BlackBerry® PlayBook™

[RockSteady]

"The fact Google Maps did not run properly on the Playbook would be more an issue for Google themselves as they write the app rather than RIM."

Just for the record, I was referring to the Maps link and not the Google World app.  In my many years in IT, I've never encountered a browser, Safari, IE x, Mozilla, etc., that would not run Google maps.

In the past, forum posts by some of the more jaded authors suggested that this is because Bing Maps was packaged with PB.  Unfortunately Bing Maps doesn't do enough to make it even marginally useful.

[jamead1981]

In what way do you find the Google Maps website does not work? I must admit I've used it on the odd occasion and have not seemed to encounter any issues. 

[zookeeper121]

I don't know what this update really gets me:

1.  Angry Birds is still $4.99, even with this new version "Rio" available, and Angry Birds has been free on Android & iPad for HOW long??

2.  Still no Skype

3.  Still no Netflix.

4.  No Android Market.

5.  A BUNCH of crappy little apps now flooding the BB Market.

6.  I wonder how many of our complaints about v1 have been addressed in v2?  Has anybody checked to see if you can access the Market via phone tether?

[jamead1981]

1. It's up to the developers how much they charge.... so go and complain to them.

2. Go and complain to Skype.. they develop the apps, not RIM

3. see point 2 - Netflix develop, not RIM

4. Read through this thread - there was never ever going to be an Android Market - developers use the tools RIM provided to repackage their existing apps and they submit them into the App store.

5. I assume these are ported Android apps (more than likely to qualify the developer for the free playbooK). Just a side note.... I believe that the Android Market Place is full of the same apps?

6. I've yet to check if you can access the App Store via tether so can't comment on this.

[jimlad]

Via android developers recoup money using advertising, that may not be the case here. I'm very impressed with os2, I think your issues are not rims fault.

[JSanders Resident Expert]

If the app is not available in AppWorld, you can sideload it to your PlayBook.

RIM never said it would have a stand alone Androind Player. You might have read some user say that.

But, any Android app can be put to AppWorld (which, by the way, a developer refusing to do this is stupid to being with. The facts show AppWorld apps make more money and and higher percentage of profit than in the Android Market or AppStore on iOS). That's a fact, so maybe that developer just doesn't hear the cash register.

[zookeeper121]

For 1... so the developers are subsidized by Apple and Google but not RIM? Who's fault is that?

For 2 and 3, ... c'mon! RIM should be working WITH these companies to get those apps developed and published! Those are the 2 biggest apps people want on their Playbooks! Individual complaints to those companies aren't going to get anything accomplished. Some sort of deal between then and RIM would. It's all about the Benjamins.

For 4 ... LOTS of people were under the impression that their would either be an Android Market or that REAL Android apps would be available via BB Market (like all of them). Not just ones converted to BB format. We're still not running Android Apps, technically.

For 5... yeah, I'd take a free Playbook too, if all I had to do was create or port the sillliest little games with hardly any code. I don't think the big boys went for this "incentive".

For 6... I just read you still can't disable the 5 minute turn-off timer or control the backlight dim. How hard do you think these things are to fix? Let me tell you... NOT HARD. Not happy with RIM on this stuff!

[jimlad]

Chill...


I don't want those two apps.. I also wasn't under the impression that we were getting Market, I am happy with os2, what they have done is fix most of my gripes.

[gabboud1]

I agree with you, if RIM does not open the android market, have as a minimum skype, betflix, etc... they are doomed and I hate to say that. I was holding a while and did not buy android, now that it is clear about what we are dealing with I am buying an android tablet. It is a shame because I carry a blackberry bold.  

That's all. Good luck RIM.