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Hey Everyone,
A thought that I had was one that has perplexed me for a long while, well ever since PlayBook OS 2.0 was launched in February.
What I don't quite understand is why does there seem to be so much hatred towards the Android runtime on the PlayBook?
Personally I find it works quite nicely for apps that do work. It even can access native notifications which is quite nice as well as provides true backgrounding along with tight integration with a combination of core OS apps and other installed Android apps.
So again I ask, What's' with all the hate everyone?
07-11-12 08:56 PM - Prior to OS 2.1 beta, I avoided the Android runtime like the plague. It hung far to often to become more than a curiosity for me. However, since moving to the OS 2.1 beta, I find I'm using more Android apps than native ones, including:
TapaTalk
gReader
Twitter (official)
ES File Explorer
Swarm
Google Maps
In fact, the only major native apps I still use (other than games) are Messages and the Web browser (Dolphin is simply too slow/limited on the PB).
These above listed apps, running in the Android player, deliver a better overall experience than their native counterparts, IMHO. At the same time, OS 2.1's robust multitasking and smooth, fluid UI make working with them easier than in a native Android setting (at least pre-ICS/JB).
For me, the PB's Android capability has become an indispensable tool that I use daily to compliment my PC-based content creation activities. Without it, I doubt I'd use my PB half as often. I hope they continue to develop this capability, and that includes updating it to support ICS apps, native code (if possible), and maybe even Google Play.
Bottom Line: I want access to, and support for, more Android apps, but I want to run them on my PB.
RCK07-12-12 02:56 AM - Koz is doing a lot to remedy this with his Good E Reader site, however, his offerings tend to be a few versions behind at times. I bit the bullet, downloaded the WebWorks tools, and now roll my own BARs whenever I have a need.
As for the launch time issue, I'm not seeing it. Yes, the player needs to reboot from time to time, most often in low memory situations. But I can load 2-3 Android apps simultaneously and be switching between them within 3-5 seconds. And they still load faster than that bloated excuse for a native Web browser shell.
Bottom Line: If OS 2.1 is this good in beta form, the final bits should really rock.
RCK07-12-12 04:55 AM - Well the PlayBook has always been a BlackBerry + Android thing since PlayBook OS 2.0 and even the beta builds. I think the idea that most people have is the PlayBook IS android which in fact is the wrong way of looking at it.
Not the best example if anyone is familar with "Bootcamp" or "Hackintosh" You'll know what I'm trying to get at here.
I don't think RIM is striving to make the experience identical to Galaxy/Nexus devices. What their aiming for is being able to run the most amount of apps as well as providing the best runtime. The Android runtime has come a LONG way since its inception and I have to say its definitely a plus point.
Some users like the ability to run an Android app in a secure environment as well
07-12-12 07:18 AM - You hit the nail on the head right there. We all wish there more native apps available on the PB, and glancing enviously at the competition's vast app catalogs has become somewhat of obsession for us long suffering Playbook owners. However, I'm not sure how many of us would be willing to sacrifice QNX and switch to the insecure, fragmented mess that is Android in order to get those apps.Some users like the ability to run an Android app in a secure environment as well
The Android runtime on the Playbook gives us access to many of those apps, and it allows us to sample them from the comfort of an incredibly robust, secure OS: QNX. If you were to draw some parallels, you might point to WINE on Linux or even the POSIX subsystem on Windows NT (the "Windows XP Mode" feature of Windows 7 also comes to mind).
Or, if you really want to take a trip back in time, check out IBM's "OS/2 for Windows" circa 1995 - though I'm not sure I'd want to associate RIM's OS 2.xx with Big Blue's botched effort to snatch the PC OS market back from arch-rival Microsoft.
RCK07-12-12 10:40 AM - You'd need to find the newer version in the appropriate bar form and sideload it. I don't think you can upgrade directly on the pb unless the app was offered in appworld initially.btw, can i update my sideloaded apps to the newest version?
if so, how?
Tks
Sent from a Dancehall using TapaTapa07-12-12 03:08 PM
