Playbook OS 2.0 Released

Alt-kun writes "On February 21st, The Blackberry Playbook finally received its long-promised overhaul. Called Playbook OS 2.0, this major upgrade provides native email and calendaring apps, limited support for Android applications (the developer has to repackage the app for the Playbook), and a bunch of other features. There are some fairly positive initial reviews, although one can no doubt expect a lot of too-little-too-late naysaying from various quarters as well. The Globe and Mail article also contains this somewhat interesting note: '...until RIM began deep discounting ... the device languished way behind rivals such as the iPad in terms of market share. One recent report by Toronto-based Solutions Research Group, however, pegs RIM's share of the tablet market at around 15 per cent, a big jump after discounting over the holiday buying season.'" ZDNet has some screenshots of the new features, and El Reg has a piece on an interesting bit of the new software.

I hate subjects

[Anonymous Coward]

The fact that the Playbook didn't have native email (without tethering to a Blackberry phone) from the start speaks enormously about what's wrong with RIM (or RIM's management, to be precise). The guys in charge thought "this will increase phone sales since people will want email." Not only is that idiotic reasoning considering all the tablet competition, it's a shitty attitude to have towards your customers.

Make people WANT to buy RIM phones, not have to.

Re:I hate subjects

[Andy Dodd]

Yup... "native email" as an important update feature is BAD NEWS - because it should have been one of the FIRST features in the initial OS release!

For critical basic features like this to be missing from the initial release, and to take this long (basically, when the hardware is becoming obsolete), is completely inexcusable.

Good app recommendations?

[silverpig]

I got the Playbook yesterday and love it already. Bridge works great and the UI is very well thought out. There are some features that even to the iPad. When you type in a password field, the keyboard adds a number row to the top for example. That being said what are some good apps? I am using Lemma for my twitter client. Any other little gems?

I don't believe this for a second

[Anonymous Coward]

One recent report by Toronto-based Solutions Research Group, however, pegs RIM's share of the tablet market at around 15 per cent

No bloody way. I'd love to see some actual data on this.

Re:Take note

[Tarlus]

I think they were only leading the industry because their conventional, usable competitors hadn't yet been invented.

Re:I hate subjects

[UnknowingFool]

No this was their fallback position when the reviews started coming in critical of the lack of email functionality. The fact of the matter was that adapting Qnx to be their OS would take years to do and Apple and Android already had sizable leads. RIM needed to release a product to compete; releasing it incomplete was the option they chose rather than releasing it later but complete (but still behind).

Re:I hate subjects

[ArhcAngel]

As someone who has a BlackBerry Torch and a PlayBook I can attest to how well the two are integrated. Once I had Bridge installed on my Torch and paired with the PlayBook you would swear there was a native email/calender/contacts list on the device (as long as the phone was close by). I really don't understand the hate on the device. It is an impeccable mobile device with arguably the best browser of any mobile OS. I haven't needed an app that wasn't available. I have several Android applications installed and they work flawlessly. I guess people need to feel good about their purchase so their put down the device they didn't get.

Bang for the buck, when discounted

[Anonymous Coward]

I picked up a playbook earlier this month, and am loving it [*ducks*].
But seriously, I had planned on getting a kindle fire for a cheap and light web-browsing, pass-the-time gaming, and music and movies for the kids. Then the playbooks went on sale and for the same price I got twice the memory (1GB RAM vs 512MB and 16GB SSD vs 8GB) plus font and back cameras.

Admittedly the apps aren't there for many people, but there are enough for me. Also, the browser is as good or better than many android tablets I've tried (with exception of Hulu which I can't get to work). I figure the number of apps will grow, but I'm stuck with the hardware (I use stuff until it's beyond repair, so I plan on 5yrs or so) for me it's a better investment.

Re:I hate subjects

[uglyduckling]

No, "native email" means IMAP and POP3 to the vast majority of people. The general public buying a tablet expect to be able to use a desktop-like email client on their tablet.

Re:I hate subjects

[Pope]

My understanding is that BES is locked down to one user = one device, so if you already had a BB phone accessing your email with BES, you couldn't "share" that account with another device.

Made total sense for all the years they've been around, until they decided to create the Playbook.