Why PlayBook is not (unfortunately) Redundant

I say 'unfortunately' because if it were, things would be far simpler for us all.

I recently purchased a Nook HD+, and stuck Android 4.2 on it to replace the Barnes & Noble 4.0 based OS. The browsing experience, app experience, and email experience is infinitely better - a big relief.

Last night I decided to watch something on BBC iPlayer. I loaded the app on my tablet and began watching... but wasn't happy with the sound quality, while the bit rate felt low.

Decided to watch a bit of the same programme on my PlayBook to compare the two devices. I loaded the iPlayer site through SimpleBrowser.

The difference in sound quality blew me away. The picture was sharper.

Watched the whole programme on PlayBook and enjoyed every moment.

Makes the fact that BlackBerry disowned their device all the more infuriating.

Posted via CB10

It could have been great, could have been amazing, but now it's relegated to the dustbin of tech history.

Originally Posted by blueberrymerry

It could have been great, could have been amazing, but now it's relegated to the dustbin of tech history.

I agree a terrible waste.

I replaced my Bold and my PB with a Samsung S4. I kind of like that fact that everything works on it, and lots more apps. Now more sideloading, Yay!

The PB would have been nice if you could install Android on it, no hack has figured this out yet?

Originally Posted by Deckard79

I say 'unfortunately' because if it were, things would be far simpler for us all.

I recently purchased a Nook HD+, and stuck Android 4.2 on it to replace the Barnes & Noble 4.0 based OS. The browsing experience, app experience, and email experience is infinitely better - a big relief.

Last night I decided to watch something on BBC iPlayer. I loaded the app on my tablet and began watching... but wasn't happy with the sound quality, while the bit rate felt low.

Decided to watch a bit of the same programme on my PlayBook to compare the two devices. I loaded the iPlayer site through SimpleBrowser.

The difference in sound quality blew me away. The picture was sharper.

Watched the whole programme on PlayBook and enjoyed every moment.

Makes the fact that BlackBerry disowned their device all the more infuriating.

Posted via CB10

Your lament may be justified, but don't lose sight of what you can do today on your Playbook that you found unpleasant on your Nook HD. If anything, you should be saddened that you had such a mediocre experience on the Nook.

Originally Posted by Kevin Walker6

Your lament may be justified, but don't lose sight of what you can do today on your Playbook that you found unpleasant on your Nook HD. If anything, you should be saddened that you had such a mediocre experience on the Nook.

I am more saddened by the mediocre treatment of the Playbook by its creator. A sad testament to blowing a technologically unique product introduction and follow through.

I've been running Origami Browser (look for it in the PB Apps forum) and it blows away the stock browser or even Fast Browser. It's fast, relatively stable, full of configuration options, like Dolphin but better. It's apps like this that could have really saved the PB and made it a viable alternative against Android and iOS tablets... stick the Android 4.2 runtime on BB10 for PB and it would have been perfect.

But hey, I'm not Thorsten Heins, I actually use my PB for work and play instead of dreaming about mobile computing in Bentleys ;) Anyway I'm off to see if the Evil Redmond Empire's offerings are any better.

Originally Posted by Kevin Walker6

Your lament may be justified, but don't lose sight of what you can do today on your Playbook that you found unpleasant on your Nook HD. If anything, you should be saddened that you had such a mediocre experience on the Nook.

True also, but the Nook HD+'s shortcomings are shared, fundamentally, with every other tablet on the market. No other tablet device has been designed and manufactured in such a manner where sound output is given the same priority as image quality.

Add to this the fact that I was able to run the desktop version of iPlayer, with programmes output in HD via Flash, on the PlayBook (reason for using SimpleBrowser ).

The PlayBook remains in my possession because the above makes it entirely unique.

Some day, someone must surely combine the two into one tablet I can actually like.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by blueberrymerry

I've been running Origami Browser (look for it in the PB Apps forum) and it blows away the stock browser or even Fast Browser. It's fast, relatively stable, full of configuration options, like Dolphin but better. It's apps like this that could have really saved the PB and made it a viable alternative against Android and iOS tablets... stick the Android 4.2 runtime on BB10 for PB and it would have been perfect.

But hey, I'm not Thorsten Heins, I actually use my PB for work and play instead of dreaming about mobile computing in Bentleys ;) Anyway I'm off to see if the Evil Redmond Empire's offerings are any better.

I have this browser, and like it, but as raised in its dev thread on this forum it is fundamentally the same as the stock browser (only with a different shell). Any performance differences are mere tweaks, or a result of ad blocking. If the stock browser were to crash, Origami would also with the same frequency.

BlackBerry haven't given developers the tools with which to make proper alterations to the core browser, or to build their own.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by F2

I am more saddened by the mediocre treatment of the Playbook by its creator. A sad testament to blowing a technologically unique product introduction and follow through.

Father is no longer pleased with us.

My second tablet, a Note 10.1 can do almost everything that the PlayBook can, but sometimes the experience is not the as good. Example is when uploading a photo via Facebook app. Sometimes it works on the Note and sometimes not. Always works on the PlayBook. Another is that sometimes a Web page will tell me that I can't use it on a mobile device. But the same page will work on the PlayBook. I wish I could think of the last site that did this to me, but I can't.

Flash. Works on the Note, but works better on the PlayBook.
Also copy and paste is better within a Web page on the PlayBook. It never puts text in the right place on the Note (unless I'm using the Note with my BlackBerry PlayBook mini keyboard)

The weirdest thing for me is that the mini keyboard and BlackBerry Bridge remote both work better on the Note than on the PlayBook lol.


Random thought of the day, isn't it funny how so many accessories and features that come out of the BBRY camp work just as good or better on other platforms?

Mini Bluetooth keyboard, remote control, Music Gateway, premium earphones, the premium car charger and I'm sure there are more. Some are obvious, but things like the keyboard and Music Gateway stand out for me.