[Solidus433]

My wife and I are thinking of getting a pair of playbook. We are both returning to BlackBerry from Android and she made good use of the Google play books reader app. I know there is a Android player for the playbook, but are Google apps in there too like play store and play books?

[superdookie67]

If they are, then you would have to find the bar files for the apps and sideload them. I remember seeing some google branded apps on one web site or forum post. I currently use an android kindle app on my playbook.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[ibrahim011]

Dont do it the android player sucks on the playbook stick with an android.

[diegonei]

The Android Player does not suck. Actually it is showing it will be much better after 2.1 releases. You can trust me or the guy with 36 posts on this matter.

I never really played with book on Play (yeah, I know). But should you know where I can download the apk file, I can test for you.

Now, in all fairness and honesty: Google doesn't seem to be willing to play ball with BlackBerry. If you rely of Google services/apps, a PlayBook may not be the best option. It would still be a very good tablet though.

EDIT: Bored. Gonna test and post back.

EDIT: Forgot to backup the bloody barsigner.db and now I need to request new signing keys... I tell you... RIM sometimes...

[slowserver]

You won't have access to any books you purchased through Google Play through the playbook. RIM disabled Google authentication in the Android player, so you can't access any android apps you may have purchased either. Their intent was to force developers to redeploy their apps through the blackberry appworld so RIM get a piece of any purchased apps. Unfortunately, that means you can't leverage any apps or books you already purchased on Google Play.

[Solidus433]

Dont do it the android player sucks on the playbook stick with an android.

In wont get into why image leaving Android, let just leave it at important leaving Android and never looking back.

Thanks for the info from the other posts. Might look into it when I get the pb's. Its not a deal breaker if I have to buy a few books again on another app.

[diegonei]

In wont get into why image leaving Android, let just leave it at important leaving Android and never looking back.

Thanks for the info from the other posts. Might look into it when I get the pb's. Its not a deal breaker if I have to buy a few books again on another app.

Kindle app works. Also check Kobo.

[jeroen_13]

I read somewhere that the Acces to the Google Play Store is blocked (android) . I dont know if Google play books will work.
Havent tested it

[neilmann]

If you are looking to read your books from Google Play on the Blackberry Playbook, you can read them through the browser when you are online. You can also download the epub/pdf and read it with an ebook reader. I'm not sure which readers support DRM, but its worth a try.

Download epub/pdf from Google Play (step 3):
Transferring files to other supported devices - Google Play Help

Discussion on ebook readers:
Book Reader - Best ePub Reader for Playbook!

[dbmalloy]

If close to full Android use is important to you... you may want to stay with Android... The PB Android player is excellent but most in the Android community find it lacking in the compatabilty department... As it does not run all Android apps... you can be assured that you wil find something that you want that will not run.... Many people get very upset when this happens and blame their Playbook as opposed to doing some research.... Good luck in however you choose to procceed.....

[troyellis001]

The Android Player does not suck. Actually it is showing it will be much better after 2.1 releases. You can trust me or the guy with 36 posts on this matter.

I never really played with book on Play (yeah, I know). But should you know where I can download the apk file, I can test for you.

Now, in all fairness and honesty: Google doesn't seem to be willing to play ball with BlackBerry. If you rely of Google services/apps, a PlayBook may not be the best option. It would still be a very good tablet though.

EDIT: Bored. Gonna test and post back.

EDIT: Forgot to backup the bloody barsigner.db and now I need to request new signing keys... I tell you... RIM sometimes...

Great post, I really want an app for my Playbook that is available in Android. I dont have an android phone, so cant sideload it. Any advice on how I can get this app to work on my BB? Thanks!

[Sonic-NKT]

Search for the apk file online and the convert it with the online converter (google: apk2bar).
Thats the only option if you dont have access to an android phone and the app is not allready converted and posted here on on pages like goodereader.

The blocked Market or Contacts/Account access in the runtime sure is a bit annoying for sideloaders, i gues a few more apps would work. (Calendars, eMail and so on).
Besides that i think the android runtime is very good (2.1.0.840 that is) sure a lot of apps dont work but i was really amazed in how many great apps i could get working that i now am using on a daily basis.

[bay1902]

There's a ton of apps already converted on the apk2bar online converter, also with reviews of other users who thumbs up/down if they work or not. The good-e-reader app & site is another good place to go with pre-converted apks into bar (in my experience 99.9% work from there). Other than that as Sonic-NKT says there are thousands of apk sites on the web to grab apps from apart from the Play Store/Market. You will find what you're loking for easy & then can convert directly online & then sideload (either via DDPB or Wifi using the Chrome sideload extension).

The android runtime isn't perfect. Some apps are a simple case of hit 'n hope, with some frustrations. But on the whole I am still amazed that RIM have actually got a good basis of dual OS. An ability to download direct without rooting or converting would be fantastic, os even adoption of IOS apps. As a form android tab user i'm thrilled that 99% of my core apps work perfectly on PB. The other 0.1% aren't important & I've found effective PB specific replacements anyway.

[troyellis001]

Thank you both, I am going to try what you have suggested. Appreciate it.

[troyellis001]

Just a note of thanks, to both of you - Sonic and Bay. I found the APK file online, and converted it on apk2bar as suggested. It worked beautifully - thanks to both of you! I am a newbie on BB and it gets overwhelming, so this was great.

[Teapls]

Honestly, my advice to anyone would be get a different tablet if they can afford it, main reason I got the Playbook was the price. There's nothing on it though, the app's are awful, you go on the ipad / android tablets and the stores are filled with things that you can grab, lots to do creatively too. Creatively the Playbook is either playing hard to get or just doesn't have any options.

It's fine for streaming a film or what ever, but I'd definitely spend the extra hundred or so and get a tablet with decent support if I was buying again.

[SCrid2000]

Honestly, my advice to anyone would be get a different tablet if they can afford it, main reason I got the Playbook was the price. There's nothing on it though, the app's are awful, you go on the ipad / android tablets and the stores are filled with things that you can grab, lots to do creatively too. Creatively the Playbook is either playing hard to get or just doesn't have any options.

It's fine for streaming a film or what ever, but I'd definitely spend the extra hundred or so and get a tablet with decent support if I was buying again.

So get a different tablet.
Many people here are more than happy with their PlayBook, and I'd recommend the PlayBook over any Android tablet in a heartbeat.
Also, I don't understand your "decent support" comment at all. You mean like XDA developers? Because RIM supports the PlayBook better than any manufacturer of any Android tablet I'm aware of.

[CasioWat]

no i mean like support from developers. theres no apps for the thing!