[texazzpete]

Could you please clarify why this would be true? i was under the impression that because you can sideload and install apps without jailbreaking or installing any special itunes type software, along with the fact that all the cables are standard non properiety types, the playbook would be considered more open..

Any tech savvy enough to sideload apps on the Playbook can take the 15 mins needed to download and run Absinthe to jailbreak their iPads.

The Apple TV is $100, but at least it gives you the option of cable free HD movie streaming to your TV. You can mirror the iPad screen on your TV for games and apps...wirelessly.

Wireless is freedom (arguably)


I could also argue that the Apple TV does have loads of extra value. iTunes, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Youtube and loads more all in place.




jailbreaking the Apple TV box gives you XBMC and Plex....which are both excellent!


Finally, Xbox smartglass will support the iPad...no plans for QNX and playbook at the moment.

[spike12]

Understandable, I think there are definitely good points there, but I wouldn't count the jailbreaking because you are no longer in the garden anymore.. and I will concede on the sideloading being in a similar boat..

as for the wireless freedome you could also argue with bridge remote and the hdmi cable you could have the same effect.

In any case, thank you for the clarification, I agree that currently there is more third party support for the apple devices that can provide an extra degree of freedom. In the end as usual it all comes down to what the individual wants and needs out of a device.

[varunsain]

What happens with iOS6+ when you cannot Jailbreak it? If they don't cut out on Jailbreaking.. Their device is very soon gonna go in for a tos..

For the topic here.. - The PlayBook has absolutely caught on but just not defeated anyone in numbers.. It's a very, and I can't stress enough, very large market out there.. Not everyone makes a product to sell out to a billion users.. Even though they might want to.

[el31415]

There is more I cannot do than I can do with the PB.
And most basic /essential app were and are still not compatible or available for the PB.
Just name yours

[yaytoast]

Marketing. That's pretty much it.

+1.

Nobody can buy a product they do not know about...

Doesn't get much simpler than this. Advertising for the PB fell off a cliff not long after launch.

My local telecom advertised the PlayBook. Was RIM aiming to outsource marketing to carriers?

https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=fb6BMGf0

[akstone]

Doesn't get much simpler than this. Advertising for the PB fell off a cliff not long after launch.

My local telecom advertised the PlayBook. Was RIM aiming to outsource marketing to carriers?

Telus - Rock and Roll on Vimeo

i'm with telus as well but have never once seen anything playbook related advertised.

i wonder myself why the playbook never really caught on. it's powerful enough for work and play. but i suppose it's 50/50 image and advertising. and RIM does have a loser image right now. they're not trendy or cool and like it or not, that's a massive part of it.

i'm not saying i agree. i've written many chapters of a book quite happily on it without worrying about if my device is cool or not. but it is a reality.

[varunsain]

There is more I cannot do than I can do with the PB.
And most basic /essential app were and are still not compatible or available for the PB.
Just name yours

Well I got most of the basic apps already installed with the OS out of the box.. Stuff like PIM, Multimedia, Utilities, Work Applications and Entertainment apps.. HEck I even got EA NFS and EA Tetris games pre-installed!!

[Xopher]

My opinion is that it has a lot to do with advertising. When RIM did have PlayBook ads out, it showed Need for Speed and "Flash" video streaming (done to Queen's song). There was nothing that really showed how the PlayBook fits into every-day use. It was just about as bad as the BBM commercials (do I really care about how a barber uses BBM? especially when they don't even show BBM being used?)

There was a promo video that went around almost a year ago showing a woman using her PlayBook throughout her day. From using it at the office, to giving it to her kid to play games, it really showed what the PlayBook could do. Although it was too long of a video for a commercial, I'm surprised they didn't take that approach when advertising.

It wasn't until I actually got a PlayBook that I found out how capable a device it really is (I now tend to pick it up first, before my BB or Android devices). The only reasons I got a PlayBook was from being on here, having a BlackBerry, and software development. If I were just a general consumer, I don't think the few ads I saw would intrigue me enough to look into a PlayBook. RIM really needs to revamp their advertising direction (for BB and PlayBook).

Plus, all of the PlayBook ads I saw were before the 7" market matured. Now that there are a lot of 7" tablets coming to market, I haven't seen any PlayBook ads. It's hard to compete when you don't have your product out in front of potential customers all the time.

[varunsain]

Xopher - You Can Lead a Camel to Water, But You Can't Make Him Drink..

You want them to spend billion dollars to stand out? Give it time.. They will be out there with advertisements and all that.. They are re-branding.. It's much bigger than selling PlayBooks..

[wuulfy]

anyone mentioned the dreaded N and S words yet?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

PlayBook is a very powerful device.
The Bridge feature is GREAT (but only for 8% or so that still have a BlackBerry).
OS is very smooth, and handles most non Android Apps very well (Android Player or either Android Apps - are very buggy).
Value - Price vs Hardware, is great even after over a year (at least at the prices you can get them today).

The PlayBooks problem IS and HAS ALWAYS been a a lack of Apps/Features that make the 7" tablets so popular - either as an EReader or as an on the go Content Display. Until RIM partners with someone that has a full range of content (Books, Movies, TV Shows and Music) at reasonable prices, the PlayBook is not going to be popular with CONSUMERS.

Look in the PlayBook forums, that is what people are first asking about when they get a PlayBook. The two most popular tablets have ecosystems to support them and that is why they have succeeded. On the PlayBook it is more of a do it yourself ecosystem, find the content with your computer in most cases, convert it with your computer and then unload it to the PlayBook and use an "almost as good app" to view it.

And people are surprised that the PlayBook isn't selling well to the average consumer???

[diegonei]

Doesn't get much simpler than this. Advertising for the PB fell off a cliff not long after launch.

My local telecom advertised the PlayBook. Was RIM aiming to outsource marketing to carriers?

Telus - Rock and Roll on Vimeo

Wth?! That. Was. Awesome!

Somebody please forward this to RIM's CMO!!!

[Powdah]

I believe another reason is many of base programs are extremely basic or half way developed.

Look at email, calendar, contact sync. Works well - kind of. No complete native ebook reader / pdf reader.

Yes developers are coming around, but some core programs need to be a step above everyone else.

Under promise - over produce

[wilco68]

My opinion is that it has a lot to do with advertising. When RIM did have PlayBook ads out, it showed Need for Speed and "Flash" video streaming (done to Queen's song). There was nothing that really showed how the PlayBook fits into every-day use. It was just about as bad as the BBM commercials (do I really care about how a barber uses BBM? especially when they don't even show BBM being used?)

There was a promo video that went around almost a year ago showing a woman using her PlayBook throughout her day. From using it at the office, to giving it to her kid to play games, it really showed what the PlayBook could do. Although it was too long of a video for a commercial, I'm surprised they didn't take that approach when advertising.

It wasn't until I actually got a PlayBook that I found out how capable a device it really is (I now tend to pick it up first, before my BB or Android devices). The only reasons I got a PlayBook was from being on here, having a BlackBerry, and software development. If I were just a general consumer, I don't think the few ads I saw would intrigue me enough to look into a PlayBook. RIM really needs to revamp their advertising direction (for BB and PlayBook).

Plus, all of the PlayBook ads I saw were before the 7" market matured. Now that there are a lot of 7" tablets coming to market, I haven't seen any PlayBook ads. It's hard to compete when you don't have your product out in front of potential customers all the time.

Completely agree with the above. Here in the UK the Playbook has had no advertising that I can recall. The first reaction I get when someone see's my Playbook for the first time is "I didn't know Blackberry did a tablet".......

Apart from giving the device a profile, you really have to show people what it could do for them. The promo video you mentioned was really very good & should have been a tv ad. When I think back to my holiday in Spain, I used my playbook for internet use, as a camera, as a video recorder, as a music player, to keep in touch on Facebook, to send emails, as book reader, as a research device for restaurants & sites, to play games - it was invaluable. I'm not saying it's the only tablet that can do all that as clearly it's not, but for f***ks sake RIM, show the people what it can do & you might actually sell some!!!

And what about the awesome feature that is Blackberry Bridge? Am I alone in feeling the smugness of getting my Playbook on line via my Bold when out of wi-fi range, whilst watching the p***ed of looks of my iPad wielding friends who either can't do that or who are paying an additional �15 per month to do so? Proper cool real world usage. Again RIM, show the people!!!

The only time I see Blackberry advertised here at all is a tv program or music event labelled 'in association with Blackberry'. I can only assume the UK RIM marketing people like the buzz of being associated with the tv & music industries, more than properly contributing to the sales of the company's devices.......

My Playbook is now an indespensible device to me - never thought i'd say that about a tech product!!!

[adamkesher]

Was wondering this myself as the playbook was one of the first devices to be a 7 inch tablet running a non phone OS. However it has been lukewarm both critically and lukewarm despite having a somewhat cult following.

So why is it that now this year the 7 inch form factor has boomed with so many other guys being successful with it as well as other others annoucing products in that form factor?

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk 2

I have owned three different seven inch tablets-the Playbook, the Kindle Fire, and most recently the Asus/Google Nexus 7. The Nexus 7 was the first device that really woke me up to the fact that the 7 inch form factor is not going anywhere. I liked it so much, I sold my retina iPad. Once you use a GOOD 7 inch there is no going back to 10 inch, it will seem too big and bulky. Maybe just sticking with the phone OS is the secret.

[SugarMouth]

I just bought one today! Should go well with my BB9900 until BB10 arrives!

[Real Estate Appraiser]

The playbook is one of the best tablets out there right now. The reason it isn't doing well is because their phones aren't doing well and RIM as a company isn't doing well right now.

If bb10 launches and the phone take off, the playbook will take off as well. Apple fanboys tend to get ipad, droid guys tend to get droid tablets.

[adamkesher]

The playbook is one of the best tablets out there right now. The reason it isn't doing well is because their phones aren't doing well and RIM as a company isn't doing well right now.

If bb10 launches and the phone take off, the playbook will take off as well. Apple fanboys tend to get ipad, droid guys tend to get droid tablets.

I disagree, referring back to my post-the iOS and Android tablets are more successful because of the unifying experience the OS provides between the phone and tablet. The Playbook is not because the phone and tablet are two distinctly different interfaces.

[westronic]

I disagree, referring back to my post-the iOS and Android tablets are more successful because of the unifying experience the OS provides between the phone and tablet. The Playbook is not because the phone and tablet are two distinctly different interfaces.

BB10 is changing that. Whether that will make much of a difference remains to be seen.

My feeling is that RIM should focus on business use and security. That's where this device really shines and stands apart from the competition.

[brucep1]

BB10 is changing that. Whether that will make much of a difference remains to be seen.

My feeling is that RIM should focus on business use and security. That's where this device really shines and stands apart from the competition.

As a business device, the PlayBook pales in comparison to just about every type of tablet out there. I don't see what makes this a business tablet? What features for the business world does it have that other tablets don't?

[rich_a]

As a business device, the PlayBook pales in comparison to just about every type of tablet out there. I don't see what makes this a business tablet? What features for the business world does it have that other tablets don't?

I agree so much, it makes me hurt.

Why do people on Crackberry keep mentioning that a device called the PlayBook is a "business" device? RIM's initial advertising was very clear: This is an entertainment and media consumption device - hey, it even runs Flash so you can play all those cool Flash games and watch youtube/on demand services! Oh, and we load kobo so you can read lots of books! And it comes with two cool games, and lots more to download, too!

"Business" people can already access their exchange accounts securely on Android/iOS and they can view their business websites, view their business PDF's and use their business apps on those platforms as well. Suddenly making the device business centric isn't going to sell more tablets unless BB10 contains some killer beyond-Bridge functionality that the business world really wants.

[pedrogari]

i have a playbook for more than a year now. it was my first tablet and i was happy, but now after all this time I rellay think it is compete fail, and here is way
Mail app need 1 to 2 minutes to open (much faster is bridge mail) and nothing to copare to my blackberry
Contact app need more then a minute
facebook app takope so much time that I eaven forgot that I open it (on my bb9000 it is less than 0.5 sec)
BlackBerry news app is the worst one it literany need somtimes up to 4 minute to download all new content, i reed it in the morning before leave to offic, i used to oppen a app than go to make a brekfats and coffe and it still not ready, on my bb is almost instant.
Appworld is pain in the it is so slow you lose desire to purchase it.
Brownser It was whrite so much how Playbook explorer is the best one but if you compare your bb7 brownser and PB (eaven whit flash off) is faster one on bb (full page will load faster and you also can see the content before full page is loadad. on playbook if you move you will get white page and you need to wait and wait....) tray to compare www.crackberry.com
Twitter app oh ni twitter app
skype app oh no skype (and no I dont want to use imo.im)
Video chat work but not all the time,c conextion lose and can use camara (i got message other app using cam pleade shot it down and tray again)
yes i made security wipe, yes i have beta 840
so playbook is not bad but my bb is better, in this 1.5 years i lose at least 4 days waiting the app start

i dont thik the bb10 will be better, and this time i will not be a foul beliving thqt how good os bb10 (we heard same stofy whan pb was relase)
sorry for gramatical mistakes but CB forum app is Android one and it nots support text correction and it is from Crackberry

[westronic]

As a business device, the PlayBook pales in comparison to just about every type of tablet out there. I don't see what makes this a business tablet? What features for the business world does it have that other tablets don't?

It is the security features that make it a business device. It keeps business information secure, and separates business information from personal information. Also, it is relatively easy and inexpensive for a business to develop apps for it.

Of course, this is less true for small businesses, and small businesses have less of an issue with needing security, too. Where the Playbook could shine is the large business, but RIM does not seem very aggressive at all in pursuing that business.

[brucep1]

It is the security features that make it a business device. It keeps business information secure, and separates business information from personal information. Also, it is relatively easy and inexpensive for a business to develop apps for it.

Of course, this is less true for small businesses, and small businesses have less of an issue with needing security, too. Where the Playbook could shine is the large business, but RIM does not seem very aggressive at all in pursuing that business.

So it's security is the reason it is a business tablet. Okay.

Why is it so much easier and inexpensive to develop business apps for the PlayBook compared to Android or iOS operating systems?

[notfanboy]

So it's security is the reason it is a business tablet. Okay.

Why is it so much easier and inexpensive to develop business apps for the PlayBook compared to Android or iOS operating systems?

Is it though? Is there any proof of this?