BlackBerry PlayBook
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We have collected 16 reviews of the BlackBerry PlayBook. Experts rate BlackBerry PlayBook 6.7/10. Reviewsor.com helps you find reviews, best prices, user reviews of the BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Touch Pad.
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BlackBerry PlayBook Reviews
Touchscreen Tablet Reviews
UPDATE 11/04/2012: we've updated our review of the BlackBerry PlayBook following its upgrade to version 2.0 of BlackBerry's Tablet OS. This update is available free of charge to current and future owners of the PlayBook. Among other things, it's aimed at freeing users from the BlackBerry Bridge (see sidebar), which meant that the tablet pretty much had to be used in conjunction with a RIM smartphone, notably for secure e-mail access. As a result, we've updated the Interface & Navigation part of our review, as well as the PlayBook's final score. We were pretty impressed with the BlackBerry PlayBook when we first had a go with it at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as it seemed to bring something genuinely new to the world of touchscreen tablets. Today, we're testing the final version of RIM's 7-inch tablet—a product that's first and foremost aimed at business users, just like the first BlackBerry smartphones were. RIM has taken its competitors by surprise with the QNX operating system, known as BlackBerry Tablet OS. Weighing in at just a few hundred kilobytes, RIM's QNX OS is much more supple and versatile than competitors' heavy, power-guzzling operating systems.
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook
Editors' Note: PCMag.com originally reviewed the PlayBook on 4/13/11 and rated it 2.5 stars. Almost one year later, we're testing the PlayBook again in light of its much lower list price and significantly revised PlayBook 2.0 Tablet OS. Research In Motion's much-maligned tablet computer, the BlackBerry PlayBook, is finally a viable choice, thanks to its heavily revised OS and a massive price drop. The PlayBook's user interface is beautiful, graceful, and operates with a simplicity that rivals that of the Apple iPad 2 ($399 for 16GB, 4.5 stars) and bests current Android tablets like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime ($499 for 32GB, 4 stars). The BlackBerry PlayBook is also much less expensive than before, at just $199 for 16GB, $249 for 32GB, and $299 for 64GB. In fact, the 16GB $199 model is the same price as the 8GB Amazon Kindle Fire ($199, 4 stars), although the Kindle Fire is a more capable media machine, with its nicely integrated, cloud-based ecosystem of books, music, and movies. Meanwhile, the PlayBook still suffers from a dearth of compelling apps. And Apple's third-generation iPad, which is just hitting stores, makes an argument for buying a PlayBook all that much tougher.
BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.0 Review
To say that RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook has been a sore spot for the company would be an understatement. In our initial review, we chided the PlayBook's lack of basic features, such as a native email client, as well as its buggy software. And we weren't alone. The consensus was that the PlayBook was a powerful piece of hardware with a slick interface. It was just way undercooked, which helps explains the lackluster sales up to this point. But now RIM is looking to make up for its earlier missteps with the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software update. Is amateur hour really over? Read on to find out.Click to EnlargeThe first thing you'll notice when you boot up PlayBook OS 2.0 is the changes made to the operating system's interface. The App Dock located on the homescreen, for instance, is now fully customizable. Instead of the preset app categories found in the old interface, users can now add up to six apps of their choosing to App Dock. To add an app to the dock, open the apps menu, long press the app you want to add to the dock and drag it to the App Dock. To remove an app, just long press its icon, and drag it back into the apps menu.PlayBook OS 2.0 now also supports a folder creator for apps. To make a new folder, just long press an app and drag and drop it onto the app you want to store it.
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 review
When we reviewed the BlackBerry PlayBook back in April, we couldn’t help feeling the device’s insides didn’t match its outsides. The PlayBook is a well-built, good-looking device, but its software was buggy, frustrating, and frankly unfinished. There was no email or calendar app (yes, really), and few apps of any kind to speak of. PlayBook 2.0, a software update released this week, is RIM’s attempt to solve many of those problems. It adds email, calendar, and contact apps, finally making the PlayBook a functional standalone device — before, if you didn’t have a BlackBerry to connect to the PlayBook, there wasn’t much you could do with your tablet. Version 2.0 also brings compatibility with some Android apps, which is much needed for a device with few good apps to speak of. There are also some interface tweaks and enhancements, plus a lot of productivity boosts from the Docs to Go suite of apps. This update has been in the works for a long time, and other manufacturers haven’t been standing still either — does PlayBook 2.0 catch up to the tablet field? Read on to find out. Note: Since the PlayBook's hardware hasn't changed, this review focuses only on the new software.
BlackBerry PlayBook
RIM was one major smartphone player missing from the tablet segment. With the PlayBook, BlackBerry has entered the arena of sleek tablets sporting a completely new operating system. Although launched globally in April, it was announced very recently here in India with none other than Bollywood actor Salman Khan unveiling it. The home screen of the PlayBook is divided with the app icon tray at the bottom, the card view of opened apps in the middle and the status bar on the top The PlayBook measures 9-inches diagonally, with an effective screen area of 7-inches - there is therefore a prominent bezel around the LCD screen. The device is rounded at the edges, and the edges and the rear side have a rubberised finish which gives a very good grip on the device. Build quality is top notch and the thick bezel has its ups and downs. The positive aspect of the thicker bezel is that it allows you to hold the PlayBook in one hand such that your thumb is on the front portion and does not accidentally activate the touchscreen. The downside is that the slits on sides, when the tablet is held in the horizontal orientation has the speaker section. So if you are watching a movie, you will most likely block the speakers.
Touchscreen Tablet Reviews
We were pretty impressed with the BlackBerry PlayBook when we first had a go with it at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as it seemed to bring something genuinely new to the world of touchscreen tablets. Today, we're testing the final version of RIM's 7-inch tablet—a product that's first and foremost aimed at business users, just like the first BlackBerry smartphones were. The PlayBook is loaded with Texas Instruments' latest high-end mobile processor, the OMAP 4224. This is a 1 Ghz, dual core asynchronous processor, in which each core can take care of specific tasks at the appropriate clock speed. We tested the 16 GB Wi-Fi version of the PlayBook that's due to sell for £400, but 32 GB and 64 GB Wi-Fi versions will also be available. Additional 3G models will follow at a later date. The PlayBook stands out from the droves of other tablets coming to market as it's designed to appeal to users of BlackBerry smartphones. Thus, the BlackBerry Bridge system connects the RIM tablet to the brand's smartphones for interoperability. For the moment, if you don't use the Bridge function (see inset), you won't be able to access your secure e-mail inbox or calendar. Connecting the two devices couldn't be easier, though51the tablet generates a barcode that the BlackBerry scans to connect the two devices.
Blackberry Playbook Review
For the record, the Maximum PC Lab keeps both feet planted squarely in the present tense. We don’t believe anyone should buy hardware based solely on its future potential. So what then to make of RIM’s nascent and decidedly half-baked Blackberry Playbook? Unless you’re 1) a Blackberry owner, 2) don’t care about apps or games, or 3) a devoted BB fanboy, the answer is: not much. By the time you read this, it’s possible that the Playbook might be more complete via OS updates. The release version, however, omitts some basic functions. It has no native email client and no native calendar app. To access either, you need to bridge your existing Blackberry to the Playbook. What’s that? You don’t have a Blackberry phone? Or your Blackberry isn’t near your tablet? Well then you get no email. RIM says a pending update will deliver stand-alone email. What else is missing? There’s no 3G or 4G wireless connectivity. There is a dearth of apps, including no Amazon Kindle, no Netflix, no Hulu, and no audio/video marketplace. (In Kindle’s place is the surprisingly excellent Kobo Books app and store.) There are poorly designed buttons, including an oddly placed power switch. There is buggy, crash-prone desktop client software.
RIM BlackBerry Playbook Review
When RIM Revealed the BlackBerry PlayBook in September 2010, the tablet was met with great excitement and hype, particularly from the professional, die-hard BlackBerry crowd. According to RIM, the PlayBook was designed to "give users what they want, including uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and high performance multimedia, while also providing advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a breakthrough development platform for IT departments and developers." Those are some big promises and high hopes for a new tablet. After all, it isn't easy to give users "what they want" while also keeping IT personnel happy and personal data secured. Nonetheless, RIM set out to design a tablet that could do all of these things. And in many aspects, RIM has included key features that could deliver on these promises. Today's most popular tablets (the Apple iPad, Motorola Xoom, Asus Transformer, etc) all use a large, 9+ inch displays. The BlackBerry PlayBook takes an approach that's more similar to Samsung's Galaxy Tab in that it features a 7-inch high resolution display that supports a resolution of 1024x600.
Blackberry PlayBook Review
Well, everyone's jumping on the tablet bandwagon now aren't they - some being more successful than others. The latest company to take a leap into the pond of convergence is RIM - quite a surprise as it's never been big on innovation, preferring instead to stick to its tried and tested devices. So how has it fared with the PlayBook? At first we weren't quite sure about RIM's branding stance, but eventually we came to the conclusion that it was rather clever. While a PlayBook might sound like a gadget you'd buy for a four-year-old, Rim has tried hard to try to position itself away from its usual business-device setup. Not that the business user has been forgotten - onboard you'll find Documents To Go, as well as Adobe Reade and Word. However, it does mean that there's more on offer from the PlayBook than PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets. First impressions It' still early days for the tablet market, and makers are still trying to decide what is the best size. In fact, we'd go as far as to say the buyers are still deciding what size is best too. Samsung, for instance, has released both 10.1in and 8.9in tablets in the shape of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9, but RIM has decided to opt for a far more modest seven-inch screen.
BlackBerry PlayBook review
With a name that sounds like something you'd use at a sporting event, the BlackBerry PlayBook is the latest – and most unique – Apple iPad 2 challenger. Running a new OS called QNX, with quirky features like bridging to a BlackBerry phone for secure email and an oddly confusing initial setup, the PlayBook is a stark departure from the more iPad-like Motorola Xoom. Business-minded features such as built-in viewers for spreadsheets and word processing files are welcome, and the PlayBook gets extra credit for being fast and nimble on a dual-core 1GHz processor.Throw in a 3MP front-facing camera, a 5MP rear-facing one, a bright and crisp 1200x600 resolution screen, a light 425g body and all the typical gyro, accelerometer and GPS sensors and you have the makings for a powerful 7-inch tablet.As we discovered in our first hands-on test, the PlayBook is sorely lacking third-party apps, but does show promise. The powerful multi-tasking, where you can run a video in one window and play a game in another with both apps running concurrently, is a first of its kind for a mainstream tab.
BlackBerry PlayBook Review
Review: RIM’s long-awaited BlackBerry PlayBook delivers a best-in-class tablet browsing experience, but suffers from a number of rough edges including a missing email client and limited apps.Although RIM only released the BlackBerry PlayBook last week, it felt like everyone in the tech community wrote it off as dead before it even hit shelves. A year ago, many reviewers wrote off the iPad as well. We’re not saying that the PlayBook will make a dent against the colossal success of the iPad, but we also don't entirely know why people are buying tablets and what they use them for. As much as we like Android, RIM is the first company to make a tablet that is unique, simple, and intuitive enough to compete with Apple. There is a lot of promise in the PlayBook; RIM just needs time to follow through and release some of the missing components that are holding its new tablet back.Choosing to size the PlayBook at 7 inches was either a good or very bad decision for RIM. Initially we didn't care for the small size (about half that of an iPad), but the PlayBook does win you over with its practicality, giving it both benefits and drawbacks.Where many of the 10.1-inch tablets coming out are large and hard to use on the go, the PlayBook lends itself more to mobility (doing things on the go) than larger tablets, which tend to be more in the portable category (you move and then use them).
BlackBerry PlayBook Review
Until today, the consumer tablet market has been defined by the battle between iPad and Android. Apple's best-selling slate has set expectations for mobile utility and usability, managing to persuade users that - despite years of Microsoft Tablet PC promotion - the company pretty much invented the tablet segment. Google's Honeycomb (review) has launched its offensive against the iPad titan, and now it's the turn of RIM and the BlackBerry PlayBook. Initially billed as the enterprise-focused slate a BlackBerry phone toting business person would covet, the PlayBook's scope has gradually grown to encompass the consumer market too. Has that spreading focus left RIM with the jack of all trades or the master of none? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. A nondescript black slab measuring 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches and weighing 0.9lbs, the PlayBook is a combination of the very glossy and the pleasingly matte. The whole front is a slab of glass hiding a 1024 x 600 WSVGA LCD touchscreen, the touch-layer of which extends - Palm Pre style - off into the bezel around the panel itself. The sides and back are metal with a rubberized coating for easier grip.
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook Review
Attempting to fathom what’s going on within the inner bowels of RIM’s circle is undeniably difficult, but taking into account the rash of competition continually eating up their piece of the pie in the smartphone market, it makes you wonder how they’ll be able to fully sustain other ventures outside their comfort zone. Although some might believe that RIM is falling on deaf ears in regards to their line of smartphones, we’ve actually seen the Canadian company more recently adapt to changing the nature of their game to better position itself in this competitive landscape.In fact, the BlackBerry Torch 9800 was indeed the fresh change of pace for them, but as we’ve seen, it wasn’t quite the polished new experience they’d hope to be embraced openly by the public. Rather, it seemingly reiterated the stubborn stance branded to them by consumers seeing that it failed to keep up with the fast pace nature of its competitors’ platforms. As we all know with any missed opportunities, there is always a period when companies look back to see what could’ve been done to change the outcome – and that’s exactly what appeared to happen with RIM.Moving outside of their traditional comfort space, RIM is embarking on a new venture into untested waters with their BlackBerry PlayBook.
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook
After months and months of anticipation, Research In Motion's debut tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, is finally here. The good news is that the user interface for the new BlackBerry Tablet OS is beautiful, graceful, and operates with a simplicity that rivals that of the Apple iPad 2 ($499, 4.5 stars) and bests the Motorola Xoom's ($599-$799, 3.5 stars) oft-cluttered screens. The bad news is that, at launch, there's a lot missing. First, there's no native e-mail support. (Didn't the RIM usher in the era of mobile e-mail with the BlackBerry?) The PlayBook also suffers from a dearth of compelling - or smooth-functioning - apps. Then there's the absence of should-be-standard features - why include a front-facing camera, but no video-chat app? Updates, RIM promises, will bring much of what's missing to the PlayBook in the near future. Throw in some better app selection, too, and the PlayBook may be worth revisiting down the road, but right now, it's unfinished. The Wi-Fi-only BlackBerry PlayBook comes in three storage capacities - 16GB ($499), 32GB ($599), and 64GB ($699). The PlayBook is priced identically to the Wi-Fi-only Apple iPad 2 for the same storage capacities.
BlackBerry PlayBook
Somewhere along the way, BlackBerry lost its cool. RIM hopes the PlayBook can steal it back. The company's 7-inch answer to the iPad 2 features a whole new operating system that's tailor-made for multitasking and chock-full of nifty gestures. A zippy dual-core processor and dual cameras that capture full HD video make the PlayBook a pint-size powerhouse on paper.This tablet is also affordable.The Wi-Fi only version starts at $499 (for 16GB), and 4G versions of the PlayBook will start rolling out this summer.So how well do the software and hardware work together? How good are the apps? And do you really need a BlackBerry phone to get the most out of this slate? Our in-depth review has all the answers.Sleek and minimalist, the BlackBerry PlayBook feels good in your hands thanks to a soft-touch backside. Measuring 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches, RIM's slate is a hair thinner than the original Samsung Galaxy Tab but is an ounce and a half heavier (14.9 vs 13.4 ounces). Regardless, the PlayBook was comfortable to hold during longer stretches of web surfing and gaming. Unlike the 1.3-pound iPad 2, this tablet is also compact enough to slip into a jacket pocket or purse.The front side of the PlayBook has an enlarged bezel that surrounds the 7-inch display, which is used for performing various gestures (more on those below).
BlackBerry PlayBook (16GB)
If you thought the tablet wars were just between Apple and Google, think again. Research In Motion may be late to the fight, but it is fighting for its life, and the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet demonstrates that the company means business. Like the Apple iPad, the PlayBook is available for as low as $499 (16GB), or as much as $599 (32GB) and $699 (64GB) if you need the extra capacity. For now, the tablet is restricted to Wi-Fi (though Bluetooth tethering is possible), with 4G models planned for later in the year. Is it an iPad killer? For existing corporate and consumer BlackBerry devotees, the answer is certainly yes. For the rest of you, probably not. With its unapologetically small 7-inch screen, we're not even sure RIM intends it to compete directly with the iPad. More importantly, the PlayBook and its souped-up operating system point the way forward for RIM and the future of the BlackBerry brand. The BlackBerry PlayBook is probably the smallest high-profile tablet to come out in 2011. Measuring 5 inches tall, 7.5 inches wide, and a slim 0.4 inch thick, the PlayBook's design has more in common with the Galaxy Tab of 2010 than the 10-inch tablets making headlines this year.
Prices
| Retailer | Information | Prices | |
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Blackberry 16gb Playbook 7 Tablet With Dual Hd Webcams, Wi-fi & Hdmi | $159.99 | See it |
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Blackberry 16gb Playbook 7 Tablet With Dual Hd Webcams, Wi-fi & Hdmi | $159.99 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (32GB) | $160 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (16GB) | $163.7 | See it |
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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB Tablet | $171.9 | See it |
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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB Tablet | $174.34 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (32GB) | $176.69 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (64GB) | $185 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (64GB) | $190.99 | See it |
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NEW in Box Blackberry Playbook 7-inch Tablet (16 Gb) | $195 | See it |
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NEW in Box Blackberry Playbook 7-inch Tablet (16 Gb) | $196 | See it |
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BlackBerry PlayBook 64GB Tablet | $216.68 | See it |
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BlackBerry PlayBook 64GB Tablet - 7-inch Multi-Touch Display, 1GHz Processor, 1GB Memory, 64GB Storage, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Dual Webcams (PRD-38548-003) | $219.99 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 64gb Tablet | $219.99 | See it |
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Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet (16GB) | $499 | See it |
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BNIB BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK 7 INCH 32GB 3G CELLULAR + Wi-Fi BLACK FACTORY UNLOCKED TABLET (3G+ HSDPA : Band4(AWS), Band2(1900MHz), Band 5/6(850MHz), Band1(2100MHz), Band8(900MHz) | $849 | See it |
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BNIB BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK 7 INCH 32GB 3G CELLULAR + Wi-Fi BLACK FACTORY UNLOCKED TABLET (3G+ HSDPA : Band4(AWS), Band2(1900MHz), Band 5/6(850MHz), Band1(2100MHz), Band8(900MHz) | $849 | See it |
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BlackBerry PlayBook : (6.7/10)
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