[bounce007]

More than just skype, there are several major apps that a tablet needs to have a chance at succeeding. Playbook doesn't have any of them.

What are some of the several? The PlayBook has NONE of these??

[Fmar]

Wonder how long before the "trolls" come in with a hundred criticisms of your post? FYI: not one of these PB's have had wifi issues or videochat issues. They all just work. You would never get that impression reading the posts here.

Trolls... this post is just bait and non-sensical bait at that!

Great... someone had a one to one. PB to PB. It should have been left at that.

I've picked up my PB a couple of times over the last 2 months...

...on the other hand I have used SKYPE, via my Nokia 800, to chat to customers, friends and family for free. All using various platforms and hardware. I didn't log on to brag about how wonderful it is to chat to hundreds of different people regardless of what tech they are using.

You know what! My Nokia Lumia just works too! It's amazing how technology does these days.

But if dismissing SKYPE because you had a one to one on exclusive hardware and not inclusive hardware makes you feel better... well who am I to judge.

Who needs SKYPE?

RIM does!

Seeing as they are going belly up right now though... share price to go sub $10 for the first time in 8 years, market cap about $6 billion... it makes it all academic now. Can't see them surviving to get this sorted.

[tinkerman604]

It's not the quality of the program that's the problem, it's the (lack of) popularity.

Great video conference software isn't very useful if there is nobody on the other end to talk to. Nobody else I know has a Playbook.

Skype is the "industry standard" for VOIP and video conferencing. Without it, Playbook is cut off from the rest of the world in this regard.

I totally agree here.

Am I suppose to to buy PB for some 50 family members and friends?!? Not practical nor financially feasible.

Playbook should be just as flexible as iPad and Android Tablet. Android tablet has Video Chat for GTALK, Yahoo, Skype and Oovoo... Caters to all and ease for the user.

I would love to bring Playbook onboard to the enterprise of it can cater to all that.

[kennyliu]

What are some of the several? The PlayBook has NONE of these??

How about a functional PDF Reader comparable to what other platforms have? That's on top of a cross-platform communication solution.

[kirikouestpetit]

You're right, who need skype.
I'm just going to order a playbook for all my skype contact and then video chat
what else ?

[RicThot]

Hmmm... Interesting...

I thought it was a problem on skype side with the availability of skype for PB...
Now you got me into thinking, it may the the strategy of RIM: the longer no skype, the more PB's sold.

;-)))
Nahhh... just kidding

It would be one of the dumbest marketing strategy ever planned but with RIM you never know...

[Branta]

Skype on mobile devices has become the "norm". It's part of the basic package. So much so that iOS and DROID users take it for granted and don't even discuss it any more.

In fact what is remarkable is that there are any mobile devices that don't have it.

Which is why it is very difficult, mind boggling, impossible to understand RIM'S intransigence on the subject of Skype on their devices.

They don't even use the well worn "soon" anymore.

RIM has no control over availability. If the owner of Skype (Microsoft) refuses to allow development for RIM platforms there is nothing anyone can do to force the issue.

[Fmar]

RIM has no control over availability. If the owner of Skype (Microsoft) refuses to allow development for RIM platforms there is nothing anyone can do to force the issue.

Except branch out and get in to bed with a different VOIP provider, there are plenty out there... if the carriers get upset, then RIM should give them the finger! Every other major player in this game gets VOIP services but BB.

That failing, release an android, ios, pc client for their oh so special exclusive propriety VOIP client and open up to the real world where hardly any one uses BBM voip.

Besides, I don't believe this is an MS issue, but a RIM issue not supporting the video codec that SKYPE uses.

[CairnsRock]

RIM has no control over availability. If the owner of Skype (Microsoft) refuses to allow development for RIM platforms there is nothing anyone can do to force the issue.

May or may not be true.

BB owners were asking for Skype on this forum, 2 years before MS bought Skype. Plus MS should be much more concerned about Skype on iOS and DROID than on RIM.

Now, it is possible that the twins told Skype to shove it, back then, and we are enjoying the legacy of their wisdom. Perhaps that's why nobody at RIM has been willing to discuss it for 3 years.

The bottom line is that it is not there and the subject is still taboo for RIM employees.

[rcm1301]

RIM has no control over availability. If the owner of Skype (Microsoft) refuses to allow development for RIM platforms there is nothing anyone can do to force the issue.

WRONG! Money can force the issue.
The 'nothing' you are referring to is probably called PRIDE.

[chaddeus]

Who need skype? I need because I dont know anyone close with a Playbook so I can't do a Playbook video chat with them

- Charles

[crackcookie]

My wife is in France and took her Playbook with her. She calls me several times a day to my Playbook here in Montreal (she's pretty much always in range of wi-fi there as I am here). It's marvelous. The chat is clear and stable. And FREE!.

I wouldn't buy everyone in the family a Playbook just for this but we both already had playbooks for our own reasons so this is a big bonus. Gives you a little hint of what would happen if everyone had a video chat like everyone has BBM.

BTW everyone in France is terribly fascinated with her Playbook.

That is great, but what if you don't have 2 playbooks? That is why people want skype and why your whole thread is so limited, did you incite the crowd of BB followers who want to hear nothing but good BB news? Yes, however, let's be real.

Imagine if there was netflix, and xbox flix. Netflix worked on every device, but xbox, and for xbox you had to go out and you can only stream video from other xbox users....kinda limits your choices of who you can chat with.

Since Skype is on just about every device, BB video chat can not compete because the market base is too small.

And it seems like Skype doesn't want to be on BB.....

[DanDaMan123]

One of the reasons I purchased my playbook was so i could do video chatting w. Skype but when i found out there was no skype, i didnt see the convenience of video chatting if everyone one who you were chatting with needed a playbook too.

[crackcookie]

Exactly my point, the problem probably is that Skype feels like BB doesn't care about video chat. I think Verizon had an exclusive skype contract for BB, just what I heard, but the PB is the first BB device with a front facing camera.

Now I see why BB is so far behind, OS7 came out less than a year ago, but it was literally dated before it was even released. Low ram, resolution, and even battery (for bb standards) and a non autofocus Bold.

When is RIM going to go super sayain and just release everything all at once, the next Bold/Torch should be a kamehameha/big bang attack and leave RIM maxed out and exhausted for the next two episodes.

[PatrickMJS]

I will chime in again to say again that I agree with the OP that the PB videochat is amazing. However I must clarify that I disagree with him on the need for skype. Like everyone else here, I wish BB could get on with a skype app for the PB & the BB phones as well. I thought RIM said at one of the recent BB10 events that skype access would be integrated in the BB10 version of videochat. I love the sound of that.

I agree with the others that netflix & some decent pdf software would make the PB more amazing than it already is.

[garlee]

It's not the quality of the program that's the problem, it's the (lack of) popularity.

Great video conference software isn't very useful if there is nobody on the other end to talk to. Nobody else I know has a Playbook.

Skype is the "industry standard" for VOIP and video conferencing. Without it, Playbook is cut off from the rest of the world in this regard.

I totally agree I have not had the opportunity to use v chat because no one else I knw has a plabook. Its too bad......
Regards Gary

[Justthecrack]

This is another marketing fail of RIM. They've obviously put some time and effort in this feature, but they don't even give it a catchy name to hype it's exclusivity to Blackberry. It's just "video chat". Even "Blackberry Video Conference" would seem decent as it could be shortened to BBVC like BBM.

When will they get rid of those crap throwing monkeys in marketing?

[kennyliu]

This is another marketing fail of RIM. They've obviously put some time and effort in this feature, but they don't even give it a catchy name to hype it's exclusivity to Blackberry. It's just "video chat". Even "Blackberry Video Conference" would seem decent as it could be shortened to BBVC like BBM.

When will they get rid of those crap throwing monkeys in marketing?

Exclusivity in this case is something you really don't want any hype about

Just think about "Blackberry Video Conference". The logical question one will ask will be "Conference with whom?"

[Khameleon05]

Yes why would you want Skype, a near universal program that would allow you to communicate with anyone with a computer, wide variety of phones and tablets, when you can have another videochat that only allows you to talk to people who own one specific device.


You serious?

[ShushUAE]

I would love this try out Video Chat but it is blocked in the UAE by the telecom operator as is Facetime for iOS. Skype is not though and as with many people is the most used cross platform application that is easy to use.

I'm hoping that RIM already are fully aware of the demand for Skype and perhaps may even integrate it into BB10

Fingers crossed

[grindcorefan]

i like the user interface of the playbook video chat with contact and social integration.. but to me its useless bec no one i know uses the pb. i will like to see an integration of skype and pb vchat + bb10 vchat in the future

[Justthecrack]

Exclusivity in this case is something you really don't want any hype about

Just think about "Blackberry Video Conference". The logical question one will ask will be "Conference with whom?"

I'm addressing this from a marketing standpoint, to which you are thinking about it backwards. Reverse your thought pattern and my point will come to light.

[dragons9sons]

This is another marketing fail of RIM. They've obviously put some time and effort in this feature, but they don't even give it a catchy name to hype it's exclusivity to Blackberry. It's just "video chat". Even "Blackberry Video Conference" would seem decent as it could be shortened to BBVC like BBM.

When will they get rid of those crap throwing monkeys in marketing?

I do see your point but I don't necessarily agree about it being a marketing failure. No matter what spin was put on it or fancy name it was given I don't see how the results would have been different enough to sway the masses. And if we as BB owners were so easily swayed we'd all have iphone's instead.

To the larger point, we have to remember that these things take time, both time to develop and negotiate. Initially ios only had facetime then moved on to better things. So basically let's see video chat for what it is, a great program for those who can use it and a stepping stone for RIM.

[kennyliu]

I'm addressing this from a marketing standpoint, to which you are thinking about it backwards. Reverse your thought pattern and my point will come to light.

Hmm. Are you suggesting that marketing it as an exclusive feature will help RIM sell 800 million Playbooks? Or make it cross-platform? Or add new functionality such as calls to phones?

[ptpete]

I would have to agree that the video chat is really good. The audio quality itself is better than a landline. The only "problem" is that it is only playbook to playbook for the moment. But if BB10 phones get it and there is mass adoption or if it becomes as popular as BBM, or if it gets some sort of cross platform support, we've got something good here.