[Barracuda7772]

I think if blackberry waited another year to release the playbook it could of been a huge success.

instead it suffered the same fate as the dell streak 5 (still an awesome device) witch was ahead of its time and the market wasnot ready for a 5 inch phone, remember this is when 4 inches was considered massive and almost too big.

also another year would of ironed outthe software issues. imagine if the playbook launched with playbook os2.0

this is around the same time posts on imore.com saying there is possible need for a 7ish inch device.

I mean even to todays standards the playbook is a fantastic device, it even has better hardware than the ipad mini

[Barracuda7772]

I actually only use the crackberry forum from my playbook lol I like the tapatalk dark theme.

but in all honesty if your correct it was a smart move to have people pay to beta test. it just seems to be a huge risk for bb to essentially bring to market an unfinished product knowingly seems irresponsable especially from a business standpoint, that being said I love 2.1 and can't wait for a refreshed interface, new keyboard, updated android runtime and cascades support among other things of course but talking about what features everyone wants.for pb10 is beating a dead horse

[bb624]

Very happy with my PB. Have had since launch and use everyday with no complaints!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[taz323]

I think if blackberry waited another year to release the playbook it could of been a huge success.

instead it suffered the same fate as the dell streak 5 (still an awesome device) witch was ahead of its time and the market wasnot ready for a 5 inch phone, remember this is when 4 inches was considered massive and almost too big.

also another year would of ironed outthe software issues. imagine if the playbook launched with playbook os2.0

this is around the same time posts on imore.com saying there is possible need for a 7ish inch device.

I mean even to todays standards the playbook is a fantastic device, it even has better hardware than the ipad mini

good point, but I for one am glad the PB came out when it did, when I bought my first 16g it was missing alot, but was still very impressive. and at the time still had a BB phone so with the bridge it was actully doing things the other tablet could not.
saw it go along way from where it was, and give Rim credit for sticking with it and kept up the updating(still are).even though every time they turned around, they where getting negative press. bought a 64g less than a year later and is with me always
if this tablet came out a year later, I would have prob picked up another tablet and gone in totally different direction.

[I am JT]

You're probably right about the PlayBook being a paid beta test for BB 10 devices but if they give us a fully functional BB 10 OS and restore the Bridge functionality to current levels I'll say we're even.

[Barracuda7772]

good point, but I for one am glad the PB came out when it did, when I bought my first 16g it was missing alot, but was still very impressive. and at the time still had a BB phone so with the bridge it was actully doing things the other tablet could not.
saw it go along way from where it was, and give Rim credit for sticking with it and kept up the updating(still are).even though every time they turned around, they where getting negative press. bought a 64g less than a year later and is with me always
if this tablet came out a year later, I would have prob picked up another tablet and gone in totally different direction.

also very good points. I have nothing but respect for Blackberry for standing behind their products.
Blackberry....who I still find myself calling RIM....lol has a challange no other OEM really has well not to the same degree they have to make top quality phones that appeal to the buisness savy, and the regular consumer (media,games and techies)

to have a phone marketed to two very different markets in my opinion would be very difficult and I'm not sure any other company could of pulledit off as seemlessly as blackberry is doing with bb10.

pardon my tangent..I do that sometimes. back to the topic the playbook should be a beast in the market!

[texn884]

I really like my 3 Playbooks. Mine is the 64 gig and the kids have the 16 gig ones.
I am impressed with how easy it works and for the money you can't beat it. PLUS to use my 9930 with it rocks.

Can't wait to get my new BB phone later this year by then all the bugs will have been worked out. I think I'm going with the Z10.

[Toodeurep]

Nearly two years after launch and mine is still everything I need. We use them at work and find them quite competent.

IMO, the only negative is the app ecosystem and that won't go away any time soon. But, if you bought it for what you need and not some promise of what it might be, you didn't go wrong.

[bambinoitaliano]

Playbook is the beginning of a new platform QNX. It's the reason why it's still relevant after 2 years. It will be for another year or so when the BB10 upgrade arrive. It's the turtle that win the race imo.

[rkennedy01]

I got mine when they first started getting discounted in late 2011 (32GB for $249.00 at Office Depot). Since then, I've flirted with Android on many occasions (see my recent thread on the "Dark Side"), but the combination of stability and UI efficiency keeps me coming back to black.

For example, I'm planning a 3 week trip back to the U.S. at the end of this month and I've been debating which device to bring: My Iconia Tab running AOKP JB 4.1.2 or my PB 32GB. I was honestly looking for reasons to go with the Tab - it has a larger screen (10.1"), full-sized USB port and Micro SD. But then every time I think I'm settled on "green," Android goes and does something to remind me how much I hate Google's OS. Today is was a random lockup in TapaTalk HD. Last week it was a crash in Chrome that made the whole tablet unstable (had to reboot to clear it up). So it's Tab on the shelf collecting dust and PB in the carry on bag for this trip.

Note, also, that I use these yearly trips "home" to explore new technology that isn't yet available in the 3rd world (I live on Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, where everything is roughly 18-24 months behind the curve).

Usually, I'm excited about the chance to browse the local Best Buy to see what's cool right now. But this time around I'm having a hard time getting motivated. While I was away, Surface shipped while various Android phones and tabs came to market. However, reading the myriad online reviews has left me underwhelmed by Surface RT (slow, limited)/Surface Pro (expensive, poor battery life), and I can't imagine any of the new Google devices inspiring me to open my wallet (after all, they're still running Android, a.k.a. the "Windows 9x" of mobile OS). So, outside of a possible Journal Case for my PB, I'll likely be coming back with a lot less new tech in the bag than is normally the case.

Bottom Line: After nearly 18 months of regular use, I still don't see anything on the immediate horizon that will prompt me to replace my PB. And if Blackberry eventually comes through with some form of BB10 update, I can see myself using this device well into 2014. So, in that sense, it was truly ahead of its time - and you could even argue that the "future" still hasn't caught up to it yet.

RCK

[Barracuda7772]

I got mine when they first started getting discounted in late 2011 (32GB for $249.00 at Office Depot). Since then, I've flirted with Android on many occasions (see my recent thread on the "Dark Side"), but the combination of stability and UI efficiency keeps me coming back to black.

For example, I'm planning a 3 week trip back to the U.S. at the end of this month and I've been debating which device to bring: My Iconia Tab running AOKP JB 4.1.2 or my PB 32GB. I was honestly looking for reasons to go with the Tab - it has a larger screen (10.1"), full-sized USB port and Micro SD. But then every time I think I'm settled on "green," Android goes and does something to remind me how much I hate Google's OS. Today is was a random lockup in TapaTalk HD. Last week it was a crash in Chrome that made the whole tablet unstable (had to reboot to clear it up). So it's Tab on the shelf collecting dust and PB in the carry on bag for this trip.

Note, also, that I use these yearly trips "home" to explore new technology that isn't yet available in the 3rd world (I live on Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, where everything is roughly 18-24 months behind the curve).

Usually, I'm excited about the chance to browse the local Best Buy to see what's cool right now. But this time around I'm having a hard time getting motivated. While I was away, Surface shipped while various Android phones and tabs came to market. However, reading the myriad online reviews has left me underwhelmed by Surface RT (slow, limited)/Surface Pro (expensive, poor battery life), and I can't imagine any of the new Google devices inspiring me to open my wallet (after all, they're still running Android, a.k.a. the "Windows 9x" of mobile OS). So, outside of a possible Journal Case for my PB, I'll likely be coming back with a lot less new tech in the bag than is normally the case.

Bottom Line: After nearly 18 months of regular use, I still don't see anything on the immediate horizon that will prompt me to replace my PB. And if Blackberry eventually comes through with some form of BB10 update, I can see myself using this device well into 2014. So, in that sense, it was truly ahead of its time - and you could even argue that the "future" still hasn't caught up to it yet.

RCK

very well said and I agree on nearly all your points I have very strong opinions of the monllithic kernal like its stupid that if an app crashes it criples the entire system

[Bbnivende]

I find it mildly amusing that responses to this post are uniformly positive yet there are so many other posts citing all the problems they are having with their PB. Personally, I don't have any problems with mine except that it needs a really strong WIFI signal to work in a hotel etc. and none of the apps that I have wanted are available. It is fine at its price point.

[Barracuda7772]

every piece of tech has its issues. its personal prefrence. also one thing people complain about is the micro usb port breaking.....I say pay attention how you plug it in and if it doesn't go.....don't force it.

[Bbnivende]

every piece of tech has its issues. its personal prefrence. also one thing people complain about is the micro usb port breaking.....I say pay attention how you plug it in and if it doesn't go.....don't force it.

Well the only other person I know who owned a PB had two replaced under warranty - the sound switches stopped working. He has moved on to a WP8 tablet (is a anti-Apple person).

[Barracuda7772]

Well the only other person I know who owned a PB had two replaced under warranty - the sound switches stopped working. He has moved on to a WP8 tablet (is a anti-Apple person).

that's really unfortunate. everyone I know that has one has been golden since purchass. I think everyone thould be anti apple. they are running the same stagnant issue that got bb introuble

[taz323]

I find it mildly amusing that responses to this post are uniformly positive yet there are so many other posts citing all the problems they are having with their PB. Personally, I don't have any problems with mine except that it needs a really strong WIFI signal to work in a hotel etc. and none of the apps that I have wanted are available. It is fine at its price point.

agree with the wifi, but outside of that not an issue, will do everything I want from it plus some.

[rkennedy01]

every piece of tech has its issues. its personal prefrence. also one thing people complain about is the micro usb port breaking.....I say pay attention how you plug it in and if it doesn't go.....don't force it.

Frankly, this is one brain-dead design decision that I've always wondered about. When I connect the cable to my PB, my first instinct is to align the "fat" side of the micro-USB head with the front of the tablet. It just seems like the naturally "correct" orientation. The fact that the much larger and more visible HDMI port is oriented this way only makes it that much more visually confusing. So I can see why many users make this mistake and end up forcing the cable head (thus damaging the port). If BB has simply oriented the port in the other direction it might have cut down on the incidences of "broken port syndrome" by 50% or more.

My solution: Rapid charger (I have both models). I only use the USB port when I want to transfer large files or need to resuscitate the device after an accidental 100% battery discharge (i.e. Antair Nightstand + PB poorly seated in the charging dock - a.k.a. why my wife and technology don't mix).

Bottom Line: Nothing beats a torque-free magnetic coupling...

RCK

[taz323]

every piece of tech has its issues. its personal prefrence. also one thing people complain about is the micro usb port breaking.....I say pay attention how you plug it in and if it doesn't go.....don't force it.

have two PB's, never a problem with either usb port. been lucky I guess.

[BigFelter]

Agreed, just be careful when plugging in and unplugging for sure. I have two, bought my first on release day and still use it today.

I convinced our division at work to allow me to work with a creative company and we built an online suite of tools for our field team and we bought 40 more for that use. This year it was impossible to find 10 more to have as backup but through a big box store getting us a bunch of display models we are now ready for another year of Playbook use.

Solid hardware, bluetooth bridging allowed us to avoid any increase in cellular or data costs to be mobile in the field it has been a great tool. Not perfect but great. I can't wait for BB10 to hit. My personal Z10 is so ridiculously good....

Anyway, a professional grade tablet it was to be, was, and is. Like several said before it will still be relevant in a year. Pretty amazing, and I hope that they begin to produce them again so that I can continue with our mobile systems we built.



Posted via CB10

[ljfong]

IIRC RIM at the time was already under tremendous pressure to release PlayBook and the device was already considered a vaporware by many. So RIM buckled and released PlayBook the way it was, without native PIM apps, barren app ecosystem, and so on. PlayBook was a testbed for QNX that RIM paid dearly for.

RIM was under similar pressure for BlackBerry 10 but this time they did not buckle under Thorsten's leadership despite being trashed continously online.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

[abwan11]

I agree that the PB was a beta test, but what I can't wrap my head around is why it wasn't marketed as such. If rim had of introduced it as their future os with a @ cost price tag, they would have rocked apples boat and won over alot of newbies and developers. The launch timing was perfect for them to come out swinging to win people over. It bothers me to this day. Anyway I love my playbook, use it everyday and have abandoned my laptop years ago (except at tax time) because of it.

[torndownunit]

I do like my Playbook, but I have run into some of the issues mentioned on the forum. My main problem is that I am finding I have to do security wipes since the last 2 updates because things just slow to a crawl, mainly the browser. A security wipe speeds things right back up, then a couple of weeks later it slows down again. There are also some sideloaded apps I use, but with every update it seems to be a crapshoot as to how well those apps will work after the update. It makes me think I might be better with a device I can run those apps natively on since I use them so much.

I am tempted to try out some other devices. I keep reading on this forum how good the Playbook browser is compared to what's on other tabs though. Which kind of scares me because I personally don't find the browser to be that good.

[Phone Guy 4567]

I find it mildly amusing that responses to this post are uniformly positive yet there are so many other posts citing all the problems they are having with their PB. Personally, I don't have any problems with mine except that it needs a really strong WIFI signal to work in a hotel etc. and none of the apps that I have wanted are available. It is fine at its price point.

Very amusing, especially the comments about it being a beta test that you pay for . I guess any product with limited sales could be called a beta test, if it precedes another based on a similar OS. It is hilarious that some are fine with paying for a product that they consider a beta, without knowing it would be a beta up front. You get the same thing on the WPCentral forums when people bring up not being able to update their Lumia 900's to WP8. The fanboys come out defending MS decision to essentially release a beta product, then do a reset to WP8.

[mhind]

My family owns 4 playbooks, 3 16G, 1 64G. We've had to replace 1 under warranty due to a battery issue. Since I bought the mini keyboard, it has become my laptop, all media device, work horse, music player (linked to Gateway),e-reader, game console, etc. I have the Z10 as well, which I love. But I find myself returning to the PlayBook for media, and the Z10 for calling, texting and a bit of website reading. Everytime I pull out my PlayBook it garners attention for its compactness, its solidity, its design. It's a great machine that keeps getting better. The only thing I'd replace it with would be a 128G or 256G 7" Playbook. With Z10 coming to it, the future of this much maligned device will hopefully be assured.

[Barracuda7772]

I do like my Playbook, but I have run into some of the issues mentioned on the forum. My main problem is that I am finding I have to do security wipes since the last 2 updates because things just slow to a crawl, mainly the browser. A security wipe speeds things right back up, then a couple of weeks later it slows down again. There are also some sideloaded apps I use, but with every update it seems to be a crapshoot as to how well those apps will work after the update. It makes me think I might be better with a device I can run those apps natively on since I use them so much.

I am tempted to try out some other devices. I keep reading on this forum how good the Playbook browser is compared to what's on other tabs though. Which kind of scares me because I personally don't find the browser to be that good.

I know I've heard many people say they had issues with 1526 and I've also read when updating do a backup first always then do a security wipe to start from a clean slate. I bought my playbook less than a month ago so when doing the initial start up it gave me 1526 and its been smooth as butter left out on a hot summers day.
I only have a 16 gig have several games installed large ones around a gig, several apps amd many sideloaded android apps and none give me a problem.....laura croft guardian of light is fantastic if I might add. here's hoping the next update fixes your issues. rootin for ya and everyone else having issues