Time for my review!
So, I think I've had enough hands-on time to accurately come up with a good review.
Here we go!
The Specs- My PlayBook is the 64GB. It features a 1GHz dual-core processor. 1GB of ram. 7" screen with 1024x600 resolution. Dual HD video cameras, with 5MP back and 3MP front. Wifi connections work real well, and supports 802.11 a/b/g/n. Also has Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.
Dimensions are: Length=7.6" Depth= 0.4" Height= 5.1"
The Outside-For people who appreciate external build quality, as well as a quality feel, you will love the PlayBook! It feels excellent in your hand, with a smooth, thin rubber texture on the backing. It never feels like it's going to slip away from your hands. The PlayBook measures just 9" diagonally, but it feels solid and heavy, in only the best way...like it's packing some heat inside. The sound quality is about the same as the iPad, maybe a bit better, but not by much.
The screen quality, in comparison to the iPad, has a better resolution, and is a lot easier on the eye when switching back and forth between it and the iPhone 4s.I actually enjoy the screen very much, but have noticed that the smoothnes of the QNX OS seems to be bottlenecked by the screens resolution limitation(!). I can't imagine how good the screen would look if the QNX OS was coupled with a retina display.
I'm not a fan of miniature charging ports...I feel like they are always about to snap...and the PlayBook just so happens to have a micro usb charging port. I would prefer a connection similar to that found on iOS devices.
Connections include MicroHDMI port, charging port, and a dock type connection that I can't seem to find anything for.
I also purchased the Incipio Premium Executive Kickstand case for it, and it looks real good!
The QNX OS- The benchmark of OS smoothness, which is the key in having the the best user experience, was created by the iPad. This is the only tablet I know of that runs the OS smoothly, without twitching when scrolling past pages, or moving apps on the screen. Android, even though it's coupled with these monstrous processors, still twitch, creating a horrible experience. The iPad proved that there's more to it than just hardcore power, and this is another example of it.
While the BlackBerry AppWorld isn't anywhere near as vibrant as the iOS app world, QNX speaks for itself. If BlackBerry had access to the same exact apps that any iOS device had, it would dominate the OS world. It's really good! But, as Apple created their own enclosed ecosystem, BlackBerry has done the same, which has unfortunately locked them into their own world. However, that will most likely change with the new QNX V2.0 that is being released this month.
As for actually using it, the first thing you should know is that you don't need to press any buttons to wake the PlayBook from Standby mode. All that is needed is a simple swipe from either the top or bottom bezel towards the center of the screen. Yes, all sides of the bezel are touch sensitive. The bezel is the most important part of the QNX OS. It is used to access an app's menu system(swiping down from the top bezel), multitasking to the next app(swiping from either side of the bezel towards the center of the screen).
Swiping down from the top right corner of the bezel gives you access to the PlayBooks system utilities section. Swiping up from the lower left corner of the bezel gives you instant access to the keyboard.
While in an app, going back to the home screen is done by swiping up from the lower bezel. This instantly moves that current app into the multitasking area, which you can scroll through to select or delete apps from the bar. Putting apps in the multitasking bar gives you the ability to pause a game, listen to music while growing the web, and etc. It works really well!
The web browser found standard on PlayBooks is an actual full browser, with built in flash. I will say though, flash is a pain! You will notice a bit of twitching with it on. I could care less about flash, so I have it turned off. This scrolling quality is excellent with flash turned off...so smooth!
Once you back out of everything, you are given the choice of viewing apps that are categorized either by All, Favorites, Media, and Games. Either one of these sections can be swiped up to take over the screen, and lowered when not needed.
It's a very simple OS, and took all of 5 minutes to learn.
If you haven't noticed by now, the fluidity of an OS is what really draws me into a tablet, which is why there are 2 tablets I would spend money on: The iPad, and the PlayBook.
The only real problem with the PlayBook is that BlackBerry released it at the equivalent price of an iPad. While it does make sense when you compare it to Android tablets that are dime-a-dozen, it was still too expensive for its starting price. The new sale prices are real good in my opinion!
The last aspect of this that should be review is the Mac version of the BlackBerry sync app, which is called BlackBerry Desktop Software. I don't think they could have made it any easier for people to use. Syncing all of my iTunes media, and iPhoto library/events, was as easy as plugging in the PlayBook to my computer, selecting what I wanted to be synced to the PlayBook, and hit "Sync." Then, just sit back and hold on a bit. I thought it took a little long for it to initially sync, with about 3900 pics/videos, and 946 songs, it took ~30 minutes. I guess it's not that bad considering it's being written through another program. The BBDS program also acts just like iTunes in regards to backing up and restoring from past backups. Works well, and is simple to use. So simple, that it's boring.
The Roundup-
Pros-
-QNX OS
-Excellent quality feel.
-Actual full browser.
-Bezel gestures.
-Current price($280-$299 for 64GB).
-Camera's ability.
-Multitasking.
-2 front facing speakers.
Cons-
-Original price.
-micro usb charging.
-Screen rotation feature isn't as quick as that of the iPad.
-If anything else comes up, I'll update this.
I love it!
