[dougs torch]

Trying to spread the word on how good the PB is. When we have guests over they are impressed with what it can do. I find myself saying that I know BlackBerry isn't getting a good press at the moment and secretly hope they don't go out and buy the usual apple or Samsung. Please RIM, I hope BlackBerry 10 changes things for you and buying a PlayBook is as normal as buying an ipad.

[MidVids]

I'm in the USA a lot and always have my PB. Everybody wants to know what it is and are impressed with it. They always ask "why haven't I heard of it" and "where can I get one". Often when I tell them its a BB product they think that BB is broke and going out of business!

[dougs torch]

That's the problem. People are not buying it in large numbers cos they think the brand is tainted. It's up to us to spread the word I guess!

[BerryClever]

RIM is putting all their time, money, and resources into BB10. They are banking on it. In the end I think that they are in a pretty good position. They do have brand recognition, Apple is starting to get stale, they have enough money to overhaul their entire OS and hardware (spread thin, but they have it), they are the underdogs so they have more fight in them, they a strong base in other countries still, and they can make amazing big picture hardware/software.

The issues they have, in my opinion, is lack of marketing and lack of fine detail vision (small things that add up, like no true file or internet bookmark management, no options for dock mode, no custom notification settings, no enter button on Facebook in Messages, etc).

[Techno-Emigre]

I get the same interest when I do professional presentations. However, I can't tell you how many times I have choked back my glowing recomendations because I know a person couldn't ethically use Google to sync confidential data. Without sync to Outlook I just can't recommend to a person who uses a device for business. I think all of that will change with BB10. For sure I have learned to forget the talking unless someone asks questions. Too many negative opinions. When they see what the PB can do and don't know it is a PB, they are open and curious without making uninformed judgements. I just hope it is not too long before BB10 comes to the PB.
And I agree ... marketing has got to create cravings.

[ljfong]

On technical merits alone, BlackBerry PlayBook is a good product. The hardware is solid, QNX is solid, and the vision was good. However, it was everything wrong with the deployment and marketing to the mass market:

• No built-in PIM functionalities on the get-go (fixed by 2.0+ OS revision) for a professional grade tablet.
• Very weak PDF consumption capability, the built-in Adobe PDF reader is a joke, a problem largely solved by third party PDF Reader (by Sporadic Software).
• No serious marketing whatsoever.
• Native SDK came late.

Personally I feel the PlayBook as a product (I bought mine 16 GB version when it was still $499.99) had come a long way with the OS revisions and the apps. Today I love using it as e-book reader, reading PDF and ePub documents and for watching videos (MP4s), finally reading news on the web when I am too lazy to sit in front of my desktop computer, yet the Torch 9810 screen is too small.

[w0lfgang]

I am a science teacher, and when i swipe up to show the homescreen, my students say, "whoa that is cool!"
But they all ask the same thing, "how come i never knew about this?"
I think there should be a petition for the rimm marketing team to all be FIRED....all of them

[xSt0rmTroop3Rx]

I pretty much take my PlayBook everywhere with me. A constant companion, a loyal sidekick. However, I couldn't tell you how many times I have been asked "What is that?!" or oddly moreso, "Is that the new iPad mini??" In that case I just point out that it has HDMI out, which no Apple product has. But in any case, I love talking up my PlayBook and I agree that since RIM initially failed in marketing it, its up to the fans to spread the good word.

[Elwe Feanorfin]

I am glad that in Canada people are not completely hostile against BB. I see plenty of PBs while in public and people are generally receptive that it is a BB even if they do have an iPad.

[bmercer94]

I've also been asked on multiple occasions what my tablet was, or if someone asked to see it, "where's the home button! how do you do anything!?" I've never been asked whether it was an iPad Mini or not because I'm very pro-blackberry and anti-apple. I own a second generation iPod touch, apple has made it impossible to acquire any of the apps, faceboo/twitter/etc due to an older software version, if your version isn't high enough you can't have the app, even an older version, so I downgraded to 3.1.3, and refuse to purchase a new iPod because apple refuses to make apps available to me. I'm disappointed that there's no actual Twitter for BlackBerry Playbook app, but the website works well enough.

[NaijaBerry]

Same here those that see it with me love it and want one os 1 pretty much made the PlayBook DOA imagine if they came out first with 2.1? BB10 clearly will not make the same mistake, I'm soooo excited! The PlayBook will yet get a new lease of life with BB10 OS. That's like the 3rd tablet in one purchase!

[bdegrande]

I've also been asked on multiple occasions what my tablet was, or if someone asked to see it, "where's the home button! how do you do anything!?" I've never been asked whether it was an iPad Mini or not because I'm very pro-blackberry and anti-apple. I own a second generation iPod touch, apple has made it impossible to acquire any of the apps, faceboo/twitter/etc due to an older software version, if your version isn't high enough you can't have the app, even an older version, so I downgraded to 3.1.3, and refuse to purchase a new iPod because apple refuses to make apps available to me. I'm disappointed that there's no actual Twitter for BlackBerry Playbook app, but the website works well enough.

You sound confused. Older hardware not being able to run the newest OS/apps has been going on since the beginning of computer history and is inevitable.. Both RIM and Apple are actually outstanding at doing these upgrades. My three year old iPod Touch is still running the latest OS and apps, and we PlayBook owners have had OS upgrades and are about to get another big one in BB10. For an example of how to do this wrong, look at Android, where many devices either never get an upgrade or have to be rooted to do an upgrade.

If my PlayBook can't run the next OS after BB10, I won't be complaining, I would regard that as absolutely normal, and I will feel just the same if my iPod Touch can't run iOS 7.

[bmercer94]

You sound confused. Older hardware not being able to run the newest OS/apps has been going on since the beginning of computer history and is inevitable.. Both RIM and Apple are actually outstanding at doing these upgrades. My three year old iPod Touch is still running the latest OS and apps, and we PlayBook owners have had OS upgrades and are about to get another big one in BB10. For an example of how to do this wrong, look at Android, where many devices either never get an upgrade or have to be rooted to do an upgrade.

If my PlayBook can't run the next OS after BB10, I won't be complaining, I would regard that as absolutely normal, and I will feel just the same if my iPod Touch can't run iOS 7.

it's not the unavailable new apps, its that apps for that os version are also unavailable. ex. bb appworld has different app versions depending on which os you access it from. app store for apple is the same across devices so my 4.2.1 iPod can't get facebook, although it could before

Sent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[BerryClever]

I am glad that in Canada people are not completely hostile against BB. I see plenty of PBs while in public and people are generally receptive that it is a BB even if they do have an iPad.

I don't think there is a country where people are hostile against RIM or BB products. Generally people go with what other people get because of the steep price tag (anything over $100 is good money for a lot of people). Marketing is the key here. RIM needs to beef up their marketing department to get TV ads, online ads, and print ads out as well as product placement. That will cause ease people's minds about them going out of business and give them a grass roots type of user testimonials.

I think ultimately people are skittish about paying good money for a product that they never see people use, hear about in the media, see big displays in store and heard stories about bankruptcy. Many big companies been through what RIM is going through and made it on top including Apple and Nintendo.

As for the reviewers, they work for a big business that wants readers/viewers. I think that they will and do skew their reviews based on what is popular. Nobody wants to hear their favorite product is merely a "5 out of 10", but they do want the reviewer to be "objective" and not mark everything 8, 9, or 10 out of 10. Popular items tend to get high reviews and less popular items tend to get low reviews, it makes the reader happy with the money spent and makes them think that they have "normal" tastes therefore keeping the user as a reader. The review site/mag becomes "trusted".

Every product including the iPad has a few problems, but popular items have them overlooked while less popular items has them scrutinized. That also helps make reviews appear more objective because they are telling the truth about what they do say but by omitting things or downplaying things... well that isn't technically lying. I think RIM is looking to build the perfect product and get a 9 out of 10 from perfection (and I won't complain!), but marketing is more important and effective.

Maybe it seems like conspiracy theory, but to me it is just psychology and money. Marketing works.

Sorry, I started to respond to why I don't think it is hostility other countries feel towards RIM, but ended up branching out (aka rambling some ).

[masqueofhastur]

You sound confused. Older hardware not being able to run the newest OS/apps has been going on since the beginning of computer history and is inevitable.. Both RIM and Apple are actually outstanding at doing these upgrades. My three year old iPod Touch is still running the latest OS and apps, and we PlayBook owners have had OS upgrades and are about to get another big one in BB10. For an example of how to do this wrong, look at Android, where many devices either never get an upgrade or have to be rooted to do an upgrade.

If my PlayBook can't run the next OS after BB10, I won't be complaining, I would regard that as absolutely normal, and I will feel just the same if my iPod Touch can't run iOS 7.

I'd say Apple is actually terrible at the upgrades. The first is great, but after that you start getting upgrades that slow your device down quite badly, and eventually support for older software just stops and you're forced to upgrade your hardware. It's hard to say with BB, you usually get just one upgrade - OS5-6, and 6 never got upgraded to 7. The PB got from 1-2, and will get BB10, which is actually the best upgrade path of any BB device so far.

[Kandoo-BB]

I live in the U. S and every time someone asks what my tablet is and I say a BlackBerry, they look confused. Every time! No one has heard of it because there was never any marketing for the PlayBook here in the U.S. Even folks at best buy have told me that BlackBerry went Bankrupt.

BlackBerry10 can be awesome but they have to market it. They have too or people will just continue to buy Gs3 and I toys.

[madman0141]

Everyone has the look of confusion when I advise them it is BlackBerry. Then they say something like Oh so that's not an ipad and I respond kindly by saying the ipad is like using a typewriter compared to this. That really confuses them.

[wafa510]

I had someone ask me if mine was an iPad, now this is before the mini came out. Some people just associate whatever they see with being an Apple product. As many of you said, it is plain ol' marketing. To some (especially when they are not following technology or products), when they see a tablet or phone they just assume it is Apple. I did explain it was a Blackberry Playbook and she watched me show her what it could do and was impressed. However, I doubt she would ever buy one because she never heard of it. She said she was in the market for a tablet. I guarantee her tablet will be an iPad since she knows they exist. People like her and there are many out there, are not concerned with what the tablet can do, they are just not tech savvy enough for it, they just go with brands that they heard of and what is the most popular. I will always be happy to show people what the Playbook can do, I love it, but I will admit that RIM did not market this properly. I only heard of it because I subscribe to Consumer Reports and when the Playbook came out, it was reviewed along with the iPad and the Motorola Zoom so I remembered it. But regardless, I use it everyday, and I am so glad I bought it!

[xSt0rmTroop3Rx]

Everyone has the look of confusion when I advise them it is BlackBerry. Then they say something like Oh so that's not an ipad and I respond kindly by saying the ipad is like using a typewriter compared to this. That really confuses them.

Thanks for that analogy...lol...love it

[TheScionicMan]

I had an attorney at work give me the "BB is about to go bankrupt " line the other day. It was funny having to point out, to an attorney, that it would be hard to declare bankruptcy with $0 debt and $2 Billion in the bank...

[katesbb]

I have a friend who keeps asking why I bought "discontinued hardware" instead of a shiny new Nexus 7 like he has.

I don't defend it though, lol... I'm happy that he's happy, as am I

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

Im in europe right now. Had one of my pb sitting on the table in the hotel lobby. No fewer then 3 passing people stopped and asked if they could take a look at the new ipad mini. One said something like "that thing looks great its the perfect size". I then told him it was a blackberry and he proceeded to tell me he was actually in a rush to a business meeting and didnt have time to look at it anymore.

[David in Durham]

It sounds like a lot of us run into this. One of my colleagues insists I'm using "old technology" because I have a BB phone and tablet. Another colleague told me she bought her son a Nexus 7 for Christmas. I told her she should have bought him a BB PB. She says, "Blackberry makes a TABLET??? I wish I had known that. I LOVE Blackberry!" After I told her the price they're selling for now, she said she might get one for a Christmas present for herself.

[RubberChicken76]

Personally I feel the PlayBook as a product (I bought mine 16 GB version when it was still $499.99) had come a long way with the OS revisions and the apps

Me too. I've been asked a few times if I'd recommend it to others. And honestly, as a $499 16 GB tablet running 1.0, not a chance. But as a $180 64GB tablet running 2.1 with the apps now? Absolutely. And I know quite a few people who have them.

I had an attorney at work give me the "BB is about to go bankrupt " line the other day. It was funny having to point out, to an attorney, that it would be hard to declare bankruptcy with $0 debt and $2 Billion in the bank...

Yeah - it really is 'all or nothing' for some people. Sorta like the media says, "RIM only has one chance to survive with BlackBerry 10 or they'll die". Yeah - because downsizing and focusing on a specific niche segment and/or merging or being bought aren't also potential options.

I'd say Apple is actually terrible at the upgrades. The first is great, but after that you start getting upgrades that slow your device down quite badly, and eventually support for older software just stops and you're forced to upgrade your hardware.

I can vouch for this with two devices right now ... my iMac running Mountain Lion and my last generation iPod Touch running iOS 6. Both are 'supported devices', and both are so excrutiatingly slow that the experience is utterly, utterly miserable.

[Ian5986]

Until switching from my iPhone to the Blackberry 9900 earlier this year then joing this brilliant site, I was not aware of the Playbook as here in the UK there is almost no advertising and many of the phone shops who sell BB phones and iPads do not stock it.
This site led me to the Playbook and the great deal so last Sat I went out and spent the �129.00 for the 64Gb Playbook with V2.0 software, turned it on and set up and promptly upgraded to V2.01 software!! It is a brilliant tool and I love it for ease of carry, use - using it with my 9900 is a dream as I can view all my contacts/appointments easily via blutetooth.
Love the software and starting to master the control factors so all in all a real bargain considering many people buy a reader only for books for �99.00 - no brainer really.
My only regret is that it does not come with a Video/film app that works in UK and as my iTune films/music are DRM controlled it causes a problem as I want to download some films but have no easy access in UK.
I hope that as implied we get BB10 for the Playbook next year and I will be even happier than I am now!!
They do need some serious marketing though to gain the market share they deserve but I suspect the new team have that under control................roll on Blackberry, 2013 is your year!