[djnshores]

Dear Mr. Heins,

Please release OS 2.0 early to your loyal Playbook fans! Give us something to smile about for a change! And RIM could certainly use the positive PR.

[Shao128]

We all know what happens when RIM releases stuff before it is ready. Seriously though, it's only a couple weeks away. BTW if you REALLY wanted to play with it early there are dev betas. Although they are meant for devs anyone can install them, just expect bugs.

[Pilchard]

RIM doesn't do "early"

[chasvs]

As Sao128 has said, we don't like what RIM delivers "early". They really would have been better off releasing the Playbook this year than the fiasco of the original launch.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Early is immaterial. What RIM needs to do is consistently deliver on time. Period. No exceptions, no excuses.

[undone]

Early is immaterial. What RIM needs to do is consistently deliver on time. Period. No exceptions, no excuses.

Agreed. And dont mention it if you can't deliver it.

[pmccartney]

I still smile a little, every time I use my Playbook. Especially in public. I am often asked what device it is and happy to show it to people who are typically impressed with it despite what they have heard.

Among other things, RIM has to allow the app developers time to ready their software for OS2 before releasing it to us. Be patient. It's only a few more weeks.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Agreed. And dont mention it if you can't deliver it.

Well ONLY mention a product as coming soon when you have a hard deadline for release. Announce it 30 days out or even less than that.

[bbmme]

I just ordered another playbook, and it won't be here untuil feb 11 so I won't mind the wait eh
Ya, I'm selfish hahaha

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[peter9477]

Right.... let's see:

1. initially suggest it will ship around DevCon in the fall
2. at the last minute ditch those plans and tell everyone you'll be delaying 4 months until February, since it's critical to get it all done properly and you will not ship something that works poorly
3. work diligently until you're almost there and it's almost but not quite done
4. rather than finish testing thoroughly, ship 3 weeks early, with numerous bugs and issues
5. sit back and watch the great reviews and profits roll in!

Sounds like a great plan to me!

[dagerlach]

I'd like a money back guarantee! If OS 2.0 doesn't live up to what was advertised, I would like my money back. Of course, after I got my money back, I would immediately go buy another Playbook.....but at least I would have got a few hundred back.

[Sith_Apprentice]

I am sure RIM will refund you any cost related to upgrading to OS 2.0

[djnshores]

Already tried the beta and reverted back to OS 1.08. There were too many bugs for me.

Heins said it will be on time which I guess is February 17th. I wonder what the significance of that date is.

I know the release is less than a month away, but why not February 1st? Given RIM's track record, I wonder if the final release won't be as buggy as the beta. If RIM misses the February date ... Well, I don't even want to think about them missing another deadline.

Assuming it is "ready", I just think it would be a pleasant surprise and a good PR move to release OS 2.0 a little early.

[anon4188935]

i have this feeling that once 2.0 comes out.. i believe RIM will start being on time with everything

[djnshores]

Right.... let's see:

1. initially suggest it will ship around DevCon in the fall
2. at the last minute ditch those plans and tell everyone you'll be delaying 4 months until February, since it's critical to get it all done properly and you will not ship something that works poorly
3. work diligently until you're almost there and it's almost but not quite done
4. rather than finish testing thoroughly, ship 3 weeks early, with numerous bugs and issues
5. sit back and watch the great reviews and profits roll in!

Sounds like a great plan to me!

Heaven help us if it still needs thorough testing at this late date. More likely there aren't enough qualified developers doing beta testing which is why it is taking so long to release a final product. 3 weeks shouldn't make that much of a difference.

[szparaj]

i have this feeling that once 2.0 comes out.. i believe RIM will start being on time with everything

They have to or all faith will be lost in the company. The new leadership change I think is them trying to change that perception. Now it just OK we'll see. If they deliver, and continue to deliver then they could make it way from the ashes

[BB_Bmore]

There are PLENTY of people at Rim doing beta testing. I was told the 23rd by a tech support guy at Rim who also had a 2.0 inside beta in front of him as we spoke. I don't know what day it will be but I do know it won't be late ie. March lol. It could be that Rim is ready with the OS but it may be waiting on some devs to finish porting some apps to release with the launch. Idk but I sure hope they don't release on valentines day because that would be so unfair to my girlfriend!

[pmccartney]

^Yes, she wouldn't appreciate it if you had to put her on standby.

[theegoldenone]

^its ok. Just swipe her from bezel to bezel to wake her up ;-)

[BB_Bmore]

Seriously she won't be happy that the only thing that's getting turned on is the playbook.

[Thunderbuck]

Already tried the beta and reverted back to OS 1.08. There were too many bugs for me.

Heins said it will be on time which I guess is February 17th. I wonder what the significance of that date is.

I know the release is less than a month away, but why not February 1st? Given RIM's track record, I wonder if the final release won't be as buggy as the beta. If RIM misses the February date ... Well, I don't even want to think about them missing another deadline.

Assuming it is "ready", I just think it would be a pleasant surprise and a good PR move to release OS 2.0 a little early.

Not sure which beta you tried. I'm on 2.0.0.7111 right now and it works very, very well. It doesn't work PROPERLY, no, but that's not due to bugs so much as functionality that RIM deliberately withheld (pretty much everything that doesn't work in the current dev preview is related to the new messaging infrastructure--yes, that includes Video Chat).

As to the significance of that Feb 17th date...

This isn't going to be a simple OS upgrade, it's essentially a product relaunch. And for a product that's struggled (to put it kindly). With that in mind, there needs to be more substance than just the update itself. Particularly in the realm of developer support.

I think there's some marketing mojo happening here to go along with the update...

[hnguyen]

Dude!!! Misleading title. You got me all excited for nothing.

[pallav_gupta]

Better late than buggy.....

[cntrydncr223]

Heaven help us if it still needs thorough testing at this late date. More likely there aren't enough qualified developers doing beta testing which is why it is taking so long to release a final product. 3 weeks shouldn't make that much of a difference.

The software industry is incredibly hard to predict.

I've worked in the industry for years. A lot goes into making a release. The pressure can be overwhelming and usually is. The fact that they don't release on "deadline" isn't to make everyone nuts. (and no, they probably aren't reading these forums to get ideas..., they don't have the time or energy for that.)

It's about testing, testing, and then more testing.

If they release too soon, everyone complains.
If they take too long, everyone complains.

Yes, that 3 weeks is incredibly important. I'd be willing to bet they test right up until the nano-second of release. And even then, people will complain.

If you've never walked a mile in their shoes, please don't tell them what size to wear. It's VERY EASY to be a "monday morning quarterback".

Seems to me they should just do what's right for them.
Oh wait, they are.

[djnshores]

I tried beta 2.0.0.4XXX I don't remember the exact number. I see it is up to build 7111. There probably have been significant revisions since I last used the beta but that's what beta software is all about. I'll just wait for the original release.