“The quirk has prompted some analysts to describe the device, which is called PlayBook, in cautious terms,” Woyke reports. “In a Jan. 10 research note titled ‘RIM Fumbles the PlayBook,’ Current Analysis Research Director Avi Greengart writes, ‘The PlayBook is not a fully standalone device…it is astonishing that RIM would go this route.'”
“The PlayBook, in its current incarnation, does not include the kinds of personal information manager [PIM] applications that BlackBerrys do,” Woyke reports. “That means services like a calendar, contacts list and memos won’t appear on the PlayBook unless a BlackBerry is (wirelessly) connected to it. Corporate email accounts also don’t live “natively” on the PlayBook. In the absence of a BlackBerry, these email accounts must be accessed through a web browser.”
“RIM contends the PlayBook is a good investment with or without a BlackBerry… ‘On its own, this is a great standalone tablet,’ said Ryan Bidan, a RIM senior product manager in charge of the PlayBook, in an interview… ‘There have been some misconceptions about the role this device plays,’ says Bidan. Without a BlackBerry, the PlayBook is a solid, Wi-Fi-enabled tablet ‘in its own right,’ he contends. Add in a BlackBerry and the PlayBook becomes more useful because it gains additional capabilities, says Bidan.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Forget about battery issues. Forget about usability issues due to too small a screen (7-inch). Forget about RIM’s years-long string of failed pretend iPhones (Storm and Storm 2). Forget about the AppLack™. None of that even matters if RIM insists upon hamstringing their pretend iPad with the requirement that it connect to an antiquated device that is rapidly losing market share and mindshare. RIM’s “PlayBook” is using a losing playbook.
[Attribution: Electronista. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
SNL Weekend Update needs to do “Seriously?” treatment on this story.
@Joe,
Yeah but that’s just for initial setup (and it’s likely the PlayBook will require something similar). Otherwise you can go a long time without connecting your iPad to anything. I haven’t synced mine in a few weeks now.
This is an altogether different take on the term “standalone.” RIM is apparently taking it to a whole new level if you can’t even check your emails without a BlackBerry.
sorry but this artical is way misinformed i wish i had time to explain every detail that was scewed on topic of the playbook but i dont. why dont you go to another website to read what it can do try engadet…watch the video dont believe the first thing you hear especailly from a MAC website.
There will be stupid people buying these because only stupid will recognize another stupid.
If every Blackberry owner buys a Playbook, RIM will sell millions of Playbooks.
They had better hurry though, soon all Blackberry users will have upgraded to Android phones or iPhones.
I’d be willing to bet that they are still simply getting their brand spankin’ new OS (QNX?) up to speed.
Think about how long it took Apple to get the NEXT OS fully functional and fluid on the Mac. And there is still leftover code in Final Cut, etc.
RIM is just now getting the OS to work on a mobile slate. Now they still have to port all their apps.
Probably why they aren’t using the new OS in a phone yet.
I’ll bet HP is having the same problems with PalmOS although I thought they would have had some new hardware out months ago. Palm OS was much further along.
@saywhat:
The Forbes article quotes RIM’s senior project manager Bidan as saying that PIM features (email, contacts, calendar, etc.) will come to the PlayBook “as the platform evolves.”
Uh, without email, calendars, contacts, the platform won’t be around long enough to “evolve,” whatever he means by that.
Nokia, please just buy out RIM.
They have Smartphones. You want/need smartphones. You both make corporate decisions that require mental retardation to be understood.
It’s perfect!!
And then when it all goes to hell in a hand basket we all get rid of two s*** companies in one shot.
piece of crap!!!!
you have to be connected to the internet to read your email!?!
that’s like 2007 stile stuff (ya know all the cloud hype that’s slowly dying now)
smooth rim
Well I just have to giggle a little…no actually laugh out loud. Why because RIM was busy talking smack about Apple instead just STFU and create something not laughable.
@Davewrite
That cracked me up!
No doubt they will.
Idiots who wrote the article. If you gonna buy a Blackberry Playbook, more than likely you already have a Blackberry Smartphone. Who cares if it doesnt have 3G? Three of the iPads don’t and we don’t go CRAZY about that.
@ SamDS
Well, that’s a great way to intentionally limit your potential audience. Three of the iPad configs don’t have 3G, but three DO.
@SamDS
you dont get it.
“Without a BlackBerry, the PlayBook is a solid, Wi-Fi-enabled tablet ‘in its own right,’ he contends. Add in a BlackBerry and the PlayBook becomes more useful because it gains additional capabilities, says Bidan.”
every last one of the “missing” capabilities are standard on the ipad, all ipads…. 3g or wifi only.
“That means services like a calendar, contacts list and memos won’t appear on the PlayBook unless a BlackBerry is (wirelessly) connected to it. Corporate email accounts also don’t live “natively” on the PlayBook. In the absence of a BlackBerry, these email accounts must be accessed through a web browser.”
Who actually cares about RIM?
BLOODBATH IN AISLE 12 !
And Laport was gaga over this? – Nightstar
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Give the pig a new lipstick and Leo Laport will flip-flop his wig.