BlackBerry PlayBook Seeing Price-Drops at Some Retailers

[Rob Williams]

Like all other companies that sought out to compete against Apple's iPad, Research In Motion had expected to see its PlayBook tablet fly off of the shelves once it became available. In truth, so did we. The PlayBook brings a fluid UI, brand-new OS, big focus on gestures, a growing app store and unlike most other tablets out there, it supports Adobe's Flash from the get-go.

Read the rest of our post and then discuss it here!

 

[MacMan]

I really like the Playbook, it was much like the Touchpad in ways, tablets that I thought cut-the-mustard, so to speak. Even though some like the 7 inchers like the Playbook, to me they're just too small, which was my main complaint about it.

So far, however, the only tablet that looks to be worth buying, other than the iPad, is the upcoming Windows 8. Every other tablet that I've tried or played with just doesn't cut it, and that goes especially for current Windows tablets. I have and appreciate Windows XP and 7 on the desktop, where they are great OS's, but they where clearly designed for desktops, not tablets.

So, as some predict, Windows 8 and iPad's may be the only real winners here, as nice as the Playbook is, and the Touchpad was.

 

[Rob Williams]

I have never touched a PlayBook, but to me the biggest problem feels like the lack of apps available in the app store. This isn't BlackBerry's problem per se, but a lot of the same apps can be found on both the Apple and Android app stores. I fooled around with my friend's BlackBerry Torch 9860 and looked for apps on that, and the selection just seemed rather limited. I looked up a handful of apps that I hoped to see there, and none of them were.

That said, there are likely a bevvy of unique apps available in that app store that I haven't heard of. One I just discovered is Wikitude... look it up if you want to be freaked out.

So far, however, the only tablet that looks to be worth buying, other than the iPad, is the upcoming Windows 8.

I agree to an extent on this one. The complaint I had above about apps likely wouldn't apply to a Windows tablet, given its wide-range of support, but on the other hand, when I pick up a tablet I don't <em>want</em> an actual desktop OS. At least with the dev preview, Metro can run along-side Explorer just fine, and that's something I wouldn't want. I'd want a dedicated tablet platform, not both.

The next year or two will be very interesting...

 

[marfig]

I think the BlackBerry is meant to become compatible with Android. Or so I seem to remember reading somewhere. Maybe not yet for this device, or maybe only available on a future patch. But the general idea is for Android apps to run on BlackBerry devices.

 

[Rob Williams]

I think the BlackBerry is meant to become compatible with Android. Or so I seem to remember reading somewhere. Maybe not yet for this device, or maybe only available on a future patch. But the general idea is for Android apps to run on BlackBerry devices.

Interesting. That would change everything. BlackBerry + Android sounds like a good deal.

 

[marfig]

Here it is: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/25/blackberry-to-run-android-apps-on-future-qnx-devices/

The interesting thing is that BlackBerries will keep running on top of QNX (which is frankly a superb OS, or you wouldn't have it running on jet fighters).

BTW, what I do like on this device is the small size. It's the smallest tablet device I've seen. It's a perfect fit for those of us who aren't interested on a tablet device as a consumable tool, but more as a useful, but not dominating, complement to our work.

 

[Greg King]

I loved the PlayBook after playing around with it for about 30 minutes at CES last year. The size was right and the hardware seemed capable. Their lack of apps is a downer but that's up to Blackberry to make the platform more attractive to developers.

Android compatibility would really give the device legs to run a longer race against Apple.

I agree with MacMan on a Windows based tablet. A friend of mine picked up a cheap ViewSonic tablet that runs Win7 extremely well. It will be exciting to see Win8 in action on a tablet.

 

[marfig]

So, as some predict, Windows 8 and iPad's may be the only real winners here, as nice as the Playbook is, and the Touchpad was.

I really hope not. For the sake of us consumers, I'd like to see at least two more competing products. That's my only hope for true (meaning, true!) innovation, technological advancements and price reduction on a device that currently simply isn't at the reach of everyone... and yet likes to define itself as a mandatory tool for modern use.

Besides, I'm not so sure about the whole "winners". The fact is that, like the mobile market demonstrated, a winner is simply defined by their ability to generate sustainable profits and growth. Regardless of their position on the list of top-sellers, there certainly is room for more "winners" on today's densely populated market for tech gadgets.

Currently, I'm already happy that true value competitive answers to the iPad have finally emerged and the market seems to start shaping itself. Even the trademark wars that we have been seeing are a sign of the end of a single platform (good riddance!) and the beginning of the free market rules we all have been taught to cherish and protect.