4 ms·

Joshua Topolsky reviews the BlackBerry PlayBook (before anyone else?)

15 points by dotBen 16y ago

cmer 16y ago
It seems to me that this is really the beginning of the end for RIM. Based on this review and the video, it is clear that they're so behind with their tablet that they've already pretty much lost the game. The same can be said about Blackberries. Their die hard user base is now starting to look at Android and iOS very seriously and their number of new subscribers per unit sold is constantly declining. If I owned $RIMM, I'd definitely pack up and leave. A great article about the decline of RIM can be found here: http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-really-wrong-with-blackberry-and.html http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-really-w...
necubi 16y ago
Engadget's review is also up: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/13/blackberry-playbook-review/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/13/blackberry-playbook-revie.... They liked it in general, but found the software immature, albeit improving.
kenjackson 16y ago
$499 for a 7" tablet is too much. $399 needs to be the starting price for a 7" tablet. That's max. $299-$349 seems more reasonable -- especially since I could've bought a 10" iPad refurb direct from Apple for $349.
ck2 16y ago
Dell has 4, 5, and 7 inch tablets that are nicer than this, play flash, and are lower cost.
icegreentea 16y ago
Anandtech's review here: Some of the stuff that Joshua said wasn't working (WiFi sync for example, more stuff on BB Bridge) is included. A slightly more positive review, but all and all the same. "Great hardware, good start, needs much more". http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-review/1 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-revie...
- icefox 16y ago
  In that review I really have to wonder about using reddit.com (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-review/7 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-revie...) as a site to test browser loading. Not saying anything about the results (PlayBook does about the same as the ipad2) just feels like reddit seems to have the flakiest site that I currently visit so hard to believe you could get consistent results. Disclaimer: I work for rim on the webkit team.
junklight 16y ago
So once again the message seems to be: promising but it isn't done yet. Logic would suggest that the positives of an early, not ready, release - say 100k sales would be totally outweighed by the negative: popular opinion saying "tablet X is rubbish" (no matter how much it improves the initial impression is the story that the media and popular opinion will stick with) Why didn't they work on it for another 6 months and then release it because it sounds like it will be pretty nice when its finished.

15 points by dotBen 16y ago

cmer 16y ago

It seems to me that this is really the beginning of the end for RIM. Based on this review and the video, it is clear that they're so behind with their tablet that they've already pretty much lost the game. The same can be said about Blackberries. Their die hard user base is now starting to look at Android and iOS very seriously and their number of new subscribers per unit sold is constantly declining. If I owned $RIMM, I'd definitely pack up and leave. A great article about the decline of RIM can be found here: http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-really-wrong-with-blackberry-and.html http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-really-w...

necubi 16y ago

Engadget's review is also up: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/13/blackberry-playbook-review/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/13/blackberry-playbook-revie.... They liked it in general, but found the software immature, albeit improving.

kenjackson 16y ago

$499 for a 7" tablet is too much. $399 needs to be the starting price for a 7" tablet. That's max. $299-$349 seems more reasonable -- especially since I could've bought a 10" iPad refurb direct from Apple for $349.

ck2 16y ago

Dell has 4, 5, and 7 inch tablets that are nicer than this, play flash, and are lower cost.

icegreentea 16y ago

Anandtech's review here: Some of the stuff that Joshua said wasn't working (WiFi sync for example, more stuff on BB Bridge) is included. A slightly more positive review, but all and all the same. "Great hardware, good start, needs much more". http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-review/1 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-revie...

icefox 16y ago
In that review I really have to wonder about using reddit.com (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-review/7 http://www.anandtech.com/show/4266/blackberry-playbook-revie...) as a site to test browser loading. Not saying anything about the results (PlayBook does about the same as the ipad2) just feels like reddit seems to have the flakiest site that I currently visit so hard to believe you could get consistent results. Disclaimer: I work for rim on the webkit team.

junklight 16y ago

So once again the message seems to be: promising but it isn't done yet. Logic would suggest that the positives of an early, not ready, release - say 100k sales would be totally outweighed by the negative: popular opinion saying "tablet X is rubbish" (no matter how much it improves the initial impression is the story that the media and popular opinion will stick with) Why didn't they work on it for another 6 months and then release it because it sounds like it will be pretty nice when its finished.