Playbook and Android

OcadoOcado Posts: 1,583
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Other week, my sister's friend sold me her Playbook for £70 as she wants an iPhone and is trying to raise the money herself. I love the tablet, very good for the money and takes better photos than my actual Blackberry phone. Only gripe I have about it is that I was told I can install Google Store on the Playbook to download and install Android apps. Haven't been able to figure out how to install the Store on there to download Android apps.

Is it possible, or was I misled when I was told I could install Google Store on the Playbook to download and install Android apps? Thanks for any help.

Comments

  • ShallShall Posts: 97
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    Some Android apps can be side loaded, but it is not a simple as a pure Android tablet. It really depends how tech savy. I managed it fairly easily having googled. You can't load the Android .apk file it needs to be converted to a .bar file. There are web sites that can do this or the .bar files can be found at goodereader web site.
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    There are a good number of Android apps in the Playbook store - already "repackaged".

    Conversion from APK to BAR is easy enough (google it), but the sideloading isn't always such a straight forward process and not all apps will work.

    It'll be interesting to see if the situation improves when (if?) the Playbook receives OS10, that apparently improves Android app compatibility.

    One thing is for sure, you can't just sideload the Google Play store and have it work.
  • OcadoOcado Posts: 1,583
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    OK thanks, the 2 apps I really want to load can't be downloaded without the Google Store. Will try again later though.
  • MicrokorgMicrokorg Posts: 2,670
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    Playbook is NOT receiving BB10
    its official now :(
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Microkorg wrote: »
    Playbook is NOT receiving BB10
    its official now :(

    That's not good news for anyone who still has one.

    Glad I got rid of mine when I did.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 479
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    That's not good news for anyone who still has one.

    Glad I got rid of mine when I did.
    But it still works and functions as designed.Web,email.video and music what more could you want?
  • slick1twoslick1two Posts: 2,877
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    vangeezer wrote: »
    But it still works and functions as designed.Web,email.video and music what more could you want?

    Yep it's official no bb10, but i don't see why they cant get a few bb10 features in there and an updated android runtime. Apparently a big issue is with ram. The PB has 1gb of ram and the Z10 has 2gb. Over a gig is being used on the Z10 so bb10 in it's current state will not work on the PB unless it was heavily stripped down, but then you will lose some functionality. I guess bb just think it best to go without.

    But I am sure they can update the tablet OS that is on there and improve it. If not then they have basically given up on it. A shame really. But it still works, and you can do the basics with it.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    vangeezer wrote: »
    But it still works and functions as designed.Web,email.video and music what more could you want?

    It does - and for that it's still a very good tablets.

    But as it's not moving forward and taking the latest OS and so also not getting access to the latest apps and games I'm glad I moved on.

    I do think it's a shame that it is being dumped by Blackberry after promising BB10 for the Playbook.
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    It does - and for that it's still a very good tablets.

    But as it's not moving forward and taking the latest OS and so also not getting access to the latest apps and games I'm glad I moved on.

    I do think it's a shame that it is being dumped by Blackberry after promising BB10 for the Playbook.

    Still prefer my Playbook to the Nexus 7 for browsing, the Nexus is primarily for gaming. Chrome on the 7 really is dire.

    All that I wanted on the Playbook is improved bookmark support ....

    But their dropping BB10 for the PB strikes me as being more down to political rather than technical reasons. And the way its been handled shows utter contempt for their customer base. Some people had (stupidly?) bought the PB having been told that it would be getting the BB10 upgrade.

    It'll be interesting to see what they do with regards to updates, their track record is poor. Some claims that it's going to get nothing.

    At least Nokia have (so far) kept their promise of updates/bug fixes for Symbian. Getting plenty through for my 808, and even the rather old N8 is still getting some updates.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    I actually changed to a Nexus 7 so I know about Chrome! LOL Certainly not the best out there are quite a few other options like Boat and Dolphin which I do prefer.

    As far as I know Blackberry had officially said the Playbook was getting BB10 and that there was even a Beta available for it - which makes it even more of shame that it is not going to come out.
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    I actually changed to a Nexus 7 so I know about Chrome! LOL Certainly not the best out there are quite a few other options like Boat and Dolphin which I do prefer.

    As far as I know Blackberry had officially said the Playbook was getting BB10 and that there was even a Beta available for it - which makes it even more of shame that it is not going to come out.

    Occasionally chrome is brilliant, the rest of the time its a complete mess. Used Dolphin on my old Vega, but always felt the interface was a bit of a mess.

    I'm sure there are people on the crackberry forums who were running the beta without any major problems, which is further confirmation that its primarily a political decision. A political decision to completely fkuc over the company.

    Does Thorsten secretly work for MS, or is Elop his idol?
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