RIM Shows Off 'PlayBook' BlackBerry Tablet
Sep 27, 2010, 3:27 PM by Eric M. Zeman
updated Sep 27, 2010, 4:21 PM
Research In Motion today announced the PlayBook, a new BlackBerry tablet computer. The PlayBook is small, and thin, at 9.7mm. It has 7-inch high-resolution (1024 x 600 WSVGA) display. It also supports 1080p HD video via microHDMI and microUSB connectors. It has 1GHz dual-core processors with symmetrical multiprocessing with 16GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. It also has 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. The PlayBook has a 3 megapixel user-facing camera, and a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video capture. RIM says the device is enterprise ready. The PlayBook has a WebKit browser with HTML5 with full Adobe Flash 10.1 with hardware accelerated video and OpenGL for 3D gaming. It has integrated secure pairing with a BlackBerry via Bluetooth in order to share a cellular data connection. It runs a new user interface developed by QNX software, which is officially called BlackBerry Tablet OS. RIM said that 3G and 4G versions of the PlayBook are already being developed. The first version will ship in North America in early 2011, with other markets launching during the second quarter of 2011.
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Comments
Repeat of Palm's Foleo for the Treo
Late 2006 early 2007 Palm introduced a companion for the Treo line called Foleo was a dedicated laptop like device that tethered to the Treo to enhance the users experience.
$600 at point of sale with $100 mail in rebate almost as much as buying your Treo all over again!
It was a total flop and was scratched before full producion.
Why does RIM think that history won't repeat itself especially sub the added data and memory restrictions that the Palm Foleo did not have?
$600 at point of sale with $100 mail in rebate almost as much as buying your Treo all over again!
It was a total flop and was scratched before full producion.
Why does RIM think that history won't repeat itself especially sub the added data and memory restrictions that the Palm Foleo did not have?
MadFatMan said:...
It was a total flop and was scratched before full producion.
Why does RIM think that history won't repeat itself especially sub the added data and memory restrictions that the Palm Foleo did not have?
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The road has been paved. Consumer awareness is out there. Customers KNOW tablets exist now thanks to iPad.
At the time of the Foleo, it was a foreign concept that was at entirely the wrong time. Palm was (surprisingly) a little ahead of itself.
A ...
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At the time of the Foleo, it was a foreign concept that was at entirely the wrong time. Palm was (surprisingly) a little ahead of itself.
A ...
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Needs Office
I like the tethering and iPad definitely needs to offer this option but I think that Blackberry users (like me) will only buy the PlayBook if it offers practical Office applications like Excel and Word. Otherwise it's just a cool toy like the iPad but the iPad has better/more applications.
Our company, www.SellYourCell.com just started buying the iPad because it's like an iPhone without the phone - just a fun device but I think Blackberry users will want more and without more functional business applications I don't know if we will buy the Playbook.
I bought the new Torch because it is more practical for me with the QWERTY keyboard. Blackberry users use the Blackberry because it is more practical / easier for the business user but ...
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Our company, www.SellYourCell.com just started buying the iPad because it's like an iPhone without the phone - just a fun device but I think Blackberry users will want more and without more functional business applications I don't know if we will buy the Playbook.
I bought the new Torch because it is more practical for me with the QWERTY keyboard. Blackberry users use the Blackberry because it is more practical / easier for the business user but ...
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Major questions unanswered....
Solid specs, but they really danced around all of the important details.
1) How does the UI actually perform? Despite all of the hype, I didn't see any emphasis that it will "run like Calamari." In fact, other than the ripped-from-WebOS multitasking scheme, I don't know how the UI is even supposed to work- the video sorta-kinda dances around that. If this UI is so great, why wasn't it shown?
2) What's the data plan if you tether to a Blackberry? Why did they dance around this? Will it be fast enough to actually stream video if it's a BT PAN link?
3) Can you Video chat with the two cameras?
4) What's the estimated battery life? Why is there absolutely no mention of this? Not good.
There was a time I used to give RIM the benef...
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1) How does the UI actually perform? Despite all of the hype, I didn't see any emphasis that it will "run like Calamari." In fact, other than the ripped-from-WebOS multitasking scheme, I don't know how the UI is even supposed to work- the video sorta-kinda dances around that. If this UI is so great, why wasn't it shown?
2) What's the data plan if you tether to a Blackberry? Why did they dance around this? Will it be fast enough to actually stream video if it's a BT PAN link?
3) Can you Video chat with the two cameras?
4) What's the estimated battery life? Why is there absolutely no mention of this? Not good.
There was a time I used to give RIM the benef...
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It doesn't go to market for a minimum of 3 months.
It is a teaser. This Holiday season will see cheap netbooks and notebooks (again, ☹️) with the tablet taking off next year.
You are supposed to think twice about jumping in to something now, a...
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It is a teaser. This Holiday season will see cheap netbooks and notebooks (again, ☹️) with the tablet taking off next year.
You are supposed to think twice about jumping in to something now, a...
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There is always some attractiveness to mystery. Apple excels in secretive mystery revolving around their products. I believe BB is going to try to employ this same kind of mystery to elevate hype and interest in a growing segment of computation.
Jo...
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Jo...
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bluecoyote said:...
1) How does the UI actually perform? Despite all of the hype, I didn't see any emphasis that it will "run like Calamari." In fact, other than the ripped-from-WebOS multitasking scheme, I don't know how the UI is
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wow
Wow blackberry for once is not making an outdated piece of junk. This looks awesome actually. I wonder if it will use its own app store or use that already offered from the blackberry app world.
It's a blackberry, so I would guess BB App World.
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does anyone know who else is going to be making tablets besides RIM and Samsung?? i think i need to start looking into these!!
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Hmm.
It looks ok. But its a Blackberry so its probley gonna suck. Ill stick to getting the original- (Ipad) 🙂
Or im even considering the Galaxy Tab. Who knows. 😎
Or im even considering the Galaxy Tab. Who knows. 😎
I wouldnt waste any money on samsung and their galaxy line. The galaxy s phones might have cool software but its built like a piece of S#!}. If i dropped it from 2 feet high onto a bed of down feather pillows its probably would break
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guarranteed conversation and why it wont sell much
sales: hello what brings you in today
customer: id like to get the blackberry playbook
sales: certainly, the plan you must get is the xx.xx plan per month and comes with 2gb of internet and unlimited wifi
customer: im sorry, can you repeat that? you know, about the internet part...
sales: it comes with 2gb of internet, which allows you to send xx pictures and visit xx websites or 5 mins of video a day. if you go up your either charged per MB
customer: so im buying a device made for home more or less or buying something i can barely use. is that what your saying?
sales: its not that your cant use it, it just your limited to 2gb a month but there are wifi zones available at mcdonalds and starbucks
customer: no thanks, canc...
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customer: id like to get the blackberry playbook
sales: certainly, the plan you must get is the xx.xx plan per month and comes with 2gb of internet and unlimited wifi
customer: im sorry, can you repeat that? you know, about the internet part...
sales: it comes with 2gb of internet, which allows you to send xx pictures and visit xx websites or 5 mins of video a day. if you go up your either charged per MB
customer: so im buying a device made for home more or less or buying something i can barely use. is that what your saying?
sales: its not that your cant use it, it just your limited to 2gb a month but there are wifi zones available at mcdonalds and starbucks
customer: no thanks, canc...
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That is totally ridiculous. If anything, some people would PREFER to pay for the smaller data package due to the fact they are on Wi-Fi most of the time. You make it sound like tiered data is horrible.
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😲 😳 🤨 🤣 🤣 🤣
as a call center rep, i can see call's coming in from upset customers about this and wanting a discount or as they like to say "I'm canceling and going somewhere else."
as a call center rep, i can see call's coming in from upset customers about this and wanting a discount or as they like to say "I'm canceling and going somewhere else."
...
Jonathanlc2005: Hi! I'd like to try to fire some people up!
JeffroPuff: Yeah? that's cool. How are you going to do that?
Jonathanlc2005: Making a bogus conversation that is pretty unrealistic, but takes shots at something that i don't like, sinc...
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JeffroPuff: Yeah? that's cool. How are you going to do that?
Jonathanlc2005: Making a bogus conversation that is pretty unrealistic, but takes shots at something that i don't like, sinc...
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One big problem with the bogus conversation. There is no mention of Playbook will support direct cellular service.
"It has integrated secure pairing with a BlackBerry via Bluetooth in order to share a cellular data connection"
I doubt if you ca...
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"It has integrated secure pairing with a BlackBerry via Bluetooth in order to share a cellular data connection"
I doubt if you ca...
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Everything the samsung should have been!
this offering looks to be a game changer. 4g capable, bluetooth tethering to your smartphone, wireless N, no adapter needed for hdmi and most important it wont be sold through the carriers so they cant gut the features to pad their pockets. the next 6 months will be very interesting in the tablet business.
Thde wifi version won't be sold through a carrier, but I betcha when RIM comes out with a 3G/4G version that it'll be sold through a carrier with contract.
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This is good looking tablet, but why did RIM not use these specs for their phones instead?
This is all well and good, but?
Actually, I do think this is a nice looking product, but 2Q 2011, and a possible 3/4g version latter? By that time, Apple will have gen2 iPads, Samsung etal will have a slurry of Android tablets out.
So, before all the fanboi's of this start jumping up and down like retards at a moron festival, the product does not exist on the shelves, its being compared to a six month old product that sure as hell will be refreshed by the time its released, as well as products from the Android community which are just now being deployed.
Other questions, is how much? Can it sync to any other 3g device? etc..
I do think this looks nice, I wish RIM well and more to the plate is better for all of us.
So, before all the fanboi's of this start jumping up and down like retards at a moron festival, the product does not exist on the shelves, its being compared to a six month old product that sure as hell will be refreshed by the time its released, as well as products from the Android community which are just now being deployed.
Other questions, is how much? Can it sync to any other 3g device? etc..
I do think this looks nice, I wish RIM well and more to the plate is better for all of us.
