The only problem I see with Android compatibility baked into the Playbook is that if it works not too badly, nobody will develop Playbook apps. At the same time, you'll still have issues with the 10-15% of apps that don't work correctly, so if there are no Playbook native apps, why not just buy a proper Android tablet and avoid the risk of your favorite apps not working well.
The only problem I see with Android compatibility baked into the Playbook is that if it works not too badly, nobody will develop Playbook apps. At the same time, you'll still have issues with the 10-15% of apps that don't work correctly, so if there are no Playbook native apps, why not just buy a proper Android tablet and avoid the risk of your favorite apps not working well.
Albeit I have not exhausted myself researching android tablets. With the drop in playbooks pricing it seems to be the best bang for buck when it comes to hardware for that price point...
Your point is not invalid... but that is why I'd consider it.
With the drop in playbooks pricing it seems to be the best bang for buck when it comes to hardware for that price point...
Agreed on this. It's so low price that if Playbook owners get one half decent OS update to allow Android apps, and then RIM discontinues the thing, they still got decent value out of it. Far different story if it cost $400+
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Have had a Playbook for around 6 months now, and the biggest thing going for it, is its size. Ideal size, weight and form factor to carry around the house and quickly pick up to browse. Great harware and OS.
Apps have been the biggest downfall, but they have bene trickling in. I think the price cuts and having a few hundred thousand more people have them, and was done so Rim could send developers a ringing bell, both as motivation to either port or create apps, and to be motivated to be first...with more people hungry for better apps, the sooner they get out, the sooner they get bought up, even at a premium price.
Some better games coming down the pipe for it now too. I use it at time for a digital picture frame at work, all while bridged to my phone. At home its a pickup and go internet browser and fun gaming device, with a lot of potential unused (such as Citrix connections which I could use) and yet to be realized (when the Andriod App player comes out and other QNX applications).
Also I am guessing in the next year, tablets will start to come down just as netbooks did back when. $200 is likely still on the low side, but I am guessing the $300-$350 price point should get you into a decent name brand tablet in a year from now, not $500 like it has been (for this, and others) this past year and a half.
A guy at work told me the BB Playbook is getting a update of some sort in January that will alow it to dual boot (his words) to a Android OS or the BB OS, allowing all android apps to run on the tablet if you want. He said it will be as easy as pushing a button (ie. no effort like rooting a android smartphone) but he didn't know anything else about it including where I could find this info to read more.
This January update was originally last February, then May, then August, then November and now 2012. Anyone who knows RIM knows they are not exactly known for speedy fixes or releases.
I hope the PB gets proper Android support it will help lower the prices of other tablets and make the market better overall.
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I am running the dev version of Playbook OS. Have loaded a few Android Apps. Many don't work at all, some work except for minor issues (ie Android Apps can't access the camera), and some work flawlessly. As release approaches, I assume we will see a combonation of these bugs being fixed, some apps not being compatible when all is said and done and the rest working fine.
Technically it opens in the "Android App Player" and then runs in emulation, but it is nearly seamless from the user perspective. You can also sideload the Android App Player on 1.08 (current release) and load the apps that way, some googling will show you the way, but DDBP is the tool you should search for.
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I am running the dev version of Playbook OS. Have loaded a few Android Apps. Many don't work at all, some work except for minor issues (ie Android Apps can't access the camera), and some work flawlessly. As release approaches, I assume we will see a combonation of these bugs being fixed, some apps not being compatible when all is said and done and the rest working fine.
Technically it opens in the "Android App Player" and then runs in emulation, but it is nearly seamless from the user perspective. You can also sideload the Android App Player on 1.08 (current release) and load the apps that way, some googling will show you the way, but DDBP is the tool you should search for.
If you go that route does it kill the bridge? I kind of want to play around with it and see how it is, but I do want the bridge.
Agreed on this. It's so low price that if Playbook owners get one half decent OS update to allow Android apps, and then RIM discontinues the thing, they still got decent value out of it. Far different story if it cost $400+
The day RIM discontinues the PlayBook is the day when they close the company down.
RIM's future depends on getting the QNX OS devices out to the customer. Even though they're losing a lot of money giving out the tablets, if no one's using the tablet then developers are going to develop for the platform. Especially since the new BB phones are going to be using the same BBX platform, they need to give these tablets out to ensure that the phone isn't dead on arrival.
I wish I could justify the Prime. I love my original Transformer, and the Prime is just a sexy beast.
Ok I got a dumb question with non-apple tablets. Do they run Microsoft office? Also, can I install things into them like a computer, or are they more like my ipod where I have to go to the app store to download anything?
Ok I got a dumb question with non-apple tablets. Do they run Microsoft office? Also, can I install things into them like a computer, or are they more like my ipod where I have to go to the app store to download anything?
Thank you!
Just watching the last presentation, it said it works with Office 2007
Ok I got a dumb question with non-apple tablets. Do they run Microsoft office? Also, can I install things into them like a computer, or are they more like my ipod where I have to go to the app store to download anything?
Thank you!
Well, Apple tablets run iOS, most new non-Apple tablets run Android. There are a few out there that run other operating systems but for the most part those are the big names.
Android is not Windows so you can't install and run programs the same way you would a computer. It has the Android Market which is similar to the app store for Apple.
The ASUS Transformer Prime (and the ASUS Transformer) has an optional (sold separately) keyboard add-on that adds additional functionality and battery life to the tablet as well as essentially turning it into a laptop. In this vein, ASUS has included a pre-installed office suite for productivity applications such as a Word application. These are not Microsoft Office but they are similar.
I hope that answers your question!
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The ASUS Transformer Prime (and the ASUS Transformer) has an optional (sold separately) keyboard add-on that adds additional functionality and battery life to the tablet as well as essentially turning it into a laptop. In this vein, ASUS has included a pre-installed office suite for productivity applications such as a Word application. These are not Microsoft Office but they are similar.
I hope that answers your question!
Thank you for the advice.
The video directly said it works with Microsoft Office 2007, do you think there referring to a branch off suite of it, or the real deal?
So, not to make you repeat, but this isn't a laptop, the Android operating system doesn't allow the same abilities as windows, correct (aka can't install Diablo)? This dropped my mood a bit!
Thank you!
EDIT: Ahh, it said it was compatible with office 2007, probably meaning you get to use Polaris Office 3.... darn!
If you go that route does it kill the bridge? I kind of want to play around with it and see how it is, but I do want the bridge.
It kills bridge if you use 2.0, but from what I understand, just sideloading the app player on 1.08 doesn't impact it. It is just a 2 step process in 1.08 to open the app compared to a 1 step process in 2.0.
I can't revert to 1.08 though, so I can't be 100% sure about , there is a bug with the final update on 1.08 after the revert, so it won't go through. When I have some free time, I will call support and get them to help me revert it. I really would like bridge back.
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The video directly said it works with Microsoft Office 2007, do you think there referring to a branch off suite of it, or the real deal?
So, not to make you repeat, but this isn't a laptop, the Android operating system doesn't allow the same abilities as windows, correct (aka can't install Diablo)? This dropped my mood a bit!
Thank you!
EDIT: Ahh, it said it was compatible with office 2007, probably meaning you get to use Polaris Office 3.... darn!
Yeah... the Transformer Prime, despite its ability to pose as a laptop and provide additional functionality that way, is still a tablet. It has some limitations in that way. However, it will still be a very powerful tool in many ways including casual gaming.
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