[gladiatorofyale]

I can remember watching the original iPad media event, "Cool device, but who the heck would really want one of those things."

Fast forward to the iPad 2 launch day, "Me, I want one of those things." and came home with a brand new 32G iPad 2, and absolutely love it.

That brings us to November 2011, I'm tablet name dropping to my girlfriend about the iPad, Android and PlayBook tablets. I've decided I'm going to get her a tablet for Christmas and I'm trying to get a feel for which one she wants. And yes, I'm guilty, I'm extolling the virtues of the iPad trying to lead her down the walled-garden path.

She will have none of that, for her, it's a PlayBook or nothing. She's a torch user. Forgive her, for she knows not what she does. OK I'll get her a PlayBook for Christmas. Her loss.

A few days later I'm on a somewhat long out of city drive and I get a call from her, "The PlayBooks are on sale for $199". Holy Crap, that's $300 off the regular price. Remembering the HP TouchPad fire-sale, I knew I would need to get one right away they'd be out of stock and I'd never get her one.

So I GPSed the nearest Futureshop, pulled in and headed directly to the tablet area. There were three 64G PlayBooks left and four salesmen talking with customers who were hmmmmming about getting one. Finally one of them cracked, the salesman unlocked a glass cabinet and pulled out a 64G PlayBook. There's my opportunity, I leaned over, "You may as well take out another one while your at it."

Got one, she'll be thrilled.

A couple weeks later I happened to be in TheSource and they had a 32G PlayBook. "Hmmm, that price is really too good to pass up, and my iPad really is to big and bulky to be portable. A 7" tablet has it's merits." I bought one for myself.

Well I absolutely love my new PlayBook. The bezel gestures make so much sense, I now hate that darned stupid iPad home button. Connecting to the PlayBook over WiFi and accessing the file system with Windows Explorer is to die for. Swipe to bring it out of Standby. And what is it with the iPad's silly single icon height for managing paused apps, there's a whole screen to use, like the way the PlayBook does it.

The thing is great, and it's portable.

I still use my iPad occasionally and chuckle to myself when I want to close an app by swiping up from the bezel, and then remember I need to press that darned stupid home button.

My PlayBook is quickly becoming my "goto" device.

nice thread . are u planning getting a bb phone

[melb_me]

I don't see this. Although Playbook is good, it doesn't compare to iPad in my opinion. I own both, and without hesitation iPad is my preferred tablet. I find Playbook's interface not as smooth or easy to use. The iPad is easier on the eyes with its 10" display.

Easier on the eyes with its 10" display? WTF The screen is the WORST thing on an ipad. It is dull with poor contrast and blurry lets not forget blurry. There is no comparison between the two screens. The screen on the Playbook is crystal clear. This is just my personal opinion of course but WFT. I sent the Ipad I used to own to my daughter as neither me nor my wife were using it anymore. Ya we both have Playbooks.

[southlander]

The ios5 ipads use 4 or 5 finger "gestures". This allows you to page through open apps , pinch to minimize, lift to get the app menu, etc. I'll stick with my pb but it was a huge stride for them.

Cool. I will check it out.

[ciabo]

now u see, ur girlfriend was right about the torch lol.
I used to have an ipad for work, was borrowed but it was like mine, i downloaded every on it and everything, even tho it was the ipad 1 i thought it was crap, now dont get me wrong, but i dont like apple products. i recently bought a 32GB ipod touch 4 because there are no other good mp3 playerz out there so i thought i'd give it a try, its a good device, not gonna deny it, but idk, i just cant seem to like apple stuff...

[alnamvet68]

I've always been curious why people buy the iPods anymore, now that they're practically an iPhone without the radio. iPhones can now be had for free, or $99.00, or $199.00 for the 4S with a 2 year carrier contract.

[cgull]

My wife has an iPad2 and even though I've only had the PB for a couple of days, shes always bogarting it.

The iPad never really appealed to me. I would pick it up fumble around for a few minutes and then get bored. I do have a Kindle DX for serious reading but I can't put the PB down... even without having 500k apps.

[peter9477]

The screen is the WORST thing on an ipad. It is dull with poor contrast and blurry lets not forget blurry. There is no comparison between the two screens. The screen on the Playbook is crystal clear.

I wonder if some units are defective then? Or whether "blurry" means something different to you than to me. My father-in-law's iPad has a perfectly crisp, clear screen... quite nice really. It's simply not got the same dot-pitch as the PlayBook, with its 169.3 PPI spec. I love the PlayBook's screen, but I've never thought the iPad's screen is "blurry", merely coarser (and larger, of course).

I do agree with the characterization of the iPad button and interface as somewhat "clunky", mind you, and I really like southlander's "graceful" label for the PlayBook. The bezel-swiping and the UI really are quite graceful...

[ciabo]

I've always been curious why people buy the iPods anymore, now that they're practically an iPhone without the radio. iPhones can now be had for free, or $99.00, or $199.00 for the 4S with a 2 year carrier contract.

cuz ialready got my blackberry and i cant afford having an iPhone too, dont wanna pay another line and i dont wanna be tied for another 2 years with a carrier, the ipod is a good choice

[kb5zht]

That's what I'm waiting for before I buy the SMS Bridge App.

Of course, if it doesn't materialize, I will then find enough pennies to buy the app.

Im dying for an official sms bridge app but the $3.99 will do just fine in the meantime. I love it. Works fine; kind of a weird way it works but it works none the less.

[jafobabe]

Im dying for an official sms bridge app but the $3.99 will do just fine in the meantime. I love it. Works fine; kind of a weird way it works but it works none the less.

Thanks for the Quote kb5.. and I do agree with you, but I don't get that many messages <insert crying here> and prefer to wait and see what OS2 brings.

Cheers!

[sk8er_tor]

Great to see the PlayBook love growing!!!
It definitely is a great device.

[glassofpinot]

It was nice to read a story from a genuine real user who was just commenting on his/her actual use - instead of someone steaming up the blog.
As many good posters write - you have to make a choice of products based on what you want and need. For many of us - the Playbook is just too great a value with instant & easy on, with Bridging for great no-cost access to web and email.
Thanks!

[Unsure2]

Easier on the eyes with its 10" display? WTF The screen is the WORST thing on an ipad. It is dull with poor contrast and blurry lets not forget blurry. There is no comparison between the two screens. The screen on the Playbook is crystal clear. This is just my personal opinion of course but WFT. I sent the Ipad I used to own to my daughter as neither me nor my wife were using it anymore. Ya we both have Playbooks.

Well, you had an iPad with a defective screen, then, and should have sent it back to Apple for replacement, not to your daughter. I've checked it out extensively, and, exactly as reviewers state, the iPad has a great IPS screen, sharp and with good contrast.

[Lead_Express]

I disagree with those saying iPad has a bad screen. Mine is very good. I just prefer the smaller form factor of Playbook as well as the intuitive UI. Good to see I'm not the only one who tries to bezel swipe my iPad (of course, I've done it on my Kindle Fire as well). The swiping just makes sense.

[bitek]

Great story. Swiping really is better than the iSpot button on the iPad

this and pb multitasking is something that it would be hard for me to give up ever

[alnamvet68]

this and pb multitasking is something that it would be hard for me to give up ever

Yup.........

[spektakle]

I've always been curious why people buy the iPods anymore, now that they're practically an iPhone without the radio. iPhones can now be had for free, or $99.00, or $199.00 for the 4S with a 2 year carrier contract.

Around here cell phone contracts are 3 yrs and you would be looking at least about $50 a month for a basic plan. I bought my son a ipod touch for $180 for christmas, no contract. He can get all the apps, send msgs, emails etc with no monthly bill. Basically everything else, and he is too young for a cell phone anyway.

Also to the other poster... the ipad screen is not blurry at all. Clearly not as sharp as the playbook but is still pretty nice.

[Stephen-Niall]

For me its the other way around, My girlfriend has an ipad & I have a playbook... I love it, Although whilst I'm using her ipad i do find myself trying to swipe the bezel alot...

[Dapper37]

cuz ialready got my blackberry and i cant afford having an iPhone too, dont wanna pay another line and i dont wanna be tied for another 2 years with a carrier, the ipod is a good choice

Of course you could have used desktop manager to sync you itunes to your BlackBerry and enjoyed dolby surond sound on you BlackBerry.

[torch maniac]

i have none haha

[xanadu5579]

Hi Everyone, I too am new to BB and am the owner of a playbook. I can safely say I was simply blown away when I saw how good it was, I am not a lover of the other fruit and have always preferred android, until now that is.

Since getting it, the playbook has been be the most used item in my house, there for simple web searches, news everything. I am looking forward to the android integration, hopefully there will be many more free apps for it then.

[raysivley]

happened to me as well. im an apple tech and i have all their toys. bought the playbook on sale and loved it. the size, the screen, real stereo speakers. soo much to like but the real deal is bridging to a BB phone, i sold my iphone to do it. now with sms bridge installed on my BB phone i can surf, email and text all right on my beautiful playbook.

nice story, be cool.

there is sms bridge now? Is that a 2.0 beta feature? or an app? I am rocking 1.0.8.6067 on my playbook bridging with a 9650

[Quake97]

I too have an iPad 2. Bought it on launch day last year. I have the 32GB Verizon 3G model. I replaced my laptop with it. The MacBook went upstairs to be the "server" for the home. I've been a huge Apple supported from the Apple IIgs days and have owned just about every Apple device in one way or another.

I got a chance to review a Playbook at work for a month and gladly sent it back. I just couldn't get past the lack of apps. Sure, I'm spoiled as on the iPad. Lately, I find myself just surfing and doing basic, non-app stuff. I'm getting drawn back into the Playbook. I loved the form factor, size and screen. I just wish there were some apps that I use on a daily basis on the Playbook. Stuff like a Verizon FiOS app, TiVo app, Facebook, etc. Maybe if the 16GB goes back down to $199, I'll try it again.

Joe

[Serkle K]

I just wish there were some apps that I use on a daily basis on the Playbook. Stuff like a Verizon FiOS app, TiVo app, Facebook, etc. Maybe if the 16GB goes back down to $199, I'll try it again.

Joe

There is a "native" FaceBook app on the PB... you can also access the full FB site in the browser. I find myself using the app, but I still go to the site directly on my PB.

[Chaddface]

there is sms bridge now? Is that a 2.0 beta feature? or an app? I am rocking 1.0.8.6067 on my playbook bridging with a 9650

SMS bridge is an app for your BB phone. It converts your SMS to email which you read from your PB. Responding to that email sends the message back out as a SMS from your phone.