[rbenjami]

I keep hearing lots of comments in the posted videos about things not quite working correctly yet and that certain features will become available through updates post-launch. Also, that some features have been "turned off" or "disabled" during demos. All of this, along with the silence from RIM concerning an actual launch date, make me wonder if the PB will be riddled with bugs and issues at launch.

I know first generation devices usually have some kinks to work out, but I'm wondering if the PB will have more than its fair share.

What do you think? Is this going to be a standard 1st generation device with a few tiny issues that only tech-heads will notice? Or will it launch with material substantive shortcomings?

[q649]

Hmmm, I don't really remember anything in the videos that didn't work correctly, can you explain? I'm sure many of the early videos were of a skeleton device, where many features were disabled.

Also, you should only depend on recent videos, not early videos.

I'm sure there will be bugs. But from what I've seen, I will be a buyer. Come on RIM, announce this baby and don't forget about your fellow Canadians on release day!

[Steve Rizla]

Like any other computer, the PlayBook will ship with an OS. When OS updates are available you will be able to apply them to your PlayBook.

Whether what's loaded on the device by default is considered 'beta' or not is completely subjective.

[gregorylkelly]

Recent videos haven't had any problems from what I've seen. Only those from before new years.

[Mr Bigs]

Recent videos haven't had any problems from what I've seen. Only those from before new years.

The Storm was awesome on video too !!!!

[kb5zht]

The Storm was awesome on video too !!!!

That reminds me of the chatter about the false torch commercials that first cake out when that device was released... A simulation/cgi mock up was on the screen to make it appear fast, smooth and responsive.

I keep hearing lots of comments in the posted videos about things not quite working correctly yet and that certain features will become available through updates post-launch. Also, that some features have been "turned off" or "disabled" during demos.

The crackberry podcast gang said that the portrait mode was effectively turned off during the mwc show and when they were asked to demonstrate it they refused.


Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[cleanpolo]

The have a video on youtube showing the playbook in portrait mode.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Kerms]

I remember seeing that video. I don't remember if they showed it flipping from landscape to portrait and back. Do you? I may have to see if I can find it.

[luvac1]

I've definitely seen a video where it was flipping back and forth.

Here we go:

[bellero]

I would hope to god that its not "quasi-beta". The thing was announced half a year ago and it looks like they are pushing its release back to the very last possible date. They have had plenty of time to perfect this. I'm sick of people saying how awesome the PB is when (dispite from a select few) no one has even seen or used one!! The PB has it ALL in terms of specs and they need to start with the heavy advertising and release the thing already!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MattyG27]

I don't think the PB is gonna make it's Q1 release date, just my opinion thats all. RIM has had every chance to announce a release date the last few months, weather it be at the CES, advertise during the Super Bowl, or even at MWC and nothing.
Now the reason for that could be that they are trying to add every little thing to the device by the time they release it. However doing that could leave more room for it having a beta OS when it's released.
By now they should have a pretty polished and almost finished OS. They shouldn't be still telling you at shows, like MWC, that's it's STILL a beta OS. IMO by now if it was gonna be released in the next month, it should be a finalized OS and they should be working out the kinks until it's released. I just don't get the feeling that's the case right now.
I understand some of the demo PB's at the shows have different levels of the OS, but it just seems like they have been trying to WOW us with the same stuff at every show. How about Wow-ing us with a ready for release PB instead and give us a date so we can all get ready. A release in the next month is just not happening I don't think and I'm hoping otherwise cause I'd really like to have a Playbook and see RIM do well with it. I'll just have to keep hope alive I guess.....

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I don't think the PB is gonna make it's Q1 release date, just my opinion thats all. RIM has had every chance to announce a release date the last few months, weather it be at the CES, advertise during the Super Bowl, or even at MWC and nothing.
Now the reason for that could be that they are trying to add every little thing to the device by the time they release it. However doing that could leave more room for it having a beta OS when it's released.
By now they should have a pretty polished and almost finished OS. They shouldn't be still telling you at shows, like MWC, that's it's STILL a beta OS. IMO by now if it was gonna be released in the next month, it should be a finalized OS and they should be working out the kinks until it's released. I just don't get the feeling that's the case right now.
I understand some of the demo PB's at the shows have different levels of the OS, but it just seems like they have been trying to WOW us with the same stuff at every show. How about Wow-ing us with a ready for release PB instead and give us a date so we can all get ready. A release in the next month is just not happening I don't think and I'm hoping otherwise cause I'd really like to have a Playbook and see RIM do well with it. I'll just have to keep hope alive I guess.....

Why shouldn't they be telling people it's still beta firmware? Motorola said the same thing at CES, heck you couldn't even touch it. At the Google event they still said it was beta. Their OS & product will not be what they advertised at launch. FYI: All manufacturers work on firmware up to the very last minute. 3 weeks, even two weeks isn't too far out to change/flash the newest firmware onto devices. BestBuy only got the Xoom a couple days before launch. Same goes for the PB. RIM is no different than any other manufacturer believe it or not.

[barrist]

I don't think the PB is gonna make it's Q1 release date, just my opinion thats all. RIM has had every chance to announce a release date the last few months, weather it be at the CES, advertise during the Super Bowl, or even at MWC and nothing.
Now the reason for that could be that they are trying to add every little thing to the device by the time they release it. However doing that could leave more room for it having a beta OS when it's released.
By now they should have a pretty polished and almost finished OS. They shouldn't be still telling you at shows, like MWC, that's it's STILL a beta OS. IMO by now if it was gonna be released in the next month, it should be a finalized OS and they should be working out the kinks until it's released. I just don't get the feeling that's the case right now.
I understand some of the demo PB's at the shows have different levels of the OS, but it just seems like they have been trying to WOW us with the same stuff at every show. How about Wow-ing us with a ready for release PB instead and give us a date so we can all get ready. A release in the next month is just not happening I don't think and I'm hoping otherwise cause I'd really like to have a Playbook and see RIM do well with it. I'll just have to keep hope alive I guess.....

You do know that the Xoom's release date wasn't officially announced until a week before preorder right? I've said this a few times, people don't seem to listen. They didn't announce it in their lame superbowl commercial. they didn't announce it at ces, they didn't announce it at MWC either.

[q649]

I've definitely seen a video where it was flipping back and forth.

Here we go:

Hmmm, anyone else notice that the open applications (video player, etc) didn't rotate when the PB was rotated between landscape and portrait? Before anyone goes crazy, I'm sure it will be, or already has, been fixed before launch date.

[MattyG27]

Why shouldn't they be telling people it's still beta firmware? Motorola said the same thing at CES, heck you couldn't even touch it. At the Google event they still said it was beta. Their OS & product will not be what they advertised at launch. FYI: All manufacturers work on firmware up to the very last minute. 3 weeks, even two weeks isn't too far out to change/flash the newest firmware onto devices. BestBuy only got the Xoom a couple days before launch. Same goes for the PB. RIM is no different than any other manufacturer believe it or not.

I understand what your saying about the OS's being worked on till the last minute CX. However, I'm not sure you can compare RIM to other manufactureres since the past OS's on new devices hasn't been so hot for them. Look at what happen with the Storm 1 disaster, even the original Torch OS wasn't the best. Both phones came a long way since their release, however both were rushed based on the timeframe RIM wanted them out by. I'd just rather not see that happen with the PB cause I want it to be as sick a tablet as the demo's and as you and RIM say it's gonna be. Believe me, I trust your word over RIM's anyway, even thou that's backwards. However, it still hasn't seemed polished enough in the demo's for what I think it could be in order for it to be a very solid release for what RIM needs.

You do know that the Xoom's release date wasn't officially announced until a week before preorder right? I've said this a few times, people don't seem to listen. They didn't announce it in their lame superbowl commercial. they didn't announce it at ces, they didn't announce it at MWC either.

Yes the Xoom's Super Bowl commercial was lame but at least it was advertised. This is another problem I see RIM has and that's marketing a product. Apple is great at it and promotes interest in everything and anything they release. RIM finally has a great competitive product in their corner and needs to start marketing it better. While they didn't have to tell us a release date during the Super Bowl, marketing the product then IMO would've been a great opportunity for them that's all.
Back to the topic of the PB being released with a beta OS and on the topic of the Xoom, look what's going on with that device. The Xoom is looking to be as beta as they come if you ask me. No Flash at release and it said to be a 4G device but you have to take it back to get 4G put in it at a later date. Now that's a device that is being rushed to the market with what i'd say is a beta OS.
I just don't want RIM to fall into this trap, so to say, again. If they don't release the PB till April or a lil later I'm fine with that as long as when it's released it's REALLY ready that's all If it comes as promised in Q1, its a ready for consmuer device and I'm proved wrong then I'll be very happy to be wrong, very happy

[Kerms]

Adobe is to blame for flash not being ready in time for release. That doesn't fall on Moto, Google or Verizon.

Also it's always been said that it's a 3G device that could be upgraded to 4G later this year. I have no problem with this from a release point of view. There are very few 4G locations.

As for the PB some bugs won't be found out till it's released to the avg guy but if it's not polished enough to be released they can't afford to do so.

If they slip into Q2 before a release I'm sure there will be some grumbling

[rbenjami]

I've definitely seen a video where it was flipping back and forth.

Here we go:

Portrait in that video hardly seems to work at all. The icons all move to the bottom on the home screen, but the preview windows dont change at all. There is another video out there where they show the native core RIM apps switching, but I have never seen anything with a 3rd party app switching from landscape to portrait.

There was another video out there with an app that the presenter said was a "portrait app" but that just meant that the app was designed to only run in portrait mode - so he had to turn the PB to work the app correctly.

Finally - a question - do the bezel swipe motions all reorient themselves when you turn the PB to portrait?

It seems that the interviewers in these little video clips never ask any hard questions or push the presenter at all. They are all just a bunch of fan-boys who are scared to lose their access. I'd love to see an actual journalist push them on the features we have all been asking about and stop with the "oooo"s and "aaahhh"s when they demo a bunch of cogs spinning or lines twitching on a webpage.

[q649]

Adobe is to blame for flash not being ready in time for release. That doesn't fall on Moto, Google or Verizon.

Also it's always been said that it's a 3G device that could be upgraded to 4G later this year. I have no problem with this from a release point of view. There are very few 4G locations.

As for the PB some bugs won't be found out till it's released to the avg guy but if it's not polished enough to be released they can't afford to do so.

If they slip into Q2 before a release I'm sure there will be some grumbling

I'm not sure that Adobe is to blame. Likely 10.1 will run fine on the Xoom, but Motorola has decided to wait for 10.2 for the improved battery life. Motorola is rushing to market, and that's not Adobe's fault.

[cleanpolo]

I agree, as much as I want the playbook to come out already, I'm also glad that it seems like rim is taking their time with it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Kerms]

I'm not sure that Adobe is to blame. Likely 10.1 will run fine on the Xoom, but Motorola has decided to wait for 10.2 for the improved battery life. Motorola is rushing to market, and that's not Adobe's fault.

Read over on XDA someone(i guess a bestbuy worker) tried loading 10.1 from the MarketPlace and it wouldn't work. 10.2 is suppose to have GPU support if I remember.

Everyone I've seen talking about it puts this one on Adobe.