I'm guilty: Playbook vs. Transformer Prime vs. iPad 3
- I finally gave up on my Playbook. I know this post may be unwelcoming or even offensive to many of you fans out there ...
I had it for almost five weeks. I spent too much time on it trying to make it work. Finally, I had enough of my Playbook. During the weekend, I went out and bought iPad 3 and Transformer Prime. After extensive comparisons, involving buying the same app from both iOS and Andriod, I'm keeping the iPad.
Let me clarify a few things:
1. I like (or even love) the form factor of my Playbook
2. I had no prior experience with Andriod.
3. I carry an iPhone 4S with some reasonable understanding of the iOS
4. I WAS a huge BB fan
Tablet use, the followings are equally important:
1. Use it instead of bringing hard copies of my lecture notes to class
2. PDF annotation - grade papers, read academic journals (all are in PDFs) and note taking
3. Basic editing - MS Office files
4. Access to cloud based storage services such as Dropbox and Sugarsync
5. Access to my e-textbooks via Smart Course
I bought the Playbook because:
1. Form factor: I wanted a device I can carry
2. Cheap: paid $300 for a 64gig version
3. The illusion that it runs Andriod apps
4. I'm a Canadian!
Since I bought the Playbook, I had nothing but frustrations. Yes, basic Calendar, Email and Contacts work flawnessly. But the two PDF annotation apps are all running off Andriod player. Oh boy, this thing knows how to crash! I'll willing to learn the system. But losing productivity over crashes is unacceptable. Doc to Go of the Playbook version is nothing but basic. I didn't know what I've missed until I fired up the Andriod and iOS versions. No native dropbox? Yes, there are workarounds. Again, why do I have to tolerate that? For Andriod and iOS, dropbox and other cloud storage services integrated seamlessly into many, if not most, apps. Doc to Go included.
The following Playbook (Andriod) apps don't work (well):
1. QPDF - crashes often, not to mention it's too basic of an app for serious annotations
2. Smartcourse, my only way to access course materials from textbook publishers crashes often
3. Files and Folders - work as advertised. But it lacks behind in terms of system and app integration which is ubiquitous in iOS and Andriod. Why do I have to copy and paste to send files online while apps from iOS/Andriod save files automatically to the cloud? My iPad colleagues were able to pull the most recent version of the same documents while I struggled to copy the same file to my playbook. Not to mention the recurrence of error #1000 - memory error. I was told I must close off other apps to free up memory before sending files to the cloud. No, it often didn't work. The only way to upload file was to reboot the playbook, fire up the app again, navigate to the playbook file, copy, then navigate to dropbox, and paste! It's painful! Try to do it 5 to 10 times a day, in between crashes ...
The Transformer Prime with Ice Cream Sandwich is nice. The keyboard is not fully size - useless for me. The OS has too many options. Good for people who want to customize the it. I don't. I want to spend my time doing things. Smart Course is still at version 1 and it far more basic than the iOS version.
I read text a lot, and the high resolution on iPad 3 is a winner. iAnnotate is amazing! It works better than Acrobat on my computer. Doc to Go UI is simple and intuitive. Both iAnnotate and Do to Go integrate seamlessly with dropbox and sugarsync. Smartcourse works!
I bought the Playbook because I need a tool, not a toy. Certainly don't want a tool that needs to be fixed often.
Here is my decision:
Andriod will go back to the store
Playbook will be on Kijiji (along with my wife's) Anyone interested?
iPad is a keeper
Bye RIM (with sadness)
Again, I'm sorry if you find this post offensive.04-02-12 05:22 PMLike 4 -
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EricB1968 and JELLOMAN99 like this.04-02-12 05:34 PMLike 2 - There is no shame in not liking a product and going with another. I've never used the New Ipad but I have the Ipad 2. It's not a bad device but I can't comfortably use a tablet that large. I only just got my playbook so the "OMG I have a new toy!" feeling is still in full swing. But, I want to use it for Web browsing and video. As of right now I love the size of the device. It's small enough that I can thumb type in portrait mode. Something I couldn't do with the Ipad. Enjoy your new toy. Life's too short to worry what others will think of your choices in tech.
Sent this message using my PlayBook. Woohoo!
Riedle likes this.04-02-12 05:35 PMLike 1 - It's too bad it just doesn't work out well for you. I, for one, have a lot of great use out of my PlayBook (I have tried many samsung tabs and my dad has an iPad 2, I just thing the PlayBook is smoother and easier to use). Plus I love to take it with me when I go somewhere and it looks just badass in my car. Check this out.
04-02-12 05:35 PMLike 5 -
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- Congrats on a good product comparison review. People have different needs, and not one company has a product (be it Blackberry or Apple or ASUS) does everything for everyone.
Also keep in mind varying prices, and demand/supply, you tend to get what you pay for... That is if you are happy with your purchase then it is worth more than what you paid.
For example, I have 2 Playbooks, one for wife and myself. We never had a tablet but own laptops (ASUS and HP) and I liked to have a portable media player/internet for a low cost, and be able to do video chat with her. She likes to read books, browse web, show the kids videos and play educational games with the kids, basic stuff. I use my Playbook to do presentations.
Do I think my $199 Playbook is a good purchase for my needs? Yes. I think the iPad is an awesome device in it's price class for people who want to take advantage of it. But I would not shell out $1000 to get 2 ipads, I would much rather spend $400 and get 2 playbooks for my needs, which the Playbook for now well exceeds.
Maybe in 4 or 5 years when I outgrow it, I will buy another tablet. By then you will have iPad 7 for $300 with "nano" display of 1 billion x 1 billion Gigapixel resolution, lasting 50 hours on a single charge, with 16-core processor. :-) And Playbook 4 with retina display for $50. I may still buy the playbook if it does everything I need.
To each his own! Lets hope for variety and not a tablet monopoly.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk04-02-12 06:10 PMLike 3 - It's too bad it just doesn't work out well for you. I, for one, have a lot of great use out of my PlayBook (I have tried many samsung tabs and my dad has an iPad 2, I just thing the PlayBook is smoother and easier to use). Plus I love to take it with me when I go somewhere and it looks just badass in my car. Check this out.
Click to view quoted image
04-02-12 06:14 PMLike 0 -
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- It's too bad it just doesn't work out well for you. I, for one, have a lot of great use out of my PlayBook (I have tried many samsung tabs and my dad has an iPad 2, I just thing the PlayBook is smoother and easier to use). Plus I love to take it with me when I go somewhere and it looks just badass in my car. Check this out.
Click to view quoted image
Reassure likes this.04-02-12 06:30 PMLike 1 - It's too bad it just doesn't work out well for you. I, for one, have a lot of great use out of my PlayBook (I have tried many samsung tabs and my dad has an iPad 2, I just thing the PlayBook is smoother and easier to use). Plus I love to take it with me when I go somewhere and it looks just badass in my car. Check this out.
Click to view quoted image
04-02-12 07:34 PMLike 0 - No offense taken. You buy devices that meet your needs and make YOU happy, not a bunch of people on an internet forum.
I have both the PlayBook and iPad and whichever I'm using, I find myself wishing that one had the features of the other when. Basically there's no perfect tablet out there, just one that fits with your uses and preferences.Cozmik likes this.04-02-12 07:35 PMLike 1 - Good lucking exporting anything off Apple Pages.....
Last edited by Spellreflekt; 04-02-12 at 08:43 PM.
04-02-12 08:03 PMLike 0 - It's too bad it just doesn't work out well for you. I, for one, have a lot of great use out of my PlayBook (I have tried many samsung tabs and my dad has an iPad 2, I just thing the PlayBook is smoother and easier to use). Plus I love to take it with me when I go somewhere and it looks just badass in my car. Check this out.
Click to view quoted image
that is sick!
and once again it seems the only thing that sent him away was the lack of apps...sad
Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk04-02-12 08:04 PMLike 0 -
Device Holders and Dashboard Vehicle Mounts-ProClip Car Mounts for Mobile Phones, GPS, and Handheld Deviceschristenmartin likes this.04-02-12 08:13 PMLike 1 -
- I'm not guilty. The PlayBook works for everything I need it for and more. I even bought my wife one. She uses an iphone and she loves her playbook too. There...so glad I got that off my chest. I bet the OP really wanted to know that so I thought it important that I shared.04-02-12 08:26 PMLike 0
- It's really too bad that something as simple as PDF handling, is what so many are tripping over. I totally agree with the analysis.04-02-12 08:34 PMLike 0
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I'm guilty: Playbook vs. Transformer Prime vs. iPad 3
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