[omniusovermind]

If these apps never come to the Playbook, do you think it will continue to sell in 2012 and beyond?

[adrenaline_x]

Yes.

As long as there are comparable services.

It needs cross platform video conferencing and its retarded that skype hasn't been ported yet.

[goku_vegeta]

Yes.

As long as there are comparable services.

It needs cross platform video conferencing and its retarded that skype hasn't been ported yet.

What's even more ridiculous is that Skype blatantly stated they will not be making a PlayBook app.

[kennyliu]

The question is not about whether the Playbook will have a future without major apps or not, but what kind of a future.

If RIM doesn't/hasn't discontinued the Playbook, will the absence of these apps affect the sales?

My opinion is "yes, absence of major apps, including a cross-platform communication solution, is a major factor affecting the commercial viability of the Playbook".

Will the Playbook die just because of these apps? Probably not.

[Marty_LK]

There are others better than Skype. ooVoo and Tango are much better. And Skype is owned by Microsoft so it is ridiculous it hasn't been ported to everything except Windows Phone.

Netflix is waiting for Cascades and BB10 before issuing an app...my prediction from the well-known thread about app frustration.

[GreyGhostRos]

Hopefully the BB10 demos seduce them into porting it to the Playbook soon..

[DarcDroid]

Hopefully the BB10 demos seduce them into porting it to the Playbook soon..

If Microsoft releases Skype for QNX, it's like releasing BBM to Android and iOS

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Crackberry Apps

[zynks]

There are others better than Skype. ooVoo and Tango are much better. And Skype is owned by Microsoft so it is ridiculous it hasn't been ported to everything except Windows Phone.

There are many "better things" that died because they lacked market penetration, critical mass. If Skype is not the solution, the first alternative to look at should be Google Talk.

Edit: addressing the question: Playbook will survive without those two apps, but it will suffer unless it gets a good alternative to address the gap. Personally I don't care about Netflix.

[jamezalexander]

Kindle does fine without Skype or a Camera.

[angellsl]

The best is to have pb video chat to be able to communicate with Skype. An integrated video chat.

[Spinal]

Kindle does fine without Skype or a Camera.

thats because its primary function is an e-book reader, i mean really how many people use the camera on a tablet, and im not talking about the select people on here, most people say 'this tablet doesn't have a camera? no big deal i have my cellphone anyway.'

my RIM rep at work said skype is apparently coming to the playbook and he was pretty adamant about it too, and the reason its not here yet is all due to paper pushing, but he said its coming so who knows, not like i'll hold my breath.

RIM shouldn't focus too much on how to compare themselves to other tablet manufacturers, IMO they should differentiate, and make those features outstanding, kinda like they've done with bridge; but also make the browser like a real computer browers (no ones done that yet!) enable the user to have some more control over the device (a music equalizer would be nice seeing as their phones have one) - little things like that make a big difference.

[angellsl]

If Microsoft releases Skype for QNX, it's like releasing BBM to Android and iOS

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Crackberry Apps

Might not true. Skype can make money on its own independent of platform.
In case you don't know, Skype is not fully functional in windows phone 7 yet, at least no background running yet, kind of joke, right? Microsoft even has not made Skype work for its own devices after it bought Skype, not to mention other devices.

[BerryClever]

I agree with Kenny on this. These apps with affect the sales, but the PlayBook will not die from it. Skype, Netflix, and even Kindle apps would help the sales, but for some those are not important to their needs.

If someone needs or wants a specific app (big name or small), then it will affect the sales of that particular tablet. I hope RIM continues to try to get Skype and Netfix, but whether or not they can, they should focus some work on creating must have apps in house *and market them*. RIM could get a boost if there were a few apps that people wanted that wasn't on Apple or Android. Either they need to do as MS does with the Xbox and buy it outright, or make it in house. Most importantly, they need to market the of out of it. Put out an assault of TV, radio, and print ads. Sponsor TV shows and have them use the product while working in their killer app somehow. Get it in news casters hands (apple did on NBC and MSNBC), and get QNX in cars (not talking about the high end sports cars, but in Toyotas and Fords).

OK, I am going off on a bit of a tangent, but RIM needs to make an app or get exclusive rights to an app and market it so that other companies have to ask "what is our future without ___". Apple has the marketing down to get the apps (biggest consumer pool brings in more developers), Google has staple apps/services people already used (Gmail, Gcal, GoogleMaps, etc)... BlackBerry either needs to make some staple apps non-BB users know about, or market better. At least that is my opinion.

[BerryClever]

Kindle does fine without Skype or a Camera.

Not saying it is because of Skype or a camera (maybe it is because PB is doing well!), but I read a headline that said the Kindle sales went down lower than expected. I should state that I read this late last night and didn't read the article. But I did see it on the 360 app for PlayBook . Downloaded it last night and I think it will be my new go to News app.

[DanielFariasV]

The answer is yes, it will, i personally think that netflix is coming, not sure about skype but maybe there is gonna be another app that supports it, we'll see what happens RIMs future gets better and better with the days

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

[BerryClever]

If Microsoft releases Skype for QNX, it's like releasing BBM to Android and iOS

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Crackberry Apps

Microsoft has it on iOS and Android even though they are in competition with Apple and Google. A major draw of Skype is that it is cross platform, so for MS it would be wise to release it to BB10 if there is enough of a consumer pool. BBM was meant for BlackBerry to BlackBerry and they did not/do not want it to be cross platform.

If BB10 shows a significant growth in consumers than I am willing to bet that Skype and Netflix will make a showing. Neither has anything to lose, but rather they both gain. Kindle might not show up because the hardware is priced the same on both and Amazon needs to have a "one up"... and that "one up" is not hardware.

[dbmalloy]

If the Playbook's viability is determined by a two or three must have ( in some people's mind" apps... then it deserves to die........

[Toodeurep]

Assuming RIM isn't stopping others from creating such apps, eventually a cross-platform video chat will find its way to the PB.

I think it can survive without the two you mentioned.

[BB_Bmore]

Remember the playbook is getting blackberry10 so the question is will all blackberry devices have a future without these two apps?

Imo Netflix can never come and BlackBerry would be fine.
A cross platform video messaging service is crucial though.

BlackBerry10 needs this to survive and Imo it don't have to be skype but they do need to figure out something. I hope Rim realizes this.

It would be sweet if Skype was holding out for the cascades release but I think that is just wishful thinking.

RIM should supercharge BBM and make it cross platform...problem solved.

[BigAl_BB9900]

The question is not about whether the Playbook will have a future without major apps or not, but what kind of a future.

If RIM doesn't/hasn't discontinued the Playbook, will the absence of these apps affect the sales?

My opinion is "yes, absence of major apps, including a cross-platform communication solution, is a major factor affecting the commercial viability of the Playbook".

Will the Playbook die just because of these apps? Probably not.

Agree! (This must be the third thread this month when I have totally agreed with one of Kenny's posts)

Not having Skype is a big barrier to business uptake - the lack of Skype must greatly hinder procurement by businesses

Not having Skype does not mean that RIM won't be able to sell the PlayBook - what it means is that they will be able to sell far less of them - which leads to higher prices, which leads to less sales, etc, etc - a vicious and commercially damaging cycle

Last week, some colleagues were hugely impressed and excited by the PlayBook when they saw me video chatting with a friend (UK <-> USA) - there were some very positive comments about the PB, including: picture quality, ease of use, handy smaller size & lower weight than an iPad - all three of them then asked about Skype, all three of them were then hugely disappointed & unimpressed when they found out that the PlayBook does not yet run Skype

[alnamvet68]

I'm of the opinion that RIM needs to develop an in-house native app that will do what Skype does, only better, and is cross platform. It should be available for both BB phones and the PB, and available to any brand smartphone.

[Tre Lawrence]

There are others better than Skype. ooVoo and Tango are much better. .

I just mentioned ooVoo in another thread. Could be a good pickup; RIM should try to get a fairly popular cross-platform alternative, and ooVoo fits the bill.

Vet, I like your idea, but I think RIM would be better served by attaching to something already established. How about finding a way to get videochat with aforementioned ooVoo? That way, RIM keeps a jewel (BBM) in-house AND gives added cross-platform communication functionality.

I admit I don't know how or if it would work in practice, but I think the clamoring Skype is a bit overdone at the moment. As for the initial question, RIM should quit allowing itself to held to ransom by these entities. I think consumers would be happy with viable alternatives.

[indio810]

Netflix and Skype are important features because we spent money on a product (a very good one at that) and expected certain things (apps) and found out we got dupped. I thought and wished the playbook would've been the best tablet out there and it does have the potential to be just that but without those certain apps its not happening! There's even apps that r for BB smartphones that r not on playbook like, Hopstop, Rhapsody just for a few. Ive had mixed emotions so far about The playbook and ive only had it since February! But I'll be patient cause i have to.

[anthogag]

As another poster stated. With RIM's concept of flow they need to make video chats on the playbook cross platform and transparent...you want to video chat with someone, e.g. Touch the persons picture and start talking right there...pinch zoom to make the picture bigger

[superdookie67]

Being cross platform, I sure hope skype makes it to the playbook and BB10. Until then, a different third party app could help, but won't mean everything(perception) to the devices that skype would.

In the meantime, I would love every BB10 device to have a front facing camera. They could integrate the playbook video chat into bbm, making just one app.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk