[ukmight]

It is only a makeshift arrangement until all developers feel confident of investing time to develop native apps.
Currently, it is a Catch 22 situation as to who will come to the platform first - the users or the developers. Hence, offering such easy tools to the developers bring more apps to the platform and which in turn attract more users. Once the developer realizes that he has an audience for his app on BB10, he can then turn to native ala Songza and WordPress.

But......

Instead of throwing development effort into trying to get jellybean to run under emulation, which at best is gonna be marginal - why not make it easier to convert android apps to buttery smooth native BB10 apps.

Personally I can't see the point of developing an OS, creating hardware specifically for that OS and then hamstringing it by trying to emulate a supposedly inferior OS.

BBRY has consistently said that BB10 is the the future of the company - but then spends $ they can ill afford trying to emulate the opposition - litteraly.

Posted via CB10 from my awesome Z10

[Deckard79]

Kyle, thank you very much for your reply.

If what you provided is correct (and I don't doubt your sincerity) this raises some interesting possibilities.

a) Presumably option 1 (straight BB10 less Jellybean runtime) could still maintain the PlayBook's existing more primitive android runtime. I would also assume that, since both PB OS and BB10 run on very similar cores, existing PlayBook native apps would run? If so, I doubt anyone could really complain as the upgrade would widen the end user's app selection, not narrow it down.

b) If both options have strengths/weeknesses, a dual-boot setup could be implemented, giving the end user choice on which environment to run. Other manufacturers are currently releasing products with similar setups.

c) Failing this, open up the question to the PlayBook community. Put it to the vote. That way, once again we can't complain once the decision is made.

d) Allow any upgrade to be optional. Give the end-user the option to stick with 2.1 and continue to use it as they do presently.

I don't think they are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and honestly if they just came out and told us where they are with this they'd gain a lot of kudos for keeping their customers advised rather than cutting them off.

Posted via CB10

[joshua_sx1]

Just make the BB10 upgrade "optional" and everything will be fine...

Posted via Z10

[the_real_mikeyb]

It has been stated by BlackBerry that it will come. Maybe with 10.2? The obvious reason that I can think of for the delay is the lack of landscape support. I personally don't want to use my PlayBook in portrait mode and I don't think BlackBerry will release it for PlayBook until it is ready.

Posted via CB10

Not sure where all this 10.2 speculation is coming from? There's no Beta out there. No updates have been sent to PlayBook des about what will happen to their apps. I seriously doubt that 10.2 has anything to do with the PlayBook. Sadness...

Posted via CB10

[bozvandam]

I don't have anything I can say right now. So that means:

1. It's coming and I can't say.

2. It's not coming and I can't say.

3. At least it wasn't more nebulous, like "Playbook update? What update? We forgot!"

Or 4. Playbook? Jeez, I haven't heard mention of one of those in ages. I'm in shock anyone remembers them and I don't have anything I can say right now. Sorry, I need a bit of a lie down. Playbook? Wow!"

[ukmight]

The speculations started with the fact that the apps in 10.2 support the PlayBook resolution.
http://forums.crackberry.com/bb10-le...aybook-817805/

Not sure where all this 10.2 speculation is coming from? There's no Beta out there. No updates have been sent to PlayBook des about what will happen to their apps. I seriously doubt that 10.2 has anything to do with the PlayBook. Sadness...

Posted via CB10

[the_real_mikeyb]

Guys, please stop. Tweeting RIMployees asking about a BB10 update for the PlayBook has NEVER brought any news, and it never will. You're wasting your time, and the time of the people you are tweeting.

That being said, here's the situation. BlackBerry is currently exploring two different directions for the PlayBook. They are internally testing a new OS for the PlayBook, as well as another option which would be more like BlackBerry Bridge on steroids. They're stuck between a rock and a hard place, and are uncertain which path they're going to choose. That's why they have been silent this entire time.

The new OS is incapable of running the Jelly Bean Runtime. The PlayBook just can't handle the updated runtime, which is very important to some people. If they do end up releasing the new OS, no Android apps. Only BB10 apps. (Which wouldn't be a bad thing if BlackBerry World had a wider selection of native BB10 apps, but at this time, it doesn't.) There are also a few other downers with the new OS, but I won't go there, it's not important right now.

The "BlackBerry Bridge on steroids" option would require you to own a BlackBerry 10 smartphone. For those who do own a BB10 phone, this would be an excellent choice, as everything you do on your phone could be mirrored onto your PlayBook. For those who don't use a BB10 phone as your daily driver, this would be devastating.

So as you can see, both options have their pro's and cons, but neither are perfect. Go with option 1, and everyone complains because there's no Android runtime. Go with option 2, and you screw over your customers who don't own a BB10 smartphone. There's no way BlackBerry can win in this situation.

If you're thinking about asking me to share more info, don't bother. I have already said more than I should have. I just don't want to see poor Alec and Michael's Twitter accounts get bombarded by people asking questions that they can't answer. I know you just want to see BB10 on the PlayBook as soon as possible, and as a PlayBook owner, I feel the same way. But tweeting about it will accomplish nothing.

P.S.: My info comes from a very reliable source who is close to the project. If you want to believe it, good. If you don't believe it, I really don't care.

Thank you for this info! Am really glad to have heard something (even though this isn't official).

My 2 cents on this though: BlackBerry needs to step away from their crazy idea of pairing the PlayBook with a phone (which in blackberry's case is now not so common anymore). The first PlayBook didn't sell and got panned because it was seen as a half baked product without email ect.

What most people didn't see was that you needed a BlackBerry for it to work. Now then blackberry may have been ahead of its time with that idea but it didn't work!

I hope they don't attempt it again! On the reason that they just shifted 2.3 million of these devices and most of them due to heavy discounting running 2.0 which had all the bridge features built in natively.

So by pushing out an OS update that again requires you to have a phone when you didn't before would not be a good idea.

I understand the Android debate. Right now jelly bean isn't supported on 10.1 so let's just stick with that. It's a 2 year old device. We'll update it to current status: 10.1 done!

But please don't do the second screen idea! It's stupid! I just bought a Z10 but I don't need a bigger screen for it!

Posted via CB10

[russworman]

The speculations started with the fact that the apps in 10.2 support the PlayBook resolution.

You nailed it... why add the resolution support that was removed after the dev beta os if it is not going to be used? No other devices will use this resolution aside from the PlayBook.

Posted via CB10

[Kyle27]

The speculations started with the fact that the apps in 10.2 support the PlayBook resolution.

You mean the clock app and weather app? Those apps had PlayBook assets back in 10.1, that's not something new.

[ukmight]

Yes the clock and other default apps. It was something I read in the forums. Do read the thread created by Xsacha.
http://forums.crackberry.com/bb10-le...aybook-817805/

You mean the clock app and weather app? Those apps had PlayBook assets back in 10.1, that's not something new.

[kraschute]

@Kyle27, thanks for the info - but I also think this silence is unacceptible...why not to just state: "We're working on it but still in the process - there are issues but it will defenetely come. Please stay tuned..." This would be the sign most people wwant and I'm sure we could still wait a bit. No news is always the worst case!

Regarding the options you presented:

I'm clearly for option 1: I do not need a bridge! Ok, no Jellybean is probably a minus for many but I could live with it! I wan't cascades, new browser, DLNA, new stock apps...all more important than a few more android apps.

[the_real_mikeyb]

@Kyle27, thanks for the info - but I also think this silence is unacceptible...why not to just state: "We're working on it but still in the process - there are issues but it will defenetely come. Please stay tuned..." This would be the sign most people wwant and I'm sure we could still wait a bit. No news is always the worst case!

Regarding the options you presented:

I'm clearly for option 1: I do not need a bridge! Ok, no Jellybean is probably a minus for many but I could live with it! I wan't cascades, new browser, DLNA, new stock apps...all more important than a few more android apps.

+1

Posted via CB10

[Hirazi Blue]

So RIM investigates not one, but two separate options (spending valuable RnD time for each) for a piece of hardware they apparently do not even produce anymore?

[Barracuda7772]

I care more for option 1 and while not having the jellybean runtime, id like to have the updated gingerbread runtime of 10.1 so that I can sideload netflix ....eh give or take I have my Roku 2 XS

[bozvandam]

Go with option 2, and you screw over your customers who don't own a BB10 smartphone

Hell of a marketing tool though

And why shouldn't I tweet them. Are you suggesting that the person who replies, sorry, cut 'n' pastes to my tweets is usually more gainfully employed being a BB10 Playbook developer who has to rush out of the office every time a new tweet arrives? Or does Thor answer them himself and he's getting fed up and just wants to get back to running his company?

*warning* there is a large dose of good old British sarcasm poured all over the preceding statement *warning*

[lexluthorxx]

Hell of a marketing tool though

And why shouldn't I tweet them. Are you suggesting that the person who replies, sorry, cut 'n' pastes to my tweets is usually more gainfully employed being a BB10 Playbook developer who has to rush out of the office every time a new tweet arrives? Or does Thor answer them himself and he's getting fed up and just wants to get back to running his company?

*warning* there is a large dose of good old British sarcasm poured all over the preceding statement *warning*

in that case it will be missed by most here in North America

[uncle_numpty]

in that case it will be missed by most here in North America

Why ? does homeland security filter that out

[bluenote]

I fear that option 1 was considered but then delayed for some reason. Perhaps because the R&D dollars spent to finish it or to support it after it is released do not fit into the future company's vision of one computing device powering myriads of dumb screens and therefore the incremental gain of supporting a million or so customers did not appeal to their budget planning as opposed to spending the dollars on the "future" vision that the CEO mentioned cryptially at that conference. Then option 2, which would fit into the new vision, I'm guessing they are delaying because it would alienate current users who don't have the phone. So better to alienate current users by doing nothing (hoping they won't notice or wont care that they dont have the newer software) than alienate them by breaking functionality.

I'm reading how apple is still planning to support iphone 4 in its 3rd year of release with a scaled-down IOS 7 and there is something appealing in that type of support. Both Apple and Blackberry have locked down systems so there is not much difference in that respect.

[FF22]

Bottom line is something is coming, but nobody knows what yet. So no need to bombard people's Twitter accounts.

AND is there a reason, THEY can't tell us that "in person?" That is answer the question - are they still working on the pb? Rather they play cutesy games.

They don't have to go into the details you seem to know but say "We are still working on the pb!" Yes, I realize that will generate other questions but right now they act like fools and treat us the same way. That part is offensive.

[tpmendes]

Absolutely agree that BB should tell customers and fans what is their vision for the PB! I bought PB several months ago bearing in mind the promised upgrade to OS10! Right now I feel BB is making all of us fool! I must say I like the PB a lot, and find it having potencial, but it really misses an OS that is on same level as the hardware. The browser, and file management/picture management, ui is all so poor that really doesn't fit the hardware quality of PB. Besides this I'm about to buy new smartphone, I'm waiting to know from BB about the PB, so I can decide whether to continue with BB or move to another brand! And I hate Apple, I like nokia but hate windows... so android will be the move... unless BB comes with news soon! Very soon!!!

[lexluthorxx]

Why ? does homeland security filter that out

Sarcasm???? .................................................. ..............right....


lol

[tpmendes]

I'm clearly for option 1: I do not need a bridge! Ok, no Jellybean is probably a minus for many but I could live with it! I wan't cascades, new browser, DLNA, new stock apps...all more important than a few more android apps.

Absolutely agree on that! and....
It could include a decent way to manage photos and documents into folders and sorting files... and able to open .eml attachments in email (at least to know the attach is there... because it doesn't even list eml attachments...) And last but not least get SKYPE again on PB!!! Which will be there if OS10 is coming!

[pcondello]

According to Apple Inc:
iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 2, 3, 4th gen, iPad mini and 5th generation iPod touch will all run iOS 7.

So if Apple can provide the latest software update to the iPhone 4 (a 3 year old device!), then I don't buy the argument that BBRY won't provide the latest software to the PlayBook because its 2 years old.

[ukmight]

You cannot compare BlackBerry to Apple's position. BlackBerry is rebuilding its lineup from the ground up. The Bold 9900 launched after the PlayBook and still is not going to be supported by BB10 due to hardware incompatibility.

Agreed that the PlayBook represents a product family that may be able to run the OS, but I still would not have had expectations for the PlayBook on the basis of the product age, had BlackBerry themselves not stated that there will be a BB10 update to the PlayBook as recent as the 7th of March 2013.

The doubts mainly arise due to the fact that BlackBerry has adapted a new strategy which does not figure their older devices in the long term plans. Even MS could not provide an update of WP8 to the WP 7 phones due to the lack of a dual core processor. A major change in the hardware lineup is leading to such fears.

According to Apple Inc:
iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 2, 3, 4th gen, iPad mini and 5th generation iPod touch will all run iOS 7.

So if Apple can provide the latest software update to the iPhone 4 (a 3 year old device!), then I don't buy the argument that BBRY won't provide the latest software to the PlayBook because its 2 years old.

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

I'd like to see some form of BB10 for PlayBook (even if handicapped in some way), and they could still implement some kind of "bridge on steroids" - in fact, it was my assumption they were doing such a thing to work with other non-BB tablets. So a mix of the two options (I like to eat my cake).

They need to unify the PB music & video stores with BB10's BlackBerry World so purchases in one show in the other, and bring cascades, a better browser, keyboard, etc. They could leave out Jellybean for PB, leave out the always running hub, keep the PlayBook's multitasking setup and overall appearances. I just want some under-the-hood changes and updates to some apps. A full BB10 from the Z10/Q10 won't work and isn't ideal anyway.