1. xandermac's Avatar
    Need for sped was created with a beta of the NDK. EA was one of the few to get the beta in advance. Should have been released to all developers up front.

    I think the NDK excuse is a cop out. The NDK is not the only development tool available to make a good app. EA came out with two great games using what was already available. Now obviously not everyone has EA's resources, but it proves that if the big dogs wanted too they could get support from RIM to get really good apps out on the PlayBook without the NDK. I get the sneaking suspicion that RIM has reached out to a lot of other companies, but has been given a cold shoulder with the let's "wait and see" attitude.
    05-27-11 07:33 AM
  2. TBone4eva's Avatar
    Thanks, I did not know they had access to the NDK. Seems if you can do what EA did with the alpha version of the NDK, then why all this crying about waiting until the fall for the finished NDK when the beta will be released this summer?
    Last edited by TBone4eva; 05-27-11 at 07:42 AM.
    05-27-11 07:38 AM
  3. xandermac's Avatar
    Assuming that developers want to use the beta that'll put app releases toward the end of the year. If they wait until the fall release of the final tools that puts us into 2012. If you're good with that its cool. I wasn't which is why I returned my PLAYBOOK, I wasn't going to sit on a paperweight for 6 months.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    05-27-11 07:41 AM
  4. TBone4eva's Avatar
    Well, I don't think that EA would have been the only company that got advanced access to the NDK so I don't think it will be 6 months before we see more and better apps. I would like improvement with some of the basic functionality and eventually some really good apps, I don't yet consider my PB as a paperweight, but like you said it's all a matter of personal preference.
    05-27-11 07:58 AM
  5. xandermac's Avatar
    You're right, paperweigh isn't fair. The PlayBook is really good at what it can do. Unfortunately for me that was limited. I'll get another if & when the app ecosystem has matured.

    Well, I don't think that EA would have been the only company that got advanced access to the NDK so I don't think it will be 6 months before we see more and better apps. I would like improvement with some of the basic functionality and eventually some really good apps, I don't yet consider my PB as a paperweight, but like you said it's all a matter of personal preference.
    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    05-27-11 08:01 AM
  6. ifarlow's Avatar
    Well, I don't think that EA would have been the only company that got advanced access to the NDK so I don't think it will be 6 months before we see more and better apps.
    Then where are they? If NFS and Tetris shipped on the PlayBook (both by EA, although I don't know for sure that Tetris is an NDK app), then where are the other apps by developers that had early access to the NDK? Or is the lack of other NDK apps due to no other significant developers having early access?
    05-27-11 08:26 AM
  7. TBone4eva's Avatar
    That's a good question. We don't know how long the EA games were in development. Obviusoly RIM footed the bill because the games are free. I don't know how large the NDK team is, but if you need to finish getting the NDK ready, you can't hold every developer's hand and shell out cash. Maybe the other developers were offered the alpha NDK and they declined to wait and see how the platform and kit evolves. TAT is adding a lot of cool tools so maybe that has a lot to do with it as well. Like I said in another thread, avalanches start small and slow.
    05-27-11 08:42 AM
  8. xandermac's Avatar
    TAT strikes me as being form over function, pretty but useless. Scrapbook is missing even a simple delete option.

    That's a good question. We don't know how long the EA games were in development. Obviusoly RIM footed the bill because the games are free. I don't know how large the NDK team is, but if you need to finish getting the NDK ready, you can't hold every developer's hand and shell out cash. Maybe the other developers were offered the alpha NDK and they declined to wait and see how the platform and kit evolves. TAT is adding a lot of cool tools so maybe that has a lot to do with it as well. Like I said in another thread, avalanches start small and slow.
    05-27-11 09:39 AM
  9. geHuC's Avatar
    Except for the fact that any App that uses Android Native Libraries won't be supported, so anything that was built using the Android SDK is probably moot by default, any games or apps that use native graphic libraries etc....

    The app player won't be of much use.

    RIM made a mistake by not having the NDK ready and out to developers BEFORE they released the PB. Even Apple know to get the development tools out there before they release a new version of iOS, they have big name devs on stage showing off their wares before the platform gets out to the public. RIM on the other have won't publicly release their NDK until the fall, so with development and approval time that moves us into 2012 before good native apps that really take advantage of the PB start to arrive.

    Oh, Android 3.0 is released btw, and the tools, my understanding is that 3.0 tablet apps arent supported because they ALL use native android libraries. So whats the point if all were left with is 2.3 apps (that don't use android libraries) designed for a phone? Pointless.
    there may be android 3.0 tabs out there but the source code is still not publicly released

    And although it's a bummer not having NDK comparing it with apple is not quite right because when they first released the iphon/itoch they didn't have any kind of SDK until months later
    05-27-11 04:28 PM
  10. xandermac's Avatar
    The SDK is available for download to anyone for 3.0.

    Android 3.0 Platform | Android Developers

    But no, the source code isn't available.


    there may be android 3.0 tabs out there but the source code is still not publicly released

    And although it's a bummer not having NDK comparing it with apple is not quite right because when they first released the iphon/itoch they didn't have any kind of SDK until months later
    05-27-11 04:51 PM
  11. jocala#CB's Avatar
    RIM has shot themselves in the foot by choosing the walled garden approach for this tablet. It's locked down tighter than a sultan's harem!

    I've gone from being excited to wondering if I shouldn't sell my developers unit and apply the money to an Android tab that I can develop/distribute apps for w/o needing RIM's permission.

    Closed systems suck guys.
    05-27-11 08:29 PM
  12. sportline's Avatar
    Didnt ios is also a closed system? Then why did they end up with 500k apps?
    How about webos? I can always see webos software news, emulator sdk news and progress at precentral. In some way hp palm is more open to loyalist and dev community, not keeping people in the dark.
    Rim is closed and mutt to even investors and media, why should they bother listening to us??
    05-27-11 08:42 PM
  13. papped's Avatar
    RIM has shot themselves in the foot by choosing the walled garden approach for this tablet. It's locked down tighter than a sultan's harem!

    I've gone from being excited to wondering if I shouldn't sell my developers unit and apply the money to an Android tab that I can develop/distribute apps for w/o needing RIM's permission.

    Closed systems suck guys.
    Completely open systems suck for app distribution of paid content too. If you don't know why then I don't know what to tell you.
    05-27-11 08:46 PM
  14. shupor's Avatar
    I'm a developer, and I don't agree.

    The reason why there isn't much high-profile apps on the Playbook is because there is a cost associated to building an application on a platform and right now, the platform is too new and the market untested to justify investing in it.

    It has NOTHING to do with the Android Player. Till we get figures from RIM on how much Playbooks were sold and clear plans for the future of the platform, don't expect a lot of high-profile apps. Also, most of us are waiting for the NDK.

    That said, I love my PlayBook.
    This is the most reasonable thing i have heard so far regarding the whole Android app issue.
    I mean it's really common sense and even from a layman's perspective, why make a product you are not sure there is a market for? Granted there is the risk factor involved in any business decision but there still has to be a somewhat favorable anticipated market
    05-28-11 08:24 AM
  15. sportline's Avatar
    This is the most reasonable thing i have heard so far regarding the whole Android app issue.
    I mean it's really common sense and even from a layman's perspective, why make a product you are not sure there is a market for? Granted there is the risk factor involved in any business decision but there still has to be a somewhat favorable anticipated market
    Yeah you wait and anticipate, and by the time it really runs you.re late again and playing catch up. Higher risk higher possible reward. You can play safe if you command the market, but not for long.
    Microsoft palm and motorola was there.
    05-28-11 08:31 AM
  16. FineWolf's Avatar
    Yeah you wait and anticipate, and by the time it really runs you.re late again and playing catch up. Higher risk higher possible reward. You can play safe if you command the market, but not for long.
    Microsoft palm and motorola was there.
    Higher risk, higher rewards... Sure... But when your application is free (like most high-profile apps) and your revenue DEPENDS on a high usage of your app (with a percentage upgrading to your premium service), it's really hard to break even without a fairly large market.

    Do your research.

    We don't even know if RIM is committed into continuing to develop their tablet series beyond the PlayBook.
    05-28-11 12:19 PM
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