[takeo]

I know there is many threads around this forum - I know it's about "which one is better".

I just want to settle this whole discussion, somehow, get it down to a point, have you agree to it or not, so we can all sleep well from now on after this. I'm addressing especially any real geeks and technical advanced people with my post. And fanboys too

Some basic background and hopes:

1. I'm not an Apple fanboy, I'm not a Google fanboy (is there such thing?) and I'm not a RIM fanboy. I'm a great fan of gadgets! - any kind, you name it. I often buy items just because I want to see what the technology of today is delivering - I want to use as many cool devices in my life as possible - I won't see any iDevices, RIM devices, whatever-devices in the year 2100 - because then I'm gone. Dead. Literal, isn't it? I have a strong technical knowledge and I could call myself a geek, but also professional. No big deal.

2. I own/ed, iPhone 1, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, BB 9700, BB 9800, BB 9780, iPad 1, iPad 2 and BB Playbook... more to come... I actually skipped some, because they're not relevant. I never returned any of these, even if I was "unhappy". I didn't even try out the BB Playbook prior to purchase - even though I can't return it, because it was a gray import. (luckily my PB has no flaws hardware-wise)

3. I do not want to be called a troll, so please read the post first, then use your clear mind on my words, give a comment, but avoid calling me a troll, just because I might not suite your mindset. If you can't, don't comment. A troll is somebody wanting to make the masses angry, stating something completely wrong or provocative. I'm not intending that. Even if I seem like favoring any tablet, I'm not. It's facts, as far as possible. Thank you!


OK, here we go:


1. The iPad is not better than the Playbook. The Playbook is not better than the iPad. Any Android device is not any better than any of these as well. Because they are all one thing: A device, nobody really needs. We start with this approach, so we get our mind free from biased standpoints...

If you think of the product "tablet", a few years ago (decades ago even, when Microsoft and others tried already), they (would) have failed. Especially because there was nothing like a responsive and fast-reacting, accurate touchscreen - do you recall that time, when you used to hit the damn Palm 1 with a tiny little pen, because otherwise you couldn't tell it what you want? Now you can use your big thumb. Great. (if you don't recall that time, you're either too young or you missed what was going on mainly about this topic by that time)

Today, life is fast-paced and we are moving closer together, globally - that's why I can post in this forum and have people all over the world read it, email somebody instantly or play a game against random people on the other side of planet earth. Great!

Tablets are meant to consume exactly these possibilities, be portable and have a long-lasting battery. In the end, every each of us would absolutely prefer a full-fledged Micro-Notebook (be it 7 or 10 inch, or whatever suits you) with 30 hours battery life and all the apps we need - including a touchscreen to play Angry Birds etc. (that's gonna happen anyway, in a few years from now, they will all be like the Acer transformer, but proper - IMHO) and fully capable operating system that we can be productive with.

This brings us to:

2. Tablets are not very productive devices. Yes you can consume media, yes we can copy all our documents, movies, audio etc. to the device (who the !#%$@#$ cares if you do that via Wifi, drag and drop or via iTunes, dammit?? Let's not make that a decision point. Nobody does who uses tablets - most of those people even know what you mean by 'drag and drop'. Few years ago there was no Wifi, not even USB), and we play thousand of games with our bare-naked fingers punching and tipping the surface of the screen (as long as we don't wear gloves / lol) - but in the end, I personally have never really created a file on a tablet that I would call "work". Rather a small text file, did some remote desktop access, read some emails/replied to it, looked at presentations or charts, or surfed the web (not for 'business' purpose 90% of the time) - because it's more work, it's less quick and it lacks essential things (like a right click on a mouse to access shortcuts, etc. - forget multitouch, its not quicker) and we can be 10 times quicker on a real keyboard to type a document (hey BB owners, you know what I mean!) or to do some essential research - as soon as we hook up an external keyboard/monitor/mouse to a tablet, the 'benefit' of it is gone. (Think MacBook Air-like devices / small, light, full-fledged / why buy a tablet? Battery life... I know.)

This brings us to:

3. Carrying a tablet is cool. People buy it, because they want to be part of a move - just like the netbooks which are now being abandoned in favor for a tablet even though all tablet systems are "closed". iOS, QNX, Android - none of these operating systems gives you as much power and possibility as any desktop OS. Whats the benefit of multitasking, if you don't have windows or multiple things at sight at the same time? (give me ANY example why multitasking to its max is important on a tablet! It's rather about managing resources correctly - that's where the benefit of a tablet lies - battery life. That's the key to success!)

Try to screw up iOS, Android or QNX - good luck failing. That's the magic of a tablet so far. Unless you jailbreak your device (this awesome new word was introduced with the first iPhone / just a reminder) and install some crazy software you don't even know where you got it from. Android devices suffer of this the most as you can install software of all kinds in the market place without Google checking it first - therefore many people install trojans etc. on their device. Don't say YOU wouldn't do it! YOU are a geek remember? YOU know everything about every damn tablet out there - that's why YOU are reading this post (high possibility, because you feel challenged). But how come 150.000 thousand people download and install it blue-eyed before it even get's recognized as malware? Exactly... because that's the average user like: blue-eyed and not like YOU.

And that brings us to:

4. One can beat any tablet in terms of speed and multitasking with a quite average netbook. (but we don't WANT a netbook anymore! so old fashioned, remember? We discussed that.) We can beat any productivity level of a tablet instantaneously. BUT, we can not beat the DUMB-proofness of a tablet! And most people, believe it or not, are DUMB when it comes to I.T. and everything involved. Most people here do not seem to see that anymore... yes, YOU are SPECIAL. You are a GEEK. Your MOM isn't. And MOST people are not either. And that is, face it, the target group.

Which brings us to:

5. Tablets are there to play games the most. Don't say no, don't say you don't need those unnecessary games/apps (but you put music and videos on it, complain about streaming-sites not working, and seem to find nothing but entertainment to be the number one thing you do with your tablet). But regarding sales in App Stores, Games are the most bought application category and most people identify their tablet thru games. Can't run Angry Birds yet? Guess what, RIMs CEO told the world it will be there soon! (think about it, a CEO for a corporate-oriented product, announces a GAME). Apple shows off with EA on launch of the iPad. Android's benchmarks always take 3D-power into focus (what for? Games!).

Which brings us to:

6. Don't advise someone about a tablet from YOUR point of view. You're not the average person. Give up on defending a product that is 'technically' advanced, but not yet ready (Playbook), has a closed ecosystem (iOS), or is open to many attacks thru installing fraud software. (Android) They all have their strengths and weaknesses... and in the end you don't do more with any of them. Just in a different way you write documents, watch movies, play games or hook it up to a project/TV.

I tend to always tell everyone asking which tablet they should choose that it depends - in the end, it's about the question itself. If you ask that question, probably you're a person that isn't technically advanced and willing to find out too much about it - go with the iPad, it has it all but so simple, a geek gets crazy about the cage around it. But it's good to show off.

If you find yourself not having a BB or wanting to choose a certain brand (Apple), maybe Android is the best - so many manufacturer to choose from. Just like good old Windows - runs on everything, but maybe not everything runs on it (or things you don't want, like Viruses etc.). And you don't really carry an 'image' with you.

If you are glued to your BB 24/7, the Playbook and any RIM tablet might be right to choose - it will get its beneficial part to show off. If you feel like being "different" than the masses it might be right for you too. It might even be considered as a 'business product' and transport a different message to people around you seeing you, instead of any Android/iOS device. (But actually we are hooked to the same limitations)

Conclusion

Whatever it is - I found that most people anyhow do not use more than a few apps effectively. Skype, Twitter, Facebook, Web browser, Email, Notes, Calendar, some games. That's the *average* users tools. Anything else - forget it, he doesn't even care. Have a look at the list at Crackberry for 20 apps you really need - most even there had a hard time finding 20 (!!!) apps! Ridiculous.

So, my suggestion is: let's live in peace, choose what we like individually and congratulate each and everyone who is a 'tablet' user. Until the next big thing happens - and that's probably just gonna be a laptop with outrageous battery life etc. (maybe we call it 'tablop' (tablet/laptop).

[donjunto]

Thanx for taking the time to write such a post, that is really my point of view of things..... Great job.

[takeo]

Thanx for taking the time to write such a post, that is really my point of view of things..... Great job.

Thank you for reading it.

[lnichols]

Exactly. Buy what tablet works best for you, enjoy it or sell it. And if it isn't a Playbook then we don't need you coming in here every day trashing the Playbook. Smartphone experts has sites and forums for each device, Crackberry is not a catch-all.

[Cozmik]

Well written. Quite valid in this recent climate as well. There is no '1 size fits all' solution. It's as simple as that.

[omgitsalive]

Live in peace? Enjoy your own devices? Be glad for other people with theirs?

What have you been smoking?

There's a large 'thanks' button under your post, ima click it rite now!

[xandermac]

I'm sure Crackberry would disagree. If all you have left is RIM users the forum would be a lonely place. Besides, trashing the PB on TIPB wouldn't really be the same.

Exactly. Buy what tablet works best for you, enjoy it or sell it. And if it isn't a Playbook then we don't need you coming in here every day trashing the Playbook. Smartphone experts has sites and forums for each device, Crackberry is not a catch-all.

[exzibit3]

Good summary from a different perspective. I'll add that many users here feel threatened when the topic of another tablet being better than the Playbook comes up and get pretty defensive about it. I guess they want to feel validated in their choice of buying one when in reality they know that the PB has been a bit of a letdown and they are going on the "potential" of it to be better.

[omgitsalive]

Good summary from a different perspective. I'll add that many users here feel threatened when the topic of another tablet being better than the Playbook comes up and get pretty defensive about it. I guess they want to feel validated in their choice of buying one when in reality they know that the PB has been a bit of a letdown and they are going on the "potential" of it to be better.

You guess wrong

[blackranger3d]

You guess wrong

Any reasoning behind this? Or its a just becasue I said so sort of thing?

[omgitsalive]

Any reasoning behind this? Or its a just becasue I said so sort of thing?

Without going into detail about another username who posted it.

You state 'people feel threatened'.
You state 'I guess people wanted to feel validated'.
You state 'the PB has been a bit of a letdown'.

Do you really need my reasoning why this is all wrong? I'll oblige of course, it's friday afternoon!

First statement: I would think it rather awesome if you know how everyone feels.
Second statement: At least it's now your guess, no longer stated as fact.
Third statement: Approx. 500.000 people (of which ~1000 frequent this forum) are now crying and going /wrist because they were let down by the PlayBook? I highly doubt it!

This post could of course be defined as 'defensive', so by your definition I must be letdown by the PlayBook, needing validation.

This is not the case - ergo: you guess wrong!

Have a good one.

[darien729]

Good summary from a different perspective. I'll add that many users here feel threatened when the topic of another tablet being better than the Playbook comes up and get pretty defensive about it. I guess they want to feel validated in their choice of buying one when in reality they know that the PB has been a bit of a letdown and they are going on the "potential" of it to be better.

i own a bb 9800 and a playbook 64gb! i truly love them both! my girl has the ipad but we use the playbook more. i serious have to tell her to use her own tablet. i call it the upad (uglypad) as a joke. i do like the ipad but rather my playbook although they really do the same thing (search web, watch movies, play games,read books).

[xandermac]

Where did that number come from? If there were 500,000 users don't you think RIM would have said so? 500,000 SHIPPED, there is a huge difference. Guideance was 200,000 sold, had RIM met that they would have reported it, so less than 200,000 sold is a safe bet. Of which it seems 100,000 come here to report problems!

Third statement: Approx. 500.000 people (of which ~1000 frequent this forum)

[zoso28]

No matter how objective & rational the OP was (with whom I agree for the most part), I have a feeling this topic will end up as another debate/troll magnet.

[omgitsalive]

Where did that number come from? If there were 500,000 users don't you think RIM would have said so? 500,000 SHIPPED, there is a huge difference. Guideance was 200,000 sold, had RIM met that they would have reported it, so less than 200,000 sold is a safe bet. Of which it seems 100,000 come here to report problems!

is it friday afternoon in your timezone as well?

All North American best buys, staples, office centers, walmarts etc are currently building new depots to stash their 300.000 unsold playbooks, it's all over the news here in Europe. They're making huts out of unsold playbooks for the homeless to sleep in. In Canada they're using double sided duct tape to paste Playbooks on their hockey sticks.

Or maybe the 'unsold' stash is not so big after all?

[Seijuro]

great post, thanks for writing this
oh and btw, i never thought that tablets were useful or something like that.. simply because they're not
and i dont find them fascinating at all

i didnt buy one, and i dont plan to
smartphones? yes
tablets? no, thanks

maybe in 2012 when QNX phones will be released, i'll buy a QNX tablet, just for fun, just to own another bb-device, who knows

[pustyak]

great post, thanks for writing this
oh and btw, i never thought that tablets were useful or something like that.. simply because they're not
and i dont find them fascinating at all

i didnt buy one, and i dont plan to
smartphones? yes
tablets? no, thanks

maybe in 2012 when QNX phones will be released, i'll buy a QNX tablet, just for fun, just to own another bb-device, who knows

I agree that tablets are not useful. They are just big smartphones. I finally bit the bullet and bought a cheap Android tablet, but it is really a big smartphone. I still want to buy a PB, if RIM ever gets its act together, because I love my BB phone.

[veldacy1]

2 cents..

in regards to right click.. you hold the link for a sec and get open link, open in new tab, save link as, copy (shortcut.. you said you couldn't) and cancel.

also, i AlWaYs thought the netbooks (during that silly bubble) were weak and down the middle for many more reasons then i feel like writing.. cramped kbds.. cant really use them on my back on the couch like now on th pb.. underpowered for the apps on their os (photoshop?, sound mixers like protools etc..)

the size of the pb and its amazing screen do it for me over the others. entertainment and web while putting the baby to sleep.. def a techie..since i was a kid. im 31.

good writeup. i'm going to sleep..

[darkonex]

Tablets are definitely just a fun gadget to own and show off no doubt, they can be very handy too. I currently own an iPad 1, and I had the Playbook for 2 weeks then took it back and now have the Asus Transformer + Dock. They all have their strengths and weaknesses no doubt but you can have your fun with any of them honestly, I would happily recommend any of those 3 to anybody. I'm finding more use out of this Transformer than the Playbook and so far the iPad even, but I will say the Android OS definitely isn't as smooth an experience as the iPad and though it has alot of apps it doesn't compare to the Apple store. Some things I miss about the Playbook is the hardware was definitely more solid feeling than this Transformer, and I really enjoyed the 7" size of the tablet it just was perfect size imo. Also the multimedia playback in the Playbook I can certainly say was a better experience overall than the Transformer, the sound quality in the Playbook was way better, even the HDMI output of the Playbook beats the Transformer, seems like the sound system in this thing kinda sucks. If I were crazy enough with my money right now I'd rebuy the Playbook, it definitely had an awesome feel to it and the OS was really cool. I keep coming back here to follow it's progress because I think it has some great potential and definitely will consider rebuying it in the future.

[mandony]

Takeo, you spent a great deal of time to collect your thoughts, thank you.

Might I add the power of advertising and promoting. How often do we see on the popular PR screen many demos by Apple execs .. then think, how many do we see by a RIM exec, and, can we even recognize a RIM exec if we see him/her on the street?

Let us say your ideas are right on.
From the standpoint of the iPad user. the PB is a dud 'cause some early bad reviews in the press. Maybe they are right, but truly they are guided in opinion by advertising and promo by Apple and Apple guided reviewers. Apple spends a lot of promo bucks and aids to sway the reviewers in their direction.

On the other hand, RIM gives their primary advise to corporate IT folk. To prove it, go to the Blackberry web site and click on the 'support' pages ... they are almost all IT/BES oriented.

Disappointed with RIM? Yes, as the NY Times Business Section today (17 June 11) pointed out, RIM rushed the PB to market before the OS bugs were worked out. And, they are slow to market on rolling out their newest technology.

By contrast, Apple had a fully operational system leading to portable music devices and app stores leading to iPhones and iTouch then leading to iPad's.

RIM seems to be working the other way around by offering the new technology rolling out the PB first. Right or wrong, their direction has caused their bottom line to falter and their stocks have dropped at a rate faster then the whole market. I wish RIM the best for rolling out the newest 4G phones with no OS defects. Perhaps I should consider buying RIMs stocks now on the cheap (just like when Apple was in the slumps a few years ago).

[Donnee]

thanks for a decent post about it

i think the top and tail of it is, there will never be a one size fits all tablet, same as pcs, some like windows, some like mac, some like linux, its all down to the individual

i took my pb with me to work yesterday and got chatting with the office apple fanboy about it (dont worry, theyre not the militant fanboy type you find lurking outside apple stores). He uses his ipad for note taking and such in meetings, but even he had to admit the size (as i took it out of my suit pocket rather than bag) was much more convenient, and the bridge was ideal (our phones are linked to the bes so he cant get email on his ipad, at the mo he composes on his personal email and forwards to his phone). I did have to troll slightly and show him facebook in full glory with its flash videos, chat, and all that via bridge browser too

Obviously the ipad does have its merits, the bigger screen makes the keyboard a bit more usable, altough saying that ive only had the pb a day and im up to a reasonable speed with it (i cant really call it touch typing as the screen is always in view but its starting to feel that way, as much as it can do with 1 finger on each hand anyways).

Theres also no denying that the ipad and android have much better app support *at the moment* (we can hope) but then again with a full browser you dont really need them. Saying that even when i had an iphone i only downloaded a sudoku app, citrix, and some drawing physics game, not exactly a huge loss. Sudoku i have, citrix i can get around by using logmein, all ive really lost is the ogher game which im sure i can find another one of...

tl;dr version: there is no winner, do your research first so you know what to expect and pick whichever works for you

[csiguy1]

To me a Tablet is very important for my job. When standing in front of a customer I need to quickly be able to give them answers to questions. If I tried to show them a document on a smartphone, they would walk away because they could not see it. Using my PB for work gives me instant access to my much needed info. in a form that can be seen by my customers which makes me MONEY.

[uci2ci]

there is nothing to settle. you buy something, you have about 2 weeks to try it out, weigh out the pros and cons, if u like it enough, you keep it. if you dont, try the next gadget. i use to stick up for tech, and recommend it, but i dont anymore. i am avid thinkpad fan for example, and thats what probably pulled me towards blackberries, but i never, ever, ever tell an average consumer, or even a friend, to buy it buy a thinkpad especially if they already have an eye towards something like an macbook. why, cus i know they wont like it. they wont appreciate it. they might even think its the ugliest laptop they've seen.

me, i cant stand working on macbooks, i just cant, but for some reason, people love it. i dont get it, but im sure there is something there that i dont see yet or just dont care to see.


people are gonna buy what satisfies them the best. and brand loyalty is a hugh factor in what people buy and stand up for. so let ipad fans have ipads, xoom pads have xooms, and a few suckers like us enjoy our playbooks...playbooks need lovin too

[Nashstruck]

Not another comparison thread

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[takeo]

Not another comparison thread

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

you just didn't read it. Thx for the useless comment.