[1812dave]

I can't see RIM selling the Playbook and not having a newer/improved model 6-8 months later and not sending out os updates when released(.....or leaked) for any BB device.

What?? There isn't much wrong with the hardware. It's the s/w that needs to simmer a bit longer in the pot.

[Blacklatino]

What?? There isn't much wrong with the hardware. It's the s/w that needs to simmer a bit longer in the pot.

What? Never said there was "anything" wrong with the hardware.

[saudi_king]

This is so funny on so many levels...BES, is not secure? What really happens is the top wigs want iPhones while IT doesn't. Please tell me why it isn't secure. I hope that you don't think iOS or Android is. My guess is one of two things: you are a troll which is obvious or you got burned by a BES install because you could not follow instructions.

As far as the OP goes I would get them. I'm sure if the first 5000 doesn't like it the other 37,000 will.

I totally agree. This person is a troll. Hit ultimatum is ridiculous and even laughable. The biggest risk to your business is NOT getting a PlayBook. The more the better.

[saudi_king]

To the OP, and any other C-level employees looking for deployment advice, why would you even be considering a PB at this time? How could you possibly justify purchasing something that requires hacks and workarounds to provide basic functionality? How do you justify supporting software that is clearly still in the beta phase regardless of version number? How can you support something that still requires daily to weekly builds?

As a fanboy and consumer, you can buy anything you want. As an IT pro, you have to be insane to have this device in its current state on your shortlist. How do you justify even considering it?

The PlayBook doesn't require any "hacks" or "workarounds" to provide core functionality. What are you smoking?

[Sirhill]

Ah, thank you for taking the time to see me. Let me introduce myself. I'm the Devil's Advocate.

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. A RIM corporate sales rep will tell you anything you want to hear to make the sale. No sales rep in their right mind would ever come out and advise the client in a truthful manner even if a product isn't destined for the long haul when 2.5M is on the line. So, you're stuck with past experience, track record, and immediate initial results of the newly released products to guide you.

So, what do we have? A good product that has potential and shows good success direction. But, it's not without it's faults. Faults, which I might add, are the same ones we've seen from RIM with all of their other past products (ALL OF THEM).

1) Issues with initial release software.
2) Increase of disappointed views AFTER the public finally got their hands on the final product.
3) Fumbling of support (both on the software front and on the technical help lines).

These aren't good things, but they aren't bad things either because it's the usual trend from RIM. However, what you need to understand is with each initial release of a new product, RIM is behind the times in terms of hardware level. What is in your hands now is lacking or should be deemed as that strictly from a historically repeated trend for RIM. We already see some memory issues. We already have companies locking out the PB browser from their websites. We already have glitchy software and promised features which were supposed to be there that won't be there until a few months after release.

So, the question remains. Are you willing to invest your money into the product now in hopes that RIM (contrary to historical habit) will be able to advance on the software side enough that the current hardware will support it or will you wait to be one of the people who pick the second gen device only to say "This is what the original PB should have been."? It's a tough question and an even harder decision. I say trust your gut and proceed with logical caution. Give it 3-6 months to see if RIM pushing the OS envelope overwhelms the hardware. If the hardware is sound and by then the software meets with your approval, put in a purchase bid for a discounted amount, especially since you know it's not new hardware anymore anyway and reap the benefits. In the meantime, spend your time evaluating the stability and usefulness of the platform for your company's uses. Let's see how the web accepts the PB's browser unbound abilities and by the time you have your 5K units, you'll know exactly if it was a good decision or not. It would be a shame to buy into something now that'll have it's capabilities locked down due to poor developer support or resource companies unwillingness to give you access via this platform.

A tech device IS NOT the same type of investment as buying stock in a startup. You don't have to get in on the ground floor to come out on top. In fact, it's opposite that to some extent.

I love you post civic but lets look at what I have made bold:

1. If every RIM product has it's issues (ALL OF THEM, as you so well put), then how is the second gen any better then the first? But I guess sometimes it does take four years to get it right for some.
2.Isn't this the outlook at every device?
3.Just keep waiting, just keep waiting, great business practice as I'm sure many companies do this all the time wait till it gets way better because there is no way they would put out something better soon enough.
4.Funny that you would bring up the fact the HULU blocked their website to the PB when we ll now that its blocked from every device there is unless there is an app for that!. But I guess having the xoom or ipad would be better for a company that is currently using the BES, and choosing to not integrate the PB into it already standing infrastructure is kind of wasting money would you not agree?
5.Saying something is going to be there but not now is still better than just leaving it out for two years (I.E. mms, Iphone) or blaming it on the provider (flash, Moto) is a complete;y different story right?
and finally 6. is there going to be some push back because the browser of the PB far exceeds any other browser todate? I don't think so, so why make this statement? is there something you know that you care to fill us all in on?

I'm not trying to push any buttons but playing devils advocate is cool but at least be honest with your statements. Like I said i like most of your post this one included but I don;t think I could take any of your advice.

[1812dave]

What? Never said there was "anything" wrong with the hardware.

You said you expect an improved model in 6-8 months. that implies it's inadequate. I've got Koss Porta Pro headphones that are the same as what was made over 20 years ago because the design was excellent. If you think the PB has great specs now, why expect it to be obsolete in 6 months? granted, we are talking about fast-paced high tech devices, but even so, I don't foresee RIM coming out with an advanced model in 6 months. Maybe a different size perhaps.

[_StephenBB81]

I have a few comments

1: I agree with much of what Civic said, this device isn't finished, If I was in charge of 50k BB's and was looking at giving 10% of my users tablets I would be trialling a far smaller roll out, I would first roll out 100 tablets, the cost of 50k to a company with 50k BB users is negligible and should beable to see an ROI even if the full Roll out doesn't happen as the devices can be targeted to the highest potential ROI staff members.

RIM WILL release a second Playbook next year I would bet on it, but they won't be pulling an Apple and be terminating support for older product lines, RIM like Microsoft supports there products for longer than the real life of the product usually is.

Your ultimatum to RIM saying for the sake of the Playbook you are going to end a 50k device roll out, really? Have you looked at the ROI for switching platforms? Or the new costs associated with device management? Be sure to start at the top and work down when doing an ROI for a new device roll out, just like a software roll out, there are a lot of hidden costs that can kill productivity in the long run.


To the posters who are saying blah blah businesses are stupid for using BB's ActiveSync is just as good yadda yadda, company's that use BB's don't only use BES for security, it is about tracability and trackability, it is about logable Instant messaging(BBM) and about data and device controls, BESX has more controls than Active Sync in this regard, and BES makes BESX look like a skeleton to a full bodied suite,

I assure you more global businesses you Blackberry's than any other smartphone if they are company issued and the company's are paying for the dataplans, 5000 users traveling that 5-10/month extra it costs to run the other devices on roaming data really adds up.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Blacklatino]

You said you expect an improved model in 6-8 months. that implies it's inadequate. If you think the PB has great specs now, why expect it to be obsolete in 6 months? Maybe a different size perhaps.

Once again: "I can't see RIM selling the Playbook and not having a newer/improved model 6-8 months later and not sending out os updates when released(.....or leaked) for any BB device."
This was directed at the OP's comments.

I never said the Playbook specs were great or terrible. I didn't imply a damn thing regarding the PB being inadequate. Newer / improved could cover a lot of different things.

Don't assume.

My point was, if we (as Blackberry owners/consumers) will buy Blackberry devices with incremental/marginal upgrades, why not do the same with the Playbook......if the numbers are there? Still my opinion. Nothing more or less.

[Thumbtyper]

Can someone explain why the torch can transmit encrypted email via wifi but RIM says they did not want that on the playbook for security reasons? Therefore the bridge.

[greander]

Um, if you're a C-level exec with 42K users, why not pick up the phone and call RIM? If someone there doesn't already know you by name, then you should probably go ahead and switch all 42K of your users to iPhones. (From the tone of your post, you seem to have that kind of power.)

[1812dave]

Once again: "I can't see RIM selling the Playbook and not having a newer/improved model 6-8 months later and not sending out os updates when released(.....or leaked) for any BB device."
This was directed at the OP's comments.

I never said the Playbook specs were great or terrible. I didn't imply a damn thing regarding the PB being inadequate. Newer / improved could cover a lot of different things.

Don't assume.

My point was, if we (as Blackberry owners/consumers) will buy Blackberry devices with incremental/marginal upgrades, why not do the same with the Playbook......if the numbers are there? Still my opinion. Nothing more or less.

got it. -----------

[jvic31]

If you want to buy 5,000 Playbooks for employees be my guest. But it's certainly not required for you to conduct business, as you obviously have been conducting business without them up till now just fine. And knock it off with the attitude thinking people should bow down at your knees and meet your demands.

Rather then making demands and threats, start by first explaining why your organization even needs Playbook tablets to begin with. I'm willing to bet Playbooks are far more a "want" than a "need". As I mentioned previously, your 45,000 employees have functioned fine without them up till now.

I don't the the OP was expecting any 'bow-down' he just wanted it to be a cut through the bull kind of thread. Unfortunately, when you cut through the bull, you cut out the playbook. The battery life alone, combined with RIMs bizarre obsession with flash make this a poor choice for a business environment. Imagine cutting short your afternoon meeting to go plug in your playbook.

It's terrible that there are people in IT who actually think this is the only tablet device that can be secured. My advice is wait for the second generation or look at tablets that offer more flexibility, and ones that are already being successfully deployed in enterprise environments.

(let the angry 'get your facts right!' replies begin...)