1. BernFlo's Avatar
    Regardless of size or available apps for me the big plus is Bridge. No one else offers the ability to bridge their tablets with their phone, this ability is just the best, I'm always connected because of bridge, really how awesome is that and what's it worth. I figure in one year bridge vs tethering will save me the price of the PB, my playbook works out to be free plus it's a wonderful tablet ... competition, I think not we're talking apples and berries here not the same game.
    11-07-11 03:17 PM
  2. Daruba's Avatar
    ?..
    There is no reasonable person who would pay even more than $300 for a Playbook no matter what "specs" it has to offer when a similar 7 inch tablet is selling for $199/$249.
    ...
    .
    That's not completely true imo. A gamer? Yes. A fart-app user? Yes. A book and music fanatic? Yes, but users that have use for the bridge funtionality and use it for business or more productive things are more likely willing to pay more for usefull functionality.

    I think a serious buyer will compare usefull functionality first and second look at the price.

    I owe an iPad2 too, which i like very much for various resons, but put a knife to my throath and I will leave it go and stick with my PB.
    11-07-11 03:20 PM
  3. 123berryaddicted's Avatar
    Everyone has good points here. But I really don't think RIM's main competition problem will be from Amazon or b&n. Where they will face the real challenge is from the MANY Android tablets flooding the market... I'm talking about guys like Acer who already I saw a 7" tablet at costco which was VERY close to playbook specs... Selling for 299... Android... Had a good camera, micro SD slot... Sleek hardware design, and ships with all the apps us playbook dreamers wish we had... The only thing it didn't have was BBM.... And oh wait... Neither does the playbook!! Lol

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-07-11 03:52 PM
  4. FF22's Avatar
    With the announcement of B&N's tablet, the Playbook will be up against even more competition since Amazon's Fire was announced. I just don't get it, how can a bookseller like B&N release a tablet with Netflix yet RIM, can't seem to get some of these basic apps preinstalled on theirs. Granted it is running a different OS and all, but with a premium price of $500, you would need to satisfy the multimedia folks to prevent the PB to be pigeon holed as only a business tool.

    If the PB had the Kindle app, Skype w/ video, and Netflix/Hulu...I guarantee sales will go up!
    Sorry, but there's no way the pb can be pigeonholed as only a business tool as it seems to lack a good complement of business apps. It is neither fish nor fowl (maybe foul).
    11-07-11 03:53 PM
  5. RCCollins's Avatar
    Sorry, but there's no way the pb can be pigeonholed as only a business tool as it seems to lack a good complement of business apps. It is neither fish nor fowl (maybe foul).
    I think the PLAYbooks killer app is Farmville.
    eduardot likes this.
    11-07-11 03:56 PM
  6. Shlooky's Avatar
    Regardless of size or available apps for me the big plus is Bridge. No one else offers the ability to bridge their tablets with their phone.
    Why would the other tablets need to bridge?
    They all have native e-mail/calendar and contacts built in. An Android tab user or the iPad user wouldn't have to carry their phone around just to keep a bridge connection. Most tabs offer both 3G and WiFi, so no issue there.
    servingwater likes this.
    11-07-11 04:11 PM
  7. Dukey Avalon's Avatar
    Everyone has good points here. But I really don't think RIM's main competition problem will be from Amazon or b&n. Where they will face the real challenge is from the MANY Android tablets flooding the market... I'm talking about guys like Acer who already I saw a 7" tablet at costco which was VERY close to playbook specs... Selling for 299... Android... Had a good camera, micro SD slot... Sleek hardware design, and ships with all the apps us playbook dreamers wish we had... The only thing it didn't have was BBM.... And oh wait... Neither does the playbook!! Lol

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    The reality is RIM's main competition is themselves.

    They've allowed this device to languish since it's release. I still have very faint hope that the (possible) release of OS2 can put the Playbook on the radar as a credible option. It is currently not viewed as a business tool, it's not viewed as a consumer device, it's viewed as a curiosity and a failure.

    Even though I am mostly pleased with mine (bought it day 1) it really doesn't matter. Every Playbook owner in town could be satisfied, but until there are more Playbook owners we won't see the popular apps developed for us. This is where getting into bed with Android can at least give us some help.
    FF22, adamman, Shlooky and 1 others like this.
    11-07-11 04:20 PM
  8. danielcj's Avatar
    Bridge is a nice feature but at times I do wish the PB had native mail and calendar apps. I still prefer to type out emails on my BB though as I actually dread the keyboard on the PB especially when using it in non-bridged apps.

    I've been thinking of getting a fast Android phone and tethering to my PB. I can't seem to get Amazon prime videos to stream through my 3G 9700 although I've heard that the bluetooth connection is the bottleneck and not the mobile speeds.
    11-07-11 05:06 PM
  9. sharpehenry's Avatar
    yeah since 7" tablets are going to be flooded in the market near future, BB needs to wake up. I think this is the critical moment for BB. This is the latest time for "still in the game." If BB yet again sit around and do nothing to make a next move, then that will be the time I will say "BB is again too late to decide what to do.."

    QNX 1.0.x is still a good OS, BB just needs to utilize more of their devices.
    11-07-11 06:15 PM
  10. papped's Avatar
    yeah since 7" tablets are going to be flooded in the market near future, BB needs to wake up. I think this is the critical moment for BB. This is the latest time for "still in the game." If BB yet again sit around and do nothing to make a next move, then that will be the time I will say "BB is again too late to decide what to do.."

    QNX 1.0.x is still a good OS, BB just needs to utilize more of their devices.
    The window in reality already passed. Fire is launching soon (which will eat up the entire chunk of the low end market that could have been 16gb PB owners). None of the features necessary are launching until at least Feb, after the holiday season, which kicks the door wide open for every other platform other than QNX.

    With the deals that will be available during the holiday for even the more-expensive android tablets, there isn't going to be much of a window for the PB until after the holiday is over. Say they get everything ready by Feb (which is questionable based on history). They will have to ramp up sales on an undefined platform after everyone spent their money over the holidays already. Good luck with that...

    They should have released incremental features and fixes without OS2 long before Feb. But they didn't, and they will pay heavily in the tablet space long term.
    FF22 likes this.
    11-07-11 06:24 PM
  11. BernFlo's Avatar
    Why would the other tablets need to bridge?
    They all have native e-mail/calendar and contacts built in. An Android tab user or the iPad user wouldn't have to carry their phone around just to keep a bridge connection. Most tabs offer both 3G and WiFi, so no issue there.
    This is true for the most part; however the original question compared the nook and kindle fire to the pb and in the case of the nook and kindle fire they are wifi only. If there is no available wifi the pb can be bridged therefore still useable, no lag or downtime.
    11-08-11 09:20 AM
  12. howarmat's Avatar
    This is true for the most part; however the original question compared the nook and kindle fire to the pb and in the case of the nook and kindle fire they are wifi only. If there is no available wifi the pb can be bridged therefore still useable, no lag or downtime.
    you could also use your phone and create a wifi hotspot for the kindle or nook. Not every phone can but most newer ones have this option.
    11-08-11 09:25 AM
  13. danielcj's Avatar
    Ya and the one caveat about bridge is you need a BB!

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-08-11 09:34 AM
  14. hreiner1's Avatar
    what is frustrating, the slow space RIMM is moving
    and poor communcation from the company

    I have a 15,000 plus contact data base in Outlook and need it when going on the road
    it does not fit on my BB 9780, so I can not sinc the entire contacts
    so much for the professional tablet

    There is not one program for the PB where I transfer my contacts to and have it with me
    I use Files and Folders App for my files, which are in my dropbox
    but I need my contacts on the raod
    Or does anyone have a solution? any help is appreciated



    Thank you

    HR - NYC





    I agree, let's hope that 2.0 will bring some of these apps.
    11-08-11 09:42 AM
  15. hreiner1's Avatar
    I have 15,000 contacts in Outlook, it does not fit into my BB 9780
    so I need am app in Playbook which is a contact database, where I could import it

    does anyone have an answer?

    I use Files and Folders App for my documents, with links to my "Dropbox" account and that works well, I can even email from the PB

    But I would need the Contacts App for the PB with emailing capacity

    Thanks

    HR - NYC
    11-08-11 09:49 AM
  16. pustyak's Avatar
    The window in reality already passed. Fire is launching soon (which will eat up the entire chunk of the low end market that could have been 16gb PB owners). None of the features necessary are launching until at least Feb, after the holiday season, which kicks the door wide open for every other platform other than QNX.

    With the deals that will be available during the holiday for even the more-expensive android tablets, there isn't going to be much of a window for the PB until after the holiday is over. Say they get everything ready by Feb (which is questionable based on history). They will have to ramp up sales on an undefined platform after everyone spent their money over the holidays already. Good luck with that...
    Yeah, RIM really dropped the ball by not getting OS2 and the Playbook ready in time for the holiday season. You have to wonder who in RIM is setting the timelines. Who is going to seriously consider the Playbook in February with a wave of new tablets with impressive specs coming on the scene next year?
    11-08-11 12:20 PM
  17. LisaOnline's Avatar
    ... to prevent the PB to be pigeon holed as only a business tool....
    How is the Playbook a business tool? What functionality does it bring to the workday that other tabets do not? I had one, and it didn't even last much past lunch. Also, reviewing documents, annotating PDFs (You know, business activites) were hopeless on that tiny screen. Heck, there are Android phones almost as big!
    trickykid likes this.
    11-08-11 02:06 PM
  18. adamman's Avatar
    i know this one is not a 7-inch tablet but may be viewed as a competitor nonetheless. and what a competitor:

    Transformer Prime detailed: 10-inch Super IPS+ display, 12-hour battery and quad-core Tegra 3, ships in December for $499 -- Engadget

    if you are lazy to read, here are the highlights:

    metal body
    super ips 1280x800 screen with 600 nits - this should be pretty bad-a$$
    quad core tegra 3 (actually there are five cores) - don't know if the additional cores are any useful though. maybe in games?
    18 hours of battery life with the dock and 12 hours without - charger? what's a charger?
    auto focusing f/2.4 8mp cmos camera with full hd video capture - still don't care
    sd slot and usb port with the dock - should i buy that $24 32 gb sd card on slickdeals?
    real typing experience with the dock - well, kinda defeats the purpose of a tablet vs netbook but still great to have this option
    $499 for 32gb at start - i'd say very competitively priced for a first quad core

    sounds impresive. put qnx 2.0 (final) in it or better win 8, and it will be ******

    edit: here are some details on the new kal-el

    http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/09/n...shots-to-prov/
    Last edited by adamman; 11-09-11 at 01:17 AM.
    11-09-11 01:07 AM
  19. servingwater's Avatar
    There is also the lenovo 7 inch idea pad for 199 dollars.
    And that is a tablet with dual cameras.
    11-09-11 01:16 AM
  20. sportline's Avatar
    Review: Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet - the First Professional Grade Android Tablet?
    this one is probably too big to be real competitor..but nonetheless...and there;s physical buttons as well
    11-09-11 03:07 AM
  21. danielcj's Avatar
    Just read that the Fire is coming with Netflix, Pandora and Facebook among other things... PB owners are going to lose even more devs now...

    The Feb. release of OS2 is surely going to hurt holiday sales unless RIM drops the price soon. But even then they are still up against a lot of competition.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    11-09-11 09:23 AM
  22. bbqkid8's Avatar
    I think $299 is what the price should have been from the getgo for the Playbook... maybe even $349 (no real logic to this number - just thinking what is reasonable for someone like me). It was probably a mistake pricing it so closely to the iPad.

    And with these new tablets coming out with no camera... maybe they are taking a page from Apple's strategy. The iPad 1 with no camera... kinda forces people to buy the iPad 2 if they really wanted video capabilities.

    Ah well... I'll take my Playbook over any other tablet any day
    11-09-11 09:57 AM
  23. notfanboy's Avatar
    Samsung to Sell Windows 8 Computer From Second Half of Next Year

    Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co. plans to start selling touch-screen computers using the latest Windows operating system from the second half of next year as it seeks to tap demand for portable, yet powerful devices.

    The product will probably be a modified version of the Series 7 computer, which has a touch screen and a wireless keyboard, Uhm Kyu **, head of sales and marketing at Samsung's personal-computer business, said in an interview in Seoul today. It will run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 8, he said.

    Microsoft on Sept. 13 unveiled the newest version of its Windows operating system with a device made by Samsung. The program, which allows ultra-thin laptops and tablets to turn on instantly and run all day on a single charge, is an attempt to vault Microsoft into a fast-growing market controlled by Apple and Google Inc.'s Android software.
    This could well be the first wave of real business tablets.
    11-09-11 11:01 AM
  24. blackjack93117's Avatar
    This is indeed surprising that these book sellers have no problem getting these apps up yet playbook lags - is it RIM or is it netflix/hulu/skype? The blame has been place on the latter, but could RIM be playing a hand in it?

    you could also use your phone and create a wifi hotspot for the kindle or nook. Not every phone can but most newer ones have this option.
    Of course you can. And of course you can pay the extra cost as well.
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 11-09-11 at 12:11 PM.
    11-09-11 12:04 PM
  25. howarmat's Avatar
    not everyone has to pay extra, many carriers dont charge. I have never paid either
    11-09-11 12:11 PM
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