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- Sling Golf for PlayBook is Live in App World! Try it For Free!
- Hands On With Word to Go on the BlackBerry PlayBook
- RIM Posts a Bunch of BlackBerry PlayBook Knowledge Base Entries
- No Download Limit in BlackBerry PlayBook Browser
- RIM Pushes Out BlackBerry PlayBook OS 1.0.1.1690
- The BlackBerry PlayBook: The Future of RIM is Now
- Going the extra mile; free Playbook case included
- Playbook Packaging; Minimalist and sexy, one upping Apple?
- Interview With Teknision About RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook UX
- Guest Review: iMaingo X Speaker
- What I Would Like to See Done With BlackBerry ID
- A weekend with the Playbook; My First Thoughts
- BlackBerry PlayBook DLNA Media Streaming Certification Coming Soon
| Sling Golf for PlayBook is Live in App World! Try it For Free! Posted: 18 Apr 2011 06:36 PM PDT
Add this to your memopad entry entitled, "Apps to download when I finally get my hands on a PlayBook!" Sling Golf, which we have mentioned before is now live in App World and BoltCloud has added a free trial that includes the ENTIRE first course (9 holes) and ALL 3 characters to choose from. I'm dying to try out this game! It looks like a lot of fun with some great graphics. I'm happy to see BoltCloud offering a trial as well. That shows that have confidence in their game and that people will want to keep playing enough to buy the full version which includes 2 more unique courses with 9 holes each, and unlockable achievements and awards. I have it on good authority that the Monster is the go-to guy when it comes to this game, but I'll let you be the judge. Check out Sling Golf on App World. The full version is selling for $2.99. Watch video demos of Sling Golf here and here. If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by jforce for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 9:36 pm. | Sling Golf for PlayBook is Live in App World! Try it For Free! | Leave a comment |
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| Hands On With Word to Go on the BlackBerry PlayBook Posted: 18 Apr 2011 05:06 PM PDT
I actually started writing up this article on my PlayBook and only stopped when I realized I needed to be able to embed images. The BlackBerry PlayBook ships with a full suite of office apps with my favorite being Word to Go. This is the FULL version of Word to Go from DataViz (which RIM purchased parts of) and lets you both edit and create word documents. That is pretty cool since most other devices need to purchase a suite to be able to edit and open Office documents. The PlayBook version of Word to Go is capable of opening up both Word *.doc and *.docx documents though when you create a new file it smartly uses *.doc for compatibility.
You can clearly see how Copy and Paste works just by holding down your finger on the screen. It looks a bit different in applications like the browser but more or less acts the same.
I am really loving the app though it does have one critical flaw that is apparent throughout the BlackBerry PlayBook OS. It does not have spell checking or AutoText which is something I rely on heavily on my BlackBerry smartphone. I spoke to a friend at RIM and heard that it is a high priority to add that ASAP though he would not tell me a timeline.
As you can see there is a whole slew of options making this a nice text editor. I wish it would have some integration with cloud services but I am hoping SugarSync comes out with their own app ASAP. On the other hand I have found the SugarSync website to work perfectly on the PlayBook browser.
If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 8:06 pm. | Hands On With Word to Go on the BlackBerry PlayBook | Leave a comment |
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| RIM Posts a Bunch of BlackBerry PlayBook Knowledge Base Entries Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:17 PM PDT
RIM's knowledgebase is where they post some common questions and solutions for issues that are usually not solved by reading the manual. The BlackBerry PlayBook does not seem to have any critical issues though I am waiting for them to release a knowledgebase article explaining the difference between tethering and bridging. Check out the ones RIM has release so far below:
Let us know if you spot more! If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 7:17 pm. | RIM Posts a Bunch of BlackBerry PlayBook Knowledge Base Entries | 2 comments |
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| No Download Limit in BlackBerry PlayBook Browser Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:51 PM PDT A few readers asked if I could test if RIM implemented a download limit in the BlackBerry PlayBook browser. I could not find gigabyte sized files to test out but I did test out downloading BlackBerry Desktop Manager through the browser which is 115mb and that worked like a charm. I then tried downloading a 700MB+ ISO image of Ubuntu and that also completed downloading with not hiccups though it was a tad slower than my PC.
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Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 6:51 pm. | No Download Limit in BlackBerry PlayBook Browser | One comment |
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| RIM Pushes Out BlackBerry PlayBook OS 1.0.1.1690 Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:35 PM PDT
With the OS updates rolling out practically every few days I have been wondering which OS the BlackBerry PlayBook will launch with. I got a notification this morning that we now have OS 1.0.1.1690 to download which according to the change log: "Includes enhancements to the BlackBerry Tablet OS." Sounds like an awesome update right? I will be holding off on updating until after Passover but it looks like the PlayBook might launch tomorrow prompting everybody to upgrade to this new OS. Makes you wonder if they might sneak out another one before tomorrow morning. If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 6:35 pm. | RIM Pushes Out BlackBerry PlayBook OS 1.0.1.1690 | 3 comments |
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| The BlackBerry PlayBook: The Future of RIM is Now Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:05 PM PDT
RIM has struggled to maintain the confidence of investors and praise of consumers for a long time. Saturday's Globe and Mail featured an excellent article by Omar El Akkad entitled, RIM makes a play for its future. In the article El Akkad explains the history of RIM and where they plan on going. He elaborates on RIM's recent adversity:
I can understand why Co-CEO’s, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie would be frustrated. What more does RIM have to do to prove that they are a viable, innovative company with a bright future? How about jump into the increasingly overcrowded arena that is today's tablet market! That's exactly what they decided to do only one year ago. The PlayBook was conceived and built in a year. Considering the short time frame and pressure to get to market, I am impressed with the result. RIM started out thinking about simply making a larger, "souped up BlackBerry." This would be a tablet that would run the same software and do the same things existing BlackBerry devices did. Thankfully, they were forced to set their sights much higher after the announcement of the iPad. To release a bigger BlackBerry that ran the same software and applications would have been a total disaster. Enter QNX: makers of some of the most stable, dependable operating systems in the world. To give you an idea, versions of QNX software run (among many others): France's high speed train system, nuclear power plants, and the Canadarm. An undeniably impressive resume. In RIM's smartest move ever, and easily the smartest tech acquisition of 2010, they acquired QNX and immediately put them to work in developing what is now known as BlackBerry Tablet OS; a version of the bullet-proof QNX Neutrino RTOS (Real Time Operating System) developed especially for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Todd Wood, RIM's head of industrial design was put in charge of the form factor of the PlayBook. The decision to go with the 7" size was not arrived at arbitrarily.
There are many who argue that 7" is not big enough. Mike Lazaridis responds that if you want to display content on a bigger screen, it is as simple as connecting the PlayBook via an HDMI cable to a projector or TV of any size. "What matters is how well it works," he says. Personally, I think 7" is the perfect size for something that I want to have with me as much as possible. When I am looking to demonstrate or present something to a group, there is no shortage of output devices with standard HDMI connections. The initial reviews of the PlayBook have tended to focus on things that will be remedied in coming months. Native email is coming in 60 days. The app experience will be boosted by full Android app compatibility this summer. 4G enabled versions are also slated to be released this summer. As far as hardware goes, the PlayBook is positioned nicely. With its dual core 1Ghz processor, 1GB of RAM, full HD cameras and more, the only issue is software which can be easily upgraded without the assistance of a separate computer. When people realize the potential of the QNX RTOS coupled with the power of the hardware running it, I see Wall Street finally giving RIM the respect they deserve. In fact, this might happen sooner rather than later. We learned today that analysts at Oppenheimer have given RIMM shares a "market perform" rating. Go get your RIMM stock now! RIM is not a company that is struggling financially. They are debt free and "flush with more than $2-billion in cash." If the PlayBook totally flops (which I am very confident it will not), RIM will not cease to exist. RIM is not a small company and have an established presence in worldwide markets that will not soon be relinquished. They have put a lot of eggs into their QNX basket by having the PlayBook and their future smartphones run their software. But QNX has also been around a long time (30 years) and their software is rock solid. With the public release of the PlayBook mere hours away, we will soon see how RIM's latest play for its future fares. I like their chances.
Thanks Bill for letting us know about the Globe and Mail article, and Tashanna for the stock tip. If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by jforce for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 4:05 pm. | The BlackBerry PlayBook: The Future of RIM is Now | 14 comments |
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| Going the extra mile; free Playbook case included Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:00 PM PDT Having had to buy basic accessories for an iPad 1, iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab, it was nice to see RIM throw in a must-have for all tablets–a slick protective carrying case.  Free Playbook sleeve.  Cool blue interior
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Posted by David for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 4:00 pm. | Going the extra mile; free Playbook case included | 5 comments |
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| Playbook Packaging; Minimalist and sexy, one upping Apple? Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:00 AM PDT
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Posted by David for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 2:00 pm. | Playbook Packaging; Minimalist and sexy, one upping Apple? | One comment |
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| Interview With Teknision About RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook UX Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:00 AM PDT Most of us were under the impression that either QNX or TAT were involved in the UI design and the user experience until we heard that Teknision was behind the UX design. Hardly anyone had heard much about Teknision until recently the story broke that they were behind the UX of the PlayBook. Kyle over at BlackBerryCool sat down with Teknision's President Gabor Vida to talk about their involvement with the development of the BlackBerry PlayBook. Kyle did some good work finding some information about the early stages of the PlayBook development including a company name Artefact that developed an early UI with 3D icons which am glad they scrapped that design and RIM eventually gave Teknision the job. Another interesting topic is why RIM acquired TAT and not Teknision. TAT also worked with the competition and owning them meant the competition would need to find a new developer. Check out the video interview below and also read Kyles full article.
Mobile link. Source BlackBerryCool
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Posted by Luis Merlos for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 12:00 pm. | Interview With Teknision About RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook UX | 4 comments |
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| Guest Review: iMaingo X Speaker Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:00 AM PDT
Device: Zip wise, the build is very strong, feels very sturdy, even ousting that of my Targus back bag. First thing after unzipping, we can see its divided into 2 portions, on part for the speaker and its lithium-ion battery, the other portion for the device. Size for the whole item was rather huge, as i was using my Blackberry Torch to snap the photos, i had to use my older love, Blackberry Curve 8900 for its model to compare. Side by side, width and length. Setup: I had no problems zipping and putting my Blackberry 8900 into the iMaingoX before zipping it up. Connecting it was fuss-free and easy as well – a simple 3.5mm plug which was just long enough for use with the whole system. And off we go to blast! Sound-wise, after blasting it for 30 minutes, I have to admit, for its size, the music is indeed top notch. My x-mini 2 portable speakers definitely would not reach such deep bases and clarity even if i daisy chained them up. This probably is much clearer than my Dell speakers as well as my laptop speakers, and of course, better than any built in speakers in our devices. This devices is very interesting. It comes with 2 headphone jacks as well as a microphone port so we can actually sing Karaoke with it! This is probably the most unique and interesting feature apart from it being on of the clearest sound i have heard. Now, the gripes – Note that this device is designed for touchscreen devices: The whole thing is rather heavy for its size, but for its sound, definitely worthwhile to carry it out to parties or exercises. Using my Blackberry 8900, it being not touch screen nor trackpad, it was almost impossible to navigate. On my torch however, navigation was alright, with the trackpad and touch screen, navigation was with ease. The iMaingoX however, is unable to accommodate my torch with my case-mate casing i posted a review on earlier. I had to remove it before placing it into the speaker system. Like many of the speaker systems out there, the iMaingoX is affected by the radio signals which means that if a message or call comes in, the buzzing is very obvious.
Overall Rating: 4/5 Quality: 5/5 Portability: 3/5 Ease of use: 4/5 Compatibility: 5/53 Available at: Amazon.com and Target.com
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Posted by Terrence T for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 11:00 am. | Guest Review: iMaingo X Speaker | Leave a comment |
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| What I Would Like to See Done With BlackBerry ID Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:30 AM PDT
One of the new things RIM is planning on introducing with OS 6.1 is BlackBerry ID. I have been using the leak version on my 9800 and I like the idea of not having to sign on to app world and having different user names for each RIM app. Ronen commented on the fact that this could also be the death for leaked apps and OS, but I had some different ideas where this could be a good feature for developer if RIM likes the following ideas. Kevin over at CB on their recent podcast goes on to say that RIM has not release an email client because they are on the transition of switching some thing around where you will only need one BlackBerry ID account for multiple devices. This mean that you could use the same ID on the PlayBook and on your BlackBerry. This is my own interpretation of what he said but it would make sense. On his post Ronen mentions that RIM could use this to push out beta builds only to certain people using their BlackBerry ID. This would make things much easier for RIM to keep track of them. We have seen so far that App world, News Feeds, and a few other apps now require a BlackBerry ID. My idea is that RIM could even make this technology available to corporations and developers to allow them to easily push out updates to beta testers of their apps. Maybe through app world test center. Another problem with app world is that it does not support coupon codes or a way for developers to giveaway free copies. If RIM made it to where a developer could simply use the persons blackberry ID username and simply push out a free copy to the users App World account for free it would make things much easier for developers that want to do giveaways or simply send somebody a gift. What do you think? How would you like to see RIM use BlackBerry ID? If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by Luis Merlos for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 10:30 am. | What I Would Like to See Done With BlackBerry ID | 3 comments |
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| A weekend with the Playbook; My First Thoughts Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:00 AM PDT I am not a RIM only die hard. I am not an Apple fanboy. But I love tech. I had an iPad 1, Samsung Galaxy Tab, I have an iPad 2, and now I have a Blackberry Playbook. It has it’s strengths, it has it’s weaknesses. Some features are currently available, while others are promised to be coming soon. But one thing I can tell you right now, the Playbook (as it currently stands) is already the second best tablet on the market.
I have been reading all the negative reviews, and yes, they make some good points. A lot of the promised features are not yet here, the power button is tiny and hard to push, and the app store is bare. I have my own gripes, and trust me they are coming. But all the reviews I have read seem to (a) set the bar too high (b) and overlook the Playbook’s strengths. The Playbook browser is the most powerful tablet browser on the market We all know the iPad 2 doesn’t play flash. But playing flash doesn’t mean anything unless you can do it well. The Android tablets that supposedly support flash often do it poorly. Moreover, they wind up doing it in a mobile-only-version-of-the-internet kind of way–giving me watered down content in place of the full blown web. The Playbook browser let’s you run ANY site. We have played Hulu, and even edited photos on Picasa / picnik.   The Playbook holds its own against the competition Build quality: Taking a cue from Apple, RIM used some serious materials and design.   Size: The Playbook might be smaller, but it feels great in hand. Typing is especially easy in portrait mode.   Selection / Tablet recognition: The Playbook is the only Blackberry tablet. There is no need to navigate the crowded shelves of Best Buy to figure out which tablet hardware you want from which supplier, ala Android. Like the iPad, it will be self defining. In time you will be able to say you have a Playbook and people will know what you are talking about, without a long complicated explanation. Conclusion: The Playbook will definitely be one of the top three tablets of 2011. The iPad dominated the tablet market in 2010. Android tablets were announced and disappeared week by week. But I predict that the Playbook will be one of the only serious iPad competitors standing by the end of the year . . . and that by itself means a lot. If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by David for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 10:00 am. | A weekend with the Playbook; My First Thoughts | 13 comments |
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| BlackBerry PlayBook DLNA Media Streaming Certification Coming Soon Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:37 AM PDT
While at the BlackBerry PlayBook launch event last week Mike Lazaridis let me know about two upcoming features that are coming to the BlackBerry PlayBook. First he told me that the BlackBerry PlayBook will be getting its DLNA certification very soon which will allow you to wirelessly stream video and music to devices that support it. In case you don't know what DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is here is a brief primer. DLNA is a standard that sets profiles for devices that stream or accept streams. You may remember its previous standard called UPnP. The best part about DLNA is that it is an open standard which means you will be able to tap into the almost 10,000 DLNA certified devices out there. The second thing Mike Lazaridis let me know about was that the PlayBook already has content protection certificates (DRM) preloaded. They are just waiting for certification and then either RIM or third parties will be able to rent or sell protected content like videos, tv shows, music, etc. I am not a big fan of DRM but it makes services like Netflix and Hulu available. As long as its not intrusive its nice to see that RIM is trying to get content partners to embrace the platform. I really wish I had read up on DLNA when Mike mentioned the feature to me. DLNA is a pretty wide standard that can do anything from streaming video from your PlayBook to a TV or better yet streaming video from your PC to your PlayBook. It breaks down into a DMS (Digital Media Server) which has the video content and the DMP (Digital Media Player) which plays the content. From what Mike told me the PlayBook will be able to act as a DMS but I am hoping it will be able to also double duty as a DMP or simply be able to play video off a remote file share. Even cooler is the DMC profile of DLNA if RIM implements it. That would allow the PlayBook to control media being streamed from your PC to your TV. In other words it would be a really high tech remote. If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:
Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, April 18, 2011, 7:37 am. | BlackBerry PlayBook DLNA Media Streaming Certification Coming Soon | 7 comments |
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