Intro and some questions if you guys dont mind?

Hello currently using the New Ipad also have an Ipad 2 and generally pretty happy with both of them, toying with picking up a playbook as they seem very cheap just now (in the UK)

Few questions
Is Mame and other old school emulators available for it?
Hows the battery life when watching movies?
How easy to install BB and sideload android roms?
Is there a chance of a future android running on it instead or no chance?
Any chance of a future BB upgrade to allow BBM without using phone?

And lastly is it a worthwhile purchase bearing in mind already have ipad?

Forum looks good guys hopefully if i go ahead and pick one up ill get more involved :-)

The answers to the Android stuff is no far as I know. RIM runs a custom Android environment that is integrated into the tablet OS. It's not really true standalone Android as you know it. As for BBM, RIM has to get paid. So standalone BBM should come to the PlayBook when the PB gets BlackBerry 10. And even then it should only come to tablets that can have a dataplan attached, like the 4G PlayBook.

cheers mate, appreciate a quick reply been reading up on sideloading and seems some apps can be converted, i was hoping there was maybe a group looking at an android rom to take advantage of the nice hardware within the playbook, i do have a 2nd option of picking up a galaxy tablet, but the 64gb playbook is appealing especially if it runs some of the old emulators? as im not too fussed about lack of 1000's of apps as have the ipad, but the flash support and 64gb make the blackberry very appealing IMO just really looking for some info from you guys before going ahead and purchasing.

At the risk of becoming fodder for trolls and flamers, I say go ahead and get a PB. You'll love the convenient size and how handy it is to carry around and whip out when you need info, directions, etc. Plus, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good the Internet browsing experience is.

Watching Canadian tv here, there is a constant barrage of iPad commercials emphasizing how there is an app for this and this. Example, a bank here is advertising that it has a new iPad app for online banking. I've been using that bank's online banking website since April, 2011 using my PB, not one problem. We were watching a baseball game on tv last night and a commercial advertised the iPad app for NFL.com (the U.S. National Football League). So I picked up, you PB, used the browser to go to NFL.com and was able to watch a video with no problem.

I never have a problem with the battery dying, certainly not during a movie, but I do follow a habit of plugging it in whenever it gets below 50%. Lithium-ion batteries don't last as long if they are fully drained frequently.

Very easy to load apps from BB AppWorld but I avoid sideloading android apps since some of them can cause problems and I really don't need any of them.

The rumors are that BBM will be on the PB assembles a native app when BB10 comes out early next year. But if you already have a BB phone, you can use the PB to view and reply to BBM's if you load the "BB Bridge" app onto your phone.

For less than $200, it is a heck of a good deal, IMHO.

[QUOTE=clnmckec;7665688]Hello currently using the New Ipad also have an Ipad 2 and generally pretty happy with both of them, toying with picking up a playbook as they seem very cheap just now (in the UK)
Just my 2 bits.
Pick one up and play pretty sure you won't be disappointed its a great little tab and IMO for the price you can't go wrong.
And should be even better when bb drops.
Good luck.

for the price it is, get one. it is an incredibly annoying piece of kit that is remarkably flawed, especially considering the amount of time it'sbeen out. That said, it makes an excellent film/music media player with great sound for the size, has a decent screen (not great, until you take it into sunlight at which point it shines!), is above average in browsing (neither fast nor as reliable as it should be), but runs flash (ok, it does, it just crashes often enough to annoy. a moot point, but my 2.5 year old htc desire does it better). apps are thin on the ground,and expensive in the uk, but the ability to run some android apps is pretty useful. the kb is ok, but has a tendency to crash. the multi tasking is cool, but likely overhyped as things crash fairly regularly. the gesture interface rocks, but could be improved with modification. that said, the whole pb experience is generally ok, but the closed down nature of it sits uneasily with me, as the room for dev/mod improvements is huge.
either way, i'd buy one at the price they are (oh wait� I did). I use it as a cheap but versatile media player thathas extras (a friend with benefits?!), while my nexus 7 does the rest of the tablet stuff.

cheers for the replies guys think i will pick one up tomrorow (expect tons of questions haha) any of you know about the games emulators?

Check this thread out for info on the emulators
http://forums.crackberry.com/playboo...aybook-705309/

and this one for sideloading
http://forums.crackberry.com/android...eloading-f258/

Having had my playbook for nearly a month now and I think for the cost ($118 CDN) I couldn't do better. Just make sure to note the return policy from where you purchase it. Then if it's not what your wanting the return is painless. Just give the device more than a day or two of testing/playing around with.

good luck

Originally Posted by clnmckec

Hello currently using the New Ipad also have an Ipad 2 and generally pretty happy with both of them, toying with picking up a playbook as they seem very cheap just now (in the UK)

Few questions
Is Mame and other old school emulators available for it?

I don't know about that one but there are a lot of emulators out there

Hows the battery life when watching movies?

Not sure about this one either as I"m usually plugged in when I watch them

How easy to install BB and sideload android roms?

Install BB? Sideloading android apps isn't difficult there are programs and instructions on there if you search. ROMs, ain't going to happen.

Is there a chance of a future android running on it instead or no chance?

No chance. The boot loader is locked

Any chance of a future BB upgrade to allow BBM without using phone?

I'm not sure how that is going to work. I think it's been said it will but others still think you'll need one that takes a SIM card.

And lastly is it a worthwhile purchase bearing in mind already have ipad?

That is something you'll have to decide yourself

Forum looks good guys hopefully if i go ahead and pick one up ill get more involved :-)

again cheers guys for the info :-) seems a decent forum

I've watched two full movies on flights without battery issues. Battery can depend on screen brightness settings - turn it down to save on battery.

get one. i got one at launch and havent looked back. the cradle along with the fast charger are must haves! i think that it came with the fast charger actually. its so small and handy. ill go to the kitchen to get a drink and ill forget its in my hand and bring it with me. the ipad, as you must know requires finding a place to set it down and its hard to not notice.

Hey, there seems to be a new flood of new blood around here! Time to give back a bit of CrackBerry knowledge ;)

For Android sideloading, I've juste posted detailed info / links to get you started here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...3/#post7666147

Can't compare with iPad, (I've only "toyed" with iPhone 3GS when job got one for my friend, got bored after approx. 2-3 hours, decided it was not for me), but what I LOVE on my PB:
- Browser works as desktop on any site I've come accross
- Easy to copy files to / from (drag and drop, no need of proprietary soft) via WiFi (or USB)
- Sound is better than any laptop I've ever seen, er... heard maybe ;)
- Size is perfect for me, finally read PDF books and Comics I never opened on laptop
- Sideloading nearly makes it perfect for me (details in post linked above)
- Solid and nice in hand (I keep mine "naked")
- Excellent RIM support if you have a problem (had to return two faulty units, 2 phone calls, replaced within five days each time, FedEx pre-paid by RIM, all good now, two working PlayBooks in the house)

Welcome here if you let your heart convince you you really need one ;)

Originally Posted by clnmckec

Hello currently using the New Ipad also have an Ipad 2 and generally pretty happy with both of them, toying with picking up a playbook as they seem very cheap just now (in the UK)

Few questions
Is Mame and other old school emulators available for it?
You can have PSX, SNES, GameBoy and N64 emulators, as far as I know.

Hows the battery life when watching movies?
It's good. I stream several episodes before I have to worry about the battery.

How easy to install BB and sideload android roms?
You don't sideload roms. You sideload .BAR files. They can be either native apps or converted android apk apps. Sideloading is easy using PlayBook Tools or BBHT. Getting the bar files may be tricky (since some of them may need to be converted and signed before the app can be used).

Is there a chance of a future android running on it instead or no chance?
Slim to none.

Any chance of a future BB upgrade to allow BBM without using phone?
Fat to absolutely happening.
And lastly is it a worthwhile purchase bearing in mind already have ipad?
There are a number of users here that have both devices. How it turns out depends on each individual's needs, but it seems they all use both devices to some extent.

Forum looks good guys hopefully if i go ahead and pick one up ill get more involved :-)

Pre-welcome to the forums.

Is it the new forum format or has everyone turned on their Miss Manners charm for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend? This is one of the most civilized, calm, sensible iPad/PlayBook forum discussions I've ever seen. Well done CB community!!!