Knowing how long it takes to design hardware etc (I work in electronics) RIM must surely putting the finishing touches on an upgrade to the PB, either that or they don't expect to sell any more tablets in 12 months time (which I can't believe). So what is the rumour mill saying? Has the new RIM CEO dropped any hints?
I think RIM is doing one thing at a time... they got the HW right, now working on the SW
I dont expect new HW at least until the 2012 holiday shopping season (if that)....
I can't belive the hardware team is sitting around idle waiting for the SW team to catch up (story of my professional life BTW!). When is holiday shopping season?
Look for SW update (OS2) within a month (give or take). Also, rumor has it that 3G and possibly 10" versions are in the works. Even with new leadership, I just don't believe RIM will back out of the tablet market.
Knowing how long it takes to design hardware etc (I work in electronics) RIM must surely putting the finishing touches on an upgrade to the PB, either that or they don't expect to sell any more tablets in 12 months time (which I can't believe). So what is the rumour mill saying? Has the new RIM CEO dropped any hints?
It's on the front page of crackberry.com. Rumour is that PlayBook 2 is due out mid-2012 with 1.5 GHz dual core processor, HSPA+, etc.
A new playbook?? Mine's only 3 weeks old...
hate it when you buy something and it's old before you get it out of the box...
Don't worry. When the new device gets released with better OS and built in SW, the price will probably go back to the price RIM want them to be. RIM can't afford to sell new devices at current prices.
I have always found that if you can purchase a given technology, it's already obsolete. That's just the way computers/technology rolls. Things change very quickly ...
Knowing how long it takes to design hardware etc (I work in electronics) RIM must surely putting the finishing touches on an upgrade to the PB, either that or they don't expect to sell any more tablets in 12 months time (which I can't believe). So what is the rumour mill saying? Has the new RIM CEO dropped any hints?
Hardware isn't the problem! It has more bells and whistles than most tablets on the market. It's the firmware that is the problem. RIM needs to get OS 2.0 out and start building its customer base.
It looks like Apple will be releasing the iPad 3 in March or earlier. It will be a quad core processor with high resolution screen among its improvements. I understand the iPad 2 price will drop to match the Playbook. RIM will have its hands full just trying to stay competitive with Apple and other tablets.
As someone earlier pointed out, RIM probably wouldn't introduce a new tablet until the holiday shopping season. Hopefully by then customers will be a little more confident about buying a Blackberry product.
And RIM needs to improve its bread and butter cellphone products first before dealing with a new playbook.
At that price point it will have to be taking some shortcuts, we'll wait and see what they are.
I agree, but my point is I feel tablets price will be dropping in an overall perspective. nVidia said several times they are expecting their chips (Tegra Series) to become cheaper. If the new tablets get cheaper then the old will also. I guess I have a teeny weeny amount of buyer's remorse due to having to buy a laptop before next year requiring i7 2GHz+ 12GB Ram, etc.
I love the playbook, and I probably won't buy another tablet again as this already suffices my needs. 2.0 will make it better and it will last longer then what the ipod touches has for me.
Hardware isn't the problem! It has more bells and whistles than most tablets on the market. It's the firmware that is the problem. RIM needs to get OS 2.0 out and start building its customer base.
It looks like Apple will be releasing the iPad 3 in March or earlier. It will be a quad core processor with high resolution screen among its improvements. I understand the iPad 2 price will drop to match the Playbook. RIM will have its hands full just trying to stay competitive with Apple and other tablets.
As someone earlier pointed out, RIM probably wouldn't introduce a new tablet until the holiday shopping season. Hopefully by then customers will be a little more confident about buying a Blackberry product.
And RIM needs to improve its bread and butter cellphone products first before dealing with a new playbook.
I don't really agree with this. If they don't push on with the hardware - like Apple are with the iPad3 - they will go backwards fast, new OS or no new OS. I don't see the new OS saving the PB, how is the market for a year old tablet suddenly going to grow? The damage is done, and the new OS will be all about keeping existing users happy, restoring credibility and perhaps getting some mild sales growth.
They need a new product launch, and unless there is a 10 inch device in the range, BB will only be remembered as a bit part player. What percentage of tablet sales are 7 inchers, out of interest.
Hardware isn't the problem! It has more bells and whistles than most tablets on the market. It's the firmware that is the problem. RIM needs to get OS 2.0 out and start building its customer base.
Like most of the talking heads on forums and in the media you do not seem to grasp the distinction between firmware and software. The firmware in the BlackBerry PlayBook is actually the software which controls the boot-up process including initiating the loading of the system software known as the operating system which in turn loads the user environment (graphical user interface, applications). While all these components are software each has a unique name and role. For the record, BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS 2.0 is NOT firmware. But these days nobody lets facts get in the way of misinformed and self-important pontification.
...new OS or no new OS. I don't see the new OS saving the PB, how is the market for a year old tablet suddenly going to grow?
The BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS is the proving ground for the next-generation smartphone operating system hideously named BB10. And the new CEO is doing nothing to impress upon the media that QNX is the basis for BB10, leaving many people thinking BB10 is just another iteration of Java for mobile devices.
Like most of the talking heads on forums and in the media you do not seem to grasp the distinction between firmware and software. The firmware in the BlackBerry PlayBook is actually the software which controls the boot-up process including initiating the loading of the system software known as the operating system which in turn loads the user environment (graphical user interface, applications). While all these components are software each has a unique name and role. For the record, BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS 2.0 is NOT firmware. But these days nobody lets facts get in the way of misinformed and self-important pontification.
Sorry your Holiness! I didn't mean to step on your infallibility, but the lines between firmware and software are not as clear cut as say. In any case, its irrelevant.
I have no fault with the Playbook's hardware. The Playbook is the only tablet on the market that needs a "bridge" to be full functioning. RIM takes security seriously. It is a combination of firmware and software that makes that possible and it is also the reason RIM is having so many problems getting the Playbook to perform like other tablets. OS 2.0 is expected to correct that problem.
What about reputation? It's that intangible that determines whether RIM products are winners or losers!
Given RIM's poor performance with the Playbook so far and the rest of the Blackberry line, I wouldn't invest in a 10" tablet from RIM. My money would go towards buying an iPad 3 or even an iPad 2.
I'm not saying they should abandon product development of a 10" tablet since there is a long lead time involved. But if you have a superior operating system I would guess that putting together the hardware becomes a lot easier.
RIM needs to rebuild its reputation as a cutting edge company. RIM was once the leader in cellphones and most of it was because of the operating system. But RIM has fallen behind. If BB10 turns out to be a winner with customers, it will make it that much easier to sell a 10 inch tablet.
