With a name that sounds like something you’d use at a sporting event, the BlackBerry PlayBook is the latest – and most unique – Apple iPad 2 challenger.
Running a new OS called QNX, with quirky features like bridging to a BlackBerry phone for secure email and an oddly confusing initial setup, the PlayBook is a stark departure from the more iPad-like Motorola Xoom. Business-minded features such as built-in viewers for spreadsheets and word processing files are welcome, and the PlayBook gets extra credit for being fast and nimble on a dual-core 1GHz processor.
Throw in a 3MP front-facing camera, a 5MP rear-facing one, a bright and crisp 1200×600 resolution screen, a light 425g body and all the typical gyro, accelerometer and GPS sensors and you have the makings for a powerful 7-inch tablet.
As we discovered in our first hands on test, the PlayBook is sorely lacking third-party apps, but does show promise.
The powerful multi-tasking, where you can run a video in one window and play a game in another with both apps running concurrently, is a first of its kind for a mainstream tab.
File storage capabilities, support for an HDMI connection for playing 1080p video and a slick interface make the PlayBook an interesting anomaly. Unfortunately, the overall experience can’t compete with either the iPad 2 or the Xoom, and even falters compared to the original Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Yet, we’re still hopeful that Research in Motion (RIM) will keep working with developers (it gave them free PlayBooks if they created an app) and boost the device out of niche territory.
The BlackBerry PlayBook is designed to be mobile and business-friendly. That means, at 130x194mm, the device is small enough to hold with one hand, slip in a laptop bag side pouch, and even carry around all day to meetings. The smaller screen does make movies look less than thrilling, and there’s not much space for more complex tablet apps.
Like the 730g Motorola Xoom and 599g Samsung Galaxy Tab, the PlayBook feels a little heavier than its actual weight of 425g. That’s probably due to its solid construction: it feels rigid and durable, as though you could drop it and not cause too much damage. The tablet is easy to grip and looks bright and crisp. The dual-core 1GHz processor, made by Texas Instruments, and 1GB of RAM add some muscle to the PlayBook, running most of the apps we tested smoothly and quickly.
Early reports claimed that the BlackBerry PlayBook is crash-prone and has trouble with basic web browsing, especially when you open multiple tabs. We had very few problems with the latest OS 1.0.1.1710, which is now a required update. We even stress-tested the unit with five to six websites, the email client and Doodle Blast open, and rarely noticed slowdowns.
Like the Motorola Xoom, the dual-core processor handles multiple tasks and delegates processing to open apps. We shot an HD video with the Camera app while running Doodle Blast at the same time.
You can swipe between the two apps or view both of them at the same time. When watching HD videos alongside another app, the audio keeps playing but the video shows a blank screen.
The BlackBerry PlayBook doesn’t support external storage, but does have a micro USB port you can use to connect the tablet to your computer. Once you do, you can configure the PlayBook so that it shares files over Wi-Fi. This means copying files to and from the tablet without having to connect is possible.
Configuring this option was very simple: we enabled Wi-Fi sharing, installed a BlackBerry Device Manager driver and opened the Network section under My Computer (or you can use SMB://playbook on a Mac).
Otherwise, the PlayBook offers the standard power, volume up and down and play/pause buttons. These buttons are exceptionally small and hard to find. The power button is so small that you have to look at it, tilt your finger and press it in just the right way.
