1. marvynw's Avatar
    So after installing the android app player here are a few thoughts:-
    - For a work in progress version its pretty good a bit unstable at times but after the learning curve on installing and side loading its like cake
    - the android market place ......so with rim being my brand of choice for the last 3yrs and hearing about how poor rim app world was by the critics now I can honestly say "guys I don't think we are losing out on much , i was not that impressed" oh and another thing I thought guys were joking about fart apps ...sadly they were not
    - to those who created the manual on installation a BIG thank you
    - to qnx developer guys/girls keep pushing the envelop I like your outside the box thinking
    - to those android owners out there don't be greedy don't jus come in the forums and hate on rim, hate on rim and leave a apk download link , cuz sharing is caring
    - rimempire quote of the week (this goes out to the other smart phone/os brands out there)
    " We are the borg, we will assimilate you!! "

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    chiefbroski, bbaleno and RWD like this.
    08-15-11 05:48 AM
  2. melander's Avatar
    People should buy the Playbook without expecting Android applications to work. I think we should expect that applications that work and be supported Today and Tomorrow should be compiled for the Playbook.

    Why? The model for running another OS apps has proven to be a reason NOT to develop for the Pirate Ship OS. Also, emulation by itself can't always be depended upon.

    Os/2 Warp could run Win32 apps.
    Linux and FreeBSD can Today run Windows apps in an emulator called Wine and full virtualization in Virtualbox and VMware.
    NetBSD can run both Linux and FreeBSD in library call emulation and Windows programs in Wine and full virtualization in Xen.

    The winner of OS/2 vs Windows was not OS/2. And why is NetBSD not on all desktops since it can run most other programs out there? Emulation (in a non hypervisor environment) will always be marginally slower and you can count on bugs.

    Who is to support the applications? If we find a bug in an Android app running on Android player, do we contact the author or RIM? Or will the author blame the Android Player?

    Having the player might be nice, but I don't want to have to use it at all.
    Last edited by melander; 08-15-11 at 06:52 AM.
    08-15-11 06:44 AM
  3. calaviqpfza4's Avatar
    If you want Android apps some much, why don't you buy one of the many Android tablets on the market? You'll get Android apps, plus native email, today, without waiting and waiting...
    f1mx likes this.
    08-15-11 07:06 AM
  4. Economist101's Avatar
    Having the player might be nice, but I don't want to have to use it at all.
    Unfortunately, the very existence of the player suggests you'll have to use it at some point because something you need will not be browser-capable and will not be a native PlayBook app. Assuming you keep the PlayBook for a long time, this is inevitable.
    08-15-11 08:26 AM
  5. bounce007's Avatar
    - to qnx developer guys/girls keep pushing the envelop I like your outside the box thinking


    I wish I was an avid programmer (I barely know is C++, and only because I had to take 2 semesters during undergrad for my math degree) or had the time to learn QNX... I would make some KILLER APPS for the PlayBook... but ofcourse this is much easier said than done...

    Kudos to all the PlayBook/QNX developers out there
    08-15-11 08:51 AM
  6. portal's Avatar
    I echo all the good thoughts mentioned. It is ironic to think that if I have a question about BlackBerry product(s), I will automatically go to CrackBerry and not even think about contacting RIM via their website. It is a testimony to all those who ask the wide selection of questions, and to those who share their endless bag of knowledge.
    08-15-11 09:19 AM
  7. ignites's Avatar
    its weird now that we think of it - it was annouced that andriod apps have to be repackaged in app world to be playable to playbook - but we can access andriod market in this roundabotu way - perhaps the leaked player might be better?
    08-15-11 09:24 AM
  8. peter9477's Avatar
    Unfortunately, the very existence of the player suggests you'll have to use it at some point because something you need will not be browser-capable and will not be a native PlayBook app. Assuming you keep the PlayBook for a long time, this is inevitable.
    I don't see how that is "inevitable". If you have the PlayBook for a long time, doesn't that also give the developer of this app that you need a chance to port it to the PlayBook? And if the PlayBook survives in the market for long enough, I think that also makes it rather more likely developers will be porting their "needed" apps.
    08-15-11 10:10 AM
  9. HaTaX's Avatar
    And as QNX grows to become their single platform, eventually developers will want to port PlayBook applications to the handhelds. It makes sense for a developer to get started with the PlayBook as they should really only need to deal with resolution changes when the new phones come out next year.

    I see Android more as a stop gap solution and a way for them to invite developers that previously wouldn't have considered the platform. Doubtful that the Android player is part of their long term strategy.
    08-15-11 10:21 AM
  10. missing_K-W's Avatar
    This about giving the consumer options...

    Remember that a good portion of Blackberry is developed by RIM Enterprise customers to fulfill their unigue needs....Enterprise customers use Appworld on a marginal scale.....Small business is a prime demographic to exploit the added options of what the Android app Player has to offer...Not only will they benefit from AAP...They will benefit from the BBOS player allowing a very smooth transition to QNX Blackberry products....

    Android App Player allows Rim to walk into the consumer market with a full consumer offering, with minimum investment and the resouces of a small team of Software engineers....

    Emulation ,Virtual Machine's , Extensive broad development platform support ,SDK's ,API's and an NDK is the foundation of the QNX platform moving forward.....AAP is a link in a long chain of providing the consumer and Business community options....Options...and then more options...

    My 3 cents
    Last edited by missing_K-W; 08-16-11 at 03:28 PM.
    08-15-11 11:34 AM
  11. Darlaten's Avatar
    My thoughts on Android on the Playbook is thus: the APP can not come out soon enough for it is the only thing that will save the Playbook. It is clear that developers are not or they are unwilling to develop native apps for the Playbook. It also doesn't help that the proper software tools to develop such apps have yet to be released either. Opening up the Playbook to Android will rectify this issue.
    08-15-11 02:57 PM
  12. samab's Avatar
    It's not emulation if you have the source code to the original thing.

    Google buying Motorola may lead to Google closing the source code once and for all.
    08-15-11 03:09 PM
  13. shingi_70's Avatar
    My only problem is RIM hyping up the android player as such a big thing. I was pumped until it came out that the apps would only be Phone apps.
    08-15-11 03:21 PM
  14. inicophone's Avatar
    I was always quite surprised that RIM managed to somehow get the Android apps working on a PlayBook. To me, that makes no sense for Google! Keep the apps for the Android tablets, why share? Do Apple share their apps? Nope!

    And I agree, now Google has bought Motorola the source code will soon be closed.
    08-15-11 03:21 PM
  15. shingi_70's Avatar
    I was always quite surprised that RIM managed to somehow get the Android apps working on a PlayBook. To me, that makes no sense for Google! Keep the apps for the Android tablets, why share? Do Apple share their apps? Nope!

    And I agree, now Google has bought Motorola the source code will soon be closed.
    Source Code won't be closed. That would be killing off Googles ad revenue. Also the source code being closed doesn't affect OEMs but stuff like the android player and hackers. The Honeycomb source code is alrady closed and wont be put out until ICS.
    08-15-11 03:26 PM
  16. Economist101's Avatar
    I don't see how that is "inevitable". If you have the PlayBook for a long time, doesn't that also give the developer of this app that you need a chance to port it to the PlayBook?
    If "a chance to port it to the PlayBook" was the sticking point, yes. But that ins't the problem.

    And if the PlayBook survives in the market for long enough, I think that also makes it rather more likely developers will be porting their "needed" apps.
    Time isn't the problem; developer interest is. Developer interest is low, so you aren't getting the apps.

    And as QNX grows to become their single platform, eventually developers will want to port PlayBook applications to the handhelds.
    RIM has been begging for developer interest for years, and it hasn't worked despite RIM's 160+ million devices sold. After the minimal response to the PlayBook, what evidence is there that the shift over to QNX will make the difference in developer interest, especially when the QNX devices are running an Android Player?
    08-15-11 03:48 PM
  17. JAGWIRE's Avatar
    i think the PB using Android OS is a bit of a slap in the face for loyal RIM followers. I feel that if you want an Android OS go buy an Android device. The flip side is also that it acts like two devices in one =D so its a great selling feature for it.
    08-15-11 04:07 PM
  18. shingi_70's Avatar
    i think the PB using Android OS is a bit of a slap in the face for loyal RIM followers. I feel that if you want an Android OS go buy an Android device. The flip side is also that it acts like two devices in one =D so its a great selling feature for it.
    Its not running Android apps nut running the android sdk. The things only good for games as most news apps and alot of the more useful apps need SD card. Also again its not running tablet apps so its limited usage.
    08-15-11 04:11 PM
  19. samab's Avatar
    Source Code won't be closed. That would be killing off Googles ad revenue. Also the source code being closed doesn't affect OEMs but stuff like the android player and hackers. The Honeycomb source code is alrady closed and wont be put out until ICS.
    What revenue stream? We are talking about Verizon putting Bing on Droid phones.
    08-15-11 04:21 PM
  20. calaviqpfza4's Avatar
    The real reason for Android apps on the Playbook. In a word: "tonnage"

    Your fearless leader explains: "tonnage"

    From March 2011: RIM CEO Basically Admits That Android Support Is There To Check The "Lots Of Apps" Box
    08-16-11 12:20 PM
  21. 01itr's Avatar
    RIM has been begging for developer interest for years, and it hasn't worked despite RIM's 160+ million devices sold. After the minimal response to the PlayBook, what evidence is there that the shift over to QNX will make the difference in developer interest, especially when the QNX devices are running an Android Player?
    If the shift to QNX is successful and a lot of consumers buy it, developers will want to develop for it, because there will be a market there for them to make money from.

    QNX is the first time that it looks like it will be easy for developers to develop and distribute their applications on a RIM product, you can't really take into account the "160+ million devices" that are running BB OS.
    08-16-11 01:27 PM
  22. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    Source Code won't be closed. That would be killing off Googles ad revenue. Also the source code being closed doesn't affect OEMs but stuff like the android player and hackers. The Honeycomb source code is alrady closed and wont be put out until ICS.
    ^^^ This.

    Folks don't seem to understand Google's business model. The purchase of MM won't affect the open nature of the Android OS.

    They won't close it. Android OS is all about one thing: to generate ad dollars. If RIM wanted to use it, I suspect Google would supply it happily. As it is, running apps on the Playbook achieve the same thing, I believe.
    08-16-11 01:54 PM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD