coming to market with a half baked product was a huge mistake. No one will care six months from now when the PlayBook finally lets you send texts and emails with it. And don't get me started on the tethering issue! Since it's baseball season, I'd say Apple's hit a home run, the Tab struck out, Xoom hit a single and the Playbook got on base with a walk. Next up: Acer and HP. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

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2011-04-14, 12:53 PM	#6
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	There are a few pieces of software that are not available at launch time and tethering is the short term solution. These items are coming but not at launch. Not a issue for me since my Blackberry smartphone works fine with my POP3 personal email but I'll be glad to have it on the device as well. I'll be patient. I can also access email via webmail. Once wifi tethering comes out for Blackberry handsets, it will also improve the overall experience since my experience with bluetooth tethering wasn't as straight forward.

2011-04-14, 02:54 PM	#8
NeilN Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North York Posts: 1,614	Isn't the Playbook supposed to be able to run Android apps? I haven't seen a review of that functionality.

2011-04-14, 03:08 PM	#9
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	Apps need to be ported by android developer. Not sure if any are in production yet since the tool is very new for doing this. Collection of reviews: More BlackBerry PlayBook Reviews Anandtech PCMag (Sascha Segan) BGR Josh Topolsky Engadget Gizmodo WSJ NYT CNET TechCrunch Laptop Mag Gigaom PCMag (Tim Gideon) Bloomberg USA Today Associated Press

2011-04-14, 04:43 PM	#10
99semaj Veteran Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: /dev/null Posts: 2,663	Not a very warm reception looking at the first half-dozen or so reviews that are coming across the wire, with most reviewers panning the lack of apps, browser performance and particularly Flash performance as below expectations. Most reviews concede there is strong potential, but many important elements are not available at launch. Given that RIM is last one to the party, I would have hoped they could waited and released a mature product instead of racing in with an unfinished offering. At the very least, an email client and a PIM, which is the one thing they should have had going for them!!! But...reviewers are known to be twits, so let's see how the market responds. Here's hoping that RIM can reinvent themselves with Playbook!

2011-04-14, 04:44 PM	#11
135iAndy Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mississauga Posts: 122	Android apps will run in VM. Android runs on Cellphones, in VM. Cellphones with Android boot the Linux kernel then run the VM engine. All RIM has to do (not that minor, but do-able) convert VM engine from Linux to QNX.

2011-04-15, 01:02 AM	#13
Nuje Veteran Join Date: May 2002 Location: A charted un-desert isle Posts: 2,465	Interesting how much leeway james99 is willing to give Blackberry on their release, while so quick to find fault with the iPhone and iPad. From the reviews, it sounds like they're rushing it out the doors just to say they have it released; for all intents and purposes, though, it sounds like another few months of development time would have lead to a much stronger first impression among many pundits.

2011-04-15, 02:40 PM	#15
jem Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 540	RIM's approach always seems to be staid. I really don't see them taking the general tablet market by storm any time soon. They just don't have the "flash" (sorry) to capture that audience. As good, solid business tools, they rule, but I don't see a solid business reason for the Playbook. Do I really want to have to carry both?