My new iPad

[dagerlach]

So the Gov't bought me a Apple iPad 2 to evaluate in our iPad Pilot Program. I am a RIM Blackberry Bold 9900 and Playbook owner and fan. So, I'll admit this was really my first time to ever use an Apple product accept for the little iPod Shuffle I used for running until I got sick of charging it. Never-the-less, I jumped in and started learning all things iPad. Sadly, I have to admit that having used the iPad now for about 4 days, its available applications are far more extensive and mature than the Playbook. When I am looking for engineering, technical, and business tools to help me with my work, the iPad app store has what I need. I would also add that the Apple App Store interface is superior to the Blackberry App World. There are some apps on the Playbook that have a better UI than the iPad. And I would also add that the Playbook browser is better, but not so much so that I would buy a Playbook because the browser is better.

I'm still a RIM Blackberry Fan, but having used Android and iOS now, it is a lot harder for me to scoff at the Apple Kool-Aid drinking sheep who have chosen their device not because it is superior, but because all the other sheep have one. I sure hope Playbook 2.0 comes out and is superior so I can do the Church Lady Superior Dance

[kbz1960]

Yep they are all good. For the OS being so new of course the others are going to have more specialized apps. I'm not sure they are "superior" other than in that department. In others I think they are not.

[groovdafied]

Being a new user in the forum and reading your message is a breath of fresh air. It's understandable that there's a cloud of bias lingering over the forums towards RIM. I have used all four devices (Windows Phone, Blackberry, Android and Rim) and they are all very competitive, with RIM just recently catching up and getting some interest to their new UI and tech.

Apple has invested tons of money and research in finding the right balance for the 'perfect it-just-works' user experience. With Apple being in the market as long as they have with their devices and popularity, they will have a strong foot hold in the app market.

This is the beauty of competition, which is why I say bring it on, because in the end we win. Because of all these new and exciting tech and UI's, RIM is coming up pretty strong. And the irony when I read posts in here about companies copying RIM, when RIM kinda copied webOS's card metaphor. However webOS kinda took their card metaphor from iPhone's iOS browser tabs.

It's okay to be a fan of one product and like something else too, that's what they call brand loyalty. I was a hardcore Windows Mobile 6 fan because of all it's customizations, but I also liked iPhone's slick UI. Then I went to webOS, which I very much love right up there with Windows Mobile, then to Android. After hearing the BB OS 10, I jsut might go blackberry all the way, but it all depends on what BB can do for me that I need.

Anyway, just putting in my two cents. Nice post OP, there's nothing wrong with liking other companies tech and being loyal to RIM

[Barredbard]

I can see that argument. I like my Playbook more for its potential than for what it is right now.As long as RIM keeps updating it, and lining up all the apps that are currently missing, I will be content. Also, using my girlfriend's iPad, I was shocked that Apple wasn't even kind enough to provide any kind of word processing app, whereas the Playbook comes with Documents to Go, Sheets to Go, and Slideshow to go. Granted, there are tons of word processing apps that can be bought in the apple market, but I was impressed that those came free on the Playbook.

[hauger]

We're looking at adopting the iPad too, mainly due to it having a Jepessen Jetplan app. The downside I see though to that is it's just so much bigger and more cumbersome in a cockpit than a playbook, but without that Jep app, work simply won't look at the Playbook.

Too bad, since I work for the Canadian Government and RIM's a Canadian Company. You'd think we'd want to buy local.....

[omniusovermind]

I'm not budging from Playbook until the competition adopt the same style of UI for the same price range. Cool story though.

Sent from my Atrix using Tapatalk

[w39awh]

Ive used ipad2, android, and playbook. Overall just for browsing experience, size and wieght, and the overall OS speed I take the playbook. For the ios/android though, there are quite a few free apps which are not at all available on the playbook...

Examples, I wish someone would develop a decent PDF reader for the blackberry, no kindle reader, no BB messaging or built in email readers, no netflix, no notepad stylus application that even comes close to ios/android. Theres lots more but I cant think of it now.

Overall though I still like to use the blackberry more due to its browsing and switching between apps with minimal effort, speed, and its perfect size. There are too many improvements needed. For some things I do just use the ipad2 for, but they are slightly different devices...

[jbl0ggs]

I'm just surprised why developers just don't port their apps to all the different Tablet OS available (iOS/ Adndroid, WebOS & BBOS) it would all be revenue generation for them.

[yaletownboy]

The Insurance Corp of BC has adopted iPads last year and now has iPhone options on their cell phone plans along with blackberry. BB isa little easier to type on than iPhones though. The executives now use iPads exclusively. Not one mention of Playbooks

[TheStoof]

Yes, iPad has better software because it's old.

Will Playbook get more software? Yes. In time. RIM will ask developers to put their games and apps.

RIM, however, needs to get OS 2.0 and market it towards BB phone users.

[dbw1]

I'm glad you folks can access the app store. I've had the pb since Nov and still no closer to being able to purchase at the app store. Support is unable to rectify my situation and are hopefull ver 2.0 o/s will correct this. In my last conversation i mention should this not happen i wish my pb replaced with one that functions as advertised when i made the purchase.

Ipad3 may be out shortly after the ver 2.0 pb software. Should ver 2.0 not fix the problem and bb/rim not replace this unit with one that works I'll pick up a ipad3. It would be shame actually as i love the size of the pb and most things about it.

Hope you are reading this RIM as i am probably not the only one who feels this way.

[TheStoof]

Originally Posted by dbw1

I'm glad you folks can access the app store. I've had the pb since Nov and still no closer to being able to purchase at the app store. Support is unable to rectify my situation and are hopefull ver 2.0 o/s will correct this. In my last conversation i mention should this not happen i wish my pb replaced with one that functions as advertised when i made the purchase.

Ipad3 may be out shortly after the ver 2.0 pb software. Should ver 2.0 not fix the problem and bb/rim not replace this unit with one that works I'll pick up a ipad3. It would be shame actually as i love the size of the pb and most things about it.

Hope you are reading this RIM as i am probably not the only one who feels this way.

Haven't you reloaded the OS?

Try to get the beta update. It's pretty simple.

https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/...et20/register/

[rotorwrench]

I have no argument with that premise either. As I've said before, the choice of a tablet, as well as any electronic device, is highly subjective and personal. It all depends on the needs of the user. In my case, I owned a Galaxy Tab 10.1 for two months and we've had iPads in the house since they debuted. Spending much more than 4 days, more like months, on the other OSs and tablets, I still found the PB to fit my needs much better. Others may have other opinions and that's good and ok.

The same for work, the PB fills our needs much better than other choices out there. Not saying they're bad, they just don't work for us. The same holds true for many businesses, organizations, service providers, medical facilities and individuals, all of which have been represented in this forum. My company was more interested in the size, security, bridge, ui and enterprise integration than apps. The current native apps work for us, but we would definitely make use of others if/when available and obviously have desire for others. But not at the expense of or the limitations of moving to another platform. We are now looking at having apps developed for our use, as many companies have done so they could use the PB even more, which shows how desireable the PB is to many. As far as the size goes, there are now full blown laptops approaching the same weight and dimensions of 10" tablets that negate any real advantage a 10" tablet may have had. One reason we moved from Toughbooks. If size wasn't a factor, we preferred them over a 10" tablet.

On the other hand, where size, security, ui, reliable email services, real multitasking or data access without additional charges is not a factor, personal preference will always be a deciding factor and then an iPad or other is an attractive alternative. Especially to many who have become used to an iPod Touch,iPhone or Android device. And as the OP mentions, a plethoria of apps. Some people will choose a platform on that alone, whether they actually make use of that factor or not. I have one customer/friend who has had an iPad for 5 months now and likes it very much. He said one main deciding factor was the large number of apps available. We compared apps. In 5 months of ownership, the apps he has loaded and uses are all available natively or through AppWorld on the PB. But the NUMBER of available apps was important to him. He was as surprised as I was. He has borrowed my PB twice now for overnight evaluations and says he may now order one.

Whereas there may be good and bad with all tablets and objectively one may not really be better than another, subjectively that's not true. For one an iPad or Transformer may be the better tablet, but for MY needs, the PB is without doubt the better tablet, pre-2.0. What is interesting, and born out by posts in this forum, is that many of the former opinion, after actually experiencing a PB, turn out to have the latter opinion

[fj_cruiser]

+1 to what rotor just wrenched....

[rsmehat]

This debate has and will continue for months, there is no answer other than your own personal choice. I have an iPad and recently purchased a Playbook as needed another household laptop/tablet.

The reason I chose a PB was due to the research I did online and reading such debates helped me decide. Since my purchase I have not used my iPad, thats personal choice.

Finally like to add that forums like this one and that for lPad are a godsend.