[hauger]

Lately I've taken my playbook out of Z10-induced retirement and started playing with it again. I'd forgotten how nice and elegant the UI is on this thing and how much of a joy it is to use.

Having said that, I wish BlackBerry would release an OS update that upgraded the Android player and maybe allowed .apk files to be directly installed. I know there's no money left in the original playbook and they probably don't want to foot the development cost, but it would go a long way to breathing fresh life into this "dead" tablet and would buy back some of the goodwill lost with deciding not to upgrade the PB to BB10. It must be possible and maybe relatively quick to port the necessary software from BB10 backwards into the PB OS.

On a different note, I've been looking at the Nexus 7 lately. Seeing how far forward new tablets have come makes me see how long in the tooth the PB has become. I wonder if a new tablet, the Playbook 2, would be economically viable for the company if it was produced in a small run and sold directly by the company online. Make it's resolution and internals compatible with a near future phone to ensure little software support cost and keep it for online sales with low inventories to reduce inventory cost and avoid apathetic/hostile retail employees.

Thoughts?

[kbz1960]

Nope. Too much R&D. They won't even think about it before better profits start rolling in. Also, what would a bb tablet provide any other tablet doesn't?

[Paullybob]

Nope. Too much R&D. They won't even think about it before better profits start rolling in. Also, what would a bb tablet provide any other tablet doesn't?

This exactly!!!!

[hauger]

Which are you talking about, the Android Player? Yeah, you're probably right, leave it for dead is probably good business and just a dream for those that still use the PB.

A new tablet? That's easy, offload the R&D to a third party (Foxconn) in a licence deal similar to the Z3. As for what it would offer that other tablets don't, well, that depends on what you're looking for. Probably not much but with BB10 a significant amount of the "app gap" is closed. The value proposition is simply being able to buy a tablet that's not Apple (personally I can't get by their level of vendor lock in and complete disregard of standards vs. proprietary everything) and has a more elegant UI, higher security than Android. It's basically the same value proposition the phones are living on today.

I think it's possible if it's kept small and hardware similar to a near future phone. Think basically a Z50 in a bigger case with a bigger screen and battery, maybe a bit more RAM for differentiation and that's it. I'd order one anyway.

[kbz1960]

I have a playbook. I have an 8" windows tablet. I'll take my windows tablet any day over the playbook or an android tablet or an iPad. That's me though. I didn't think I would like my win tab better but I do, by a long shot! Nothing to do with apps either.

[dazzleaj]

I have a playbook. I have an 8" windows tablet. I'll take my windows tablet any day over the playbook or an android tablet or an iPad. That's me though. I didn't think I would like my win tab better but I do, by a long shot! Nothing to do with apps either.

If you don't mind, why? I have a Torch now and linked with the PB it's good but I see the writing on the wall. I am going to have to change and it seems like windows 8 is the closest thing to a legacy system that allows for computer, tablet, phone interface.