[kennyliu]

If that's the only explanation, then I guess you wouldn't be willing to listen to another one, which I think is a more reasonable explanation.

Hmm.. too bad. :-(

Well, I am pretty sure you've got a more plausable exlanation as to why there are still no background services in sight.

I guess background services would be too much to ask of RIM. But I am pretty sure you can explain why we still don't have the mere basics such as bookmark management. And that's after probably 1.5 years of development.

[louzer]

Well, I am pretty sure you've got a more plausable exlanation as to why there are still no background services in sight.

I guess background services would be too much to ask of RIM. But I am pretty sure you can explain why we still don't have the mere basics such as bookmark management. And that's after probably 1.5 years of development.

There are no 'real' Cascades apps out right now - only apps that directly and natively call OS-level functionality directly independent of an API. The Scrapbook app is a glimpse of what a Cascades app will be capable of, but it is not a true Cascades app in the API-sense of the word.

RIM's roadmap seems to make sense given that Tablet OS 1.x needed to be rushed to market. They needed to include apps with the OS on initial launch, but at the time, the Adobe Air environment was the only one mature enough to deliver running apps on 1.x.

Therefore, the core of 'native' apps for 1.x was either Adobe Air apps thrown together to be able to have a picture gallery, music player, podcast app, etc available at launch. The browser itself is an Air app wrapping around the native browser control. It is the Air app that handles all of the funcitonality that people complain about (tabs, bookmarks, etc). The other icons (I don't even refer to them as apps) are the browser launch icons for Hotmail, AOL mail, Twitter, etc.

The Cascades API is currently in beta and is looking pretty sweet. But aside from completing the rework of the OS, they are simultaneously having to rewrite the older (and inefficient) Air Apps with the Cascades framework from scratch. This is very time consuming.

I think everyone here agrees that it's as important that the OS that represents a convergence of the initial Tablet OS, Cascades UI, other OS enhancements/fixes, and the rewrite of apps is not only delivered in a timely basis, but also that it all work correctly at launch.

I read many threads that basically ask, "But how difficult is it really to implement [fill in blank]". If you consider the complexity of the envionment, then the answer to that question is different than many would expect.

Having watched the evolution of Tablet OS from the early initial developer betas to what it is now is pretty amazing to me. For anyone to suggest that RIM 'sucks' at software means that they are not considering the entire software development picture.

As long as they are on track to deliver BB10 on schedule (the only real time commitment that RIM has made so far), I don't care so much about the intermediate releases. I'd rather have these upgrades when they're done and work. Given that all of the blog sites have reviewed the developer alpha device as if it's a releasable phone, RIM can't afford to release anything that's broken or not functioning as designed.

[kill_9]

RIM has never been a good software company. They make good hardware but suck at software.

Obviously you are confusing RIM-time with the Earth solar calendar time keeping methodology. For example, when I tell my dog that we will be going to the park "soon" I mean within 1 hour. When RIM announces that something is coming "soon" they mean at least 6 months. It is all relative like Einstein's theory.

[quik4life]

Who said that 2.1 was being released in may?

and why are you all so excited for it ?

Michael Clewley, PlayBook Product Manager, has stated on Twitter that the 2.1 development beta will be released before the of May.

My guess is that it will be released tomorrow or on Tuesday to coincide with the start of the BB Jam tour.

@BackDaws: do everybody a favour and go troll somewhere else.

[MasterOfBinary]

A related question: RIM have repeatedly mentioned how easy it is to develop in Cascades. Then why would it take them 1.5 years (or more) to at least transition all/most of their own native apps to Cascades? Just curious.

It takes a long time to develop updates for anything, moreso to rewrite a whole bunch of stuff. You have no idea how much time and effort can go into a relatively "simple" program (an email client, for example). They have a lot to be working on, since the OS isn't even developed fully yet.

I just hope it doesn't take too long, and that they do it right. Nothing would be worse than to have another release like the original PB did.

I think they can do it.