Playbook OS 2.0 Released 90
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 (Score:5, Insightful)
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 (Score:4, Insightful)
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? (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't believe this for a second (Score:3, Insightful)
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 (Score:4, Insightful)
I think they were only leading the industry because their conventional, usable competitors hadn't yet been invented.
Re:I hate subjects (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I hate subjects (Score:5, Insightful)
Bang for the buck, when discounted (Score:3, Insightful)
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 (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I hate subjects (Score:4, Insightful)
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.