Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Tablets iPad vs. Playbook

J

Jackintosh

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 21, 2009
573
4
We all know the iPad is superior to the Playbook, except in price point.

I'm wondering what opinions are if now, at the significant $199 vs. $499 difference, this overcomes any deficiencies the Playbook had and makes it a cost-effective competitor for basic wi-fi web-browsing needs.
 
jca24 said:
playbook should be priced at $79.99. It's junk. rim is dead.

:apple:
Click to expand...

It's not junk if you read authoritative tablet reviews. It's almost always in the top 10, and rates well for user interface, speed, hardware, and overall web browsing functionality. To dismiss it just for being a diehard iPad/Apple fan is one-sided and not objective.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

The play book is ok it just lacks in key areas like the lack of a native email app.
 
Richard8655 said:
It's not junk if you read authoritative tablet reviews. It's almost always in the top 10, and rates well for user interface, speed, hardware, and overall web browsing functionality. To dismiss it just for being a diehard iPad/Apple fan is one-sided and not objective.
Click to expand...

Ok.

Objectively, it's junk. Better?

There's a reason they can't sell them. There's a reason RIM is circling the drain.
 
jca24 said:
playbook should be priced at $79.99. It's junk. rim is dead.

:apple:
Click to expand...

What an idiotic response.

I actually did order one for $99 (and one for my dad as well) At $99 you can't buy any device that has the capabilities and cameras that the playbook has.

As is it is a good web-surfing device, allows for video calling, BB bridging if you have a BB, plays music and videos very well and has a number of useful apps available.

While I know that the Playbook will not be as user friendly and versatile right now as the iPad I still think it is great value for money.

The hardware of the Playbook is very good. The issue is the app functionality right now. I am hoping that the OS update in Feb. will address many of the basic issues with the Playbook's software.

The fact that it is scheduled to have Native email and and Android app. player in the new update will make this device a steal.

As it is I cannot recommend it over the iPad but I am hopeful that it will be a more useful machine very soon

at the price point I got it for I have to say its worth the Gamble.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

The play book is ok it just lacks in key areas like the lack of a native email app.
 
*LTD* said:
Ok.

There's a reason RIM is circling the drain.
Click to expand...

RIM isn't dead.

Infact, RIM made $5.4 billion in PROFIT last quarter. They expanded their market share in Europe and the middle east.

The Bold continues to do very well and the release of their new Server based business model they will continue to grow and grow.

People saying RIM is dying are probably the same people who were saying Microsoft was dying a few years back.

Just because Apple kicks their butts in commercial sales doesn't mean they are wiping the floor with them. The business markets are much much bigger and more lucrative for these billion dollar companies.
 
3lionsbecks said:
RIM isn't dead.

Infact, RIM made $5.4 billion in PROFIT last quarter. They expanded their market share in Europe and the middle east.

The Bold continues to do very well and the release of their new Server based business model they will continue to grow and grow.

People saying RIM is dying are probably the same people who were saying Microsoft was dying a few years back.

Just because Apple kicks their butts in commercial sales doesn't mean they are wiping the floor with them. The business markets are much much bigger and more lucrative for these billion dollar companies.
Click to expand...
RIM is actually pretty much a dead company walking. Every quarter they sell less devices, their stock continues to drop, investors are fleeing as fast as possible and you couple this with the layoffs we saw in 2011 and constant delays for OS10 and you are talking about a company in its final death throws.

It isn't helping that the two CEO,s running RIM are complete morons. Unless something major happens in 2012, don't expect to see RIM survive to 2013, except as a penny stock.

Saying all that, I look at the Playbook as the next Touchpad. A device that likely won't be supported by the company, but can be rooted or dual booted to accept Android. At less than $200, this makes the device very attractive for individuals that don't mind getting a little dirty by jailbreaking/rooting. If I can get one for $99. At that price, it's a good deal, even if it is never again supported by RIM.
 
Mac.World said:
RIM is actually pretty much a dead company walking. Every quarter they sell less devices, their stock continues to drop, investors are fleeing as fast as possible and you couple this with the layoffs we saw in 2011 and constant delays for OS10 and you are talking about a company in its final death throws.

It isn't helping that the two CEO,s running RIM are complete morons. Unless something major happens in 2012, don't expect to see RIM survive to 2013, except as a penny stock.

Saying all that, I look at the Playbook as the next Touchpad. A device that likely won't be supported by the company, but can be rooted or dual booted to accept Android. At less than $200, this makes the device very attractive for individuals that don't mind getting a little dirty by jailbreaking/rooting. If I can get one for $99. At that price, it's a good deal, even if it is never again supported by RIM.
Click to expand...

Hard to argue that RIM hasn't made mistakes recently but things are not as bad as the media hype lets on. The stock has a lot of rebuilding to do no doubt but I personally wouldn't write them off.

In anycase, even if RIM did go under in the next 5 years (with overall world market share increasing each year including this past year I can't see how it would before even 5 years from now) but if it does, as long as this BBX 2.0 update comes out in feb. it would be worth it to buy a playbook.

In 2 years I won't be using my iPhone 4s let alone a $99 tablet. Even the iPad 1 feels like it should be replaced by the upcoming iPad 3. So if RIM gets an Android APP player working and the Playbook functions decently for 1 or 2 years I'd be more than happy.

Now, the $99 price is because I have quite a few friends who work for RIM and the Employee pricing for the 16gb model was at that price for a limited time. The employee price is still $199. They had an order limit of 5 but I know a guy who ordered 18 because other people he works with didn't order any at all.

When there is a $500 price difference (in Canada) between the two devices it really isn't worth comparing them. I didn't buy the playbook instead of an iPad 2....but if I could;t afford the iPad I would think that a Playbook (at its price) makes a great budget friendly alternative.
 
3lionsbecks said:
Hard to argue that RIM hasn't made mistakes recently but things are not as bad as the media hype lets on. The stock has a lot of rebuilding to do no doubt but I personally wouldn't write them off.

In anycase, even if RIM did go under in the next 5 years (with overall world market share increasing each year including this past year I can't see how it would before even 5 years from now) but if it does, as long as this BBX 2.0 update comes out in feb. it would be worth it to buy a playbook.

In 2 years I won't be using my iPhone 4s let alone a $99 tablet. Even the iPad 1 feels like it should be replaced by the upcoming iPad 3. So if RIM gets an Android APP player working and the Playbook functions decently for 1 or 2 years I'd be more than happy.

Now, the $99 price is because I have quite a few friends who work for RIM and the Employee pricing for the 16gb model was at that price for a limited time. The employee price is still $199. They had an order limit of 5 but I know a guy who ordered 18 because other people he works with didn't order any at all.

When there is a $500 price difference (in Canada) between the two devices it really isn't worth comparing them. I didn't buy the playbook instead of an iPad 2....but if I could;t afford the iPad I would think that a Playbook (at its price) makes a great budget friendly alternative.
Click to expand...


Os 2 will not get developers in their corner. It's to little to late the playbook has ran its product cycle and is a failed platform. If a company can't get email on a tablet in a year then it has no place in the computing business.
 
Changes in the mobile market happen faster now then ever before, companies must innovate constantly, bring out new products with new features and update their OS's with new features as well, consumers and business users alike expect this. RIM has stopped innovating, they release the same old devices with the same old functionality, and their OS updates are nowhere near as game changing as their competitors. The leadership at RIM is ineffective, their stock reflects this, they are laying people off at a time when they should be hiring developers with fresh ideas. They recently announced that their new devices with their new OS won't be released until likely last quarter 2012, who do they think is going to wait around for this? Unless the company can turn itself around now, I give it six months before their stock is delisted and someone big like Microsoft or Google comes in and buys them just for their patents. I am not a 'doom and gloomer' or 'naysayer' but I am looking at the facts. The company is stuck in the past, people want more then just email on their mobile devices these days, BBM is no longer the game changer is was, Apple's iMessage has now taken the one thing blackberry's had that made them unique, away from them. Also, the model of centralized servers, where everyones email goes through their infrastructure is silly, the recent outage that affected blackberry users worldwide showed this, and what was the companies response, one month of free tech support for corporate users and a couple of free games for everyone else, thanks but no thanks.
 
3lionsbecks said:
When there is a $500 price difference (in Canada) between the two devices it really isn't worth comparing them. I didn't buy the playbook instead of an iPad 2....but if I could;t afford the iPad I would think that a Playbook (at its price) makes a great budget friendly alternative.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I would recommend the Playbook over the Kindle Fire if both were the same price, especially if you can get complete access to Googles Android marketplace. I really hope that tablets like the Playbook are able to load ICS. It would make them much more attractive to potential buyers.

I'm still waiting for CM9 to get finished so I can dual boot my Touchpad into Android. If RIM drops the price to $99 on the Playbook, I'm buying one. On the flipside, if someone gave me a Kindle Fire for free, I'd donate it to a charity.
 
MrXiro said:
Where can we get a Playbook for 99 bucks... or 199 for that matter?
Click to expand...

The Playbook pre-xmas sale ended. But you can get it again for $199 starting Dec. 26 from Sprint online. No contract or phone commitment, as it'll be sold under accessories.

Other than for RIM employees, I wonder how Playbook was available for $99.
 
I bought a PlayBook a few weeks ago. It has now been sold on Amazon and I finally have a white iPad 2. I think that says everything. Even at $199 the PlayBook is a piece of crap. The hardware is excellent, and the way it handles multitasking is awesome, but everything else is just garbage.

My main complaints:
- Have to tap things in the browser multiple times (SO aggravating!)
- Dust under screen/dead pixels are very common with them
- Considering the cameras are 3 and 5 megapixels they are WEAK!
- 7" widescreen isn't practical for anything beside reading books.
- No email client (which will be solved in February, but DAMN it took a whole year!)
- Super anemic app selection.
- Probably has no future.
 
joshwithachance said:
I bought a PlayBook a few weeks ago. It has now been sold on Amazon and I finally have a white iPad 2. I think that says everything. Even at $199 the PlayBook is a piece of crap. The hardware is excellent, and the way it handles multitasking is awesome, but everything else is just garbage.

My main complaints:
- Have to tap things in the browser multiple times (SO aggravating!)
- Dust under screen/dead pixels are very common with them
- Considering the cameras are 3 and 5 megapixels they are WEAK!
- 7" widescreen isn't practical for anything beside reading books.
- No email client (which will be solved in February, but DAMN it took a whole year!)
- Super anemic app selection.
- Probably has no future.
Click to expand...

Well stated. Although at just a third of the price of an iPad, I'd say it has value in what it does even if not as well.
 
3lionsbecks said:
What an idiotic response.

I actually did order one for $99 (and one for my dad as well) At $99 you can't buy any device that has the capabilities and cameras that the playbook has.

As is it is a good web-surfing device, allows for video calling, BB bridging if you have a BB, plays music and videos very well and has a number of useful apps available.

While I know that the Playbook will not be as user friendly and versatile right now as the iPad I still think it is great value for money.

The hardware of the Playbook is very good. The issue is the app functionality right now. I am hoping that the OS update in Feb. will address many of the basic issues with the Playbook's software.

The fact that it is scheduled to have Native email and and Android app. player in the new update will make this device a steal.

As it is I cannot recommend it over the iPad but I am hopeful that it will be a more useful machine very soon

at the price point I got it for I have to say its worth the Gamble.
Click to expand...

We all have our opinions but I do not agree with this. I bought one because I wanted to like it... it never worked though. Upon launching the browser, the device would crash and go in its 7 minute reboot (just like the smartphones). The camera had the blurriest pictures I have ever seen in my life and the lack of an email client made the thing utterly useless for my business needs. I'm not a die-hard Apple fan or w.e company fan. All I demand is for a product to work and to work efficiently... the iPad does this well and I am yet to find another tablet that even comes close (including the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet). In my uses, the PlayBook comes at the very end of the list of tablets. As it is for me, I will never touch another RIM product ever (used their BB's for 4 years - dreadful 4 years of my life).
 
The playbook isn't junk. It's total crap!! I say that in a nice way. It does nothing that the initial Samsung galaxy tab couldn't do. It actually does less and it has no support. Rim messed up a perfectly good piece of hardware and only die hard rimbots are holding on to it. You pick one up turn it on and ten minutes later you wonder wtf did I just buy.
 
Richard8655 said:
It's almost always in the top 10
Click to expand...

I don't know if that really means much. Most tablets are pretty underwhelming because Android on tablet right now is subpar and most tablets run Android so it's not really all that hard to be in the top 10.

PlayBook to me has been one of bigger disappointments from this year's crop of tablets. It's pretty well made and the screen looks good but I personally wouldn't recommend it over other tablets. Yes it's smoother than Android but still not iPad smooth, and there's just so little you can do with it. At least Android tablets have all the Android phone apps to play with whereas PlayBook has very little going for it, not to mention the often-mentioned lack of email client.
 
Shocking with the replies.

I have the 64GB PlayBook. I use it more for Music and Videos, the ADVANTAGE it has over Apple & android is the...

Swipe from the Bezel / True Multitask. By swiping from the top bezel down, it gives me access to my Library uninterrupted while playing any media and switch in an instant.

This feature alone is well worth it IMO.

RANT: I don't get this whole "fanboyism." I see it at every forum, it's sad.

I have an iMac, MacBook Air, iPod touch, hTc EVO 3D and BlackBerry PlayBook. Depending how Boxing Day sales goes, I'm even buying a Windows Notebook!!! LOL
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back