[rkennedy01]

It's time I came out of the closet.

I'm a loyal Playbook owner, first and foremost. I love the feel of the device, its build quality, form factor, etc.

I also love QNX. That buttery smooth multitasking is highly addictive.

However, I have a dirty little secret, one that I've been hiding ever since the OS 2.1 beta became available: I like Android apps more than native apps.

In fact, when I did a survey of my most frequently used apps, I found that the majority were written for Android.

Here's a brief list:

1. Forums App: TapTalk (there is no substitute)
2. News Reader App: gReader Pro (a bit clumsy, but better than GeeReader)
3. Twitter App: Official Android Twitter Client (clean and fast)
4. PDF Reader: RepliGo (still the best)
5. Torrent Client: Swarm (PlayTorrent is a sad joke)
6. Mapping/Navigation: Google Maps 6.9 (offline caching rocks)

Come to think of it, the only native apps I still use frequently (other than games) are the Messages email client and the Web Browser - and the latter is losing its appeal since I spend most of my time following links from within gReader, TapaTalk or Twitter (all of which launch me into that awful generic Android browser thingy). I may switch to Dolphin full time if I can make it act as the default for these links.

Bottom Line: I find the performance of these apps to be superior to their native QNX equivalents (when they even exist), and the improved Android support in OS 2.1 makes them run more reliably than ever. With the multi-window/multi-tasking support, it truly is a "better Android than Android" type of experience.

Does this make me a bad PB owner? Is there some sort of therapy that might help to cure my Android app addiction? Or should I simply accept that I was "born this way" and enjoy life with my chosen predilections?

Very confused...

RCK

[kennyliu]

Now, imagine the world where we have PBOS with all Android apps being native. I would never ever sell my Playbook.

[Sonic-NKT]

Im kinde like that too
I love the OS, its way batter than any android Version but i have to rely on many Android apps tho even if there are native ones the Android version is often Freeware or just simply better, faster, lightweight or just not available as native app.

In many native apps i just dont like the UI, its is to big imo and a lot of space is wasted. ALso several dont even offer a Portrait mode which is a must have for me.

The news apps i use are only android apps (Seesmic (twitter), Engadget, Tagesschau (German), Pulse, Flipboard), with ereaders it is the same (Moon+, ComicRack Free, RepligGO (editing PDFs)), maps navigatiom (Osmand, GoogleMaps), File Explorer (Ghost Commander).

Sure there are native apps that rock the android version out of it shoes but those are (atleast in my apptaste) quite rare.

I still love the Device and wouldnt sell it for a Nexus 7 for example. Imo many current apps just dont really take advantage of the possibilites the playbook offers.
For example Apps that take advantage of full BT,Mouse support are quite rare, but stuff like this cries for a better Office, Remote Control, Browser app...


Im happy to have both worlds, but i would like to see the one evolve more and i would love to spend some money on apps that deserve it!

PS: im a bit scared of 2.1 Final, as reports say it will disable sideloading... many of the android apps i use (even if the a freeware) are not available in the appworld.

[rkennedy01]

My understanding is that they addressed the sideloading/piracy issue in 2.0.1 with the encrypted backups. I see no evidence that they will be disabling sideloading in 2.1, nor have I seen any info on an alternative mechanism for app devs. Because without sideloading (or an AppWorld-hosted alternative), it would be very difficult to test apps on the device itself.

So, no worries...

RCK

[kbz1960]

Yes you're just terrible and should leave the forum now.

Bah if that's what works for you cool. I guess maybe I need to try more but not a lot of use for them myself. The main thing is the UI and that's what you love. If the native apps were equal to the ones you use or available you would probably use those.

[madman0141]

You like other apps better than native apps!!! Burn the witch!!!!!!!
Sounds like you are using your PlayBook and enjoying it, nothing wrong with that.

[pointman]

I use an Android phone, just cause RIM hasn't evolved their phones to todays standards. The day I do is the day I pay full price for the Bold. Damn the Bold is so beautiful. It just needs 4G and Navigation! Come on RIM!

[Majestic Lion]

Let me know when RIM stands behind their own ecosystem instead of forgoing their own standards of privacy/security for the sake of expediency in order to move units out the door.


Native or nothing, thanks.

[BBplaybookJS]

It's time I came out of the closet.

I'm a loyal Playbook owner, first and foremost. I love the feel of the device, its build quality, form factor, etc.

I also love QNX. That buttery smooth multitasking is highly addictive.

However, I have a dirty little secret, one that I've been hiding ever since the OS 2.1 beta became available: I like Android apps more than native apps.

In fact, when I did a survey of my most frequently used apps, I found that the majority were written for Android.

Here's a brief list:

1. Forums App: TapTalk (there is no substitute)
2. News Reader App: gReader Pro (a bit clumsy, but better than GeeReader)
3. Twitter App: Official Android Twitter Client (clean and fast)
4. PDF Reader: RepliGo (still the best)
5. Torrent Client: Swarm (PlayTorrent is a sad joke)
6. Mapping/Navigation: Google Maps 6.9 (offline caching rocks)


Bottom Line: I find the performance of these apps to be superior to their native QNX equivalents (when they even exist), and the improved Android support in OS 2.1 makes them run more reliably than ever. With the multi-window/multi-tasking support, it truly is a "better Android than Android" type of experience.

To each his own, however I have to say my experience has been decidedly different. I have to say I have routinely found the performance of Android apps, if they work at all to. Be very much inferior to most of the native apps I have used.

[pacoman03]

I suspect that most who complain about the stability of android apps are NOT running OS 2.1 beta, since it's not really an issue since its release.

[middbrew]

Nah, you shouldn't feel bad. That's one of the beauties of the Playbook. If you didn't run Droid apps you wouldn't be getting the full use of the Playbook.

BB on!

[Zildjian71]

Nah, you shouldn't feel bad. That's one of the beauties of the Playbook. If you didn't run Droid apps you wouldn't be getting the full use of the Playbook.

BB on!

So if the hemorrhagic player didn't ever exist you're saying no one would be getting the full use of their PlayBook? How can you determine that?

Because I never put a golf bag in the trunk of my car I'm not getting full use because the trunk was designed for golf bags?

Only each user can determine that and there's a sufficient number of us who prefer not to droid who do a lot of other stuff without it and have it pretty busy.

OP great post though I don't droid but you enjoy what you do and that really is what's important.

I will admit that with each upgrade to the OS the alien OS experience is getting better. I will wait until BB10 before I make my own final decision to or not to use it.

In the mean time if you're using it you're getting full use.

[Zildjian71]

Let me know when RIM stands behind their own ecosystem instead of forgoing their own standards of privacy/security for the sake of expediency in order to move units out the door.


Native or nothing, thanks.

Very well put.

[Max741]

The WHOLE REASON I bought my PB was for the Android and BB integration since the PB compliments my beloved 9900 like a match made in heaven but the Android player brings a whole new "ecosystem" to Blackberry and I consider it the BEST of both worlds, which is why Im buying a 64GB ....never thought sideloading would be as addicted but my 16GB is almost full with only 80 media files, rest is apps and games

[erhan8]

It's time I came out of the closet.

I'm a loyal Playbook owner, first and foremost. I love the feel of the device, its build quality, form factor, etc.

I also love QNX. That buttery smooth multitasking is highly addictive.

However, I have a dirty little secret, one that I've been hiding ever since the OS 2.1 beta became available: I like Android apps more than native apps.

In fact, when I did a survey of my most frequently used apps, I found that the majority were written for Android.

Here's a brief list:

1. Forums App: TapTalk (there is no substitute)
2. News Reader App: gReader Pro (a bit clumsy, but better than GeeReader)
3. Twitter App: Official Android Twitter Client (clean and fast)
4. PDF Reader: RepliGo (still the best)
5. Torrent Client: Swarm (PlayTorrent is a sad joke)
6. Mapping/Navigation: Google Maps 6.9 (offline caching rocks)

Come to think of it, the only native apps I still use frequently (other than games) are the Messages email client and the Web Browser - and the latter is losing its appeal since I spend most of my time following links from within gReader, TapaTalk or Twitter (all of which launch me into that awful generic Android browser thingy). I may switch to Dolphin full time if I can make it act as the default for these links.

Bottom Line: I find the performance of these apps to be superior to their native QNX equivalents (when they even exist), and the improved Android support in OS 2.1 makes them run more reliably than ever. With the multi-window/multi-tasking support, it truly is a "better Android than Android" type of experience.

Does this make me a bad PB owner? Is there some sort of therapy that might help to cure my Android app addiction? Or should I simply accept that I was "born this way" and enjoy life with my chosen predilections?

Very confused...

RCK

I personally find most Android apps to be bland and unsatisfying. To each his own I guess.

[rkennedy01]

Well, I tried the latest Dolphin (8.5.1), and though it seems like a nice enough app (certainly full-featured), the performance is atrocious under OS 2.1. Scrolling is sluggish and pages with lots of JavaScript seem to clobber it. Try running HTML5Test.com and then swipe to view the tab bar - delay of 3-5 seconds, which is unacceptable.

Any suggestions on how to improve Dolphin's behavior (already disabled Flash) would be most welcome, but for now it looks like I'll stick with the native browser. It's fast and the generic Android Player browser has an "Open in Playbook Browser" option so I can quickly switch over whenever I click through a link in TapaTalk, etc., though I'd prefer it if there was a way to direct these links to the native browser by default.

Anyone have any other suggestions re: Android browser to check out?

RCK

[musical1806]

To be honest, this proliferation of androids is something that would eventually see me leave my PB to one side. I bought a PB because i wanted a PB. If I wanted a droid tablet i would have bought a droid tablet.

I am going to hold out for BB10, hopefully all the dev will have the apps we want from the go. In fact RIM should mark which apps in app world are not native as I will not pay for a droid app.

[middbrew]

So if the hemorrhagic player didn't ever exist you're saying no one would be getting the full use of their PlayBook? How can you determine that?

Because I never put a golf bag in the trunk of my car I'm not getting full use because the trunk was designed for golf bags?

Only each user can determine that and there's a sufficient number of us who prefer not to droid who do a lot of other stuff without it and have it pretty busy.

OP great post though I don't droid but you enjoy what you do and that really is what's important.

I will admit that with each upgrade to the OS the alien OS experience is getting better. I will wait until BB10 before I make my own final decision to or not to use it.

In the mean time if you're using it you're getting full use.

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying there are a lot of possibilities with the PB and running Droid apps is one of them. To run those apps you are making use of a feature that is there and the OP shouldn't feel bad for using it.

Some people run Droid apps and some don't. If the user enjoys the way they use the PB that that's all that counts.

[BBplaybookJS]

I suspect that most who complain about the stability of android apps are NOT running OS 2.1 beta, since it's not really an issue since its release.

And why should we? It's a beta release, when it is perfected and BlackBerry sees fit to release it I will install it, until then why would I want to risk it. I use this device all day every day.

[BBplaybookJS]

To be honest, this proliferation of androids is something that would eventually see me leave my PB to one side. I bought a PB because i wanted a PB. If I wanted a droid tablet i would have bought a droid tablet.

I am going to hold out for BB10, hopefully all the dev will have the apps we want from the go. In fact RIM should mark which apps in app world are not native as I will not pay for a droid app.

I agree with your sentiment to a certain extent, however if people want to use android apps for god knows what reason I'm fine with that. But Blackberry should:
1. Provide a way to disable this player
2. Put warnings on programs in Appworld that run on this emulator

[BBplaybookJS]

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying there are a lot of possibilities with the PB and running Droid apps is one of them. To run those apps you are making use of a feature that is there and the OP shouldn't feel bad for using it.

Some people run Droid apps and some don't. If the user enjoys the way they use the PB that that's all that counts.

My issue is if I don't want to run android apps, why should I have to be saddled with this android player. Why is it not just another program you can install in appworld if you CHOOSE to.

[middbrew]

My issue is if I don't want to run android apps, why should I have to be saddled with this android player. Why is it not just another program you can install in appworld if you CHOOSE to.

I do understand and hope we have that option eventually.

[TheScionicMan]

Other than Words with Friends, pretty much all of my apps are PB.

What else is hiding in that closet?

[EricB1968]

What else is hiding in that closet?

Tom Cruise & John Travolta

[rkennedy01]

Tom Cruise & John Travolta

Nah, I kicked them out of there as soon as I heard that Katie is back on the market...just don't tell my wife & kids.

RCK