Blackberry Playbook
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They are getting cheap for a reason. Well, for several reasons, including that BlackBerry are currently doing a bit of a Nokia in watching the future disappear over the horizon without them, and the Playbook doesn't offer anything uniquely positive but it does have some significant downsides so it isn't selling.
IMO, they are good as long as you already have a BlackBerry to which you can tether them, but pants otherwise. That might be obvious but you don't, by way of comparison, need a iphone to make an ipad work.
IMO, they are good as long as you already have a BlackBerry to which you can tether them, but pants otherwise. That might be obvious but you don't, by way of comparison, need a iphone to make an ipad work.
Proto
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Devon/West Dorset
I've got one. Handy size, good battery life, great screen, does all that you'd expect it to, but I mainly use it for browsing.
Couple of niggles. It won't run Skype, and it would be handy when travelling if it did. Secondly, the need to tether to a Blackberry phone to get a 3G connection, although I have a workaround for this, a 3G WiFi dongle, like this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/25/wifi-dongles-3-novatel-technophile
My mate has an unlocked '3' device and it works a treat, so that you can use the Playbook like any other wifi tablet.
Couple of niggles. It won't run Skype, and it would be handy when travelling if it did. Secondly, the need to tether to a Blackberry phone to get a 3G connection, although I have a workaround for this, a 3G WiFi dongle, like this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/25/wifi-dongles-3-novatel-technophile
My mate has an unlocked '3' device and it works a treat, so that you can use the Playbook like any other wifi tablet.
Proto
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Devon/West Dorset
It tethers by Bluetooth and Blackberry Bridge software.
Having said that, I'm sure I've read somewhere that it will tether to other Bluetooth devices. Have a look on Crackberry.com
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-f222/
Having said that, I'm sure I've read somewhere that it will tether to other Bluetooth devices. Have a look on Crackberry.com
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-f222/
[QUOTE 1709241, member: 45"]Thanks for that. Can it not be tethered to an Android phone's 3G?[/quote]
No... well, not easily, anyway. It's "designed" to essentially act as a BlackBerry with a bigger screen, it doesn't (AFAIK) run Android apps and it doesn't like working with anything other than a BB for access.
Have a look at this thread for the downsides...
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-f222/playbook-my-expensive-paper-weight-693415/
No... well, not easily, anyway. It's "designed" to essentially act as a BlackBerry with a bigger screen, it doesn't (AFAIK) run Android apps and it doesn't like working with anything other than a BB for access.
Have a look at this thread for the downsides...
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-f222/playbook-my-expensive-paper-weight-693415/
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
I have just ordered an Archos 70 after seeing similar in hmv. They had the Archos 7c and two bigger arnova models which aare also made by Archos.
In terms of connection I have an HTC desire with WiFi hotspot feature. This beams out a WiFi signal using 3g as the source. Amazing for using work laptop whilst traveling.
Jayclock
In terms of connection I have an HTC desire with WiFi hotspot feature. This beams out a WiFi signal using 3g as the source. Amazing for using work laptop whilst traveling.
Jayclock
Proto
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Devon/West Dorset
BTW new operating system for the Playbook(OS2) being released end of this month. This will give the Playbook the facility to run Android Apps.
AlexTheory
Guest
I've had a play with one for work purposes and while they aren't an iPad they are still a nice tablet.
The Playbook can be tethered to any device for internet access via bluetooth but only BlackBerrys can be 'bridged' - which means that features of the phone (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, BBM) are temporarily replicated on the Playbook.
The current software doesn't support an IMAP/POP3 mail client directly on the device (like say an iPad does) but this should be included in the 2.0 update.
The Playbook can be tethered to any device for internet access via bluetooth but only BlackBerrys can be 'bridged' - which means that features of the phone (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, BBM) are temporarily replicated on the Playbook.
The current software doesn't support an IMAP/POP3 mail client directly on the device (like say an iPad does) but this should be included in the 2.0 update.