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Blackberry Playbook 16gb 7" - £109 - is it worth it?
Mark in Essex
05-09-2012
Looking for a cheap tablet for my wife and have seen this new.

She just really needs it for surfing the Internet.

I was wondering if it's a good price and if it will suit her (the one in the shop is not powered on).

Also I know some tablets can be reflashed with Android. I can it be done with these?

Cheers, Mark.
alan1302
05-09-2012
Originally Posted by Mark in Essex:
“Looking for a cheap tablet for my wife and have seen this new.

She just really needs it for surfing the Internet.

I was wondering if it's a good price and if it will suit her (the one in the shop is not powered on).

Also I know some tablets can be reflashed with Android. I can it be done with these?

Cheers, Mark.”

Well I don’t know your wife so don’t know if it will suit! LOL If it’s just web surfing she wants then it will be perfect as the browser is very good and the screen bright and clear.

It’s can’t be re-flashed with Android – only tablets made for Android can have that done. Although you can use some Android apps and games on the Playbook if they have been converted to a BAR file which is what the Playbook uses - and then side loaded which is easy to do.

Might be worth spending £20 more and getting the 64GB version whilst they are cheap.
Rodney McKay
05-09-2012
Originally Posted by alan1302:
“Well I don’t know your wife so don’t know if it will suit! LOL If it’s just web surfing she wants then it will be perfect as the browser is very good and the screen bright and clear.

It’s can’t be re-flashed with Android – only tablets made for Android can have that done. Although you can use some Android apps and games on the Playbook if they have been converted to a BAR file which is what the Playbook uses - and then side loaded which is easy to do.

Might be worth spending £20 more and getting the 64GB version whilst they are cheap.”

I have the 16 gig version which does me as a second tablet, but I agree the 64 gig one is great value.

Regarding the running of Android on the Playbook, there are people who are looking into it and some claims it has or can be done.

But I've not seen anything and Blackberry are quite tight lipped out their own OS.

i don't mind sideloading Android apps to be honest, it means I only put what I really need on the PB and saves filling it up with crap I don't really need ( like I do on my phone)
shepster34
06-09-2012
definitely get the 64gb if theres any left in the store.
My wife loves hers, OS 2.1 beta is silky smooth with no slowdown whatsoever
Android apps can still be sideloaded on this new OS.
(kindle sideloaded works perfectly)

The one downside so far is it doesnt have skype which is such a shame as one of its best features of the playbook is the camera.
Hopefully that will be rectified at some stage
slick1two
07-09-2012
If the 64gb version was a lot more than the 16gb then yes 109 would be a good deal but surely 20 quid more for the 64gb is a no brainer of a Purchase?
Lindy_Loue
08-09-2012
Sorry to be ignorant, but what is ''side-loading'' and is it easy to do?

Also I don't have a smartphone, so couldn't rely on that for connection - I take it the Playbook works with home wi-fi and hotspots??
alanwarwic
08-09-2012
I'm just assuming it is like WIndows Metro but here you install a subset of Android/Java so you can run stuff alongside the full operating system.

Metro on full Windows is the same. Its essentially an app to let you run apps.
Mr. Cool
08-09-2012
Originally Posted by Lindy_Loue:
“Sorry to be ignorant, but what is ''side-loading'' and is it easy to do?

Also I don't have a smartphone, so couldn't rely on that for connection - I take it the Playbook works with home wi-fi and hotspots??”

You have to sideload them (the .BAR files) from your PC.

It's a nice tablet for an amazing price so I could probably live with having to sideload (if I get one ).

When BB10 launches I can see more 'big name apps' coming...

And yes, it works with Wi-Fi and hotspots.
alan1302
08-09-2012
Originally Posted by Lindy_Loue:
“Sorry to be ignorant, but what is ''side-loading'' and is it easy to do?

Also I don't have a smartphone, so couldn't rely on that for connection - I take it the Playbook works with home wi-fi and hotspots??”

Sideloading is very easy to - you can find all the details below:

http://crackberry.com/how-play-scram...berry-playbook
Lindy_Loue
08-09-2012
Originally Posted by alan1302:
“Sideloading is very easy to - you can find all the details below:

http://crackberry.com/how-play-scram...berry-playbook”

Many thanks - I'll have a look
Rodney McKay
08-09-2012
Originally Posted by Lindy_Loue:
“Many thanks - I'll have a look ”

Side loading is straightforward and many apps have already been converted such as Kindle, Dropbox etc.

If you Google for converted apps for Playbook you'll find plenty of sites with them on.
Stilian
09-09-2012
I would also recommend the 64GB model http://forconsumers.blogspot.com/201...ce-review.html, it is a bit more expensive but it is definitely worth it. I myself prefer Samsung tablets (when talking about Android tablets) and for this size probably the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the best choice, but it is all up to user's preferences.
khushi
09-09-2012
I've just seen that the Playbook 64GB is selling for £129.00 at Currys, I don't own a tablet but I am so tempted to purchase this!

I don't mind sideloading apps-...ooh temptation. Someone talk me out of it, quick.
Mr. Cool
09-09-2012
Originally Posted by khushi:
“I've just seen that the Playbook 64GB is selling for £129.00 at Currys, I don't own a tablet but I am so tempted to purchase this!

I don't mind sideloading apps-...ooh temptation. Someone talk me out of it, quick.”

Just buy it
khushi
09-09-2012
Originally Posted by Mr. Cool:
“Just buy it ”

That's not helping!

Oh, damn. *Thinks*

I can justify it as a birthday gift for myself. At a low low price.

Why is the price so low? I don't geddit.
alan1302
09-09-2012
Originally Posted by khushi:
“That's not helping!

Oh, damn. *Thinks*

I can justify it as a birthday gift for myself. At a low low price.

Why is the price so low? I don't geddit.”

The price is low as Blackberry priced it too high to start with - at around £400 it was priced against the iPad despite it being a smaller screen so it did badly and Blackberry need to clear stocks of them now and get some sold so the price has come down a lot - but the build quality on them in fantastic...they feel very solid on the back and the rubbersised back means you can grip it well.
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