Picked up a 16GB PB for $174.99

Best Buy had it on sale and I couldn't help myself. I've been wanting to get a PB for a while and now what 2.0 has largely fixed most of the initial problems and we are on the verge of 2.1 I couldn't resist when I saw it for $174.99.

I was shocked and disgusted quite frankly with the number of 3rd tier tablets featuring run down specs selling for $300-$400. I couldn't understand who would be buying those over a PB at its current discounted price, but quickly figured it out when the sales associate tried to sell me every tablet they had BUT a PB.

At $174.99 the PB is just a stupid good deal. I feel bad that RIM has to dump such a nice piece of hardware for these prices and though I would like the 4G to be less than $550 its actually a fair price when you look at what else is selling and for how much.

Can't wait for 2.1!

What tablets are you referring to when you mention "$300-$400" for "run down specs? You can't honestly believe that the only reason the Playbook is a flop is because of Best Buy sales associates.

$200 for a Playbook is a good deal if it meets your needs. But there are a lot of people who have needs/wants that the Playbook just doesn't fulfill. That's why it's been a flop.

Apps.

Plain and simple.

Originally Posted by _BB10_

Best Buy had it on sale and I couldn't help myself. I've been wanting to get a PB for a while and now what 2.0 has largely fixed most of the initial problems and we are on the verge of 2.1 I couldn't resist when I saw it for $174.99.

I was shocked and disgusted quite frankly with the number of 3rd tier tablets featuring run down specs selling for $300-$400. I couldn't understand who would be buying those over a PB at its current discounted price, but quickly figured it out when the sales associate tried to sell me every tablet they had BUT a PB.

At $174.99 the PB is just a stupid good deal. I feel bad that RIM has to dump such a nice piece of hardware for these prices and though I would like the 4G to be less than $550 its actually a fair price when you look at what else is selling and for how much.

Can't wait for 2.1!

stores make little profit. the more pb are sold the better.

Sent from my BlackBerry Playbook using Tapatalk 2

Originally Posted by mikeo007

What tablets are you referring to when you mention "$300-$400" for "run down specs? You can't honestly believe that the only reason the Playbook is a flop is because of Best Buy sales associates.

To list a few:

- Archos 101 G9 Turbo Tablet: $298.98
- Acer Iconia Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $309.98
- Acer Iconia Tab A200 w/ 8GB Memory: $329.99
- Lenovo IdeaPad S2109 w/ 16GB Memory: $349.99
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet w/ 32 GB Memory: $379.99
- ViewSonic ViewPad 7x Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $382.98
- Toshiba Excite 10 Tablet w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99
- Sony Tablet S w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99

I know PB originally flopped because it was garbage w/o 2.0 but with the OS upgrade its now a very competitive (and under priced) tablet. And obviously the apps are an issue for most people, notably Skype and Netflix. Skype would be nice, but I'm counting on BB10 for that and I dropped Netflix months ago so it works well for me.

Originally Posted by _BB10_

To list a few:

- Archos 101 G9 Turbo Tablet: $298.98
- Acer Iconia Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $309.98
- Acer Iconia Tab A200 w/ 8GB Memory: $329.99
- Lenovo IdeaPad S2109 w/ 16GB Memory: $349.99
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet w/ 32 GB Memory: $379.99
- ViewSonic ViewPad 7x Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $382.98
- Toshiba Excite 10 Tablet w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99
- Sony Tablet S w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99

I know PB originally flopped because it was garbage w/o 2.0 but with the OS upgrade its now a very competitive (and under priced) tablet. And obviously the apps are an issue for most people, notably Skype and Netflix. Skype would be nice, but I'm counting on BB10 for that and I dropped Netflix months ago so it works well for me.

Yeah, I think one thing that gets misinterpreted a lot is the price/value of the PlayBook.

Considering the PlayBook was a 499.99 device, RIM/Quanta Computers didn't cheap out on hardware like the microphone, screen, speakers, cameras, processor, RAM, etc. All together its a nice hardware package. Now its mid 2012 and still the specs of the PlayBook aren't 100 percent matched... Yet.

Sure you might see the Nexus 7 as having a faster processor and a higher resolution screen, but other than that, it's really not improved on any other hardware fronts.

Remember the PlayBook isn't designed as a 200 dollar device. The value you get out of the PlayBook is quite reasonable because for 200 dollars you don't get this kind of hardware. For even 500 dollars you still don't get this kind of hardware. To be honest I think we'll start to see every single hardware spec finally matched or upped in early or mid 2013.

Originally Posted by _BB10_

- Archos 101 G9 Turbo Tablet: $298.98 - 10" screen, faster processor
- Acer Iconia Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $309.98 - 10" screen
- Acer Iconia Tab A200 w/ 8GB Memory: $329.99 - 10" screen, $20 for extra 8gb
- Lenovo IdeaPad S2109 w/ 16GB Memory: $349.99 -10" screen
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet w/ 32 GB Memory: $379.99 - 10" screen and better in almost every spec
- ViewSonic ViewPad 7x Tablet w/ 8GB Memory: $382.98 - agreed, overpriced junk
- Toshiba Excite 10 Tablet w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99 - same as transformer
- Sony Tablet S w/ 16GB Memory: $399.99 - agreed, overpriced

I have to argue with almost every one of these. They're almost all 10" tablets which can't be compared to the Playbook as is. Also, several of them (transformer and toshiba) are better than or equal to the Playbook in almost every respect.

Each has it's own ups and downs though, and like I said, the Playbook is a flop because it's just not good enough for most people. Most of the tablets you listed will also flop because they're in direct competition with the iPad. OS2.0 is too little too late for the Playbook. It's already been tarnished and OS2 is what it should have launched with. At this point, RIM needs a new tablet with a new OS.

Good deal on your Playbook OP, ENJOY

Originally Posted by mikeo007

What tablets are you referring to when you mention "$300-$400" for "run down specs? You can't honestly believe that the only reason the Playbook is a flop is because of Best Buy sales associates.

$200 for a Playbook is a good deal if it meets your needs. But there are a lot of people who have needs/wants that the Playbook just doesn't fulfill. That's why it's been a flop.

Not to mention that if it would have launched with the apps it has now along with email,calendar, contacts, bridge,Android emulator, it probably would've had a good chance.

The PlayBook came out version 1.0 with absolutely no apps unless you count a half dozen fart apps as apps bare bones none of thee listed above so you see it never had a chance.

If it would have launched in it's current state today it would kick azz. I know this because I use it now more than any other device I own. This wasn't the case one year ago.

So ill have to disagree with you. I don't think it was a flop because of what it can't do now. I think it was a flop because it launched prematurely. Sure some apps are still missing but it's not a deal breaker for me. What I have now is a joy to use and the pros outweigh the cons. Wasn't so a year ago.

Originally Posted by mikeo007

I have to argue with almost every one of these. They're almost all 10" tablets which can't be compared to the Playbook as is. Also, several of them (transformer and toshiba) are better than or equal to the Playbook in almost every respect.

Each has it's own ups and downs though, and like I said, the Playbook is a flop because it's just not good enough for most people. Most of the tablets you listed will also flop because they're in direct competition with the iPad. OS2.0 is too little too late for the Playbook. It's already been tarnished and OS2 is what it should have launched with. At this point, RIM needs a new tablet with a new OS.

Agreed 10char :D

I couldn't agree more with the OP. The Playbook at <$200 is a steal. Having owned almost half the tablets on the list posted here I can say honestly that the Playbook is the best of the bunch - for many reasons. The nexus 7 is a nice piece of kit but it's speed (don't get me started on the super human efforts they've gone to to get it to perform "like an ipad") is only about the same as the playbook. I'm about to buy one and the price points 16GB for $200 - 64GB for $300 is not matched by any other tablet at the moment!

@ the OP, congrats on your great deal.

I agree here in the UK the PlayBook is as cheap as chips. While I was in currys/pc world the sales assistant showed me all of the tablets but the playbook. I asked him about it and he didn't really know anything about the device.
But I went on a limb and got the playbook And I am deffertatly not disappointed.
I think the playbook is a master class of design and ingenuity of what rim can do.

the playbook is a nice pice of hardware, especially for the discounted price. I got mine for arround 160eur.
And well the hardware is top and has so much potential but it lacks the OS and the apps to be what it could be imo.
Yes 2.0 is good (i never even got to try 1.X) but it has it problems. The main thing is the slow standard/system apps and the browser which could or should offer more functuality and be much faster (they are coded not natively) the other problem for me is the lack of apps, the android VM (especially in 2.1) does a good fix on this, but it still lacks those native apps (besides game) that really use the hardware..

For example the playbook features very good keyboard and mouse support but i havent seen an app besides the centrix receiver which really uses the potential this combination offers (Office, VM, Remote Deskop). Another thing that bothers me is USB-OTG, which is a bit of a must have if the device should replace a netbook (which seems it should do looking at the minikeyboard), it was shown working with rooted PB but RIM has no plans as far as i know to bring this to the retail Firmware.

I have mixed feelings with the playbook :) but for the price i paid it is a awesome device but i wouldnt pay much more for it at its current state. We will see what the futures brings... im looking forward to new OS Versions!

First post so be gentle with me lol. I bought mine last week at PC World for �129. Really can't believe the quality for that price. In am a fairly new bb user, having bought a bold 9900 last October and am loving the whole experience, even though i do get laughed at.

The bloke in PC World was incredibly helpful and being a Blackberry user himself, was very positive about the playbook so big pat on the back to him.

Helen

Picked myself up a 64 on Sunday for $270. Same as OP was on the fence and made an impuls buy. 16 gets used for work now as it will inevitabley get dropped in the mud;)

I'm getting a bit over people mentioning their disappointment at a lack of apps. So you need 100,00 apps like on iOS or 87,000 like on Android?! 10,000 isn't enough for you?
I'd like people to start pointing out exactly which apps are lacking rather than just stae a "feel" that there aren't enough apps. What do you use your Playbook for? Email, web surfing, video, social media and the occasional game? A bit of work and pdf viewing every so often? Well there are apps for that. Multiple apps. What are we talking about here? An obscure app that a friend showed you that you would use once, if at all, and it's only available for iOS? So what.
If there's a certain app you absolutely can't live without, critically need for your work, and it's only available on the ipad then you'd have bought the ipad.

Originally Posted by outofoffice

I couldn't agree more with the OP. The Playbook at <$200 is a steal. Having owned almost half the tablets on the list posted here I can say honestly that the Playbook is the best of the bunch - for many reasons. The nexus 7 is a nice piece of kit but it's speed (don't get me started on the super human efforts they've gone to to get it to perform "like an ipad") is only about the same as the playbook. I'm about to buy one and the price points 16GB for $200 - 64GB for $300 is not matched by any other tablet at the moment!

I could not agree more. That is why I continue to purchase every Playbook I can get my hands via eBay in the $100-$125 price range that is in new, like new, or excellent condition (I'm up to 17 now). I just keep giving them to friends in family...many of which have now become PlayBook enthusiasts (and several have sold their Android devices and Ipads).