Review roundup: BlackBerry PlayBook a promising start, but not quite finished

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  • Reply 61 of 86
    bcs123bcs123 Posts: 46member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    I guess I'm missing what is so poor about 5 hours of video playback. How often is someone going to sit in front of their tablet and watch Titanic and Avatar back to back that "only" 5 hours of video playback is going to matter? I would hardly consider that "normal" use.




    It's not poor. But not optimal. I and 2500 students and teachers at my school use them all day, with no time and place to plug them in. Many are running from 7 am to 4 pm. Apps, browsers, videos, text books, probably games. It's an over generalization to say it's not normal use. For many working people where an ultra portable device without the need for constant charging is useful, this could be q problem.
  • Reply 62 of 86
    myapplelovemyapplelove Posts: 1,515member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    I guess I'm missing what is so poor about 5 hours of video playback. How often is someone going to sit in front of their tablet and watch Titanic and Avatar back to back that "only" 5 hours of video playback is going to matter? I would hardly consider that "normal" use.







    Odd that all of the reviews summarized in the article seem to say otherwise about the Playbook.







    The argument is ridiculous. If you have one of every mobile electronic device category, then buying another device that falls into the same category as one of them doesn't make sense. How many people actually own all 4 and would seriously be considering adding (not replacing) another device to the mix that only duplicates functionality?



    How many people don't own a laptop/desktop and a smart phone? I would say very very few these days. Why would someone then in this case opt for a playbook instead of an ipad to supplement his usage? He's (or she's) got portability covered with a smartphone and he needs a tablet that is fast, robust, with a mature app market and a large screen and battery life? Why would anyone opt for a 7" other than price? If they only aim at reading books, there's also another option in the kindle. The argument is ridiculous in as much as you don't get it, and no the reviews don't say otherwise, unless of course you really do believe someone had been using the playbook for a couple of days and with it's 6 hour bat. life they still have "plenty of juice".





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    It's just because everybody is desperately trying to write about and actually champion other products besides Apple. They need to provide something "fresh" in the tech world. In this case the PlayBook is fresh... Like raw meat.



    lol, clever & funny post.
  • Reply 63 of 86
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ThePixelDoc View Post


    I also took a look at the Engadget video here previewing what's up-and-coming with WinMo7... and I must say, it looks pretty darn slick! A real contender to iOS.



    Seeing that makes me wonder if Apple have anything up their sleeves to do with search. It really is one of the few obvious cracks in their armour that we don't hear about.



    Mapping is another, but I remember they purchased a company to help them with that and I expect we'll see some pretty huge mapping improvements in iOS 5.



    Their entire cloud services and syncing strategy is another... but everyone is waiting with baited breath for them to drop a bomb shell onto the market as far as that goes.



    But nothing to do with search...
  • Reply 64 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mister Snitch View Post


    Agreed. And yet I think the added portability of this form factor is a real consideration for some people. Apple is struggling merely to make enough iPads to meet demand right now, but once they are past that, they are going to want to produce something that DOES fit in a jacket pocket. The market, I believe, will demonstrate that it wants it, and consumers who want that form factor should not be forced to make a non-Apple choice on size alone.



    For starters:









    iPad 2, iPad & MacBook Air Compatible Clothing









    Ipad® Pocket Coat! $31.00









    Secret iPad Jacket? Yep, Secret iPad Jacket
  • Reply 65 of 86
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post






    I have an innate desire to steal his lunch money.
  • Reply 66 of 86
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mister Snitch View Post


    I know what Steve said about Apple not making iPad devices this size. But he also once said Apple had no interest in making tablets. (Anyway, the device need not be a 'small iPad'. It can be a 'big iPod Touch'.) Circumstances change, you adjust.



    1) I don?t recall Jobs stating they had no interest in building a tablet. I seem to recall his comment on the subject was generalized to the tablet market has failed.



    2) Jobs was pretty direct about a 7? tablet not working out well unless you whittled your fingers to points, but note that the iPhone and Touch have ⅛ the display area. That leads me to believe that if we see a 5? to 7? iOS-based iDevice it will be in the iPod category, not the iPad.
  • Reply 67 of 86
    prospprosp Posts: 5member
    Mossberg's review said that you couldn't web bookmarks to the home screen. Is that separate from bookmarks within the internet browser?



    In any case, this feels DOA.



    1) No appeal to non-Blackberry users

    2) Memory gets gobbled up with tethering/Bridge (what is the point of being able to multi-task, if I can't have that many apps open?)

    3) lack of apps, and the ability to run non-Honeycomb apps in the future doesn't excite me (the real question though is how many app developers will actually go through the trouble of submitting the apps to RIMM)

    4)Lack of basic functions at launch (3G, email, calendar, contacts, video chat, sharing photos, etc.)



    One reviewer said buyers may want to compare the Playbook to other smaller tablets (Tab, Streak, etc), but are any of those actually selling? Don't all buyers eventually compare all tablets to the iPad?
  • Reply 68 of 86
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by prosp View Post


    Mossberg's review said that you couldn't web bookmarks to the home screen. Is that separate from bookmarks within the internet browser?



    In any case, this feels DOA.



    1) No appeal to non-Blackberry users

    2) Memory gets gobbled up with tethering/Bridge (what is the point of being able to multi-task, if I can't have that many apps open?)

    3) lack of apps, and the ability to run non-Honeycomb apps in the future doesn't excite me (the real question though is how many app developers will actually go through the trouble of submitting the apps to RIMM)

    4)Lack of basic functions at launch (3G, email, calendar, contacts, video chat, sharing photos, etc.)



    One reviewer said buyers may want to compare the Playbook to other smaller tablets (Tab, Streak, etc), but are any of those actually selling? Don't all buyers eventually compare all tablets to the iPad?



    1) I?d think that bookmarks in the browser are different from bookmarks on the Homescreen, just as they are in iOS. I can see why Mossberg noted it but I don?t think that is a deal breaker.



    2) The limited scope of its market in current form, poorly executed multi-tasking, and lack of apps does make it feel DOA. I can see quite a few being returned. If you were in the market for an Archos tablet and had a BB maybe the PlayBook will work for you.



    3) I wonder if they will eventually get Honeycomb apps. Is Honeycomb offering the display size and resolution of the PlayBook or is it being designed for larger tablets?
  • Reply 69 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ThePixelDoc View Post


    ... as someone above also mentioned and I've stated in the past here: R.I.P. RIM end of 2011, or latest Q1 2012.



    After reading both the Engadget and Anandtech reviews, regardless of whether they, as well as the main-stream reviewers really really want the Playbook to succeed... I see it as a serious "tweener" device... more-so than the iPod Touch or iPad ever was. Which leaves RIM in the exact situation and category of "tweener"... as in: 'tween a rock and a hard place! Nothing more needs to be said as far as I'm concerned, other than: DOA!



    I also took a look at the Engadget video here previewing what's up-and-coming with WinMo7... and I must say, it looks pretty darn slick! A real contender to iOS.



    As we have seen in the past, it always takes a while for MS to really step up and make up their mind, get through the internal bureaucracy, etc... but when they do, they "can"... and have in the past... made some stellar products and software.



    What they're showing off with WinMo7 could be one of those "stellar products", and when it finally comes to light, I see MS once again pulling into the market-share lead just as Gartner reported earlier in the week, which I agreed with. It will be Apple and MS battling for the "Super-Smartphones", and Android at the bottom, with and for, the "free-for-alls".



    I'm actually pulling for MS this time around, because they are seriously backing and pushing HTML5 standards (even better than Apple). I'm so hoping for Flash to die soon for various reasons, and I want Adobe and most of all Google, to feel the serious pain of pushing that crap on us as a viable future technology, and actually having the chutzpah to back-talk at Apple/SJ after calling them out for what they are: trash programmers.



    No. I have not, nor will I change my general attitude towards MS: it's a pain to deal with their products, and they're simply the best copy-machine operators in the world.



    However, they still must be dealt with whether I like it or not as an Apple fan... and going forward, I would much rather deal with their quarks, than that so-called "open platform", or that Canadian "Snoozebox" maker.



    Mark my words: when MS gets this working in tablet form, with compatible Office and Live services... it's game over for Android & RIM (for hooking themselves to the Flash-train).... and I dare say WebOS too... as in "too" late = "too" bad.



    Apple will be just fine... and most of all... still the most profitable computer and personal gadget maker in the world. No one can stop that train



    I would agree agree with everything you said (WP 7 does looks a lot slicker than any of the also-rans) except.... Microsoft has a long, unbroken history of having their software write checks that no existing hardware can cash, and just expecting the manufacturers to deal with it ("Engines are for servants and menials.")



    Those home screen tiles, for example, look like Cover Flow times 12, or whatever it is. I wonder if Microsoft has learned their lesson from the "Vista Ready?" fiasco.
  • Reply 70 of 86
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Who wanted Flash again? This article is a must read.
    I hope AI writes an article on this as it will be a very fun forum thread.
  • Reply 71 of 86
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    It's just because everybody is desperately trying to write about and actually champion other products besides Apple. They need to provide something "fresh" in the tech world. In this case the PlayBook is fresh... Like raw meat.



    That's a good point, but I also thing the average tech writer doesn't really get the user experience thing. Apple is explicitly dedicated to the entire UX, and they're very careful about tradeoffs. Hence, best in class battery life, because Apple feels that long battery life is a priority and they're willing to compromise in some other areas to achieve it.



    Whereas tech reviewers tend to focus on standalone features, even when they come at a cost of usability. They never consider the tradeoffs and costs behind the design decisions, they just assume that the funky stuff will presently be resolved and the shiny is worth it. However, the shiny always comes at a cost, and unless you make the entire UX your number one priority, you're going to get devices that do a few things really well but a bunch of other stuff poorly. That's not something that gets fixed in subsequent iterations, that's a design decision.
  • Reply 72 of 86
    Agreed with some of above comments - the PlayBook will never be the same as the iPad2! There is just something about the iPad2 that will make it innately more hip and innovative than any of its "competitors."
  • Reply 73 of 86


    Well done, great post!
  • Reply 74 of 86
    cycomikocycomiko Posts: 716member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    that's more like the truth, so interpolating the (crap) tests of anandtech it means that if the ipad 2 gets 13 from specs of 10 and playbook 9/10, it means playbook is more in the area of 6-7 hours in stated specs on the box.



    what makes them crap, other than not providing hte results you want?
  • Reply 75 of 86
    cycomikocycomiko Posts: 716member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jon T View Post


    I do not understand that reviewers can call this product "impressive" when it behaves much like a Windows computer, ie:



    - it crashes regularly



    - the software is buggy



    - the battery life is half that of the iPad DESPITE having less than half the screen to power



    Sounds more like when i updated my ipod touch 2gen to iOS4 than any experinece i have had on windows...
  • Reply 76 of 86
    cameronjcameronj Posts: 2,357member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    Hmm well I am impressed they actually are shipping something. Better than nothing, I guess.



    IT HAS NOOOOOOOO EMAIL APP!



    THAT is not better than nothing.



    I'm shocked.
  • Reply 77 of 86
    wovelwovel Posts: 956member
    [
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    That is their ecosystem.



    I think they know the only people who are likely to buy a PlayBook are the die hard BB phone users. All of the casual former BB users have already switched to iPhone and are now under the influence of the RDF.



    Those people like their BBs why would they want to intentionally us the phone battery. No more adapted general use test. Someone tether, run the proper email, web, app test and tell us how long the phone stays alive. 3-4 hours would be my guess.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cameronj View Post


    IT HAS NOOOOOOOO EMAIL APP!



    THAT is not better than nothing.



    I'm shocked.



    Rims board now needs to fire their 53 CEOs and 411 COOs.
  • Reply 78 of 86
    hardikhardik Posts: 6member
    It's appropriate to say that hardware upgrading in all three iPs is going uphill but when it comes to development of iOS then it's not going downhill but unsettlingly straight. Especially in light of Android eating away significant portion of smartphone OS market according to IDC & Gartner. But what I am worried about is RIM Playbook OS.



    Apple seriously need to rethink about multitasking now. A year ago they had said "We want to do it right" in terms of consuming minimum amount of battery but variety of burn tests performed on these PPDs show that though the apps are minimized during multitasking, it still drinks up more than little juice from battery. Even I have also observed & measured these on my iPod touch 4G. Plus it's easier & attractive to multi task on RIM OS.



    In addition RIM tab has integrated dual core processor with it's first model so most of the apps are designed to take an advantage of dual core. And their Appworld is bustling with 3000 apps. I know that it's significantly less then App store but their OS ecosystem looks promising & rich with support of WebKit, SMP, Posix OS, Open GL, adobe flash and adobe mobile AIR. Remarkably their in-app subscriptions based news & magazine apps are going to take an advantage of Flash support.



    With BBM & introducing BlackBerry Bridge it makes life easy for IT and security admins. The Bluetooth tethering between the PlayBook and a BlackBerry smartphone lets users access and view email and other data from the smartphone in a larger format for suited for productivity. Though they need to fix up the sync issue. RIM quickly needs to fix the issues with lack of basic funtions like 3G, Email, Video chat etc at launch in wi-fi tablet.



    About those OS bugs & crashes, they will fix it in upcoming updates & battery life can be improved in future models. But with Blackberry enterprise, secure corporate data access & window and ability to give out Power point presentations via HDMI plus 4G LTE, HSPA+ support makes Playbook a solid contender in terms of business incorporation & other vertical markets.



    When we evaluate the hardware specifications than with 1 GB RAM, 1080p HD video rec., 3/5 f/r cameras, superior codecs for media playback & Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports are all the positive features which are needed in iPad 3 which I doubt not all will appear. And at least not in 2011 as those early iPad 3 rumors are almost diminished.



    Apple needs to be further advanced & to maintain their groundbreaking state-of-the-art iPad status on both Software & Hardware pioneering terms.
  • Reply 79 of 86
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Given that you posted this in another thread and it reads like a press release, you will forgive me for assuming RIM is outsourcing their shilling.
  • Reply 80 of 86
    hardikhardik Posts: 6member
    I understand that I've posted it in different thread, but it was a mistake. I had so many threads ON in different tabs & after realizing it, this thread seemed more related & well conversed so decided to post it again over here with few updates. I hope it's okay.



    I am a new here, have been reading AI from years now but decided to participate in forums subsequently later. And it's not a press release. From the given post some members can get impression that I'm a RIM fan but no I'm not. I've always been critical of RIM. Scarcely used blackberry phones, having considered them the least exciting phones in the world.



    It's just that iPad enthusiasm, reviews, mouth-to-mouth publicity & popularity is relentlessly giving impression of all other companies Tabs as "Dead On Arrival" (e.g. Slate, Galaxy Tab, Xoom) I know Slate was DOA and each of those had some drawbacks & did not succeed. But sometimes it's affecting in the development of healthy competitive market when we overlook the positive & progressive features of other Tabs.



    That's the reason I've decided to point out the optimistic features of PlayBook, Although I am aware of lot of initial level problems with Playbook which can be further trimmed down in upcoming updates & models. There ARE some function oriented issues which should not be there in a Tab on launch.



    Anyways, in general as IDC & other analysts predicted that in 2014, 90% domination of iPad can get shrink down to 65% or even further down. WP7 also looks promising as MS have tendency to learn year after year & give out the best copycat product in true entrepreneurial & monopolized way.
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