PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Reviews have appeared for BlackBerry-maker RIM’s debut tablet, the PlayBook, due to go on sale on the 19th.
PC World’s Melissa J. Perenson said: "In some respects, the PlayBook is the most impressive tablet I’ve seen to date. Its approach to navigating among open apps is a joy; I was able to move among them faster than on any other tablet."
However Perenson said native applications were primitive with "many rough edges," concluding that the PlayBook "gets a lot right, but it also feels very much like a work in progress," but holding off on a score until they see the final PlayBook software.
Wired’s Mike Isaac called the PlayBook a "good-looking piece of hardware" adding that the device exuded "business chic" that RIM had perfected with the BlackBerry smartphones. Isaac said a low-memory warning would pop up when running too many applications and that ignoring the warning would cause the browser to crash.
Wired said the RIM PlayBook ‘lacked all the right moves’ and that you buyers ‘may want to think twice.’
Engadget’s massive review slammed the position of hardware buttons saying that this was the "worst part of the hardware" but in measuring battery performance, declared that the PlayBook was "middle of the pack" of tablet battery performance.
They went on to conclude: "The BlackBerry PlayBook is a tablet that will come close to satisfying those users who gravitate toward the first word in its name: BlackBerry," adding that those who were looking for an entertainment device would "advised to look alesewhere."
At least until the Android compatibility feature arrives, they said.
