[webosdropout]

Recently bought a Playbook for my wife as a gift. I was so impressed with the quality and usefulness that I decided to take it on the road with me to see what I could use it for in my travels. Again, I was so impressed I decided to buy one for myself since my wife was not happy that I took hers. I've played with an Ipad and definitely thought it was too big and multi-tasking sucks.

A little bit about me: I'm in sales and on the road quite a bit. I do a lot of PP presentations, need to have access to files quickly etc...

My Review:
Keyboard: Decided to buy the new PB keyboard. Again nice piece of hardware but decided it was not for me. I do the majority of my work on my laptop and transfer files to the PB. The keyboard really stands in the way for me since I dont do much input. I gave the keyboard to my wife and she loves it! For her its perfect for internet browsing, email and some other stuff.

Apps: Devs take note! I bought 2 PB at a reasonable price which allowed me to buy over $100 worth of software in about 1 week. Some were $10 a pop and I dont mind. I plan on buying more this week. I have an Iphone 3GS with no BB cell phone in the family so its not coming from a fanboy perspective.

My favourite apps are Dolphin Browers, My File Manager, Adobe, Isilo, Docs to Go... I plan on buying file sharing & printing apps.

Whats lacking: Docs to go - I'd be willing to pay for a beefier version. Need to freeze/hide rows & columns, want to manipulate Pivot Tables, want a native print function within the app. Also, not crazy about the Android ported apps. I find them a bit sluggish and wish the Devs would commit to native apps.

Printing: Want the ability to print directly to a bluetooth or wifi printer. Is this too much to ask?

GPS - what the deal with that? My iphone GPS does not need access to Internet for it to function. Why cant the PB behave the same way? It would be a fantastic GPS in a car especially if Waze did a version for it.

I want ACT! to do a PB version. I want a better eReader something like iBooks. I want Kayak, Priority Club, Point Inside, UrbanSpoon, Starbucks, Trip Advisor etc... And of course I want Skype. Also want Flixter and SkyView and my favourite Wine App.

For Music, I want SoundHound, Amazing Slow Downer and Songsterr+

Hardware: This is not a PB issue but it would be great if someone invented a transmitter/receiver for the HDMI port so that I wouldnt need a cable between the two device. Would allow me freedom to walk around while doing my presentation.

Cant tether my Iphone. That is a huge drawback. Hopefully my company will see fit to upgrade the iphones to BB 10. However, the reason they resisted in the past is because of the need to have a dedicated email server. If BB were to do something about this a lot more corp entities my jump back on the BB bandwagon. Not everyone needs the level of security BB is trying to sell us.

I'm sure i'm forgetting some of the stuff I was thinking about but no doubt other road warriors might want to jump in to suggest how to get the most of our PB as a sales tool.

[farskija]

There was just a thread about the PlayBook's gps and how it DOES work without

Internet.http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...wifi-d-711631/

I agree with you on the beefier docs to go!

[joski]

For the beefier Docs to Go, have you guys checked out Picsel Smart Office?

[Scotter75]

For a printing solution, may I recommend a new ePrinter. You set up the printer with an email address but keep the address to yourself. You email the document to the printer from anywhere in the world. The eprinters are also wireless.

[homer1475]

Hardware: This is not a PB issue but it would be great if someone invented a transmitter/receiver for the HDMI port so that I wouldnt need a cable between the two device. Would allow me freedom to walk around while doing my presentation.

If you had a BB phone there's this new feature in the bridge app called remote. It allows you to remotely control your PB with your phone screen. You can leave the PB plugged into the hdmi port while still being able to control the PB with your phone and being bale to walk around. I can see what your saying and would be a nice feature. I think you'll fond RIM thought of this and thats why we have remote.

Simple answer for that problem is to buy a cheap BB phone. Doesn't need to have service or a data plan to use this feature.

[Gatmyer]

Yes ePrinters are the way to go. No messing around with drivers on the playbook. Just email it and your done. Use it all the time, its slick.

[webosdropout]

There was just a thread about the PlayBook's gps and how it DOES work without

Internet.http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...wifi-d-711631/

I agree with you on the beefier docs to go!

Understood, but dont have the desire to do side loading.

[webosdropout]

Also forgot to add... Wish it had a better email app. The one found on the now defunct HP Touchpad with Webos was awesome. Wish RIM would copy it.

[webosdropout]

If you had a BB phone there's this new feature in the bridge app called remote. It allows you to remotely control your PB with your phone screen. You can leave the PB plugged into the hdmi port while still being able to control the PB with your phone and being bale to walk around. I can see what your saying and would be a nice feature. I think you'll fond RIM thought of this and thats why we have remote.

Simple answer for that problem is to buy a cheap BB phone. Doesn't need to have service or a data plan to use this feature.

Interesting.... Will strongly recommend to our IT we should look closely at this when our contract is up. I know they were also looking at Ipads for outside staff so i'll do a demo to the other guys and see what a good device the PB might be.

[RWD]

Nice review. Two words - bluetooth mouse.

[pcguy514]

Understood, but dont have the desire to do side loading.

I think your referring to the lack of on device map data, but the quote. References the fact that gps works even without wifi signals. There is a gps app that did turn by turn was in beta last I checked.
Here is the link
http://forums.crackberry.com/playboo...videos-699567/

[PineappleUnderTheSea]

Interesting.... Will strongly recommend to our IT we should look closely at this when our contract is up. I know they were also looking at Ipads for outside staff so i'll do a demo to the other guys and see what a good device the PB might be.

With all the wants that you listed, it really sounds like you should stick with an iPad. You can wirelessly Airprint using software like Fingerprint, and it has many of the apps you feel are missing from the PB.

I know that the form factor of the PB suits you better, but it's going to be an uphill battle to convince IT to switch over in light of all the things you think are missing from the PB. I know this because I've brought up the PB to our IT dept at work, and they made it clear that the iPad is the only tablet they are testing out at the moment, mainly because it's the most popular tablet. It has even been escalated to a Senior VP in our internal "discussion boards", and he also made it clear that it's not "cost effective" to support anything else than the iPad.

But maybe your company is more "user friendly" and less bureaucratic...good luck!

[madman0141]

I love docs to go and would like to see a better version as wellbut I'm sure we will get upgrades as time passes. I feel the PlayBook is better sized for traveling than lugging around a laptop with all that goes with it. The portability of the PlayBook makes it a superior device than a laptop or ipad. That's only my opinion of course.

[webosdropout]

It's now been a week since I've used the PB to my sales calls and just about everyone is impressed by 1) Sound Quality 2) portability 3) ease of use (multi-tasking)

Many of the folks I talk to start thinking this is a good device for their business use and service techs. The lower cost, portability & quality makes this a winner for business people.