BlackBerry Playbook Any good for $200?

[IHateMyJob2004]

It can use Android apps, but you don't get the Android Market - Google would never allow that. Apps have to be repackaged and submitted to the Blackberry App World. The whole process only takes about 10 minutes, but it will take time for devs/companies to do so.

Some rules exist. Any references to Android have to be removed.

And some Google specific APIs may require code changes. I would guess that this is for things like GPS.

But in most cases, yes ... it is a 10 minute process. I watched a video on how to do it and i was shocked at how easy RIMM made it to do.

 

[shortylickens]

The PB is a no-brainer if you have a BB handset. For those (the majority) who do not, it's a tougher call.

The overall physical feel is, IMO, superior to the Fire. Minor point, I know, but that's my impression.

I like the OS quite a bit. Navigation is very fluid and intuitive once you get used to it. Multitasking is definitely a strength.

The OS2 update adds functionality that should have existed all along (native email and calendar, and file browser for example), and some new features that may take some time to mature (e.g. the Android apps, which still need to be validated before being available in the app store).

For media consumption, YT is fine. Hulu is still a no-go, and I do not use NetFlix.

For email, even before the new OS, gmail was decent-- loads better now, though. For work-related email access, the PB is very capable, as it should be considering its target audience.

As for apps, they are sparse, but there are some very good tools. An RDP app was recently released that is absolutely exceptional. There is also a nifty HTPC app that works perfectly. For most of my needs, there isn't a great deal of selection, but the few apps that are available do the job --most of the time-- and do it very, very well. YMMV.

Browser performance and stability have been much improved since the beta 2.0. However, I still cannot view .ogg HTML5 video properly, and I need to test the stability of 11n connectivity. 11g is just fine.

In the 7" form-factor space, and at the $200 price point, the PB is still a solid purchase even for non-BB handset users, IMO. I just came back from a trip, and having free unlimited WAN connectivity via our BB handset, through the bridge browser, was incredibly convenient. The size is also very handy for quickly loading a PDF of a train schedule, map, etc. The latter is not unique to the PB by any means, of course.

My mom has unlimited data through her law firm, and I got her a new top of the line OS7 Blackberry for Christmas. They just swapped the SIM over and set up Exchange. She could definitely make use of the bridge to do stuff on her long train ride every day. If it really is $169 I might be tempted.

 

[Deeko]

Some rules exist. Any references to Android have to be removed.

And some Google specific APIs may require code changes. I would guess that this is for things like GPS.

But in most cases, yes ... it is a 10 minute process. I watched a video on how to do it and i was shocked at how easy RIMM made it to do.

Essentially, when developing, you need to use the Android SDK, not the Google SDK. Its the same process as developing for the Kindle Fire or other non-Google-sanctioned devices. I imagine the biggest impact this has is the plethora of apps that use mapping. You don't have Google Maps available to you. However, I'm pretty sure there is a Bing Maps control for Android that's readily available, so you wouldn't be completely out of luck.

 

[bassoprofundo]

For $200 or less, you can't get a better overall 7"-er. Like Dazwa said, it's an absolute no-brainer if you have a Blackberry handset to go with it. With the 2.0 update, it has all the functionality needed to stand on it's own for those who don't carry a BB. It has everything I need in terms of apps, and just about anything else I want can be filled in with the addition of sideloaded Android apps. There isn't anything else at this size and in this price range with the same specs, build-quality, and overall capability.

I don't personally think this will go the way of WebOS, either, as RIM has to be all-in on this OS for the long haul. It has to succeed for them to continue to succeed as a company, so I think you'll continue to see the full weight of the company behind platform development. I can't say for 100% that it'll be enough to keep them going indefinitely, but in the 2-3 year lifespan that I'm likely to be using the tablet, it's going to do all I need to do (since it already does anyway) and can only get better.

 

[bassoprofundo]

One important thing to note if you're an Amazon fan is that Instant video and the Cloud Player both work great from the Playbook browser, and the Kindle Android app is a relatively easy sideload away.