[bquinney]

Okay, here is CNN's take on their idea of the PB update to 2.0....

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Research in Motion has finally launched a much-needed update to the PlayBook tablet, which now includes built-in features like email and calendar.
BlackBerry maker RIM (RIMM) began selling the PlayBook in April 2011. The tablet immediately drew criticism for its unfinished feel.
The major head-scratcher: The PlayBook lacked built-in, native apps for key functions including email, calendar, address book and BlackBerry Messenger. Tablet users had to connect to a BlackBerry smartphone for those functions.
Most of those problems were remedied on Tuesday, when RIM released the 2.0 version of the PlayBook's operating system -- an update that was originally slated for November.
PlayBook 2.0 includes native email, calendar and address book; integration of contacts with social networks like Facebook and Twitter; better Web browsing; an updated virtual keyboard; and other minor improvements.
The update does not include addition of the popular BlackBerry Messenger service. Back in October, when RIM announced via blog post that PlayBook 2.0 would be delayed, the company said of Messenger: "We're still working on it."
Beyond the Messenger void, PlayBook 2.0 finally gives the device features that are standard on other tablets. But it may be too little, too late.
PlayBook problems: In early December, RIM warned investors that sluggish PlayBook sales and a massive BlackBerry service outage would hurt its third-quarter results. When the company actually reported earnings later that month, it revealed that it shipped only 150,000 PlayBook tablets.
That was a drop from the already paltry 200,000 PlayBooks shipped in the second quarter, and the 500,000 shipped in the first quarter.
By comparison, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) sold a record 15.4 million iPads in its latest quarter.
But RIM's troubled tablet is just one of a number of problems plaguing the company. Late last year, RIM suffered what executives later called the largest-ever BlackBerry outage, which took down service for three days.
RIM shares fell severely over 2011, and some disgruntled investors began pushing to remove and replace RIM's board.
Last month, RIM named Thorsten Heins -- formerly the company's chief operating officer -- as its new chief executive officer, succeeding co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. Critics balked at the appointment of an insider, but RIM shares ended up gaining nearly 15% in January.

So, what gives? More RIM bashing is the norm I guess. Whatever,....I'm loving it and I'm seeing a lot of others enjoying the update.

[drummer_god]

Does ipad have email function built in? Just curious.

[Thunderbuck]

RIM has a lot of ground to make up. 2011 was a horrible, horrible year for them, and they're far from out of the woods yet. It may be disheartening to see such dismissive press, but this story arc has not yet seen its turnaround.

Still WAAY under book value; arguably their intellectual property alone is worth more than their current market cap.

The only way to win back trust is to set realistic deadlines, meet them, and live up to expectations. Exceeding them on occasion is a good thing, too.

Fortunately, so far, RIM is meeting their targets and keeping their promises. If they keep it up, they stand a chance to make a slow grind back to being the star they used to be.

[Economist101]

So, what gives? More RIM bashing is the norm I guess.

Not necessarily. When iOS 4 launched, CNN report that multitasking had finally come to the iPhone, even though 1st party apps had always been able to multitask. Sometimes articles are just poorly researched, and you can't assume "bashing" every time an inaccuracy is published.

[DenverRalphy]

Does ipad have email function built in? Just curious.

yup

10char

[sinsin07]

I love that the idea of tethering to a phone is "Most of those problems" considering that that was what the device was designed to do.

Tools on the loose, they be.

Whether tethering (bridge) was a design choice or a compromise is not relevant at this point. The public did not see it as a desirable method outside of RIM fans. This is evident by the poor sales and constant media nick picking at lack of PIM. People cry about how another company locks you in. With the Playbook if you wanted PIM or the ability to access the web when there was no wifi, you were locked into getting a Blackberry too (you're still locked in with internet, but that will probably change this year).
Believe or not, not everyone who owns a tablet has a smart phone. RIMs choice of Bridge and no PIM shut those people out. We will now see whether the 2.0 update can attract those types.

[crashberry]

Msnbc report went basically like this: "Gets email belatedly...(negative crap)...you can use phone like a mouse....(more negative crap)....(still more crap)...(and even more negative crap)..

If you stood close enough to the person. Who wrote that article you could smell the stench of Apples buttocks emanating from his lips.

[Economist101]

If you stood close enough to the person. Who wrote that article you could smell the stench of Apples buttocks emanating from his lips.

I'm going to resist the urge of asking how you know what the author's lips smell like , because I'm honestly afraid of the answer. What you wrote was very descriptive, though perhaps unnecessarily so.

[avt123]

Does ipad have email function built in? Just curious.

The iPad and every Android tablet has native email. Same goes for WebOS. They all had it at release.

RIMs email app on QNX is very nice though.

[Doc Z]

lol more RIM bashing. Yes, 2.0 finally gives the Playbook email. Is that not accurate?

[johnenglish]

Well to be fair, even the $50 Android tablets from Deal Extreme have native email, calendars, and contacts. I think it's fairly reasonable for Joe Average to assume that the Playbook would come with it.

All people heard was that you needed a Blackberry to make it work. They don't want extra steps, they just want to be able to turn on the tablet and have it work. They don't want to hear about bridging and teathering, etc, etc.

[sinsin07]

@sinsin07 That's exactly my point. I don't own a Playbook, but at realease it was obvious that current owners of anything Blackberry were the target. After the first iPhone, Apple did it so why not Blackberry.

Personally, a Playbook doesn't appeal to me because it doesn't run Photoshop, but not everyone is like me.

I do see a major disconnect on the author of the news items side, though, obviously.

Not so obvious since here it is 2012 and PIM is included. Public perception is it wasn't ready in 2011. Perception affects sales.

[Skier1960]

lol more RIM bashing. Yes, 2.0 finally gives the Playbook email. Is that not accurate?

I think you should read the article again. It didn't say that at all. It says no BUILT IN NATIVE APPS LIKE EMAIL etc.

[anon(757282)]

I'm going to resist the urge of asking how you know what the author's lips smell like , because I'm honestly afraid of the answer. What you wrote was very descriptive, though perhaps unnecessarily so.

And yet you asked it anyway...

It is clear that Apple got out their instructions to the "analysts" about what points to make to minimize and ignore the new benefits offered by OS2, and instead just sarcastically note that email was "finally" provided. Bashing that seems to be parrotted on the usual suspects. Wonder what kickback they are receiving. This can be the only plausible explanation why OS2 was so superficially reviewed yet so consistently bashed. This is crystal clear.

[Skier1960]

And yet you asked it anyway...

It is clear that Apple got out their instructions to the "analysts" about what points to make to minimize and ignore the new benefits offered by OS2, and instead just sarcastically note that email was "finally" provided. Bashing that seems to be parrotted on the usual suspects. Wonder what kickback they are receiving. This can be the only plausible explanation why OS2 was so superficially reviewed yet so consistently bashed. This is crystal clear.

So now Apple has CNN in their pocket to? Now its crystal clear to me. Thanks I didn't know that..

[app_Developer]

And yet you asked it anyway...

It is clear that Apple got out their instructions to the "analysts" about what points to make to minimize and ignore the new benefits offered by OS2, and instead just sarcastically note that email was "finally" provided. Bashing that seems to be parrotted on the usual suspects. Wonder what kickback they are receiving. This can be the only plausible explanation why OS2 was so superficially reviewed yet so consistently bashed. This is crystal clear.

Sarcasm?

(I hope?)

[sinsin07]

Time to put on an aluminum foil hat.

[Economist101]

And yet you asked it anyway...

Really. Where?

[graxyq]

All RIM needs to do is to publish figures on how many Playbooks are out there now, that will atleast stop some of the silly figures being quoted now

[CrackedBarry]

Not so obvious since here it is 2012 and PIM is included. Public perception is it wasn't ready in 2011. Perception affects sales.

And yet you asked it anyway...

It is clear that Apple got out their instructions to the "analysts" about what points to make to minimize and ignore the new benefits offered by OS2, and instead just sarcastically note that email was "finally" provided. Bashing that seems to be parrotted on the usual suspects. Wonder what kickback they are receiving. This can be the only plausible explanation why OS2 was so superficially reviewed yet so consistently bashed. This is crystal clear.

I know it's not an uncommon conspiracy theory on this forum, but you do realize that if you went to ANY financial or technology forum and posted your theories concerning how Apple controls all tech analysts, and most media outlets (including CNN now apparently) through bribery, coercion and kickbacks, that people would dismiss you as a paranoid kook at best, right?

You DO know this, yes? Just checking...

[johnenglish]

I think you should read the article again. It didn't say that at all. It says no BUILT IN NATIVE APPS LIKE EMAIL etc.

But that's correct. It didn't have native email, calendar, or contact apps. It simply displayed whatever email, contacts, and calendar information was on the BlackBerry that it was paired with. You could not access your email, calendar, or contacts simply by using the PlayBook alone.

With OS 2.0 the PlayBook can now be used as a stand alone device to access email, calendar, and contacts which the article also correctly states.

[anon(757282)]

I know it's not an uncommon conspiracy theory on this forum, but you do realize that if you went to ANY financial or technology forum and posted your theories concerning how Apple controls all tech analysts, and most media outlets (including CNN now apparently) through bribery, coercion and kickbacks, that people would dismiss you as a paranoid kook at best, right?

You DO know this, yes? Just checking...

That is what the conspirators and the ignorant say...right up until the conspiracy is confirmed. Ever hear of Enron? Apple and the major media organizations are pretty sophisticated when it comes to controlling information and communication. If it quacks like a duck...it very likely is one.

[FSeverino]

lol more RIM bashing. Yes, 2.0 finally gives the Playbook email. Is that not accurate?

no... it is NOT ACCURATE.

it always had email, because it always had INTERNET

what OS2 gave was NATIVE email.

there was NO problem with it before that because i could check my email at gmail.com just like i would do on my iphone if it supported that, but it doesnt because the browser sucks.

just saying.

[tchocky77]

That is what the conspirators and the ignorant say...right up until the conspiracy is confirmed. Ever hear of Enron? Apple and the major media organizations are pretty sophisticated when it comes to controlling information and communication. If it quacks like a duck...it very likely is one.

Do you truly think Apple is concerned about the playbook update? Not only concerned,...but actually worried enough to tell CNN what to say about it? And that CNN would take orders from Apple?


You, my friend, should seek counseling. And I mean that.

[Vindicators]

there was NO problem with it before that because i could check my email at gmail.com just like i would do on my iphone if it supported that, but it doesnt because the browser sucks.

just saying.

really???
stop spreading FUD