Tablet Hands-On Roundup
by Vivek Gowri on January 27, 2011 10:25 AM EST
We were pretty eager to see the PlayBook, so we swung by RIM’s booth to get our hands on the new tablet. Initial impressions of the 7” tablet show a lot of promise. RIM has done a great job with the BlackBerry Tablet OS, though most of the credit likely has to go to RIM acquisition QNX, whose real-time operating system provides the basis for the Tablet OS. The UI is very responsive and provides a clean break from the smartphone version of the BlackBerry OS.
RIM is being rather coy about the hardware, beyond saying that it has a 1GHz multi-core processor. However, we have heard very strong hints from multiple parties saying that there’s a TI OMAP 4 SoC underhood, so you can basically pencil in the OMAP 4430’s dual-core 1GHz Cortex A9 and PowerVR SGX 540. The 7” display has a 1024x600 resolution and appeared to have pretty decent viewing angles. There are two cameras here, a 3MP unit on the front and a 5MP unit on the back, as well as a micro-HDMI port. Dimensionally, the PlayBook is slightly larger and slightly thinner than the Galaxy Tab, as well as marginally heavier, but unless you have the two side by side like I did, you wouldn’t be able to notice. The soft touch backing gives the device a very nice feel in hand.
The PlayBook’s interface is Apple-like in its grace and simplicity. Swiping your fingers left or right across the screen flips through multiple pages of the home screen. Sliding your fingers upwards gives you access to the multitasking menu with a live view of your running applications (similar to Win+Tab in Windows or Expose in OS X). In the web browser, the same action brings up a live view of the current tab set. Speaking of the browser, it has support for both HTML5 and Adobe Flash capability.
Multitasking performance is particularly impressive on the PlayBook. We were able to playback HD video, run a Quake 3 timedemo, and load a web page at the same time without any noticeable slowdown on the UI, and I saw another PlayBook unit running two 1080p videos simultaneously in the background with smooth browser performance and no dropped frames in either video.
We’re looking forward to getting our hands on a production model of the PlayBook in the coming months, and RIM says that the WiFi-only model of the PlayBook should be out before April. A 3G/WiMAX-equipped PlayBook should be available later on this year. It looks like RIM is pretty serious about the tablet space, so it looks like Apple and Google will definitely have some solid competition in 2011.
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KoolAidMan1 - Thursday, February 3, 2011 - link
You nerds are so fucking retarded and detached from reality.Hilarious, please keep posting.
kraeper - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
I can't speak for the rest of the market, but I agree on $500 being too high, and would add that the carrier contracts are the real deal-killers for me. Yes I know they can be purchased without a contract, but they're pricing them to be purchased with one. Thing is, I have a cellphone. All I would want is a tablet with wifi. If I need data access on the tablet while I'm out and about, well, that's why smartphones have hot-spot capabilities. Another 2-year contract, even if it's 'just' a $30/month data plan, is still $720 on top of the tablet cost. Yuck.Sure, plenty of people are too lazy to hotspot, or just figure they'll stick their tablet in their pocket and use it with Skype as their cellphone (lol) but the marketing/pricing on these right now baffles me.
michael2k - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
Actually, at least with the iPad, you get significantly longer battery life and a slightly higer resolution than with the iPod touch for that extra $180.ImSpartacus - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
If you're looking for value, grab a Nook Color. Root that bad boy and enjoy a $250 Android tablet.pandemonium - Friday, January 28, 2011 - link
So, Apple can do it, but no one else can?Cheap and knock-off is highly subjective and showing how little perception you've given to the article or what's within.
Shftup - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
I think you guys need to add a new section - Tablets (there is a sub section for every other computing catergory), especially if 2011 is the year of tablets.....lazn_ - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
So what I want is a tablet with a good IR transmitter..One that can be used to control my home entertainment system. Say browse Netflix on it, then click a button to have my TV load that movie up.. Or with Hulu and all that.. But without having to buy into a brand (like the Panasonic).
With an IR transmitter and GoogleTV it should be easy to implement.
lazn_ - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
I don't have any use for a tablet as a tablet...But a tablet as an interface to other devices, that I could use.
soydeedo - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
You might want to take a look at the Vizio offerings from CES:http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/vizio-tablet-ha...
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/vizio-phone-han...
They both have IR transmitters and universal remote capabilities.
Jorgisven - Thursday, January 27, 2011 - link
IR Transmitter? That tech is so 90's, a la Palm Pilots. New TV's are coming wifi/internet enabled, as are blu-ray players. It's all over network now. Google TV's have apps for android to control just that. Also, Comcast has an Xfinity App that, provided you're using their HD box, you can do all that - browse on demand listings, change channels, all from an iPad (or Android Phone). It's certainly not brand specific. I have a Dynex TV (cheap Best Buy brand). Getting the XBox App for Android allows Netflix, etc. In fact, Netflix apps are all over.IR is old and slow, and line of sight only, and I wish Nintendo hadn't bought into it. Cloud control is where it's all headed anyway.