Playing the Playbook

Three weeks ago I had the chance to play around with the tablet of RIM, the Playbook . I say playing around because I do not really spend a bit of fiddling, trying to torture her by placing all applications running at once, make a photo and stun my friends RIM with questions over about one hour. I am unable therefore to make an assessment as is the case, beyond a few first impressions.

The two devices I tested were experimental, with no logos or literally "with the cables hanging", but anyway, that's what confidence :-) Then they asked me to wait a little to write about my impressions, but the device being marketed in the United States and Canada and the net full of comments about , I believe that my wait has already been more than prudent.

Impressed? In general, good. Dual-core processor very, very strong, and operating system, based on QNX , capable of pulling anything. At one point I got to play HD video while playing something and run multiple applications without the device manifest the slightest downturn. In that sense, very good: the risky bet RIM greater openness through the acquisition of QNX , despite the tough decision to involve giving up years of development of the BlackBerry OS, seems to have led to a more reasonable integration with devices. In the evolution of all development comes a time when the system becomes too large and heavy, and BlackBerry OS could, for many, having reached that stage. Jump now to a development as minimalist as QNX , an operating system for real time POSIX with implementation microkernel embedded systems standard, economical use of memory and can bring about a real advantage.

Development decisions seem reasonably studied. While the idea of a tablet depends on a smartphone for important functions may be unattractive to offer the corporate system administrators, the great strength of RIM, sustained security standards in a second device may have an interest. Once matched, in fact, you almost forget that we do (except in the last century operators of those who tremble at the word "tethering" of course ), and is in no sense of being "a big screen for your BlackBerry. " In my tests, and taking into account user I am delighted iPad long that I do not miss Flash at all and I expected some disappointment due to the smaller, the satisfaction level was surprisingly high. Details like the whole area - including borders - is touch and gestures availability of simple, intuitive drag caused the perceived experience was pretty good.

Sincerely, rather than the device, I was struck by your operating system and what can come of its adoption by a generic brand to the BlackBerry OS looked and weigh up the degree of being a burden. All indications are that the market will be dominated by Apple tablet until at least 2015 . But the Playbook, despite a seemingly limited and dependent design of another device, and a lack of applications also suffer at this time all the devices of the mark (and that the adoption of QNX could address ) not bad color in the face of a corporate market and a user type that never leaves his BlackBerry more than ten inches.