[thatsean]

So, as I'm sure many of you know (and plenty have benefitted), DSG group in the UK are dumping stock of Playbooks. I got the 64 a couple of days ago for 129. Snd I thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone who's thinking of doing the same.

Overall I almost feel a little sad using it, some aspects are truly brilliant, only to be countered by elements that are utter rubbish. It's a pity, worse is that the 2.0 software allegedly brought improvements, christ knows what people had to suffer before.

As a device to consume media, it's good, gorgeous screen, good if weak speakers - forgiven due to the depth of the frame and a handy size.

Typing on it is ok, its a shame so many characters are hidden away in sub menus though.

The lack of apps is a real shame, as is the cost of the ones that are there. Now if you're reading this and about to flame me, consider 2 things. 1. This is my experience, I don't neccesarily care about yours. 2. Consumers don't want to side load apps, they want it to work, simply, out of the box. That doesn't mean that we are morons, it means that there's more to life trying to get software to run on a tablet.

Browsing is ok, a little slow though, and I don't get the fuss about flash. But it's there for you.

Overall, if you can get one at the stock dump prices I'd say go for it, I'm sorry to say it but I think the current price is a fair one.

[Speedygi]

I'm glad you got your Playbook! Happy for ya!

[simu31]

I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong with your overall assesment, but this line right here

1. This is my experience, I don't neccesarily care about yours.

invalidates the whole point of you starting this thread.

You can't start a thread saying "this is my opinion and I don't care about yours", if you think other people should care about your opinion!

Either way, yes, the PlayBook has its limitations, as do ALL tablets (and any technological device). All you can do is get what's best for you.

If you think that an overall good piece of hardware with a good OS is not worth it's cost price, (basically) because of some missing apps, then I think that's your opinion. And we should be grateful no technology companies listen to that viewpoint because not even Apple would exist in this area of business if that was their opinion too.

Until Apple made people think they needed "an app for that", the app market basically didn't exist. It's main reason to exist is because Jobs didn't want to put Flash in Apple products because he had a problem with Adobe, so going to an internet page just wasn't possible.

A lot of websites still use Flash in their websites, most haven't yet moved over to HTML5, and those websites aren't fully useable with (for example) an Apple product, THAT'S the "fuss" about Flash.

Enjoy your PlayBook

Si.

[kretch]

I got the 64 a couple of days ago for 129. Snd I thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone who's thinking of doing Now if you're reading this and about to flame me, consider 2 things. 1. This is my experience, I don't neccesarily care about yours.

Wow....... I hope that if and when you have a problem with your devices that you can't solve the Crackberry Nation doesn't have the same attitude with you that you are taking with Us.

I can see your point that there's way to many people on this forum that don't like there beloved PlayBooks being trashed or put down and are way to aggressive with words in retaliation, but...................

Well I'll just leave it with that as I don't want to be as rude to you as you are being with Us.

Have a glorious Crackberry day.

.

[jsprice90]

Can you enlighten on what parts of the OS you consider to be "rubbish" and be specific about what apps you consider to be missing and would otherwise allow to get the most out of the Playbook?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[Wongsky]

Can you enlighten on what parts of the OS you consider to be "rubbish" and be specific about what apps you consider to be missing and would otherwise allow to get the most out of the Playbook?

Personally, I think the OS is brilliant.

I love how easy it is to use, I love the way it deals with multi-tasking, and I love how easy the gesture thing works for opening and closing apps.

What I'd personally like to see (how realistic that is, I don't know) is native support for the Kindle app - or a much later version than is doing the rounds, available for side-loading.

And I'd like the native video player to support bookmarks / saving last position played.

(UK specific) I'd like an iPlayer app (not just so it will run - admittedly well - through a browser). I'd like a better news app (a free one, or BBC news, or something like that), and I'd like the official podcast app to be available normally for UK users. And I'd like the native pictures app to have options for sync with internet picture libraries (photobucket, flickr, picasa, that sort of thing). Unlikely, I realise it to be, but I'd love a native, and free, gmail app (I tolerate the native email client). I'd like a tunein radio app, especially as at one point that looked to be on the cards. Oh and the moon on a stick.

The native weather app is very nice - not quite as good as the native one on my android tab - but very nearly as good. Video and music players both seem decent - video player just let down by no bookmarks / position saves.

[bay1902]

UK-orientated - iplayer works fine through the link provided on the PB. After the disaster with certain Android tabs the fact that it works smoothly through the browser (well it does for me!) is fab. Same with TV catchup. Do we really need a separate app...you don't need an 'app' for everything imo.

Gmail...not fussed personally...the stock works fine on my gmail, access to all folders, stars, etc. Contacts sync perfectly so i'm well away with all that.

As for tunein - whilst it is a good app on android & ports don't appear to work that well what's wrong with Nobex (in appworld & free!)? Does the same thing for radio streaming round the world. Ok it doesn't provide the automatic suggestions for similar stations, but at least down here in the South-West I can still listen to Kerrang up in Brum whenever I like & other stations inbetween.

[slparry]

I too have bought a discounted 64gb playbook from Currys for �129 .... and I am very very pleased with it.

I'm not interested in there being 2 billion apps so long as there are a few that I would use, which there has been so far. I am interested in it being able to browse, email, play a few games, watch movies etc.

Previously when away on motorcycle trips I'd rely on my Nokia N8 for smartphone duties, which it does fantastically well. But being a phone the screen's a bit diddy for heavy use.

I've been pleased to find the PB will BT tether to the N8 for those occasions when there's no wifi.

It plays all my movies for those times when I'm sat in a hotel or camping etc.... it uses the same charge plug as my N8 so I only have to carry one charger (I use one of the 10000 mah battery packs from ebay for weekend trips when camping and that works too

All in all a well spent �129. .... and as a side benefit I haven't had to put money into Apples court as I had been considering the predicted Apple Ipad mini.

About the only negative I can point at it is it'd be nice to have the BT be able to send and receive files etc. I'm always puzzled when designers cripple the BT stack like that.....

[Wongsky]

UK-orientated - iplayer works fine through the link provided on the PB. After the disaster with certain Android tabs the fact that it works smoothly through the browser (well it does for me!) is fab. Same with TV catchup. Do we really need a separate app...you don't need an 'app' for everything imo.

What link is that? Don't think I have one, although I'm fairly sure I've tried it through the browser.

It's not so much that the browser thing doesn't work - it does, and seems to work better than it has in a browser on my other tab - I just find the app version of iPlayer easier to use - the controls are more orientated towards a tablet / finger user, rather than a computer / mouse user.

It's not a big thing - but it's just something I'd like.

Gmail...not fussed personally...the stock works fine on my gmail, access to all folders, stars, etc. Contacts sync perfectly so i'm well away with all that.

Fair play it syncs well - I just find between some of the various different flavours of app / browser access to gmail, they all seem to have slight foibles or limitations - dealing with attachments is one.

As for tunein - whilst it is a good app on android & ports don't appear to work that well what's wrong with Nobex (in appworld & free!)? Does the same thing for radio streaming round the world. Ok it doesn't provide the automatic suggestions for similar stations, but at least down here in the South-West I can still listen to Kerrang up in Brum whenever I like & other stations inbetween.

Nobex works, fair enough - but thing is tunein, for me at least, works a LOT better and is still free. And given there was talk about it for the playbook, I'd prefer it. Not played that much with Nobex, beyond finding a couple of stations I like, but I have to say, I do prefer the way tunein works (and also like how you can choose your stream) on android.

[Wongsky]

I too have bought a discounted 64gb playbook from Currys for �129 .... and I am very very pleased with it.

I'm not interested in there being 2 billion apps so long as there are a few that I would use, which there has been so far. I am interested in it being able to browse, email, play a few games, watch movies etc.

Previously when away on motorcycle trips I'd rely on my Nokia N8 for smartphone duties, which it does fantastically well. But being a phone the screen's a bit diddy for heavy use.

I've been pleased to find the PB will BT tether to the N8 for those occasions when there's no wifi.

It plays all my movies for those times when I'm sat in a hotel or camping etc.... it uses the same charge plug as my N8 so I only have to carry one charger (I use one of the 10000 mah battery packs from ebay for weekend trips when camping and that works too

All in all a well spent �129. .... and as a side benefit I haven't had to put money into Apples court as I had been considering the predicted Apple Ipad mini.

About the only negative I can point at it is it'd be nice to have the BT be able to send and receive files etc. I'm always puzzled when designers cripple the BT stack like that.....

Uncanny - I got my PlayBook from Currys (albeit their website, local stores didn't have any stock...), and I also have a Nokia N8 as my phone - and I'll be very sad when the day comes that I retire it.

[slparry]

Uncanny - I got my PlayBook from Currys (albeit their website, local stores didn't have any stock...), and I also have a Nokia N8 as my phone - and I'll be very sad when the day comes that I retire it.

Me too, I'm not at all interested in Nokias latest Windows phones. To my knowledge there's no phone that has all the features of the N8 I may just buy a couple on ebay as to be honest the N8 does all I want. 12mp camera, FM transmitter to the car radio, FM radio reciever, OTG connectivety for USB flash drives, keyboards and mice etc, HDMI connectivety, micros SD card slot for expanding on board memory, sat nav, works seamlessly with my bikes sat nav and helmet BT as a phone and MP3 player (and also as a GPS speed camera warning)




The PB rounds off the tech for trips nicely

[TheNerdfly]

Most Apps are no more than a wrapper for a Web Page. A fully functional browser negates the need for them. No need for an iplayer application when the Web Page works for instance. Every streaming site I use works just like on my pc. Flash games and Apps will not only play in browser but you can grab the swf and use offline.

Most mobile and tablet Apps are nothing but rubbish, a mere distraction at most. Those of any real value are generally available for all platforms. Those that aren't you'll likely find a Web site for.

[pacoman03]

The lack of apps is a real shame

It's precisely because of this that you got your PB for the price you did. If all the apps that YOU want were available (read- it was an android tablet) then your PB would have cost twice as much as what you paid for it.

[adrenaline_x]

grooveshark.com works through the browser.

html5.grooveshark.com

as more APPs (packaged websites lol) are created in HTML5 the wall garden of apps that apple has with fall like the berlin wall and all cool apps will be available on any device that supports html5.

Too far off to save the playbook, but i love mine and never use my ipad anymore.. I was thinking of getting a nexus to go with my s3, but i like the pb os better then android..

[Wongsky]

Me too, I'm not at all interested in Nokias latest Windows phones. To my knowledge there's no phone that has all the features of the N8 I may just buy a couple on ebay as to be honest the N8 does all I want. 12mp camera, FM transmitter to the car radio, FM radio reciever, OTG connectivety for USB flash drives, keyboards and mice etc, HDMI connectivety, micros SD card slot for expanding on board memory, sat nav, works seamlessly with my bikes sat nav and helmet BT as a phone and MP3 player (and also as a GPS speed camera warning)


Click to view quoted image


The PB rounds off the tech for trips nicely

Agreed - I've loved my N8, everything it does. I've sort of "frozen" it's config / OS at Anna, though.

I've got the DAB adapter - and that works well, too - handy being able to listen to DAB (it's DAB+ compatible too) without having to eat into data for internet radio.

[Wongsky]

Most Apps are no more than a wrapper for a Web Page. A fully functional browser negates the need for them. No need for an iplayer application when the Web Page works for instance.

Well we'll have to differ on that. I'm not suggesting I / the playbook really needs an app - just that it would be better to use.

And I'll qualify that in saying I use the app on my android tab - when I could use it through a browser. It's easier and nicer to use the app, as the controls are more suited to the touchscreen interface, rather than the mouse / computer thing.

You'll notice the same thing using the native music player on the PlayBook, compared with, say, youtube through a browser - yes it works, and performs, it's just more fiddly to use.

Most mobile and tablet Apps are nothing but rubbish, a mere distraction at most. Those of any real value are generally available for all platforms. Those that aren't you'll likely find a Web site for.

iPlayer is available for several platforms as an app. It's on my TiVo, it's on my android tab, it's on my Nintendo Wii - can't remember whether it's on my Xbox 360 - but all those platforms have browsers too.

Perhaps most apps are nothing but trivialities - but then I'm not after a huge range of app support, I just want to do a small number of things as nicely or as easily as I do on other platforms - nothing wrong with that, whether you can do it in a browser or not.

On my android tab, I have an app for youtube, and an icon (that was there by default) just really a browser link. I choose to use the app, because it's easier to control. Same applies to iPlayer - on several platforms.

Just because you can do nearly everything via a browser, doesn't mean that it's current browser implementation is the most favourable for all environments - otherwise, all these app implementations of things like youtube, iPlayer et al, would be superfluous - but they're not, they get used on merit, not merely because they're there.

Sometimes there's a bit of an overreaction to the "where's the app for that...?" type question / suggestion.

[slparry]

Agreed - I've loved my N8, everything it does. I've sort of "frozen" it's config / OS at Anna, though.

I've got the DAB adapter - and that works well, too - handy being able to listen to DAB (it's DAB+ compatible too) without having to eat into data for internet radio.

I've been using Belle since it was released and it seems much better than when it was ^3 and now it works with my PB it's got an even longer life

[Wongsky]

I've been using Belle since it was released and it seems much better than when it was ^3 and now it works with my PB it's got an even longer life

As much as anything else, it was the maps thing, as I use it a lot - for me, 3.06 was the golden release of maps - everything after that, has just been either a disappointment or frustration. As Belle dragged with it 3.08 or 3.09 of maps, that was a major no-no for me. Some of that carried over into the release of Belle and things that brought with it, broke, left out, or deliberately removed.

I tried with their beta program(s), but got to the point where I thought to myself, why am I complaining and getting frustrated at what they've broken or removed - why don't I just go back to the version I was happy with - so I did and I have.

[slparry]

As much as anything else, it was the maps thing, as I use it a lot - for me, 3.06 was the golden release of maps - everything after that, has just been either a disappointment or frustration. As Belle dragged with it 3.08 or 3.09 of maps, that was a major no-no for me. Some of that carried over into the release of Belle and things that brought with it, broke, left out, or deliberately removed.

I tried with their beta program(s), but got to the point where I thought to myself, why am I complaining and getting frustrated at what they've broken or removed - why don't I just go back to the version I was happy with - so I did and I have.

I've not noticed a problem with the maps, the Car Mode feature I find brilliant on the bike as it creates a few big buttons which are handy using on a motorbike

[Wongsky]

I've not noticed a problem with the maps, the Car Mode feature I find brilliant on the bike as it creates a few big buttons which are handy using on a motorbike

I don't know of any huge issues with faults on later versions of maps, but they ripped out configuration or options that I make use of, in favour of "dumbing down" and weren't about to put them back - and they were things that began to default in ways I wouldn't want, and could no longer be configured to behave differently (mainly traffic related and re-routing type options).

None of it was hugely significant, but when you've been using beta software for a while, that's supposed to be progress, and you find yourself looking, then being frustrated that what you could previously use or configure, was no longer there and worked like you wanted it to, and was only "dumbed down" for dogmatic reasons, I decided to quit being frustrated in the direction they were going, and stay with the versions that worked how I liked them to work.

[bobschebaldi]

I got my Playbook 3 days ago from Currys for �130, primarily to use as an ebook reader.

The kindle app that I side loaded works fine, as do many other apps that I use on my android tab, and the Playbook size is more comfortable for using as a book than my Asus Transformer.

Up till now, I am very impressed with my new cheap device, just not found much time for reading yet ( too many things to try out on the Playbook)

[bdegrande]

Until Apple made people think they needed "an app for that", the app market basically didn't exist. It's main reason to exist is because Jobs didn't want to put Flash in Apple products because he had a problem with Adobe, so going to an internet page just wasn't possible.

A lot of websites still use Flash in their websites, most haven't yet moved over to HTML5, and those websites aren't fully useable with (for example) an Apple product, THAT'S the "fuss" about Flash.
.

That's a bit backwards. Originally there was NO iOS App Store, and Apple wanted people to use Web apps. When users wanted apps with more capabilities than using a browser could offer (and there is a HUGE difference in capabilities), Apple reluctantly started allowing app development - thus accidentally making themselves a fortune.

Flash was a separate issue. Adobe didn't want to put in the work to make it run well on a mobile platform, without making it run hot and kill battery life. Adobe programs are often resource hogs, but on a desktop computer with more resources, that doesn't matter as much. Since then, Adobe has abandoned mobile Flash development and Android no longer includes it in tablets. Flash never worked well, and the sooner it goes away the better. To have a site that is dependent on Flash today is bad business, it means that you are ignoring hundreds of millions of iOS and Android devices without Flash.

[bdegrande]

Most Apps are no more than a wrapper for a Web Page. A fully functional browser negates the need for them. No need for an iplayer application when the Web Page works for instance. Every streaming site I use works just like on my pc. Flash games and Apps will not only play in browser but you can grab the swf and use offline.

Most mobile and tablet Apps are nothing but rubbish, a mere distraction at most. Those of any real value are generally available for all platforms. Those that aren't you'll likely find a Web site for.

Complete and utter nonsense. You are using a tablet at a small fraction of its capabilities if you limit yourself to the types of things which can be done on web sites.

[diegonei]

bdegrande, welcome to the PlayBook's boards.

This is my options and you're welcome not to care about it, but I base it on facts you'd do well to take into account.

Apps were a demand of the user base, but they only needed apps to begin with because of the terribly weak browsers on past devices. And yes, many apps are not much better than mobile versions of said websites (not all apps are built to integrate with the OS they will run on).

I agree, we want things working out of the box. Apple listened when people asked for apps, RIM listened to the out of the box claim: 2.1 will, no longer force an update on setup - unpack and use it. Sideloaded apps are only an issue because not all devices submitted theirs to AppWorld. I need/want/could use/feel like having (so we don't get another semantics war here) Kindle, therefore I sideloaded it. Come to think of it... It's the only sideloaded app I have.

Enjoy the device (and know I envy your luck on getting a 64gb so cheap) and we'll see you around the forums.

[kozmo68]

So, as I'm sure many of you know (and plenty have benefitted), DSG group in the UK are dumping stock of Playbooks. I got the 64 a couple of days ago for 129. Snd I thought I'd share my thoughts with anyone who's thinking of doing the same.

Overall I almost feel a little sad using it, some aspects are truly brilliant, only to be countered by elements that are utter rubbish. It's a pity, worse is that the 2.0 software allegedly brought improvements, christ knows what people had to suffer before.

As a device to consume media, it's good, gorgeous screen, good if weak speakers - forgiven due to the depth of the frame and a handy size.

Typing on it is ok, its a shame so many characters are hidden away in sub menus though.

The lack of apps is a real shame, as is the cost of the ones that are there. Now if you're reading this and about to flame me, consider 2 things. 1. This is my experience, I don't neccesarily care about yours. 2. Consumers don't want to side load apps, they want it to work, simply, out of the box. That doesn't mean that we are morons, it means that there's more to life trying to get software to run on a tablet.

Browsing is ok, a little slow though, and I don't get the fuss about flash. But it's there for you.

Overall, if you can get one at the stock dump prices I'd say go for it, I'm sorry to say it but I think the current price is a fair one.

Opinions are like A-holes, we all have them and if you want to share yours then you should be prepared to hear ours...

I have 2 playbooks in the house, one of which I got when they first released. Not having native email and calendar was a non issue for me thanks to bridge (a plus). The second I bought about six months ago when they first cut the price in half. I take mine just about every where and thanks to the bridge and an unlimited data plan, I have Internet connection anywhere I go (a plus). I love the UI and multi-tasking hard to beat out there. After reading on the forums that the 2.1 beta was very stable I registered and have been running it since it came out, and so far it's been awesome. Email in portrait, individual android apps in separate windows and everything is much snappier. (again a plus).

As for apps, I have apps to organize me at work, good news app, great sports app, good photo editing, twitter, games to kill time, NBA news, file sharing, stocks, Cineplex, radio apps, music player and so on.. So if your definition of lack of apps means no Skype or netflix then ok we lack apps. But otherwise I have just about every app I really need...

The playbook may not be the best tablet for you but it's a great little device for many and for the money, I'm confident in saying it's still one of the best tablets available. And the best part is that one day it will graduate to BB10. When that happens we'll really start to realize its full potential.

Welcome to the CrackBerry nation and unless you want to hear opinions, you better stop sharing yours so freely.