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How many here will buy the Playbook or try it out ?

rm2092

rm2092

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 30, 2008
402
2
Ill start by saying that I love Apple products, I have two MBP, iMac, 2 iPhones, iPod, iPad and a Apple Tv what does that say ? Anyways I branched off a bit with a Android phone and like they say you will be back and that was true and with that small departure from the iPhone I had the Galaxy Tab and then gave that back to sprint and stayed with the iPad. I love the iPad and the size but I really do miss the 7" tablet for like work and just on the go much more portable I thought and now wished Apple did make a 7" tablet. So now with the Playbook coming in 2 weeks the specs really look good on this so like the title says who will be trying out the Playbook ?
 
At least as far as tablets go, I don't really have significant brand loyalty. That said, I tend to go with the platform that has the most company and developer support. That is the iOS platform; hands down. Until I see some big-name development companies begin producing Blackberry apps for their tablet offering, I won't be switching.
 
rdowns said:
It's never been about the specs. It's the software.
Click to expand...

BINGO! I have tons of iOS Apps and there are literally several 100 new ones every day. Android (Honeycomb) and RIM don't have crap for Apps so no matter how good the hardware is it can't compete at this time (or the foreseeable future).
 
I tried an android phone a couple months ago. It was fun to begin with, being able to mod the appearance with widgets. However, I soon realized my life is too much integrated with Apple, when I rely on iCal, Mail, safari bookmarks, all synced with MobileMe over the cloud. My experience with my android phone quickly turned into a search on how to do the equivalent tasks with google apps, which at the end failed miscerably after wasting days of my time.

I suppose it would work better for people already wrapping their lives around google apps, like gmail, gcal, etc; who are likely Windows users.

Don't even get me started about the apps, or the lack of apps...
 
Rim really sucks at user interfaces. If the Storm is any indication of how the tablet will be I would stay far far away.
 
I tried the Galaxy Tab at BB - I don't know if it lacked updates, but a few of the websited I visited only showed the left frame... :eek:

It seems that the Android Tablets are only half-baked right now. If an app works on it, it works, or it doesn't and wait until maybe one that does...

No thanks... plus, I've already invested into the iTunes eco-system.
 
Being as this is the first QNX based tablet (by default), I may check it out. The PlayBook is an entirely different beast than the BlackBerry OS used on RIM's handsets.

That being said, I love my iPad, I have even older tablets based on Windows XP Embeded (modded to run a full installation of XP Professional after upgrading the DOM).

I've toyed with some inexpensive Android based tablets some of which were really amazing (Moto Xoom on Verizon) and some that made me cringe (Coby 7" running Android 2.1)

Back to the Playbook, it looks like an interesting piece of tech, sure the apps on launch are not going to be spectacular or blow my socks off, but then again, the Playbook is also pushing for a different market than the iPad. What really interests me down the road is when RIM may end up fusing the QNX os from the Playbook and the BlackBerry 6 (or later) OS for the handsets from RIM.

Overall, I'm a gadget geek and not afraid to admit it. Day one that I got my MacBook Pro, I already had the cover off and upgrading it and seeing what's inside. I have a variety of phones, iPods, (old and new) and just love seeing new toys
 
Why would anyone in their right mind do this?

What does a Playbook actually DO that an iPad can't? Answer: Not much, other than play Flash animations. Which doesn't strike me as a very good reason to spend several hundred dollars.

What does an iPad do that a Playbook (Galaxy, Xoom, etc.) can't? Answer: About 80,000 optimized Applications. Including a good couple of dozen that are simply fantastic.

I buy technology because of what it can do for me. I don't buy technology just for the sake of having it laying around the house. And I certainly don't buy it because it's got "widgets" running in the background.
 
Why anyone would buy a tablet without a native email client is beyond me. If you don't have a blackberry, don't bother buying the Playbook.
 
ani23 said:
Rim really sucks at user interfaces. If the Storm is any indication of how the tablet will be I would stay far far away.
Click to expand...

In all fairness don't use a flop as a benchmark, look more at the torch from RIM at least to get an idea.
 
PhoneI said:
Why anyone would buy a tablet without a native email client is beyond me. If you don't have a blackberry, don't bother buying the Playbook.
Click to expand...

But if you do have a blackberry then the integration between phone and tablet is a big plus. There's also a native email client coming. That said, I can see how this could be a big issue for non-blackberry owning consumers who are interested in the playbook and want it at launch.

I'm interested in getting a tablet but am holding off until the playbook launches. I'm not sure how I feel about the 7" screen and it's definitely missing the robust app store that the iPad has. On the other hand, it would integrate better with my phone, and the OS looks like it may be better designed for use on a tablet.

If you haven't watched any of the playbook demo videos then check them out -- especially if you're concerned about the user interface. It's very reminiscent of web-os and looks like it could work really well.
 
7" isn't a tablet. 10" iPad can display letter page PDF. 7" is just awkard size that's too big to fit in the pocket and too small to be useful.

Just see how well t he 7" Samsung tab 'works'
 
euphoria47 said:
In all fairness don't use a flop as a benchmark, look more at the torch from RIM at least to get an idea.
Click to expand...

OK, fair enough.

I test drove (so to speak) a torch. The UI still sucked. Better than many of the android UI features, but still crap.

Anything else? :p
 
AZREOSpecialist said:
What a minute... The Playbook doesn't do email? FAIL!
Click to expand...

It does do email, but at launch it will require a connection to a blackberry phone to access the email app.

Email on a blackberry doesn't work like email on an iphone -- all email communication goes through a secure RIM server before being pushed to your device. That security can be a big plus for RIM's enterprise customers.

Because the playbook uses an entirely new operating system RIM hasn't had time to develop native apps for the playbook that use that secure connection. Instead, for the time being, they piggy back off a "bridged" blackberry's connection with the playbook basically acting as a VNC client for the email app on the phone.

Obviously, this isn't ideal. If you have a blackberry then the bridge mode actually has some benefits -- you can access your email, calendar, and blackberry messenger on the playbook without a 3G connection and with no tethering charges. If you don't have a blackberry then it's a bigger deal.
 
panoz7 said:
It does do email, but at launch it will require a connection to a blackberry phone to access the email app.

Email on a blackberry doesn't work like email on an iphone -- all email communication goes through a secure RIM server before being pushed to your device. That security can be a big plus for RIM's enterprise customers.

Because the playbook uses an entirely new operating system RIM hasn't had time to develop native apps for the playbook that use that secure connection. Instead, for the time being, they piggy back off a "bridged" blackberry's connection with the playbook basically acting as a VNC client for the email app on the phone.

Obviously, this isn't ideal. If you have a blackberry then the bridge mode actually has some benefits -- you can access your email, calendar, and blackberry messenger on the playbook without a 3G connection and with no tethering charges. If you don't have a blackberry then it's a bigger deal.
Click to expand...

Almost Reminds me of the folio.
 
It will be interesting to see if Steve Jobs is once again right about 7" tablets being DOA. Personally as a iPhone 4 and iPad 2 user the other tablets do not offer enough for me to go out and buy them. I have played with the Moto Xoom extensively at work and expect to do the same with the playbook.
 
panoz7 said:
But if you do have a blackberry then the integration between phone and tablet is a big plus. There's also a native email client coming. That said, I can see how this could be a big issue for non-blackberry owning consumers who are interested in the playbook and want it at launch.

I'm interested in getting a tablet but am holding off until the playbook launches. I'm not sure how I feel about the 7" screen and it's definitely missing the robust app store that the iPad has. On the other hand, it would integrate better with my phone, and the OS looks like it may be better designed for use on a tablet.

If you haven't watched any of the playbook demo videos then check them out -- especially if you're concerned about the user interface. It's very reminiscent of web-os and looks like it could work really well.
Click to expand...

"There is a native email app coming"..... How anybody can except this excuse is crazy. Can you imagine if Apple released the iPad without an email client? There is no excuse for releasing a product in which they clearly admit, that its missing major features. This thing has disaster written all over it.
 
shen said:
OK, fair enough.

I test drove (so to speak) a torch. The UI still sucked. Better than many of the android UI features, but still crap.

Anything else? :p
Click to expand...

You are preaching to the converted, my friend. I totally agree that the 'berry ui is still very utilitarian and a convoluted mess of settings menus within settings menus. I'd take a playbook out for a run, see what is what. IMO to release a tablet without an email client (or email coming after release) is, as somebody else mentioned: FAIL.

Better off just delaying it a few more weeks at this rate, not like anybody would be surprised lol.
 
PhoneI said:
"There is a native email app coming"..... How anybody can except this excuse is crazy. Can you imagine if Apple released the iPad without an email client? There is no excuse for releasing a product in which they clearly admit, that its missing major features. This thing has disaster written all over it.
Click to expand...

RIM is obviously taking a gamble here. Compromising on email security wasn't an option, so that left delaying the tablet for a few months or launching it earlier but without native email. Time will tell whether that gamble pays off.

It's also important to realize that RIM isn't targetting this at the same audience as the iPad. The playbook is geared more towards enterprise usage, and many of its potential consumers will already have a blackberry, somewhat mitigating the lack of a native email app.
 
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PhoneI said:
"There is a native email app coming"..... How anybody can except this excuse is crazy. Can you imagine if Apple released the iPad without an email client? There is no excuse for releasing a product in which they clearly admit, that its missing major features. This thing has disaster written all over it.
Click to expand...

Enterprise users were the ones who asked for the blackberry bridge system. It works for bussiness users as many people could share one playbook. From a security standpoint brige is great.
 
I can see the playbook going the way of the xoom. Give it a few months after launch...
 
shingi70 said:
Enterprise users were the ones who asked for the blackberry bridge system. It works for bussiness users as many people could share one playbook. From a security standpoint brige is great.
Click to expand...

Do you really think a tablet is something you want to share?
 
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