Is RIM Back In Business with PlayBook Version 2.0?
Blackberry users and anyone with the PlayBook 1.0 operating system will be ecstatic at the news of the release of PlayBook 2.0. It is set to rectify all those glaring problems that users had with the first version and essentially put Research In Motion (RIM) in the good graces of their customers.
RIM blotted their copybook when they introduced the PlayBook OS 1.0 lacking any built in features. It seems though, that RIM was listening to their customers because, the new version possesses most of the things that customers were complaining were missing. In come the calendar and the contacts. Including the native email client will also go a long way in appeasing Blackberry and PlayBook users. As with all new tablets, the PlayBook version 2.0 integrates with Facebook and Twitter.
One of the best features of PlayBook 2.0 is definitely the BlackBerry bridge app. This application allows customers to remotely connect their BlackBerry to the PlayBook and use the handset as a mouse and a keyboard. That is simply a fascinating piece of technology. That little move will have tech experts waiting to sample it.
PlayBook version 2.0 is downloadable free of charge, but users will be quick to note when they start using it that the instant messenger is still missing from the new version. The major criticism though will be that other tablets provide the same features that the PlayBook has and even more. The PlayBook cannot really expect to compete with the Galaxy tab and the iPad. They seem to be in an entirely different league. The Kindle Fire is cheaper than the PlayBook but still ranked higher due to its features and capabilities. Another yardstick to hit RIM with is the fact that email is sent via Exchange ActiveSync instead of BlackBerry’s secure network. The PlayBook is also allowing use of Android apps but they will not be the same as the high-end Android apps.
With all that said, the new version of the PlayBook is a welcome improvement but it still falls short when compared with what the competition is offering. It will be difficult for Research in Motion to overcome the already negative perception that users have regarding the PlayBook. While more and more apps are being made available to Android users and iPad users, the PlayBook continues to struggle to attract developers. Add on the fact that cheaper tablets like the Kindle Fire are more highly rated than the PlayBook and you begin to feel sorry for RIM.
Maybe not all is lost though; RIM has shown a willingness to meet the needs of the consumers in the market. The best quality of a good tablet developer is to address minor details that might become needs before the user requires it. Just look at the iPad; a year ahead of its time. RIM is going to have to do better if they are going to compete in this market.
