[julian924s]

It's with a heavy heart that I've decided to retire the PB in favour of an LG G PAD 8.3. The PB has served me well and I intend to keep it, but I just wanted something lighter, faster and more up to date. The LG is a great spec for a very small price (�179), I'm not won over with the whole Android UI to be honest. Much prefer the way BB10 & the PB UI looks and feels but guess I'll just have to get used to it.

I'll certainly miss tinkering with it, side loading apps and trying to convince people it really is a great tablet!

Anyone else switched recently and what to?

[PlayBook UK]

Sorry to see you on your way. I think you'll miss the workarounds and being a 'PlayBook Evangelist'! But you gotta do what you gotta do! BlackBerry will lose more unless they start to focus some energy back to the PlayBook . They should understand that users want a full solution on the same brand..Phone & Tablet.

PlayBook UK BBM Channel C001CB4A1

[julian924s]

Yeh should have said still a Z10 user, the latest of long line of BB phones I've had over the years and certainly won't be switching phones.

The bottom line for me is if BB had kept going with the PB and even brought a new up to date model out I would have happily spent twice as much as I did on the LG tablet to get hold of one. As they didn't I simply went and bought my 2nd choice of tablet and will have to make do I suppose.

[PlayBook UK]

I agree totally. BlackBerry have missed the vital link..iPhone/ipad, BB10/PLAYBOOK? We all like you want to stay!

PlayBook UK BBM Channel C001CB4A1

[mig1234]

Are you advertising? I would never post something like this on here. Are you a rep from LG. Begone!

[julian924s]

Ha sorry no, the Android tablet was 2nd choice after a non-existent updated BB PB!! To be fair for the ridiculously low price its actually very good. You simply cannot compare with the PB with anything new, it's just not worth it. I'm sure I'll still tinker with side loading but as for a day to day tablet I can sling in my bag the LG wins hands down.

[daytoncapri]

I bought the G Pad too.

I was influenced by your post, and yes, it seems better spec'd than the other 8-inch devices out there. I jumped when NewEgg put it on sale for $250 USD. Sadly, I have been ready to jump to something for awhile. I had been looking at the Dell Venue 8 pro, and Samsung products - they did not seem to measure up to the Playbook for the features I was looking for.

So it ended up being the G Pad. I did not experience the same kind of joy with the new device as when I got the Playbook. There's never another first time, of course, but this ain't the Playbook. This purchase doesn't feel like a step up, it feels up-down and sideways.

G-Pad the Good:
It is easier on the eyes. the G Pad's resolution is higher. 8.3 inches is much more real estate that 7 inches. It has a very nice build and form factor, still fits nicely in one hand.

The major aggravation I had with the Playbook, i.e., its abominable and declining performance and slowness on the internet, is almost a non-issue with this replacement device. (Almost - See below.) On the G-Pad I can quickly load the bicycle paths on Google maps, and follow all the hundreds of nightly Disqus comments on Tony Ortega's lively blog.

G-Pad To the BAD: I'm still new to this device, and I am making goofs, but geesh.

G-Pad runs Android 4.2, and it is buggy. I would have thought that at fourth generation, the lock-ups, crashes and blank screens would a thing of the past.

"Buttery-smooth" is a way to describe the the gesture-based controls on the Playbook. The G Pad also has gestures that are pretty clunky by comparisons. On the Playbook, you sweep your fingers to wake up the screen to quickly get back to where you left off. On the G Pad, you knock on the screen twice? Didn't work..Knock again...wrong spot..Knock again..Oh he**, I'll push the "on" button...that did it...Hey, that's the home screen, not the screen I was using...another gesture, this one needs thumb and index...there it is...finally.

G Pad Volume rocker control feels weird: it is the opposite of the Playbook, push down on the left to make it louder. Or maybe I am holding it upside down and the VC is supposed to be on the bottom?

Non-function: You cannot pull up Google News on the G Pad, and you think it's your mistake because it flashes on-screen for a brief moment. Then it goes blank. That topic is an active complaint (March 2014) on the Android forums for multiple products from different manufactures.

The G Pad speakers are in the wrong spot. Really wrong. Playbook gives you a nice stereo pair that face toward you as you watch your video, and gives you a nice lush stereo effect even without headphones. In contrast, the G Pad puts lower quality speakers on the lower back; pointing in the wrong direction when held or muffled on the tabletop when lying flat. Lousy. Just have your headphones ready.

Trivial complaint. The Demo video on Blackberry Playbook is gorgeous and fun. You wish you were there. The Demo video on the G-Pad is time-lapse of oversaturated night images of moving traffic in cityscapes. Artsy, clever, meh.

Deja Vu: Read the G-Pad related forum discussions, and you'll see that LG's current cred with its G Pad is declining, reminding you of RIM's history of declining cred with Playbook.

G Pad OS: Will LG issue an android update from 4.2 to 4.4 any time soon? Doubtful, Maybe. You would need to be content with an older OS. On the other hand, would you really want to to update? It looks like 4.4.might disable some features and capability on 4.2. No upgrade and that's good?

G Pad marketing. Right now, you can get a great price cut (i.e., $100 off $350). Why? Because the product isn't selling.

Honestly (and despite my grousing) LG has built a fine version 1 product. This can be software upgraded and future spec improved over time from fine to awesome. However, LG does not seem to know how to sell and market this device. They have some sort of exclusive retail set-up with Best Buy, but what-if Best Buy doesn't really push the product? There are not flying off the shelves.

Now, I am only 2 weeks on this device, and will learn more as I go. I don't expect to get rid of the Playbook just yet. The PB went to work with me yesterday, the G Pad stayed home.

Wishing you future success with the Playbook, BB products, or wherever you go. Still a Blackberry Playbook fan and user.

[Tre Lawrence]

Reviewing the G-Pad as I type. Great device, even a better value rooted, but as-is, still formidable. I'd redo the gestures if it were mine.

But nice hardware. Have had it in hand less than a day, so I'm still working on it.. I actually think LG is developing quite the cred in Android circles, but the Nexus always helps.

[daytoncapri]

IT is now 6 weeks along. I like the Gpad device better now, The android OS has updated to 4.4 Kitkat, that was a short delay unlike the long waits we have had with RIM. There are a lot of android apps, another plus. the playbook now gets light use...hooking the PB's hdmi cable to the tv is a highly capable alternative to the Google dongle. It is also simple, which is nice at times. For me, much has changed since getting the Playbook...a new android smartphone, a roku box, the g pad have together have eaten into the Playbook .Even so, I like you playbook, and would have stuck with you if the story was a little different.

[spruceartist]

trying to convince people it really is a great tablet!

Although I haven't owned my playbook for all that long and don't know everything that it can do there is no way I can call it a great tablet.
For me it's just a tool that extends my BlackBerry phone. That is it. I could not live without my phone but I could live without my playbook.

Now that that's been said, it is also the only tablet I have tried. I have no need or intention to switch, however if BlackBerry was to offer a bb10 playbook tomorrow I may pre-order the first one in Canada. I wouldn't hesitate using it, just because I want to see BlackBerry themselves make it through their problems.

If BlackBerry really wanted to catch my attention they would offer a full system, including a bb10 phone, tab, and laptop. All tuned to function together when we are at home or the office and independent of each other when needed.

Anyways I hope that your new tablet works better than any Android product I have ever owned. Otherwise I'll see you back here within 6 months preaching how great the playbooks quality is.

Posted via CB10

[anon(1852343)]

Stand in line, I am first to buy a bb10 playbook lol

Q10 with Telus on 10.3.0.296

[jpash549]

I'm ready for the LG Pad if it runs webOS.

[LonelyTylenoL]

I've used my Playbook, happily, for the last 3 years. Was planning on getting a Z30 to speed up my Playbook internet access. I'm still using a 9550. But now I'm thinking about purchasing outright the LG G Pad 4G LTE from Verizon and skipping the 9550 altogether. That alternative is starting to make sense to me.