[lazarus2297]

Ok so I am new to this forum and blackberry.. I have used android since the Droid 1 and am familiar with rooting and "hacking" stuff... I got the PB recently and for the price I paid I want to try and keep it... but I am having a hard time since I am used to lots of certain apps, games, etc.. I haven't found hardly any apps in the app that I am used to.. so right now I having to "make" myself use it.. I have read of getting the android market on the PB but even with my relative familiarity with hacking i can't seem to get it work.. I have updated to the 2.0 beta (although that wasn't hacking, since the BlackBerry software did it for me..)

Please any suggestions on makes this thing so great when right now my only use seems to be a web browser and honestly I have a laptop and a galaxy nexus so I don't need 3 different sized screens for web browsing..

thanks in advance for any input!

[alekza]

well... i managed to get the android market working... and its been a good experince..some apps work... some dont.

ive found some decent apps and games on the pb. both native and android.

it all depends on what you actually wanna do with it.

[npunk42]

If you dont like the Playbook take it back. Thats what would do if I didnt like it. Life is too short to spend it with a tablet you have issues with.

[greatwiseone]

Yeah. No point in keeping something that you don't like. There are lots of solid android tablets out there...

[alnamvet68]

Ok so I am new to this forum and blackberry.. I have used android since the Droid 1 and am familiar with rooting and "hacking" stuff... I got the PB recently and for the price I paid I want to try and keep it... but I am having a hard time since I am used to lots of certain apps, games, etc.. I haven't found hardly any apps in the app that I am used to.. so right now I having to "make" myself use it.. I have read of getting the android market on the PB but even with my relative familiarity with hacking i can't seem to get it work.. I have updated to the 2.0 beta (although that wasn't hacking, since the BlackBerry software did it for me..)

Please any suggestions on makes this thing so great when right now my only use seems to be a web browser and honestly I have a laptop and a galaxy nexus so I don't need 3 different sized screens for web browsing..

thanks in advance for any input!

My suggestion would be to return the Playbook, since most who buy it don't buy it because of the gazillion game apps, or its "hackability." Trust me, already you're not happy with it, and the longer you hang on to it, the more miserable you will be.

[lazarus2297]

wow I am not miserable with the tablet and with what i paid for it (less than the $199 retail) i couldn't get a decent android tab anyway..

I was hoping for pros of the device on a blackberry forum, and not single real good thing was mentioned ..

I am not bashing the PB it seems snappy so far and the screen is great..

[AggreX]

Plenty of repetitive threads on the pros and cons to read. Stickie thread on "upgrading" to beta OS at your own risk. @199 there is no android that comes close. Enjoy the snappiness and screen...its that good

[rotorwrench]

Ok so I am new to this forum and blackberry.. I have used android since the Droid 1 and am familiar with rooting and "hacking" stuff... I got the PB recently and for the price I paid I want to try and keep it... but I am having a hard time since I am used to lots of certain apps, games, etc.. I haven't found hardly any apps in the app that I am used to.. so right now I having to "make" myself use it.. I have read of getting the android market on the PB but even with my relative familiarity with hacking i can't seem to get it work.. I have updated to the 2.0 beta (although that wasn't hacking, since the BlackBerry software did it for me..)

Please any suggestions on makes this thing so great when right now my only use seems to be a web browser and honestly I have a laptop and a galaxy nexus so I don't need 3 different sized screens for web browsing..

thanks in advance for any input!

I agree with the above. If you are already trying to find reasons to justify keeping it, return it. I's not for you. You won't be happy with it at all. Good luck.

[III 4U2NV III]

Wow, it's like every other post on here is asking "why they should keep there PB?" There are many reasons that makes the PB worth keeping, just all depends on what you're looking for. I just think it's funny that people buy something and ask OTHER people why they need it or should keep it. Just say'n...

To the OP, what was your sole purpose of buying the PB? If you were used to Android apps, why didn't you get an Android tablet?

[hpjrt]

As I understand it by installing the bets O2 you should be able to find something that works. As for games you don't know, try some out. You may just find that some of 'em are great!

I don't do games as a general rule so I'm of little use there.

Perhaps the official upgrade coming in February will make the PB more satisfying for you.

[flashop]

Everyone here is right. If you got it for a low cost tablet to play games on you wont be happy with it (games will come but who knows when/if). If you got the tablet to be a tool for your day to day life there are plenty of simple apps to help do that and some games to keep you entertained as well but the gaming experience wont match up to android and iOS if thats why you got this. I use mine for web browsing, evernote, twitter, facebook, ereader and with the size it is easy for me to carry around at work and home.

Ultimately if you have to find ways to make it fit into your lifestyle now and cant find anything right away you probably wont like. I'm sure we would all love to see another Playbook owner but if you have to ask for reasons to like it maybe its just not the right tablet for you.

[Unsure2]

Nice screen, good browser, hdmi output to your HDTV, great speakers for a tablet, good price, you can fit it in a coat pocket...

[rotorwrench]

wow I am not miserable with the tablet and with what i paid for it (less than the $199 retail) i couldn't get a decent android tab anyway..

I was hoping for pros of the device on a blackberry forum, and not single real good thing was mentioned ..

I am not bashing the PB it seems snappy so far and the screen is great..

Don't worry, there are a few bashing trolls that will show up eventually and give you all the cons you can handle. Seriously though, most that love the PB like it for what it already does, but have hopes for more, which appear to be coming. If you are seriously looking for pros, research the forum. Throw out the obvious negative bashing and the obvious "perfect faultless tab" and you'll have a fair assessment.

[lazarus2297]

I got it b/c the price was too good to pass up.. It sounds as though I would do best selling it and putting that money towards an android tablet.. Oh and by games i mean simple stuff i don't play action games or stuff like that either.. Oh well thanks for your input I will play with it for a little while and see if it grows on me if not.. it will be up for sale..

[lynntarbox]

wow I am not miserable with the tablet and with what i paid for it (less than the $199 retail) i couldn't get a decent android tab anyway..

I was hoping for pros of the device on a blackberry forum, and not single real good thing was mentioned ..

I am not bashing the PB it seems snappy so far and the screen is great..

same here. bought it because of the price. youre going to quickly run into a lot of limitations especially coming from android. i thought rooting anf installing marketplace would be an ideal solution for the time being but even that sucks because theres no current way to multitask between android apps when youre in the honeycomb launcher. plus youll find a good amount of android apps that just wont work at all. i want a different video player that can play multiple formats (built in player doesnt support common audio codecs so half of my videos are just silent) but ive yet to find one that installs and actually runs.

pros? it was cheap.
cons? you get what you pay for

[lazarus2297]

Don't worry, there are a few bashing trolls that will show up eventually and give you all the cons you can handle. Seriously though, most that love the PB like it for what it already does, but have hopes for more, which appear to be coming. If you are seriously looking for pros, research the forum. Throw out the obvious negative bashing and the obvious "perfect faultless tab" and you'll have a fair assessment.

what are some of the hope of good things to come? Like I said for what I paid I am willing to give it some time to grow on me especially if there are some gooodies coming..

I have the 2.0 beta installed and couldn't tell the difference from the stock version to the 2.0 beta what else are they planning on adding?

[lynntarbox]

what are some of the hope of good things to come? Like I said for what I paid I am willing to give it some time to grow on me especially if there are some gooodies coming..

I have the 2.0 beta installed and couldn't tell the difference from the stock version to the 2.0 beta what else are they planning on adding?

they are adding an email client lol.
i think most are looking for the android player in 2.0. im hoping compatibility will be much better when the final is out. right now id say half of the apps i tried installing from the android marketplace didnt work at all.

[AggreX]

Don't worry, there are a few bashing trolls that will show up eventually and give you all the cons you can handle. Seriously though, most that love the PB like it for what it already does, but have hopes for more, which appear to be coming. If you are seriously looking for pros, research the forum. Throw out the obvious negative bashing and the obvious "perfect faultless tab" and you'll have a fair assessment.

Good advice and perfect timing!!

OP: The current price really is too good! Every retailer in my area advertises @199 but either is OOS or will be delivered sometime next year (late xmas). Give the PB a thorough "test drive" to help with the decision

[Megacharge]

Well dude, I'm an Android owner too, I love my SGSII but seriously the Playbook is awesome. The web browser is second to none, the design and form factor perfect IMO, and with the Android Player on the 2.0 beta, I'm using quite a few of the apps I use on my Android phone. Give it some time, and get into side loading and rooting, and you will have a lot of fun with this tablet.

I could have easily bought an Android tablet, but I already have an Android phone, so I really don't need another one with a huge screen that lacks the call features.

[rotorwrench]

I got it b/c the price was too good to pass up.. It sounds as though I would do best selling it and putting that money towards an android tablet.. Oh and by games i mean simple stuff i don't play action games or stuff like that either.. Oh well thanks for your input I will play with it for a little while and see if it grows on me if not.. it will be up for sale..

Good idea. Best of luck.

[lazarus2297]

Well dude, I'm an Android owner too, I love my SGSII but seriously the Playbook is awesome. The web browser is second to none, the design and form factor perfect IMO, and with the Android Player on the 2.0 beta, I'm using quite a few of the apps I use on my Android phone. Give it some time, and get into side loading and rooting, and you will have a lot of fun with this tablet.

Click to view quoted image

have any tips on getting the android player loaded? I have read different tutorials but haven't had complete success.. i can get it rooted but i can't seem to get the android player to "take"

[III 4U2NV III]

Sorry, didn't mean to bash, you left out the part that you picked up bc of the price.

As I've mentioned in many posts like these, here are my pros/cons:

Pros:
1) Portability, 7" tablets are so much easier to bring along than 10" tablets. In the winter, fits in my coat pockets easily, in the summer, it fits in my cargo shorts pocket.
2) Beautiful screen
3) True multi-tasking
3) HDMI out
4) Stereo speakers
5) Games (obviously no comparison to the Apple Store but I feel like there are quality games coming out daily)
6) Flash
7) Plays variety of audio/video files (no need to convert)
8) The best of all, you don't need iTunes

Cons:
1) A really good IM app as well as other apps (but it appears more developers are creating apps)
2) Not able to print to a network printer
3) App for VPN/Remote Desktop
4) Browser sometimes closes on me unexpectedly

Can think of any cons off the top of my head, I also didn't mention native emails since I have a BB phone, Bridge works fine for me.

[Megacharge]

have any tips on getting the android player loaded? I have read different tutorials but haven't had complete success.. i can get it rooted but i can't seem to get the android player to "take"

The Android player is "built in" to the beta 2.0 OS, so you don't need to load it, it's already there.

Edit: Keep in mind if you installed the Android Player on the beta 2.0 you might need to revert back to a lower firmware then move back up to beta 2.0 as installing the Android Player over the already existing Android Player in the beta 2.0 has been known to cause issues.

[Megacharge]

Sorry, didn't mean to bash, you left out the part that you picked up bc of the price.

As I've mentioned in many posts like these, here are my pros/cons:

cons:
1) A really good IM app as well as other apps (but it appears more developers are creating apps)

This is no longer a con, the Kik messenger is available on all iOS devices and Android, so is Ping chat. Both of these apps can be side loaded on the Playbook running the Beta 2.0 and work.

Also I agree with all your pros.

[kill_9]

wow I am not miserable with the tablet and with what i paid for it (less than the $199 retail) i couldn't get a decent android tab anyway..

I was hoping for pros of the device on a blackberry forum, and not single real good thing was mentioned ..

The only thing you need realize is the BlackBerry PlayBook is unlike any other tablet on the market. If you insist upon comparing it to the Apple iPad or various Android-based tablets you will always find something to complain about...not saying you are complaining about the BlackBerry PlayBook...because at the moment it remains a work-in-progress. I use my BlackBerry PlayBook daily in a professional setting as well as part of my continuing education endeavours.

That said, if you are buying a BlackBerry PlayBook to run Android applications you would be better served buying an Android tablet instead.