Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Flipperk on February 12, 2012, 05:11:32 PM

Title: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Flipperk on February 12, 2012, 05:11:32 PM
Just bought the blackberry playbook tablet... which is what i am typing on now... i must say that i really believe that is much better than the ipad... hands down.

Anyone else happen to have the blackberry playbook?
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: MK-84 on February 12, 2012, 06:08:15 PM
I sell them.  I think they're very good, fast, excellent screen, and I prefer the smaller size to the ipad.  My grief is that the software that it uses really doesnt have the kind of support as Apples's or Android.  So what you see is pretty much what you get, which is not a problem if it does everything you want.

I think the most direct comparasion would be the kindle fire.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: coombz on February 12, 2012, 06:14:32 PM
there were tablets out in 2001 better than the iPad :p
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: coombz on February 12, 2012, 06:26:40 PM
MK84 do any of the tablets you sell support Java apps?
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Slash27 on February 12, 2012, 09:10:35 PM
Got the fiancé a nook for Christmas. We like it better than the iPad.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Krupinski on February 13, 2012, 03:51:53 PM
Typing this on a Sony Tablet S.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Shuffler on February 13, 2012, 04:08:45 PM
Typing this on a HTC Inspire. :P
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 13, 2012, 10:34:47 PM


 my mom's still loving her kindle fire. i got her that for christmas. she called me tonight to tell me again that she loves it. i don'yt have any tablet of my own yet.......i keep looking, but i'm too dam cheap to buy one for me.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 14, 2012, 12:17:29 PM
there were tablets out in 2001 better than the iPad :p

Appearently the marketplace disagrees.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/ipad-market-share-2011_n_1080051.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/ipad-market-share-2011_n_1080051.html)

I think that the Kindle Fire may eventually carve out a market segment but I doubt the playbook (not that its not nice hardware) will do well long term.
But the Fire and iPad are targeting completly different markets.  Its like comparing Kia and BMW.  Yeah, they are both car companies, but their potential buyers don't "really" overlap very much.

;),
Wab
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Tigger29 on February 14, 2012, 01:02:04 PM
Appearently the marketplace disagrees.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/ipad-market-share-2011_n_1080051.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/07/ipad-market-share-2011_n_1080051.html)

I think that the Kindle Fire may eventually carve out a market segment but I doubt the playbook (not that its not nice hardware) will do well long term.
But the Fire and iPad are targeting completly different markets.  Its like comparing Kia and BMW.  Yeah, they are both car companies, but their potential buyers don't "really" overlap very much.

;),
Wab

The big problem with the Fire is that all of the reviews keep talking about how bad it is.  They do this by comparing it to an iPad.  They show how it doesn't scroll as smoothly.. or how it takes longer to boot.. or how it takes a millisecond longer to load an app.. or how its colors aren't as bright or as magnificent as the iPad.  What they always fail to mention is that it's A THIRD OF THE PRICE!  :headscratch:

I've played on both the Fire and the iPad and to be honest I don't feel that I'd be happy with either device.  I just like to tinker too much.  I'd probably actually prefer the Fire because I can hack it and put what I want on it.  Not so much with the iPad!

Apple has such a huge fanboi market base to it that there are many people that will go on blindly pretending that it's worth the extra money because since it's Apple it must be better, regardless as to whether or not they actually need all of it.  Most younger people who know nothing about phones/mp3 players/pads will simply just go buy an iSomething because they really don't know any better and they're afraid to "take a chance".

Apple has done a fantastic job at playing on the "too cheap to be true" mentality and while this normally would be true they've successfully done the exact opposite.. convinced people that if they don't shell out extra money for an Apple product then they'll be throwing money down the drain.  Generally speaking if the average joe wants something of good quality they'll just buy an Apple and be done with it.  They don't want to have to be bothered with doing any real research or spending any real time on it.. just buy it and be done with it!

It's pretty sad too.  I laugh at my uncle every time I hear him ask someone for their wifi password because he refuses to pay the extra cash for unlimited data for his iPhone... all while I'm surfing continuously on my droid with an unlimited data $35 plan...

I'm not saying Apple products are of poor quality... quite the opposite they seem to be very well built.. but when people who can only afford a Kia go out and buy a BMW simply because they're afraid that a brand new Kia will break down on them every two blocks (which is hardly the case).. well there's a BIG problem with their mentality here.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 14, 2012, 01:44:55 PM
Trigger,

I agree with some of what you said.  Not with everything.  
There is certainly some blind brand loyalty that goes on.  
However, I think the main reason the marketplace has favored the iPad is you are not just buying a piece of hardware; you are buying a complete system.  You are buying an ecosystem, of which the hardware is only one small piece.
Its also the appstore, the payment system, the available content, the OS, the upgradability, virus susceptibility etc, etc.

As a life long PC user/programmer I was really skeptical when I bought my first iPad, but they won me over for sure.
My Dad bought an Android Vizio tablet and the first thing he had to make sure he installed and configured was his virus scanning software.   :rolleyes:

Anyway,  I don't want to hijack FlipperK's thread with a larger discussion of mobile computing, so I'll stop now.  :lol

Wab
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Shuffler on February 14, 2012, 01:53:35 PM
Trigger,

I agree with some of what you said.  Not with everything.  
There is certainly some blind brand loyalty that goes on.  
However, I think the main reason the marketplace has favored the iPad is you are not just buying a piece of hardware; you are buying a complete system.  You are buying an ecosystem, of which the hardware is only one small piece.
Its also the appstore, the payment system, the available content, the OS, the upgradability, virus susceptibility etc, etc.

As a life long PC user/programmer I was really skeptical when I bought my first iPad, but they won me over for sure.
My Dad bought an Android Vizio tablet and the first thing he had to make sure he installed and configured was his virus scanning software.   :rolleyes:

Anyway,  I don't want to hijack FlipperK's thread with a larger discussion of mobile computing, so I'll stop now.  :lol

Wab

Yup apple limits you to protect you. With droid it is the users job to protect theirselves. Droid users have more choices because of this setup.

Apple by far is not infalable..... they even placed software on their own phones to track keystrokes and location. When Apple fails it generally includes every user of theirs in their failure.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 14, 2012, 02:14:37 PM
Yup apple limits you to protect you. With droid it is the users job to protect theirselves. Droid users have more choices because of this setup.

Apple by far is not infalable..... they even placed software on their own phones to track keystrokes and location. When Apple fails it generally includes every user of theirs in their failure.

Heh.  You sound like me a year ago.  ;)

I saw an interesting article a while back by one tech evangelist who was originally very critical of Apple's "walled garden" appstore.  He was writing that he has eventually changed his mind.  Instead of limiting the user, it actually frees the user.  The user can download any little thing he ever wants from the appstore and feel completely secure that its not going to hose up his system.  Freedom from fear. Thats pretty much the same conclusion I eventually came to.

I also think that approach will be much more common that you may realize.  There is definitely a trend to the "apliancification" of computing.  People just want it to freakin work when they turn it on.  The marketplace has long ago moved past the shade-tree mechanic/PC tech enthusiast that wants to fiddle with their OS and hardware.

Have you seen previews of the appstore for Win8 Metro?  Its almost an exact copy of Apple's approach.  Metro apps will ONLY be able to be purchased from the MS app store. 

(Prediction alert, but there is mounting evidence) And I believe both are moving to making it the same thing for even the desktop!  I believe that in 5 years, both Apple and MS will only allow anything to run on any of their platforms (desktop, phone, tablet, xbox, whatever) that was purchased from their respective app stores and digitally signed as officially approved software.  Which means nothing runs on their platforms that they don't get their 30% cut from. ;)

Google is in the process of dealing with massive malware and fraud apps on their marketplace.  They will eventually adopt many of the same constraints if they want to remain players.

Put your hands in the air FlipperK!  This is a freakin hijack beotch!

:lol(I tried to be good)
Wab










Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Shuffler on February 14, 2012, 02:25:20 PM

(Prediction alert, but there is mounting evidence) And I believe both are moving to making it the same thing for even the desktop!  I believe that in 5 years, both Apple and MS will only allow anything to run on any of their platforms (desktop, phone, tablet, xbox, whatever) that was purchased from their respective app stores and digitally signed as officially approved software.  Which means nothing runs on their platforms that they don't get their 30% cut from. ;)




Should that come to fruition..... It would be a huge boon to open source which is already pretty rampant. Most folks want freedom to use their equipment as they see fit.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Seanaldinho on February 14, 2012, 02:38:25 PM
Hate to say it but I hate my Kindle Fire.

If all you want is books, movies, and some apps to kill time with then its great and fairly cheap. Otherwise it lacks...

The app market is fairly limited on it. There are no aviation apps for it and that was the main reason I wanted a tablet but this is what daddy bought so Im stuck with it.  :frown:
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 14, 2012, 02:41:06 PM
Hate to say it but I hate my Kindle Fire.

If all you want is books, movies, and some apps to kill time with then its great and fairly cheap. Otherwise it lacks...

The app market is fairly limited on it. There are no aviation apps for it and that was the main reason I wanted a tablet but this is what daddy bought so Im stuck with it.  :frown:

 my mom does her internet thing with it. it connects fast for her, on every website she hits....except her banking. but then again, i've been on that site, and it's slow as molasses in jan. on the laptop she uses at my house.

 
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 14, 2012, 03:01:26 PM
Should that come to fruition..... It would be a huge boon to open source which is already pretty rampant. Most folks want freedom to use their equipment as they see fit.

I understand why you feel that way.  But there is definitely a drive toward "appliancification" that is being rewarded by the marketplace.  So while you and I cut our teeth in the old PC days of swapping cards and twiddling config files; that is a dying model.

I'm sure the American Cowboy couldn't understand how all those people could stand to live in towns and fence off all the land.  That didn't keep it from happening.

I think the popularity of the iPhone and iPad has proven that people are perfectly willing to sacrifice some amount of freedom (most of whom weren't qualified to take advantage of it anyway) in order to gain dependability and simplicity.  It should JUST WORK when they turn it on,everytime, like their flatscreen TV or their stereo.  And they have no desire to understand how its working.  And they don't want to have to worry everytime they install something, that the whole  thing will come crashing down.  

With the vast swaths of society (of varying technical skill levels from grandma's to grad students) that are needing devices, the hands-on, open up that OS reference manual, tech-enthusiast model is just not scaleable.

IMHO,
Wab




Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Seanaldinho on February 14, 2012, 03:16:47 PM
my mom does her internet thing with it. it connects fast for her, on every website she hits....except her banking. but then again, i've been on that site, and it's slow as molasses in jan. on the laptop she uses at my house.

 

I do to when Im at home. The rest of the time I have my phone which I have unlimited data on. Most of the time I am on one of the two laptops we have in my house so honestly it serves no purpose for me other then I got a couple of books (Antigone, Julius Caesar) i needed for school for free.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 14, 2012, 03:24:16 PM
I do to when Im at home. The rest of the time I have my phone which I have unlimited data on. Most of the time I am on one of the two laptops we have in my house so honestly it serves no purpose for me other then I got a couple of books (Antigone, Julius Caesar) i needed for school for free.

 my biggest reason for having one myself, will be here at the shop....to use for my information system, when i'm diagnosing. a laptop is too bulky to take out to the car. i've tried that already. coming up here to this machine to click links to the next step, and then printing, go out in the bay, repeat/rinse.....frustrating. tablet is the perfect answer.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: eagl on February 14, 2012, 03:26:56 PM
Quote
I think the popularity of the iPhone and iPad has proven that people are perfectly willing to sacrifice some amount of freedom (most of whom weren't qualified to take advantage of it anyway) in order to gain dependability and simplicity.  It should JUST WORK when they turn it on,everytime, like their flatscreen TV or their stereo.  And they have no desire to understand how its working.  And they don't want to have to worry everytime they install something, that the whole  thing will come crashing down.  

That's about half of the answer.  25% of the rest of the answer is that many of my friends and my wife's friends have iphones and/or ipads, and my wife is interested in interacting with those people rather than playing with a phone/tablet.  The iphone and ipad is one more gateway to our social circle, nothing more.  Which leads to the final 25%.  My wife HATES fiddling with computers and gadgets.  She wants it to work without any fiddling, and she wants it to do what she wants it to do without hearing excuses.  On my side, I provide all of my wife's tech support and I don't have time to waste fiddling around with a phone or tablet.  In my mind it's perfect if we buy it, set it up, and then never do anything other than actually USE the thing.

The iphone and ipad does these things for us.  I figure it out, set it up, set it up for my wife and show her how to use, add, or delete various features, and that's it.  No worrying about whether google is going to "accidentally" share our underwear size with Russian hackers, no waiting for OS updates, and surprisingly few gripes about how it doesn't work like we think it *should* work.  That's money in the bank as far as I'm concerned, and it made the small price premium totally worth it.

As for data plans, we have sprint and don't usually need to tether so unlimited data is simply there as long as we don't need/want to tether.  And if we ever did find ourselves needing to tether, sprint has much better devices designed specifically to feed wireless data to a computer anyhow so we'd probably go with a dedicated wireless data plan for the computer instead of tethering.

If I was single and had the time to play with a phone or tablet, yea I'd probably have ANYTHING other than an iphone/ipad.  But I don't have the time or desire to play with gadgets anymore, and after doing the research I found that the iphone/ipad would not only do exactly what we needed them to do, my wife could use them to keep in touch with her friends a bit easier because they're all using the same apps on nearly identical devices.  That's worth far more than a hundred bucks off the price and the "freedom" to waste even more time playing with my phone.

As for privacy, apple doesn't really need much "real" info on you.  You can easily set up a shades account with bogus info and as long as you stick with free apps, there is never any reason to give apple any real identification or personal information.  Yea if you have an iphone the cellphone service provider needs a ton of info, but most of that is due to govt regs and you'll get that with almost any phone contract with any provider.  Buy a used unlocked iphone and the carrier and apple get very little info on you.  After that it's just practicing safe computing if privacy is important, and that's no different than any other electronic device nowadays regardless of brand.

I didn't give up anything by going with Apple...  I traded dollars for featurs and convenience, like any other consumer transaction.  I'm pretty happy with the results.  I can compare with my brother and sister who went with various other android devices, and I come out the winner by a long shot.  My sister is on her 5th phone because her previous ones kept dying, and my brother went through 3 smartphones before he ran out of money to keep replacing them.  Somehow I just can't feel any regret about not doing things the same way they did.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Seanaldinho on February 14, 2012, 03:51:08 PM
my biggest reason for having one myself, will be here at the shop....to use for my information system, when i'm diagnosing. a laptop is too bulky to take out to the car. i've tried that already. coming up here to this machine to click links to the next step, and then printing, go out in the bay, repeat/rinse.....frustrating. tablet is the perfect answer.

Yeah and its perfect for that but unfortunately the Fire is very "specialized" if thats the world for it. First and foremost its an e-reader. Then its a music/movie platform. Finally apps and games come. So if thats what you will use it for then no doubt its perfect. I recommend getting a Gumdrop case for it, its the only "rugged" case I've seen for it. The rest are like little fold up things that provide no real protection for it.

So unfortunately it aint the one for me but Im making do with it.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 14, 2012, 04:20:57 PM
My wife HATES fiddling with computers and gadgets.  She wants it to work without any fiddling, and she wants it to do what she wants it to do without hearing excuses.  On my side, I provide all of my wife's tech support and I don't have time to waste fiddling around with a phone or tablet.  In my mind it's perfect if we buy it, set it up, and then never do anything other than actually USE the thing.

And don't think that corporate IT departments aren't starting to look at it that way too.  For many employees, an ipad/iphone provides all the computing power they need and are MUCH easier to maintain and support.  The iPad has been making suprising beachheads in the corporate world.  Something I never thought I'd see.

MS is basically going to completely copy Apple's locked-down/appstore approach for all those reasons.  They are going one better (which I bet Apple copies in return)  they are going to make it possible to setup an internal company app store where users can download and install any of the approved company apps they want all by themselves.  Whenever they want.  At that point MS will start to be able to compete against Apple again as IT will prefer MS over Apple if they are at least in the same ball park.

In 3 years, mobile computing is going to look like 60% Apple, 25% MS, 15% Android remnants and asundry other straglers. (IMHO.  Just my guess.  Don't bet your 401k on it! ;))

Wab

Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Gman on February 14, 2012, 04:33:20 PM
Nobody talks about the Ipod any more now that the Ipad's are out, but I found an 8 gig Ipod touch for 150$ nib, and it does nearly everything I would do with an Ipad, but for about 1/4 the price, plus it fits in my pocket.  Sure it is a little on the small side for reading, but I've got a good 250 books in mine, and maybe 100 songs, plus a couple of movies as well.  If you use it mainly in the home, or spots where you can get a wireless internet connection, it isn't a bad option due to price, size, and the power and capability it has for such a tiny item.  Even the camera's aren't too bad on it.   I just think that I'd rather have this little Ipod that I can run/work out with, and have it with me at all times due to the size, so that whenever unexpected boredom arrives (wife's shopping, going to wife's friends house, wife's outings that you get dragged too etc) you'll have it, where as you need a bag or something for the Ipad.  In fact, the Ipad/Laptop combination works better for me than having just an Ipad.  A good cheap 17" Laptop AND an Ipod cost the same as just an Ipad by itself, and I have way more capability to boot. 

I'll be forced to get an Ipad3 due to the reasons Eagl was talking about(wife), but I won't be using it myself much.

I've checked out the Berry's in the store, and they look pretty good I have to admit, and agree with the OP.  I've been a long time BlackBerry user, in fact I still have the original BlackBerry that had a monochrome screen, I was the first kid on the block with one, and after going through about a dozen of them over time, the original one still is kicking and STILL has the best keyboard out of any of the new ones that came later.  Brand loyalty alone almost got me to get the Berry Tablet, but the Ipod was cheaper and did everything I wanted it to do as I said, and I picked up a cheap Laptop with the price difference.

The nice thing is there is a TON of options out there to fit just about anybody's wants or needs.  Great times.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Tigger29 on February 15, 2012, 01:08:05 PM
Nobody talks about the Ipod any more now that the Ipad's are out,

Nobody talks about the iPod anymore because it's pretty much in the same "class" as the iPhone.  The iPod is pretty much the same thing as the iPhone, minus the phone stuff.

Don't get me wrong I don't have anything specific against Apple products.. my problem is with the general public when they simply don't want to think about things.  There is very little in this world that I'm happy with just being able to use without having to learn about it.

It would be different if Android was difficult to use or if it was problematic but from what I've seen this is far from the case.  Yes iPads might be a little easier to use than an Android tablet but I just don't see it being a big enough difference to justify these kinds of discussions.  Using the Kia vs. BMW comparison.. well both cars do the job.  Both are (relatively) safe.  Yes the BMW may do slightly better in the crash tests but I don't feel that it's enough to justify the price.  Also in my opinion it's a moot point anyway as the car's safety isn't what you should be concerned about - rather the behavior of the other drivers on the road!

People feel safer with iProducts because they are less susceptible to malware and viruses but you know what?  I don't recall EVER reading anything about an Android virus being rampant among these devices.  Also if you stick with the Android Market you're pretty safe.  There's even an option you can check that won't let you install apps from anywhere else but I have to say that it sure is nice to at least have that option!
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Shuffler on February 15, 2012, 05:11:07 PM
... for Android just install lookout and you should be good.

The only keystroke reading software on the iPhones were installed by.... Apple. It has access to all your private info including passwords, text, emails, phone calls..... etc.

Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 15, 2012, 05:36:07 PM
People feel safer with iProducts because they are less susceptible to malware and viruses but you know what?  I don't recall EVER reading anything about an Android virus being rampant among these devices. 

Oh they've had tons of problems....

http://gizmodo.com/5882776/scammers-use-impostor-apps-to-flood-the-android-marketplace-with-malware (http://gizmodo.com/5882776/scammers-use-impostor-apps-to-flood-the-android-marketplace-with-malware)

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/android-malware/ (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/android-malware/)

http://gigaom.com/2012/02/02/android-market-employs-a-bouncer-to-keep-malware-out/ (http://gigaom.com/2012/02/02/android-market-employs-a-bouncer-to-keep-malware-out/)

To their credit they are finally scambling to do something about it.  But jeez.  Did it really come as a suprise?  They really couldn't have predicted this? 

I predict they'll try several rounds of ineffective controls and they'll have to tighted down more each time.  They'll eventually come around to the same solution Apple did, and the same solution MS is going to do for Metro apps.

Locked-down, digitally-signed, officially-certified, app store products that have to go through a reasonably rigorous approval process. 

IMHO,
Wab

Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Sonicblu on February 17, 2012, 12:02:25 AM
I typing on I pad. Wife bought it for fathers day when they first came out. It is a great product I really enjoy it.

I am not a apple true believe never have been, but do like the iPad. Brother has the samsung galaxy and one other one and says iPad is the better option. :x
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 18, 2012, 08:55:26 AM
Yeah and its perfect for that but unfortunately the Fire is very "specialized" if thats the world for it. First and foremost its an e-reader. Then its a music/movie platform. Finally apps and games come. So if thats what you will use it for then no doubt its perfect. I recommend getting a Gumdrop case for it, its the only "rugged" case I've seen for it. The rest are like little fold up things that provide no real protection for it.

So unfortunately it aint the one for me but Im making do with it.

 well, to be honest, i had started a thread asking advice on them here before. the fire was recommenede, and i liked it a lot. that's why i got one for mom.
 the problem with them though, is as you've mentioned. i want more than that. what the kindle is is perfect for her. i need/want expandibility, and other abilities that the fire doesn't have. that's why i'll probably be getting one of the toshibas or samsungs for me.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: Curval on February 19, 2012, 06:44:33 AM
Just bought the blackberry playbook tablet... which is what i am typing on now... i must say that i really believe that is much better than the ipad... hands down.

Anyone else happen to have the blackberry playbook?

I am about to get one.

I want it to be a bridge between my phone and my laptop, an easy way to see and edit email attachments, for example, without having to boot up the laptop.  I understand it has great linking software to the phone and is Citrix capable.  I plan to use it while travelling mostly.

WHile in Best Buy last week looking at them a guy walked past me and warned me NOT to buy one...he said to get an ipad.  After questioning why he said that it all boiled down to "It doesn't have enough aps".  I lol'd and said I need it to link to my work phone seamlessly, synch contacts etc. and frankly the less aps the better because it keeps the kids away from it.  Even Mr. Negative agreed that it would be good for what I wanted to use it for.,
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 19, 2012, 09:01:03 AM
Just bought the blackberry playbook tablet... which is what i am typing on now... i must say that i really believe that is much better than the ipad... hands down.

Anyone else happen to have the blackberry playbook?

Can you print directly from it?
I need something that will run windows type software that I can print directly from either wirelessly or via USB that I dont need to have a 3rd internet connection contract for
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 19, 2012, 09:03:38 AM
well, to be honest, i had started a thread asking advice on them here before. the fire was recommenede, and i liked it a lot. that's why i got one for mom.
 the problem with them though, is as you've mentioned. i want more than that. what the kindle is is perfect for her. i need/want expandibility, and other abilities that the fire doesn't have. that's why i'll probably be getting one of the toshibas or samsungs for me.

You and I are still in the same boat I see. I like those toshibas and samsungs too. I just cant justify the $1500-$2000 for one.

I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: eagl on February 19, 2012, 09:34:10 AM
I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal

I think Lenovo is working on something like that.  There are number of tablets that convert to laptops but I think almost all of them are still atom and/or android based.  I am pretty sure I saw some CES coverage of more powerful convertable tablets though.  The kicker is that they might be waiting for windows 8 since win7 just doesn't have the interface for a convertable tablet.

Win8 looks terrible to me (the interface looks like a child's educational toy I used back in elementary school) but I'm sure it'll either be usable or everyone will keep using win7 until microsoft re-learns that if people wanted their desktops to look/work just like their laptops/tablets, then why the hell would they even own a desktop in the first place?
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 19, 2012, 10:27:30 AM
Yea. folks I talk to all suggest waiting for win 8

The solution is simple
When in laptop mode I want it to look and work like my desktop. when in tablet mode I want it to act like a tablet.

What I want to be able to do is in tablet mode be able to carry it around like i would a pad and write my notes for my quotes that way.
then be able to flip it around into a laptop and take those notes and move them over to my quotes/proposals.

Ideally I'd still like to find a programmer who is willing to work with me to develop estimating software that works the way/s I want it to instead of whats out there making software that force the contractors to do the work their way.
And I'd like it so ti can be made compatible with excel. But not excel based.

Nobody should have to cough up extra money to Microsoft just so they can run their estimating software.

Kind of a breaking bad situation. the programmer knows the chemistry. But I know the business and the various ways we like to do things.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 19, 2012, 10:32:37 AM
until microsoft re-learns that if people wanted their desktops to look/work just like their laptops/tablets, then why the hell would they even own a desktop in the first place?


Just to add. I think alot of people want their laptops to look like their desktops. Mostly because of familiarity. Its an already known interface.
People own desktops because of the power. You can do things on your desktop you simply cant on a laptop. And conveinience.

Why would you buy a mobile camper when you have a perfectly good home?

Camper you can take anywhere. but you can do so much more in a home
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: eagl on February 19, 2012, 01:26:35 PM
Agreed.  I do like my laptop to be somewhat simpler than my desktop because I'm a big multi-monitor fan for desktops so my desktop is somewhat more complicated and I like to keep the laptop simpler and streamlined to keep it more responsive, but I also expect to be able to do the same work on my laptop as I do on the desktop without having to learn a new interface.

Tablets and ultra portables are a different story...  For those things, responsiveness and screen space utilization are key.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 19, 2012, 06:34:28 PM
Agreed.  I do like my laptop to be somewhat simpler than my desktop because I'm a big multi-monitor fan for desktops so my desktop is somewhat more complicated and I like to keep the laptop simpler and streamlined to keep it more responsive, but I also expect to be able to do the same work on my laptop as I do on the desktop without having to learn a new interface.

Tablets and ultra portables are a different story...  For those things, responsiveness and screen space utilization are key.


As I understand it, Win8 can run either Metro apps or "Classic" mode apps (which will look just like Win7) on laptops or desktops.
Mobile devices like phones and tablets (and consoles like the X-Box) will only be able to run Metro apps.
 
I thought the Metro stuff looked stupid at first too, but after see a lot more previews of it I think it might be interesting.  I at least appreciate the fact that MS put a big effort into actually coming up with their own interpretation of how a mobile interface should look like  and didn't  just blindly parrot what Apple had already done.  For that effort alone, I will give it a chance.

Regards,
Wab



Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: MK-84 on February 19, 2012, 07:24:30 PM
Hate to say it but I hate my Kindle Fire.

If all you want is books, movies, and some apps to kill time with then its great and fairly cheap. Otherwise it lacks...

The app market is fairly limited on it. There are no aviation apps for it and that was the main reason I wanted a tablet but this is what daddy bought so Im stuck with it.  :frown:

You can fix this by rooting it
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: MK-84 on February 19, 2012, 07:29:06 PM
MK84 do any of the tablets you sell support Java apps?

Sorry for the late reply,  Any tablet running android that is not "locked" so to speak can do java.  By locked, I mean many tablets are designed with a specific function in mind (like the kindle fire) and you cannot access everything andriod (3.0 honeycomb in this case) has to offer.  You can however root any tablet which gives you full android access.  This is not hard either, but may void your warranty.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: MK-84 on February 19, 2012, 07:53:22 PM
Just to add. I think alot of people want their laptops to look like their desktops. Mostly because of familiarity. Its an already known interface.
People own desktops because of the power. You can do things on your desktop you simply cant on a laptop. And conveinience.

Why would you buy a mobile camper when you have a perfectly good home?

Camper you can take anywhere. but you can do so much more in a home

IMHO if Windows7 for cellphones had the product, and app support that android enjoys it would be a superior product.  Especially because of the live tiles, the simplicity and inability to "over clutter your homescreen" and for performance, and fit and finish.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: MK-84 on February 19, 2012, 07:57:29 PM
Can you print directly from it?
I need something that will run windows type software that I can print directly from either wirelessly or via USB that I dont need to have a 3rd internet connection contract for

You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 19, 2012, 09:21:43 PM
You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.

I "air print" from my iPad.  Works beautifully.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/airprint.html






Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 20, 2012, 07:18:16 AM
You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.

Yea. thats exactly one of the things thats prevented me from just getting a tablet (at 1/3 the price).

Also cloud means having to put my customers info up on the internet. Which I am not willing to do. Having recently been the victim of identity theft myself (long story but I found out through the IRS) I am simply not willing to do it.
Not they may very well have done so themselves. But nobody is going to be getting any customers info through me. Either directly or indirectly.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 25, 2012, 01:28:04 PM
This looks interesting.
emailed em to ask about printing capabilities. but based on its specs and Os I see no reason why not.

http://shop.skytex.com/skytex-skytab-s-series-9-7-windows-7-tablet-pc


newegg has one with win7 home premium for $500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834654001
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 25, 2012, 01:43:48 PM
You and I are still in the same boat I see. I like those toshibas and samsungs too. I just cant justify the $1500-$2000 for one.

I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal

 i may pull the trigger on the toshiba tonight. it's got usb and mini usb ports, so getting info from the tab to my computer will be easy. it has a lot of options for other usage that the other tabs don't seem to have, and it's under $400 now.

 the problem i've been having, is finding the dam thing. went to pc richards the other night. was messing with the demo, liked what i saw, so i told the sales guy i wanted one. so what does he tell me? after a friggin HALF HOUR?  I'M sorry sir, but we don't have any more in stock. i can give you this one(the demo), and talk to my manager to see if he'll throw the extended warranty in for free.
 i wanted to tell him i'd do it for half price on the tab, and the free warranty, but i felt like he'd lied to me, in not letting me know that they were out of stock before i told him i was interested in it. it pissed me off pretty bad.

 next night, i went to walmart(yea, i know, don't start) to see if they had them. they didn't. only the samsung, and some kindles. went out to my truck, and googled it on my phone. found a local radioshack that had them listed as in stock. i go there, and nothing. the kid spent the whole time trying to convince me to buy a kindle, which i like....but they don't do all that i want. and i told him that. he kept trying. i had to walk out while he was still trying.
 there's a best buy in mt laurel that lists them as in stock. gonna call there just before i leave the shop tonight. if they have them, i'm gonna go grab one.
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 25, 2012, 05:17:27 PM
Is the toshiba windows or android based?
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CAP1 on February 25, 2012, 05:48:31 PM
Is the toshiba windows or android based?

 it's android based. i've liked the android system in my phone, which is why i kind of want it on a tablet.

 but here's an interesting and rather annoying update. it seems to be the most capable and versatile of the tabs. and toshiba's friggin discontinuing it.  :bhead :furious :mad: at least that's what the guy at hh gregg told me on the phone.
 that explains why i can't find them anywhere.

 now i have to go looking again to see what i like other than that one. i REALLY liked that it had usb ports and a card slot for extra memory........
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: DREDIOCK on February 25, 2012, 07:14:09 PM
yea. see thats the deal killer for me. Android. as anything I want to run really is windows based. And there isnt a real way to print from an Android system. Printing is a must for me.
Other low points is many of them have an absurdly low amount of drive space. From alot of the reviews and such I've been reading. After the Os and anything you want is installed. You can end up with very little storage space left.
Another reason for windows for me is you can run android on windows. But you cant run windows on Android
Title: Re: Blackberry playbook tablet
Post by: CptTrips on February 25, 2012, 10:08:16 PM
Man, RIM just can't seem to get any love lately.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2012/02/netflix-has-no-plans-to-make-an-app-for-blackberry-devices.ars (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2012/02/netflix-has-no-plans-to-make-an-app-for-blackberry-devices.ars)

Amazing really considering where they were in the mobile market say 5-6 years ago.

:eek:
Wab