[D_Whatley]

Mine
Build: 040411
Made in: Taiwan
Accessories made in: China

Hardware problems: None (Kock on wood)

I am wondering about the many hardware problems with these earlier models and if they were Taiwan or Mexican manufactured.

[Betmen]

I believe I'm winning this horserace. I picked up a 16gb PB at Staples Canada today. Made in Taiwan, build date 13-12-2011.

Mine was built back in April in Taiwan and Accessories from China.
Does anyone have one built some where else?

[Betmen]

Does anyone have a Playbook that wasn't manufactured
in TAIWAN ?

[markryb]

I guess I'm lucky... 11/05/11 (a fresh one !)... all taiwan ... one of last ones available in Cleveland..... (retail stores) ... could have gotten on line (didn't want to wait) !
Luv it so far !

[nievz]

Wow, this is news! And this is BIG! All along we thought these PBs being sold now were leftover stocks in Q2 of this year but they are definitely still making new PBs! Maybe the cost of raw materials already lowered by now and they are just breaking even if not making a little bit of profit.

Mods/Kevin, are you monitoring this topic?

[Unsure2]

Wow, this is news! And this is BIG! All along we thought these PBs being sold now were leftover stocks in Q2 of this year but they are definitely still making new PBs! Maybe the cost of raw materials already lowered by now and they are just breaking even if not making a little bit of profit.

Mods/Kevin, are you monitoring this topic?

It's interesting, all right, but nothing to get so excited about Even if RIM is still making PBs (and that's still an "if"--we know nothing about how PBs are made, stored and packaged), it means very little in terms of whether the plug gets pulled on the Playbook--and nothing at all about how RIM's own uncertain future may influence the decision.

[auditman]

Mine says 091211

Wow, this is news! And this is BIG! All along we thought these PBs being sold now were leftover stocks in Q2 of this year but they are definitely still making new PBs! Maybe the cost of raw materials already lowered by now and they are just breaking even if not making a little bit of profit.

Mods/Kevin, are you monitoring this topic?

[conix67]

Wow, this is news! And this is BIG! All along we thought these PBs being sold now were leftover stocks in Q2 of this year but they are definitely still making new PBs! Maybe the cost of raw materials already lowered by now and they are just breaking even if not making a little bit of profit.

Mods/Kevin, are you monitoring this topic?

There's no confirmed report of PB production stoppage. The only confirmed report is that they let go half of workers at the factory producing PB hardware, back in September. It seems like RIM reduced the production, but did not stop it altogether.

So new batches appearing in the stores now means they may have exhausted old stocks by now (or close to it).

[nievz]

It's interesting, all right, but nothing to get so excited about Even if RIM is still making PBs (and that's still an "if"--we know nothing about how PBs are made, stored and packaged), it means very little in terms of whether the plug gets pulled on the Playbook--and nothing at all about how RIM's own uncertain future may influence the decision.

I thought they just wanted to clear out the warehouses that's why they started selling them at $199, but if this is true, it means they are still spending money to manufacture. Selling at this price only means one thing, they want sh*** load of apps for the BB10 phones at release. I see commitment here. This sale will go on for a while i think.

[pkcable]

I wish I still had my box, I wonder if I have one of the earliest ones, I'm a day 1 owner, in fact I had my PB, on 4/18!!!!! Notice the date, on my calander.

[Betmen]

Boy listen to all the uncertainity and speculation. My friends laugh
at me cause I won't give up on RIM. I think the whole company is cooked
on both sides. It kills me to say that but they let it all slip away..Amazing

[app_Developer]

It's interesting, all right, but nothing to get so excited about Even if RIM is still making PBs (and that's still an "if"--we know nothing about how PBs are made, stored and packaged), it means very little in terms of whether the plug gets pulled on the Playbook--and nothing at all about how RIM's own uncertain future may influence the decision.

I don't really agree with that. First of all, if they did deplete the inventory, then that's what, another million or so units out there? That's a significant bump.

Plus if they are making more, it gives us some indication of their intentions. There was the possibility that the sale was just to get rid of existing inventory and then they would just run out and decide the cancel the thing.

[nievz]

Exactly my point. Now I can't wait to get home and see what the date is on mine.

[FF22]

I wish I still had my box, I wonder if I have one of the earliest ones, I'm a day 1 owner, in fact I had my PB, on 4/18!!!!! Notice the date, on my calander.


Click to view quoted image

Oh, boy!!!! I can't find my slip cover but my GRAY box says 120411 (April 12th).

I think I got mine early May. I stand correct since I found this screen shot

[KodyShadow]

Mine was purchased in November.............it is made in Taiwan and dated April 25, 2011.

[catberryday]

Purchased mine on 11-29-11 and it was made in Taiwan on 4-20-11.

[nievz]

mine was June 8, 2011! It doesn't have the recessed power button.

Eventhough i paid for it full price, I never looked back and wished i bought an Ipad2. I thought about it, and that was it.

[Unsure2]

I don't really agree with that. First of all, if they did deplete the inventory, then that's what, another million or so units out there? That's a significant bump.

Plus if they are making more, it gives us some indication of their intentions. There was the possibility that the sale was just to get rid of existing inventory and then they would just run out and decide the cancel the thing.

Both of those are definite possibilities, so I don't think we really disagree. Who knows what stock RIM had in an almost-complete stage, what kind of contract RIM has with the physical manufacturer, and how fast RIM can halt production? Also, consider that RIM itself may not know at this point what it is going to do. And, even if RIM has decided to continue with the Playbook and has the factories producing, if RIM itself is acquired by Amazon or one of the other suitors, that decision could be reversed overnight. Undoubtably, the Christmas sale has sold a lot more Playbooks (even though I did not notice the frenzy of the firesale days); but, I don't think putting a few hundred thousand more Playbooks into the hands of users changes the game that much. Most of the problems--such as that $199 Fire--are still there. We'll just have to wait and see.

[app_Developer]

And, even if RIM has decided to continue with the Playbook and has the factories producing, if RIM itself is acquired by Amazon or one of the other suitors, that decision could be reversed overnight. ...

Yep, I agree. A new CEO should change the plan as well. The next CEO really needs to introduce some realistic planning and focus.

When RIM took the charge for PB inventory, did they mention how many units that was?

[Betmen]

No body knows anything about RIM inventory

[Unsure2]

Yep, I agree. A new CEO should change the plan as well. The next CEO really needs to introduce some realistic planning and focus.

When RIM took the charge for PB inventory, did they mention how many units that was?

It was a $485m charge off for unsold inventory. But, I'm not sure what that means. Did that represent the stock's diminished value in terms of the $300 discount? If so, stock could have been as many as 1.6 million units. However, with at most a few hundred thousand unit sold during the firesale, RIM did seem to be running out of 16GB units, at least. Someone here probably knows the answer.

[iJuan]

My PlayBook was made 11-05-11 and i bought it on December 9 at my local Radioshack.
RIM is doing well :-)

[dwc.uk]

For what it's worth, I bought a PlayBook yesterday and the manufacturing date is 071211, so it looks like I've got quite a new one!

[Armando175]

I order mine 11/24, got it 12/10 and manufactured 070611 in Taiwan.

[iStrikeRx]

The one I bought on 24th December has a manufacturing date of 8th December 2011, so yes, they are still making them

My US model one has a date of 26th May, and I bought that earlier this month.