It's PlayTime

It's been over a year now since RIM released its first assault on the tablet market, the PlayBook, which received a lukewarm reception _ mainly due to the lack of an email app and a general feeling that the software was unfinished and buggy. Questions hung over the future of the device, the lack of apps and the not-insignificant price tag. But fast forward a year and the manufacturer has released an updated operating system (now up to 2.0.1) to address these concerns. But is it in time to overcome the negative response to the initial release? Let's take a peek.

The PlayBook continues to impress with its clean lines, and the solid black monolithic design, on or off the boardroom table. The 7in, 1,024x600 display is bright and clear, with all the necessary ports housed on the top and bottom edges of the tablet when in landscape mode. No design changes seemed necessary, because the original hardware hit its aesthetic mark.

FUNCTION

In the engine room there's still a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor and a PowerVR SGX540 chip for graphics processing, as well as 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi.

So what has improved in the new operating system? Finally the PlayBook gets a native email app, an inexplicable exclusion from the initial release. The logic must have been that users would use their BBs for email, and tablets for other uses _ an assumption that backfired for RIM dramatically. Contacts and calendar support have arrived too, as well as a host of other minor improvements. The keyboard is better and the home screen is more manageable, following the simplicity of Apple's iOS. Also included is a file-sharing feature that lets you transfer files wirelessly from other computers on the same Wi-Fi network. This is particularly handy for turning your tablet into a digital briefcase for moving between home and office computers, in a Dropbox-style arrangement.

No 4G model is available, keeping the cost more reasonable and relevant to buyers in Thailand. Users are expected to tether from their existing BBs, we are guessing, when on the move.

However, two main flaws in the new OS are drawing criticism. Firstly, BlackBerry messenger is missing, which is an oversight. Also, the number of available apps still lags behind Apple, and will continue to do so. Lots of big-name apps are missing from BlackBerry App World, even though Android app support has been included through the Android Player app. But titles are still lacking, and you can't use BlackBerry phone apps yet because the pixilation is different. Also, the future of QNX-based software is questionable, which casts doubts over the longevity of even the revamped OS.

VERDICT

RIM has finally delivered the long-overdue software update that its tablet deserved. It is now a strong contender in the small-frame tablet market, ready to take on the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Users will like the native email app, better home screen and other improvements. But problems with an overall lack of apps and doubts about the software's future remain. Still, it's good to see more choice for consumers at this smaller-scale end of the tablet market, even if the software is 12 months late and the Thai market is yet to enjoy the big price discounts experienced elsewhere.