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So the Gov't bought me a Apple iPad 2 to evaluate in our iPad Pilot Program. I am a RIM Blackberry Bold 9900 and Playbook owner and fan. So, I'll admit this was really my first time to ever use an Apple product accept for the little iPod Shuffle I used for running until I got sick of charging it. Never-the-less, I jumped in and started learning all things iPad. Sadly, I have to admit that having used the iPad now for about 4 days, its available applications are far more extensive and mature than the Playbook. When I am looking for engineering, technical, and business tools to help me with my work, the iPad app store has what I need. I would also add that the Apple App Store interface is superior to the Blackberry App World. There are some apps on the Playbook that have a better UI than the iPad. And I would also add that the Playbook browser is better, but not so much so that I would buy a Playbook because the browser is better.
I'm still a RIM Blackberry Fan, but having used Android and iOS now, it is a lot harder for me to scoff at the Apple Kool-Aid drinking sheep who have chosen their device not because it is superior, but because all the other sheep have one. I sure hope Playbook 2.0 comes out and is superior so I can do the Church Lady Superior Dance
02-12-12 02:13 PM - Being a new user in the forum and reading your message is a breath of fresh air. It's understandable that there's a cloud of bias lingering over the forums towards RIM. I have used all four devices (Windows Phone, Blackberry, Android and Rim) and they are all very competitive, with RIM just recently catching up and getting some interest to their new UI and tech.
Apple has invested tons of money and research in finding the right balance for the 'perfect it-just-works' user experience. With Apple being in the market as long as they have with their devices and popularity, they will have a strong foot hold in the app market.
This is the beauty of competition, which is why I say bring it on, because in the end we win. Because of all these new and exciting tech and UI's, RIM is coming up pretty strong. And the irony when I read posts in here about companies copying RIM, when RIM kinda copied webOS's card metaphor. However webOS kinda took their card metaphor from iPhone's iOS browser tabs.
It's okay to be a fan of one product and like something else too, that's what they call brand loyalty. I was a hardcore Windows Mobile 6 fan because of all it's customizations, but I also liked iPhone's slick UI. Then I went to webOS, which I very much love right up there with Windows Mobile, then to Android. After hearing the BB OS 10, I jsut might go blackberry all the way, but it all depends on what BB can do for me that I need.
Anyway, just putting in my two cents. Nice post OP, there's nothing wrong with liking other companies tech and being loyal to RIM
02-12-12 02:27 PM - I have no argument with that premise either. As I've said before, the choice of a tablet, as well as any electronic device, is highly subjective and personal. It all depends on the needs of the user. In my case, I owned a Galaxy Tab 10.1 for two months and we've had iPads in the house since they debuted. Spending much more than 4 days, more like months, on the other OSs and tablets, I still found the PB to fit my needs much better. Others may have other opinions and that's good and ok.
The same for work, the PB fills our needs much better than other choices out there. Not saying they're bad, they just don't work for us. The same holds true for many businesses, organizations, service providers, medical facilities and individuals, all of which have been represented in this forum. My company was more interested in the size, security, bridge, ui and enterprise integration than apps. The current native apps work for us, but we would definitely make use of others if/when available and obviously have desire for others. But not at the expense of or the limitations of moving to another platform. We are now looking at having apps developed for our use, as many companies have done so they could use the PB even more, which shows how desireable the PB is to many. As far as the size goes, there are now full blown laptops approaching the same weight and dimensions of 10" tablets that negate any real advantage a 10" tablet may have had. One reason we moved from Toughbooks. If size wasn't a factor, we preferred them over a 10" tablet.
On the other hand, where size, security, ui, reliable email services, real multitasking or data access without additional charges is not a factor, personal preference will always be a deciding factor and then an iPad or other is an attractive alternative. Especially to many who have become used to an iPod Touch,iPhone or Android device. And as the OP mentions, a plethoria of apps. Some people will choose a platform on that alone, whether they actually make use of that factor or not. I have one customer/friend who has had an iPad for 5 months now and likes it very much. He said one main deciding factor was the large number of apps available. We compared apps. In 5 months of ownership, the apps he has loaded and uses are all available natively or through AppWorld on the PB. But the NUMBER of available apps was important to him. He was as surprised as I was. He has borrowed my PB twice now for overnight evaluations and says he may now order one.
Whereas there may be good and bad with all tablets and objectively one may not really be better than another, subjectively that's not true. For one an iPad or Transformer may be the better tablet, but for MY needs, the PB is without doubt the better tablet, pre-2.0. What is interesting, and born out by posts in this forum, is that many of the former opinion, after actually experiencing a PB, turn out to have the latter opinion
Last edited by rotorwrench; 02-12-12 at 03:52 PM.
02-12-12 03:37 PM
