BlackBerry PlayBook hands-on, again [video]

By on Mar 4, 2011 at 4:41 PM
Tablets March 4, 2011

We met up with RIM a few days back in New York City to once again get some hands-on time with the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook, and we definitely liked what we saw. While the OS the PlayBook was running, we’re told, was from around December, the device performed very swiftly and webpages like BGR.com loaded up with ease. We noticed some elements of the site that didn’t load properly but we’ll chalk that up to the build the tablet was running being pretty old. Things like portrait mode and notifications on the system bar were also not working on the unit we tested, so we can’t comment too much on those. We’ve really enjoyed using the PlayBook so far and can’t wait until we get our hands on a review unit. In the mean time, we hope another BGR hands-on will tide you over until that magical April 10th release date. Hit the break for our video, complete with commentary — alright?

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  • reader

    10 inches please!!!!!!!!!!!!! I already have a 4.3 inch phone..

  • Parshooter220

    DOA.

    • Hockey88

      Keeping telling yourself that. $39.99 Happy Sacks for the iPad2 & iPhone5 thru 10.

      Happy Sack holders for cell phones, PDAs, smart phones, MP3 players and other portable electronic devices incorporating cleaning cloths for device screens.

  • Anonymous

    it looks like an unfinished version of HP’s touch pad

  • http://twitter.com/davidgtran David G. Tran

    Love how they’re playing LCD Soundsystem in the background

  • Money Cartel

    I just get tired of seeing the same things shown on the Playbook on every site Crackberry, Engadget, Gizmodo, etc etc. Yeah we know it can run all these apps at a time but how long is it going to take this thing to have quality apps for the average person like the CNN apps, Pulse, comic books magazines, games etc I can browse the web & watch videos on my HTC Evo I want some tablet specific apps really good ones that use the whole screen – thats why Apple is winning with the iPad

  • Bilbobaggins

    OK, Rockstars. Riddle me this: What exactly are you going to multi-task on this? You going to multi-task any apps? No, because there won’t be any. You going to multi-task a game? Well, goodie because you have two choices: two racing games that are launching ON the device. Yes, they will be embedded. Why? Because Blackberry App World sucks and won’t likely be on the PlayBook at launch. Will you multi-task email? Only if you are tethered to your Blackberry. Ditto calendar and address book. But, it has a high quality camera! So have fun taking high res pics with a book!

    “Hey Jim, are you taking pictures with your book?”
    “No, this is a Playbook”
    “Does it have Angry Birds?”
    “No, no apps yet, but I’m SURE they are coming.”
    “So what do you do with it?”
    “Take pictures and surf the web…and I MULTITASK!!!”

    • Anonymous

      It is expected to have around 4,000 apps at launch. The iPad had 3,500 app on April 8th last year, 5 days after it went onsale. The PlayBook is extremely easy to program for and offers many options for programmers (Flash/Air, HTML5, Java, etc). The PlayBook won’t ever have as many apps as the iPad, but it will certainly have enough apps to be competitive. As for gaming, well they already have EA on board as well as some other big gaming companies. Rovio will come as soon as they see how well the PlayBook will sell and they realize how easy it will be to port over the Android version.

      But hey, you don’t want a PlayBook, no one really cares. Just don’t go around spewing bullshit!

      • Bilbobaggins

        Spewing Bullshit? You saying it will have more Apps at launch is the biggest bullshit comment of the year in blogland. I will bet you $1000 and give you my name and address for the bet, if you will bet me that it will have even HALF that. If it has 2000 or more apps, you win! Sound good? Let me know. 4000 Apps? Dude, you need help.

      • Anonymous

        I don’t think you realize how easy it is to create an Adobe Air or a WebWorks App (HTML5). Bet aside (we all know no one would pay and it’s just foolish to even suggest it in the comment section of a blog), I have absolutely no doubt that there will be more than 2,000 apps at launch. Add to that the fact that all Android apps could be available for the PlayBook, although probably not at launch, and you have a recipe for apps not being a problem for the PlayBook.

        Your cocky attitude is pretty obnoxious in these comments, especially when the sole purpose is to troll. There is absolutely no way your original post was a sorry ass attempt at trolling, even though it was completely off base.

        Too bad the PlayBook won’t have 250,000 fart apps…..

      • Bilbobaggins

        Can we go to a more public forum then for the wager? Because I would LOVE to cut your 4000 app call in HALF and collect a $1000 for the privilege. Since I know you are too much of a pansy to do that, just know this: when PlayBook launches with not even 1000 Apps or less than 1/4 of your stupid assumption…know you are a TURD (and that your Mom is fat and ugly) and that you have NO idea what you are talking about.

      • Anonymous

        Really, now you are calling me a “TURD” and talking about my mother. You know, I was actually taking you seriously and trying to have an intellegent conversation with you about this. The first sign that you are a troll was when you started throwing around a $1,000 bet on a public blog, but I ignored that hoping you were just trying to make a point. I can see now that everything you have said above holds very little merit and was said for the sole purpose of trolling.

        Anyways, there is zero doubt that the PlayBook will be released with more than 1,000 apps. It is just plain silly to suggest it won’t. Once the Android apps come, there will be more apps on the PlayBook than anyone would ever need.

      • Bilbobaggins

        Seems like if you want to have an intelligent conversation, you should learn how to spell the word correctly first. Three things:
        1) I’d love to place the bet, openly, publicly. Each one putting the money in escrow, and have a third party count the apps available for PlayBook at launch. Just let me know. I will be happy to find a reputable site to do it.
        2) Are you really hoping for Android market access for this thing? Is that what you are holding out hope for? Sad.
        3) You are a TURD. That being a fact doesn’t change my argument or the stupidity of your 4000 apps at launch assumption. Even Android Honeycomb Tablets won’t have 4000 Apps by April 10th.

        3)

      • Anonymous

        Ok, now you are nitpicking about a typo. Desperation reeks here.

        The betting thing is old, give it up. I haven’t made a cash bet in 15 years and I don’t plan are ruining that over how many apps will be available for a Tablet. As for Android apps, yes I am hoping the PlayBook will have access to them. Why wouldn’t I? It’s not a make or break situation, but who wouldn’t be happy with more options. Also, the app argument is old, played out, and doesn’t mean as much on the PlayBook as it does on the iPad. Search YouTube for “BlackBerry Web Fidelity” and watch how the PlayBook handles Facebook. Facebook is one of the more difficult websites for a browser to render properly because of all that is going on. The PlayBook handled it perfectly. You can play the facebook games while chatting if you want.

        Part of the reason apps are so necessary on phones and the iPad is because websites can’t be browsed the way they can on a computer. Apps will always be desired, but they certainly won’t be as necessary as Tablets and phones become more powerful and intelligent. The PlayBook has access to millions of games that the iPad can’t access right out of the box just because of Flash. It also won’t need specific apps for websites such as Kayak or Facebook.

        Now, go read my response above as to why I think the PlayBook will have a decent amount of apps at launch. It is easy for programmers to program for and it offers many options for programmers to code with.

        Now, care to give me an intelligent response rather than calling me a “TURD”, making fun of my mother, or going on and on about a stupid bet?

      • Anonymous

        Dude everyone that gets a app into app world is getting a free PlayBook, I already have mine ordered. Any existing air app can port directly over to the PB, It literally took me 15 minutes to port my Android air app to the PB. If you really think no other Android developers are willing to spend 15 minutes to get a free PB and reach a market of consumers that actually have money than your a retard. Every developer friend I have has already done it. There is even step by step tutorials out on how to do it.

        Air is easy as hell to develop for, even if your a new comer. RIM has said more than once that they have over 4,000 apps. I see no reason not to believe it.

  • Meowmix

    I think the only real question price. Will it be $399? $499? $599? It better be $399 because if its $499 or higher, why would anyone buy one over an iPad? Unless its just because they hate Apple. If it’s $399, it will actually sell some units, if only because its cheaper and the demo looks good. But what will people USE it for?

    • Mr. Bojangles

      PRICING POLL
      Fair question Meow. Lets do a poll. What does everything THINK they price WILL ACTUALLY BE?

      My guess is $449.

  • Anonymous

    My guess is a price of $550 to $600.

    After Motorola messing up with price, no flash at launch and to enable 4G you got to mail it Motorola.

    At least Apple says nothing until it’s ready for launch within a few weeks with pricing and with finished products available for the audience to use.

    I have no need for any tablet as I create more than I consume when using a computer.

    Anyone who says the Playbook can do this or that is talking rubbish. It’s vaporware until we have a finished product where people can use it with a price. Will RIM mess up like Motorola before the release date?

    • http://www.bgr.com Jonathan Geller

      $499 for $16GB

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Damien-ONeal/502547271 Damien O’Neal

    Holy shit.

    webOS eat your heart out.

  • Max

    Never truly realized how small 7″ was until I saw this video. This thing is truly DOA. When people pick this thing up and see that it’s barely bigger than their smartphone, they will pass for a larger tablet. Like I said, too small to be useful, too large to be portable. I wonder if even one moron brought this up in their meetings. Probably not. These are the same guys who slap the name Curve on every stupid doppleganger they call a new phone.

  • Khalamarri

    What are the languages supported so far?

  • imawesome

    looks like 3 OS’s in one, iOS, WebOS, and Blackberry. cool.

  • Anonymous

    BGR, are you listening? Good…

    I’m a little concerned at you-all feeding into the hype over the PlayBook. I know it’s cool and all to have an inside source, but you guys are likely pimping a massively buggy POS.

    Look at what Motorola has released, Moto and Google have a ton of experience building Android devices and the Xoom is a hot mess.

    When you’re reporting these “exclusive’s” You’re feeding into a verya pretty well screwed up corporate culture that seems to be more like Don Knots than Hugh Heifner…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M26NOVOFH4YDPC6NZBEBEWXVNI Debo

    great you guys posted video. do it more often. :D im excited about the playbook. It seems to promise the best experience on a tablet.

  • Whitendn21

    I’ll get one

  • Todd

    Launch date will be March 31st or slightly sooner. RIM’s entire distribution channel will be completely stocked with PlayBooks at launch. Sometime next week, you will start to get reports of product arriving at stores and distribution centers as it takes about 2 weeks for that distribution chain to fill.

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