You are here

CB » News & Rumors » First Look: BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook
BlackBerry App World PlayBook
More BlackBerry PlayBook questions answered - multitasking, moving homescreen icons, menu options, etc. Previous
BlackBerry 101 - Adding and customizing contacts on OS6Next
27 Comments

First Look: BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook

By Adam Zeis on 7 Jan 2011 11:28 am
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...

While running around in the chaos that is the BlackBerry booth here at CES there was definitely a lot going on. From the demos to the accessories we're really getting our fill of all that is the BlackBerry PlayBook. During one of the on-screen promos RIM has running, we noticed this screen of what will be BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook. Simply put it looks great. It's a big jump from what we know now as App World and we'll welcome it with open arms. We know that apps can only be installed to the PlayBook from App World (at least at the start) so having a great interface is definitely needed. While we haven't seen it on an actual device the image above is really all we have to go with for now. 

Topics: BlackBerry World BlackBerry Playbook News & Rumors

More BlackBerry PlayBook questions answered - multitasking, moving homescreen icons, menu options, etc. Previous
BlackBerry 101 - Adding and customizing contacts on OS6Next
Adam Zeis Adam Zeis 3031 (articles) 2790 (forum posts)
27 comments

the brother

Now that is some sexiness right there

thegoodboy66

Looks pretty similar to Apple appstore on the iPad ... hm... c'mon RIM you can do better !!, I like Blackberry Playbook but don't do that please !!

Agent00J

Looks pretty cool. Looking forward to seeing more. Still, I can't help but want to see RIM make some kind of steps towards making this OS work on their phones.

EarthRyno

http://www.blackberryos.com/forums/content/rim-produce-super-phones-361/...

It is on its way, my friend. It's on its way. :)

GenTsoChicken

Nice. Can't come quick enough.

barrist

hah showing the harshness of appworld reviewers right there. three stars for BBM lol.

joandrade

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease can we have Skype for the Playbook, since we don't have it in GSM BB's?

alainas

I second that, that is exactly what caught my eye

kcmo

Yup, I saw that too and really hope it works on the PB!

q649

You're a bit too excited ;^)

Take a look at the screenshot at the top of this article!

Mister-E

Is connecting to your blackberry only possible via Bluetooth? Is bluetooth fast enough to stream Netflix or YouTube to the Playbook?

barrist

Maybe. Bluetooth 2.1EDR transfers at around 2.1mbit/sec..

which is around the average 3G speed is. So either could be a bottleneck.

I could have sworn that i read somewhere that it can be connected to a blackberry through USB as well.

joandrade

I don't thing the pairing process is well explained. Quite frankly, it would make much more sense if the bluetooth only worked for transfering device information (contacts, calendar...) to and from the Playbook. I don't think we're going to see any tethering, at least for now.
It's much more reliable (and faster, too) to access the internet through wi-fi (or 3G, in future models) than Bluetooth.

acwyau

I found that the Blackberry Bridge software seems to work pretty well. I'm really not too concerned about the speed of a bluetooth-tethered internet connection, as the majority of the time I have access to wifi. However, having the convenience of the bluetooth option for occasional access is a huge plus for me. The speed is a fair trade-off for me, if I can avoid paying for another data plan with a contract committment.

Hwycop

If Mike is saying that putting out a super phone is part of their 10 year plan, the mobile world will leave RIM so far behind it is not funny. A BB with QNX needs to be out this year, not 2 or 3 years, let alone 10. Please RIM tell me something that will give me hope for the near future.

BerryDiva

You should reread. RIM has a 10 year business model that they've put together. A business model doesn't mean that we won't see the device in 10 years. A business model is just about strategy and has less to do with production. It assures the "street" that the company is viable and plans to remain such.

Frank2029

Relax. I think this is just their strategy by keeping quiet. Maybe they want Apple and Android to think they have plenty of time on their hands. RIM acquired QNX on April 9th, 2010. Not even a year later they are releasing the playbook that is QNX enabled. Do you really think they haven't been testing this on some of their current and future smart-phones? Just stay calm. You will see something soon.

xtremesniper

I'm pretty impressed with this new OS, but if they really want to keep my as a BB user after my 9000 goes kaput, they really have to start talking about when QNX is going to show up on the actual blackberries. They have until fall of this year before they potentially lose me as a client.

andrewmcwhirter

Skype and Netflix please

HectorBusyBee

I'm already excited about the PB as it is. But Skype and Netflix would be heaven!

ibizalover

OK now I can see skype, good news...
But please RIM just show me more apps such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Smurf Village, french newspapers, kindle... I want to see and to be sure that developpers are following you on QNX OS.

Unless I'll be sure about that, I will certainly leave you for an Android Tab. The G-Slate from LG, the Motorola Xoom, the coming HTC Scribe have all the same tech specs than the PB so the OS and the developper community will lead my choice... Even the Dell Streak 7" that will be released with Android 2.3 at first but will have an update to Honeycomb seems more appealing with the 200k from Android Market...

There's no use to start your superphone program if you don't have any developpers (and developpers from all around the world not only US developpers!) following you.

Even with a Flash enabled device, you'll need a thousand of good apps to gain market shares in the tab market... OK, there's no doubt the PB will be better than the ipad to work, OK it will be OK for an enterprise environment, still no doubt...

But even if I need a tablet to work, I also need a tablet for entertainment: good games, multimedia capabilities and video-calls through skype...

So please stop saying you're aiming the entreprise world, we all know it's not true and that you want to compete with the ipad and the android-based tablets...

I so want to stay with you RIM, but I'm so sure to be dissapointed as I currently am with my Torch and the lack of apps developped for your BB OS 6!

123berryaddicted

Kevin, could you please demo for us some better examples of flash games/apps via the web. We have seen on countless demo vids that the playbook runs flash very well, could you please catch some video of it playing a flash game other than a puzzle type (Ryan already did that, wasn't "wow" impressive")... Let's see some sort of action flash game running full screen on the PB!! Please please please. And than you for all the wonderful coverage thus far from CES...

elche1988

I want skype on my torch!!!!!!!!!! Every other platform has it damn!!! Even symbian!!!

thetnaung

As for me, seeing skype on playbook is more bonus to have my playbook. Can't wait!

velkcro

i am not a touch screen person but the day RIM turns this tablet into a phone im camping out at best buy future shop where ever its gonna be at for it.

migo809

Well it looks way better than the smartphone version which feels empty..

icycoldice

THERE'S A SKYPE APP!! When we will get skype for nonVerzion blackberrys?