1. Marty_LK's Avatar
    Actually the PlayBook doesn't suk because of the lack of apps, it may suc for some that there is a lack of some apps that some expect or think should be there, but the PlayBook is an amazing tablet with a great build quality, especially in the 7" form factor.
    My sentiments exactly. I'm finding all I need in the Appworld. And superior quality to the competition. I have an iPad and rarely use it other than for video watching (64GB iPad vs 16GB PB means few videos on my PB and mostly music). I find I enjoy the games on the PB more and the music listening is second to none. And it's more convenient on the PB because of the controls...the volume buttons serve as skip function very similar to a Cowon D2.

    The PB is a magnificent piece of high technology and I'm thrilled to have one. I kick myself for not opting for a larger capacity, but still thrilled to have what I have.
    04-15-12 01:45 PM
  2. mkelley65's Avatar
    Sorry folks. The playbook is a great tablet, I love everything about it. But I find it just sits on my counter collecting dust because of the lack of apps.

    No twitter? Are you kidding me?!?! IN 2012 what company makes a tablet with no official twitter?
    I must be a ******. I've been clicking that little Twitter icon on my Playbook from day one and using it fine. Only now do i realize it's a browser link not an icon. Shame on me.
    04-15-12 01:51 PM
  3. vlade31's Avatar
    what can you do on a twitter app that you cannot do on twitter.com?
    It's not just about functionality, it's the ease of use and the user experience that's important to some people.

    Check out the video below of Tweetbot for the iPad and tell me how twitter.com on a 7inch screen is better.
    04-15-12 01:54 PM
  4. aha's Avatar
    I've had a few developers now question me on why I'm interested in PB and BB10 development. Their perception is that most BB users don't understand apps and are therefore not worth developing for.
    I thought financial interest is the major consideration for developers developing apps, didn't know app taste is also big in the equation.
    04-15-12 01:56 PM
  5. mikeplus1's Avatar
    My sentiments exactly. I'm finding all I need in the Appworld. And superior quality to the competition. I have an iPad and rarely use it other than for video watching (64GB iPad vs 16GB PB means few videos on my PB and mostly music). I find I enjoy the games on the PB more and the music listening is second to none. And it's more convenient on the PB because of the controls...the volume buttons serve as skip function very similar to a Cowon D2.

    The PB is a magnificent piece of high technology and I'm thrilled to have one. I kick myself for not opting for a larger capacity, but still thrilled to have what I have.
    Right-On Marty! Don't let these naysayers get you down, just enjoy one of the very best pieces of technical achievement in the tablet market today and let it give you hours, days, weeks, months and years of entertainment, education and whatever you want. And you can always upgrade to a 64gb PB later like I did after founding out how much I used, enjoyed and loved it. Look into the Seagate GoFlex 500GB portable wireless hard drive to expand your memory if you don't want to upgrade. AppWorld grows every day and so does the amount of used memory and storage on my PlayBook.
    Marty_LK likes this.
    04-15-12 01:57 PM
  6. mikeplus1's Avatar
    I must be a ******. I've been clicking that little Twitter icon on my Playbook from day one and using it fine. Only now do i realize it's a browser link not an icon. Shame on me.
    Heck, it works fine for me too, but I don't use it everyday either, and actually it is an icon for a browser link, just not an icon for a native PB app which some seem to think is necessary. I am sure that there are many enhancements possible for a native Twitter app on the PB, but I am also sure that I would rarely if ever take advantage of them. YMMV
    04-15-12 02:02 PM
  7. vlade31's Avatar
    when BB10 is out and hopefully getting to BB10 brings most of the apps people want.
    Isn't that what people were saying about OS 2.0? And what's so different about bb10 that suddenly the big name apps will start showing up.
    04-15-12 02:07 PM
  8. app_Developer's Avatar
    I thought financial interest is the major consideration for developers developing apps, didn't know app taste is also big in the equation.
    The point was that they think BB users don't understand or want apps enough to justify investment in the platform. In other words, penetration would be even less than it is on other platforms.

    So yes, of course it's all about the financial interest.
    Last edited by app_Developer; 04-15-12 at 02:14 PM.
    04-15-12 02:12 PM
  9. Marty_LK's Avatar
    Right-On Marty! Don't let these naysayers get you down, just enjoy one of the very best pieces of technical achievement in the tablet market today and let it give you hours, days, weeks, months and years of entertainment, education and whatever you want. And you can always upgrade to a 64gb PB later like I did after founding out how much I used, enjoyed and loved it. Look into the Seagate GoFlex 500GB portable wireless hard drive to expand your memory if you don't want to upgrade. AppWorld grows every day and so does the amount of used memory and storage on my PlayBook.
    Outstanding! The Best Buy sales person I talked to at one time not long ago also mentioned that very same wireless HDD.

    Nah...I clearly see the quality the PB is. It's impossible for those naysayers to make me see differently. I used to think BB couldn't possibly make anything of worth after my experience with the Pearl Flip. How wrong I was! The PB is the actual only tablet that employs intelligent design and engineering. The competition is too afraid to put functionality above appearance. BB wasn't afraid and the fruit of that intelligence is the PB.

    Sadly, though, most people will judge a book by its cover, so to speak. That's likely the main reason the PB doesn't have the market it deserves.
    04-15-12 02:22 PM
  10. lynxs_claw's Avatar
    My biggest problem with this posting is how it is done. It's done in a way to start a heated debate.. or maybe I shouldn't say debate... it's more like a fight between the die-hard fans that want RIM to succeed and the other fans that want RIM to push that development envelope.

    "Playbook is an amazing tablet - but it sucks because of lack of apps".

    Really, the PB sucks because it lacks apps. Keep in mind this is not true for all but it starts the thread off hostile. Especially when only one app is mentioned that is lacking.

    The PB doesn't suck for me even though I as well as all of you understand that it does lack apps. Certain key ones in fact especially those developed by RIM's competitors. I get the frustration.. petitions don't work, our numbers increasing not getting immediately recognized, etc.

    So what is the solution here. For the consumer they can jump ship to another tablet that satisfies their needs or you can choose to re-evaluate the neccessity of those apps right now and ride the storm out like the rest of us. For me there are a lot more positives for the PB than this shortcoming that keeps me happy. I'm sure I'm not the only one. But I like you are not 100% satisfied. The situation could be much better.

    I believe that RIM is doing whatever they need to do to encourage developers to develop apps for the PB. However, the number of playbooks sold is low right now and that doesn't help to make the PB attractive to getting those apps made. This is especially for those apps that are owned by RIM's competitors (ie. Skype - Microsoft; Kindle - Amazon) which will only (perhaps) be entertained if the PB numbers are really high.

    But for me I can see the tide is changing. The last quarter numbers were significantly up; I mean you can talk of fire sale prices, etc. but you can't disagree that the numbers are increasing. For example, look at the Amazon.com site. There are now over 500 comments for the PB and over 1000 comments for the ipad versions. The PB is at 4 out of 5 stars and most of the comments touch on "lacking of apps" and the ipad is 4.5. To me that pretty close which tells me that the PB is getting recognized, consumers are buying it and they are happy hopefully spreading the word.

    I guess my point is I'd like to see these threads wrt to "app lacking for the PB" be more constructive than destructive because it's been talked about ad-nauseum. What other potential solutions are out there to help attract the developers or other ways to get the numbers up - advertisements, incentives, etc.? Because if you can't get the developers right now, then you need to turn their heads with numbers.

    Definitely, send the message to RIM, the developers, the competitors, etc. of what we expect from the playbook but misconstruing what people say in order to make it sound like we should abandon the playbook and buy something else is not what people are saying here. We need to discuss finding solutions here not dwelling on the obvious problems. Hey that could almost be a new RIM slogan
    Last edited by lynxs_claw; 04-15-12 at 02:38 PM.
    mikeplus1 likes this.
    04-15-12 02:34 PM
  11. mikeplus1's Avatar
    Outstanding! The Best Buy sales person I talked to at one time not long ago also mentioned that very same wireless HDD.

    Nah...I clearly see the quality the PB is. It's impossible for those naysayers to make me see differently. I used to think BB couldn't possibly make anything of worth after my experience with the Pearl Flip. How wrong I was! The PB is the actual only tablet that employs intelligent design and engineering. The competition is too afraid to put functionality above appearance. BB wasn't afraid and the fruit of that intelligence is the PB.

    Sadly, though, most people will judge a book by its cover, so to speak. That's likely the main reason the PB doesn't have the market it deserves.
    Pretty good stuff coming from someone with experience with the "other" platforms. Love the avatar pic by the way, looks like you two could be related?
    Marty_LK likes this.
    04-15-12 02:35 PM
  12. Marty_LK's Avatar
    Pretty good stuff coming from someone with experience with the "other" platforms. Love the avatar pic by the way, looks like you two could be related?
    Yeah, heavy into portable technology. Not any kind of a dev or PC expert...far from it...but I am a tinkerer and have extensive experience with all of the offerings of the other systems and I find I enjoy the offerings on the PB more. There are a handful of games on Android I enjoy that the PB doesn't have. But the vast majority of what the PB has to offer is highly enjoyable and perfectly pleasing. A person just needs to spend time with the Appworld and become accustomed with it and its layout to find all it has to offer and begin to see how satisfying it can be. BB is doing a much better job lately presenting excellent "Featured" apps at the start of the Appworld. I've lately been buying more and more apps from the "Featured" pages.

    It seems to be easier to find quality apps and games from the Appworld than it is on the Play Store and Appstore. Maybe because of having so much less junk clogging up the works.

    That's my beloved father who passed away 4 years ago. I loved him very much and miss him dearly.
    mikeplus1 likes this.
    04-15-12 02:47 PM
  13. aha's Avatar
    it's more like a fight between the die-hard fans that want RIM to succeed and the other fans that want RIM to push that development envelope.
    Agree. I am not 100% satisfied with PB because of the lack of some key apps and generally lower quality of apps, but the app quality has improved a lot in the past three monthes and I wouldn't trade my PB with an IPAD 3 or another 7" android tablet right now. I would wait it out for those big actions RIM has planed for years.

    BTW, for the android games you like, have you tried sideloading them.
    Last edited by aha; 04-15-12 at 04:49 PM.
    kbz1960 likes this.
    04-15-12 04:34 PM
  14. narci's Avatar
    Just bought a used ipad2 to replace the pb I got her (still keeping mine).

    Although the AppStore has oodles and oodles of apps, what's really annoying are in app purchases.

    Example. In the news stand, every magazine is listed as free...until you download it. Once downloaded, it lets your preview the newest issue but up sells you for the full edition.

    The ads also bug me. I'm use to ad free complimentary apps and games for the pb. The ones for the iPad, very distracting and annoying.

    Seems like devs like to charge in app. Is there anything stopping pb devs from charging in app?
    04-15-12 05:03 PM
  15. raysivley's Avatar
    Sorry folks. The playbook is a great tablet, I love everything about it. But I find it just sits on my counter collecting dust because of the lack of apps.

    No twitter? Are you kidding me?!?! IN 2012 what company makes a tablet with no official twitter?
    yeah there is no "official" twitter app for the playbook. I dont even use the official twitter app for Blackberry smartphones until 3.0...I use ubersocial on my mobile device, and a combo of Blaq and Lemma on my playbook...ohh BTW...LEMMA IS FREE YOU CHEAP
    04-15-12 05:33 PM
  16. raysivley's Avatar
    Outstanding! The Best Buy sales person I talked to at one time not long ago also mentioned that very same wireless HDD.

    Nah...I clearly see the quality the PB is. It's impossible for those naysayers to make me see differently. I used to think BB couldn't possibly make anything of worth after my experience with the Pearl Flip. How wrong I was! The PB is the actual only tablet that employs intelligent design and engineering. The competition is too afraid to put functionality above appearance. BB wasn't afraid and the fruit of that intelligence is the PB.

    Sadly, though, most people will judge a book by its cover, so to speak. That's likely the main reason the PB doesn't have the market it deserves.
    Key question: If this product was called the Apple playbook: would so many people be so quick to say its horrible?
    04-15-12 05:36 PM
  17. Tomcat_Alley's Avatar
    Bitches dont Know about Lemma....

    and before people claim its not an "Official App", id like to point out that the difference between an official app and an Unofficial app is that an official app is an unofficial app that gave twitter money to use the name like twitter for Blackberry which is actually a RIM app.
    04-15-12 05:47 PM
  18. Marty_LK's Avatar
    Key question: If this product was called the Apple playbook: would so many people be so quick to say its horrible?
    If it was an Apple tablet, it would be fashionably stylish and people would love it. But it wouldn't have the same UI. It would be miserable trying to use the swipe functionality of the PB without the extensive borders of the screen and because of that, Apple would throw the swipe UI out. Apple would never design a tablet intelligently. Fashion and appearance for them all the way is the rule.
    04-15-12 05:51 PM
  19. app_Developer's Avatar
    Bitches dont Know about Lemma....

    and before people claim its not an "Official App", id like to point out that the difference between an official app and an Unofficial app is that an official app is an unofficial app that gave twitter money to use the name like twitter for Blackberry which is actually a RIM app.
    On iOS and Android, the official Twitter apps are written by Twitter.
    04-15-12 05:51 PM
  20. Marty_LK's Avatar
    On iOS and Android, the official Twitter apps are written by Twitter.
    And they're not all that usable, in my experience. I get better functionality and convenience from the web browser accessing the Twitter website...on my tablets.
    04-15-12 05:55 PM
  21. Economist101's Avatar
    Key question: If this product was called the Apple playbook: would so many people be so quick to say its horrible?
    If it were called the "Apple PlayBook" there wouldn't be an iPad, and everything is changed. Also, note that your question infers that people think negatively about RIM products, so perhaps a better question is why they think that way. Obviously, calling it "Apple PlayBook" isn't an option, though fixing people's perception of RIM certainly is.
    jimbo_hippo likes this.
    04-15-12 05:58 PM
  22. app_Developer's Avatar
    And they're not all that usable, in my experience. I get better functionality and convenience from the web browser accessing the Twitter website...on my tablets.
    You've got to be kidding. What functionality does the site have that we didn't include in the app?

    (I worked on the iOS one and the website for a while)
    04-15-12 05:59 PM
  23. Marty_LK's Avatar
    You've got to be kidding. What functionality does the site have that we didn't include in the app?

    (I worked on the iOS one and the website for a while)
    Not talking about Lemma or any of the Twitter apps for PB. I'm talking about the official ones for iOS and Android. I can't recall right off hand what the lacking functionality is in them over the website, but there was lacking functionality.

    By the way, in Lemma, which I have installed on my PB, I can't find the "Connect" function like the website has. It's a tab on the Twitter website with the symbol "@" that allows a user to immediately see anyone who has responded to them.

    EDIT -Oooops...nope, there it is, found the "Mentions" function in Lemma. It was under the mail icon.
    Last edited by Marty_LK; 04-15-12 at 06:39 PM.
    04-15-12 06:03 PM
  24. MartyMcfly's Avatar
    If it was an Apple tablet, it would be fashionably stylish and people would love it. But it wouldn't have the same UI. It would be miserable trying to use the swipe functionality of the PB without the extensive borders of the screen and because of that, Apple would throw the swipe UI out. Apple would never design a tablet intelligently. Fashion and appearance for them all the way is the rule.
    So what's Rimm's rule? Releasing a tablet without important native clients, no strong third party support(games, business, entertainment apps), while charging an arm and a leg for it.


    Sent from my IPhone 4s using Tapatalk
    04-15-12 06:06 PM
  25. Marty_LK's Avatar
    So what's Rimm's rule? Releasing a tablet without important native clients, no strong third party support(games, business, entertainment apps), while charging an arm and a leg for it.


    Sent from my IPhone 4s using Tapatalk
    That's all resolvable through software updates. But you can't decide to put the PB's swipe UI on a device without the proper configuration. It would never work on the iPad...properly, anyway. And the launch price is justified by the advanced hardware the PB incorporates. Believe it or not, the PB is an amazingly advanced and powerful system with high-spec hardware.
    04-15-12 06:10 PM
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