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Mobile World Congress 2011 is now in full swing, and as we hoped Research In Motion has the BlackBerry PlayBook on hand and for the first time is showing it off in Europe. I'm not at MWC this year in person, but our good friend Ewan MacLeod is on site covering the show for us and the first thing he did was rush to the BlackBerry booth to get an update video on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Last week RIM announced that EA's Need for Speed and Tetris would come preloaded on the PlayBook, and sure enough we got a good look at it. Check out the video above to see Need for Speed, Tetris and more live and in action. Hawt!!
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jacmeister68 Feb 14, 2011 at 9:00 am
Nice Vid, think someone has been spending too much time on need for speed,
think he needs a new game.
Roll on android market !!
jacmeister68 Feb 14, 2011 at 9:05 am
Kevin
any news on the QNX kernel supplanted in 6.1 ????
B_Eazy Feb 14, 2011 at 9:09 am
Well well well!! After seeing stuff like this and im sure we will be seeing more soon, I wonder if I was a Ipad fan or an Android fan, how would I feel like???? Like a stinking ass bitch that lost her boyfriend to a better woman! lol
The Playbook is just awesome and will kick every competitors butt! Even Kik is getting a Kick by RIM! LOLLLL
67Tucker Feb 14, 2011 at 9:40 am
Let me guess, you must be about 10 years old. Games are ONLY new to the blackberry platform. This is old news to everyone else.
shlammed Feb 14, 2011 at 10:01 am
Games are old news, but how many other platforms can you tell me that can play that game, quake 3, and run those OpenGL videos at the same time and move inbetween them with no issues?
huh? huh?
rlopin Feb 14, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Actually, WebOS can. And from the looks of things RIM completely lifted the WebOS UI: Cards, Gestures, even the game they chose to demo (NFS) and pause is the same game/demo combination often used to demo WebOS.
Now I just learned that Microsoft just presented at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona a new Windows Phone 7 UI to add, guess what, a view of your running apps, presented as a horizontally scrolling series of cards (however, not a live view like WebOS and PlayBook).
WebOS is guilty of copying stuff from Apple and vice-versa. So I guess it's a free for all out there. Everyone will compete on price, performance, quality and quantity of apps, and ecosystem.
Intosh Feb 14, 2011 at 4:58 pm
"Cards", or rather zoomed out windows sitting horizontally side-by-side, is nothing new. Years ago, way before WebOS, I was able to list my opened tabs on Firefox (with a plugin) in the same way. And I'm sure that concept has been used before Firefox too. The only thing new that Palm did was to give this concept a name ("cards") and to use rounded corners for the windows. Big deal!
The only thing RIM copied is that gesture to dismiss an app.
And Palm copied RIM with the categories on the launcher of WebOS 2.0.
rlopin Feb 17, 2011 at 1:19 am
Yes, there have been similar variations of zoomed out windows sitting side-by-side, but having the cards displaying a live running app on mobile devices is pretty unique. Please reference a counter example -- I don't mind being proved wrong.
Using the area outside the screen as a gesture area is another unique innovation by Palm. RIM copied that for the PlayBook. All 4 sides of the PlayBook bezel are active touch areas.
Ironically, HP/Palm is dropping this feature for the HP TouchPad (but keeping it for their smartphones).
shlammed Feb 14, 2011 at 9:39 pm
I guess we can add your name to the list of those who don't understand the difference between app switching and true multitasking.
Congrats.
rlopin Feb 17, 2011 at 12:51 am
I understand the difference completely. Please elaborate how you inferred that from my comment.
- WebOS and Playbook perform multi-tasking.
- WM7 does app switching.
- iOS does app switching, but exposes APIs for developers to add multi-tasking for a specific set of services.
- Android does multi-tasking, but actively kills apps when it needs system resources (WebOS notifies the user 'too many cards' and lets the user decide which apps to close)
B_Eazy Feb 14, 2011 at 10:29 am
First im probabaly 10 years older than you by judging from your 13 year old comment(Im even older than that!). Second, its not about the games itself but about the power, the flexibility and the agility of this product that will be able to adapt to all types of market or consumers! Games are just the tip of the iceberg!
rcm1301 Feb 14, 2011 at 10:49 am
Tucker, you're probably an iPad person - so are you jealous?
WillieLee Feb 14, 2011 at 11:19 am
He's a forum troll. His only contribution is to always be negative on RIM.
67Tucker Feb 14, 2011 at 11:31 am
I'm a troll because I call it the way that I see it? Guilty as charged then.
WillieLee Feb 14, 2011 at 2:10 pm
You're a troll because you offer nothing of substance, just derision. And it's not even entertaining derision.
powmix Feb 14, 2011 at 9:46 am
QNX needs to hurry up and come to blackberry handsets, so that I can stop switching between my pre plus and iPhone.
powmix Feb 14, 2011 at 9:18 am
I'm a webos user and the playbook just pissed on the Hp Touchpad!
pkcable Feb 14, 2011 at 9:39 am
Damn, I want one, and I want it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rcm1301 Feb 14, 2011 at 10:46 am
Need for Speed - Need a Playbook!!!!!!!
edyts Feb 14, 2011 at 11:31 am
This just makes me even more excited to get mine, so glad i got a friend holding one for me because i think these are gonna sell out quick.. Need for speed and quake playing at the same time so sick.
Ghostnyc Feb 14, 2011 at 11:34 am
Great Clip, nice demo of processing power by running both games at the same time and more. But of course critics will want further proof (how about running Crysis on Playbook)
Im a Blackberry user/fan and looking forward to actual Playbook release before I tell the crap talkers to suck on it.
spencerdl Feb 14, 2011 at 11:40 am
All thats NICE and DANDY . Once again, Blackberry is late to the party ....... I hope the Playbook is released before I get autheritis
barrist Feb 14, 2011 at 11:47 am
And hopefully before you learn to spell.
jlb21 Feb 14, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Autheritis???
What, before you get tired/scared of writing blog entries?
:)
flyersfan76 Feb 14, 2011 at 11:45 am
Can you imagine being a person that has heard about the Playbook and then just happen to be sitting on the plane next to the Blackberry Exec while he is playing that game. That would be pretty cool.
jwmax Feb 14, 2011 at 11:49 am
Sent this to a friend that is thinking about getting the iPad 2. His response... this is fine but angry birds is the hot game not NFS.
Just goes to show you can't win with iPad drones. They will come up with anything to stick to their beloved Apple.
What to do? Screw them, this thing is hot and everyone can see it. RIM will do well and I'll/ We'll get the Playbook and be happy.
jfs101 Feb 14, 2011 at 12:32 pm
In a totally pointless observation: At the very end of the video the calendar icon displays 31... Will this almighty tablet not display the actual day in this icon???
greatness10 Feb 14, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I saw that too. Was wondering if that will change. OS 6 gives the actual date.
Also, we need to see a video of the playbook tethering to a bb phone using its data...I need proof that this can happen without a bogus extra charge.
mattv888 Feb 14, 2011 at 6:55 pm
it's been advertised a thousand times and then suddenly RIM went quiet about it. This for me is the ONE thing that would sway it between an iPad2 and the Playbook for me. If I can freely use my data (within the stupid 500MB limit in the UK of course), then this will be an instant buy for me.
Also, if I bought this in the states when it came out, would the data work with my UK blackberry in the UK (assuming that feature is still on track at all???)
Auli Feb 14, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Agreed.
Auli Feb 14, 2011 at 9:33 pm
Agreed.
jwmax Feb 15, 2011 at 8:16 am
I think it just uses bluetooth so technically it shouldn't matter where you buy it (I think). The problem about announcing tethering is that it isn't up to RIM it's up to your carrier. I'm thinking early on they might want to block this to see how many people will purchase a Playbook 3G from them, but if sales are like with the iPad where most people are just going to purchase wifi regardless then they might see that they are potentially giving up money.
I travel a fair amount but I cannot really think of a place where I don't have access to wifi except in a taxi and usually checking email is about all I have time for there so I don't see much value in this option.
It's $500 if you are a person that flies from the UK to the US all the time I think you can afford to pick this up if you want and use it until you get a 3G or 4G version in the UK which will likely be even cheaper since you'll buy it on contract.
rookie83#cb Feb 14, 2011 at 1:19 pm
this is great looks very promising might outsell zoom if price stays low. It's just a shame they cant get a touch screen phone out in time to pair with it hope my droid will hook up to it when I get droid bionic
edyts Feb 14, 2011 at 1:29 pm
well it pairs with any blackberry os5 and higher so that means the s2 and torch will pair with it, maybe im stupid but im pretty sure those are both touchscreen phones.
Deathcommand Feb 14, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Thats how blackberry Users do it. Playing Quake and Need4speed at the same time on a single device.
jlb21 Feb 14, 2011 at 1:55 pm
This is nice and all.....
But there are still so many unanswered questions about the PlayBook.
You know, trying to follow the life of the PlayBook is like watching Lost (which I love).....get a few answers, get more questions.
gregorylkelly Feb 14, 2011 at 3:10 pm
+1...So true!
I loved Lost and I'm loving the PlayBook!
rgm#cb Feb 14, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Come on RIM get moving and get this out. I need you to show Steve Jobs and the Apple sheep that your 7" tablet will be one of the top selling tablets. Forget about all the negative bloggers who pick at the smallest of shit to complain about. I read blogs on all the up coming tablets and if everything was right, they complained about price. If price was right, they complained about copying of OS and UI. Bet none of these bloggers have stock in these companies they argue about. Get over it and buy what you want!!! I want the play book and I am getting it. Go RIM!
Momo13Drums Feb 14, 2011 at 2:25 pm
This is great and all, and I've been excited for playbook since the day information surfaced back in September 2010.
But It's enough. We don't need videos showing games, apps, whatever. It should be a given it does these things.
The only thing left for RIM is to announce an official release date, official prices for every model, and clear up whether or not we have to pay an extra tethering charge.
I don't know about any of you guys, but I'm a big blackberry supporter - maybe RIM showed the playbook too soon. I can't keep my level of excitement for 5-6 months.
All RIM has done is gotten people excited, created unanswered questions, or questions that take weeks or even months to answer... and then left people with enough time to wonder if they really need this tablet, or if it's worth purchasing, especially with said questions unanswered.
I am waiting for a playbook, as I am a patient individual, and it will integrate well with my current system; but most consumers aren't, and those who are, are fleeting quickly, with all these questions unanswered.
Whoever works at RIM's marketing department needs to be fired.
We are 45 days away from the end of Q1. There is no release date. No prices on anything besides 16gb. No tethering information. No store information besides leaked staples and office depot which is past Q1.
I will be impressed if RIM get's this out within the next 45 days, on store shelves, and in my hands before March 31st without these questions answered. If they do, great, but RIM's marketing section made a huge mistake either way.
T.roy Feb 14, 2011 at 2:39 pm
RIM has run a masterful drip campaign. They've had people talking about a product, that isn't even released, for the past 5-6 months. I expect them to continue releasing bits of information right up to launch day.
You might not like it but they've kept people talking about their product and possibly put them off purchasing something already available.
Hardly a huge marketing mistake; its been quite brilliant actually.
jwmax Feb 14, 2011 at 3:13 pm
It is frustrating not to have a date, but other than that I think they have a good strategy here.
What you need to realize is that the average consumer isn't even following this. There is no pent up frustration for them since they probably don't even know this exists.
I'll be interested to see the real marketing campaign for this device once it drops, or hopefully a couple of weeks before.
It's probably safe to say some place will sell this on March 31. I'm just hoping it's Amazon.com since I don't think I could handle shoing up at Best Buy to find they are sold out!
Momo13Drums Feb 14, 2011 at 3:03 pm
I agree RIM has run a drip campaign, and for blackberry enthusiasts it HAS held us over from purchasing another product, and it HAS been brilliant in that sense.
However;
The general consumer base does not share the same thought processes. If someone walks into a cell phone store (the majority of consumers) looking for a new phone and tablet they see what is available and available only - or, what is about to come out (I.E. ads/posters/stand ups, even commercials in the store.) The consumer will only see what is there. The current offerings from RIM, and other companies. Even if a store rep said "New blackberries/tablet are coming in 2-3 months" most consumers will say "Yeah, that's great, but I need a phone/tablet now, not 3 months from now".
The only way to offset this is to create hype by marketing, and making people want it enough to wait.
Most people right now, 45 or less days away from launch, have NO idea what a Playbook even is. To me, this seems like a big mistake. There is no hype in the big picture. For anyone not on the blackberry "scene" or even technological "scene"; it's non-existant, and unfortunately, consumers make up probably 90% of the aforementioned market in total. As enthusiasts for tech, blackberries, whatever - we are a very small sect.
Let me put it this way, RIM's marketing strategy has been awful on the whole. I've spoken with many people who didn't even know blackberry made touch screen devices (storm) let alone a playbook. The majority of these people were college-aged, believe it or not.
If RIM wants to focus on our small sect, that's fine by me. I'll be a customer either way, but then let's not pretend they are targeting a consumer base with the way they have been and are currently handling things.
gregorylkelly Feb 14, 2011 at 3:14 pm
I just want to say that I would have purchased a Galaxy Tab before xmas if the PlayBook wasn't announced. I had looked at it very closely and was ready to buy it, then the PB was announced and I decided to wait.
Momo13Drums Feb 14, 2011 at 3:21 pm
That's good, and I outlined that RIM's plan did indeed work for people like you and me - who are into checking crackberry and tech websites.
For the average consumer, which is a HUGE chunk of the population besides us crackberry users; How do you think they know what a playbook is, and to wait for it?
The answer is they don't. RIM hasn't been putting on commercials, or making stands in stores, nothing. Consumers will buy what is available now, because they have no reason to wait for a product from RIM when they don't even know it exists, and most people will not buy a $500 tablet, turn around and buy another one a couple months later (when PB comes out). Sure, some will sell their old one, but most consumers do not view it that way.
gregorylkelly Feb 14, 2011 at 4:12 pm
I actually think RIM did a great job marketing this. Consumers that don't know about it aren't in the Tab market just yet. They are waiting or they already decided to get an iPad. The ones who were in the market for a Tablet know about the PlayBook and some have decided to wait instead of jumping on the iPad or the Galaxy Tab.
RIM now needs to start an advertising campain before the Xoom is officially released.
mattv888 Feb 14, 2011 at 7:00 pm
The one thing the iPad destroys the playbook in is marketing. Not tv commercials, not billboards (though it has all those as well), but mostly word of mouth. You say people that don't know about it aren't in the tab market, but I know a shitload of people with an iPad who wouldn't even know what android is! Like it or not, everyone knows what an iPad is and what it can do. RIM just doesn't have that kind of publicity. For tech geeks and businessmen this will be great. For the general public, the playbook will flop. I'm definitely buying one, but you're right, RIM needs to start adverts NOW.
NinjaB Feb 14, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Damn that thing looks awesome! running NFS and Quake at same time?! lol get outta here iPad multi-tasking...
How can anyone be bashing this vid itself?
I kinda see some of your points about the marketing/release Momo but it's a very fine line to walk having to generate interest for future products yet keep people feeling fulfilled with device releases... the options are;
1) do we keep out customers in the relative dark til the last moment and come out with something awesome but as anastasio pointed out, you may lose some people to other products that didn't know a BB they like/want was coming out...
or
2) leak info early, get people interested so they know RIM is working their tail off to please consumers, but not have the product ready that they are so clamoring for...
either way, being on RIM's marketing management team is not a position I envy... but I do agree with you, if they're going with the early info/drip method, they do need to make official leaks a la commercials, not just to the cult following that will know about the device anyway...
hooch_is_crazy Feb 14, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Yaay another video showing something the PB can do. It's time to stop with the demo videos and let the consumers know when, where, and how much for this thing. I'm beginning to see why some forecasters are saying this thing could be DOA because we don't know when it will come out for sure and consumers (which tablets are really only geared to) will have a plethora of other choices when the PB drops.
bahandi Feb 14, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Did you really just say that tablets are geared only for consumers?! You've totally missed the intent of the Playbook, then. What, the tag line, "first professional tablet" wasn't clear enough for you?
Let the other guys pick up the consumers. RIM is going to meet the demands of their intended market with the Playbook.
Abrante Feb 14, 2011 at 3:32 pm
Nice !
T.roy Feb 14, 2011 at 3:39 pm
I still hope they come out with a dock and wireless controls/keyboards for this. RIM's video shows this being played on a big screen but its connected through an HDMI cable. The need to be physically connected to the big screen through a cable is somewhat of a turn off in this day and age. Who wants a 10ft-20ft HDMI cable running through their family room?
I'd also like to see them demonstrate multitasking in a more practical manner by splitting the screen when the Playbook is connected. You could run your game in a larger window well also having a browser open or you could output a business presentation on an LCD/projector well reading your notes on the Playbook screen.
Hopefully this is just something they haven't released to the public yet and we'll see it as we get closer to launch.
jwmax Feb 14, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Seems like everything you hope for will happen, except streaming HDMI without a cord nothing I know of will do that. But all the other stuff is good.
killab6420 Feb 14, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Who in their right mind would want to play two games AT THE SAME TIME? This is a gimmick. I hope when this is released it will pause the game when I go to check an email. They still have some time before release, maybe they should copy WebOS a little more to be sure they get multitasking right.
slbailey1#CB Feb 14, 2011 at 5:38 pm
No one will run 2 games at the same time. BUT running 2 games at once is a GREAT way to show off true multi-tasking.
sf49ers Feb 14, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Know the facts first. Mutli-taking is in QNX's DNA and no one can touch QNX's power play, not even MSFT or Apple or Google, it holds patents in SMP(Symmetric mutli processing) and DMP(distributed multi processing), what webOS and Android is trying to do now has been done in QNX a decade ago.
Palm webOS had its 2 minutes of lime light while it can, now QNX in it can't hail more. Palm webOS does a elegant app switching than power play like QNX which is a real multi-tasking. If anybody has seen the demo of Touchpad will know what I am taking about, when the person demoing the TP moved the game he was playing to the background it stopped running and preserved it's state in the memory unlike Plabook. Some aspects of the webOS UI are nice but what's important than the UI is the how much can it lift. I got to give it to playbook for the sheer performance, even with a1080p video, a 3D animation, a 3D game or two, browser playing a video, a camera capturing a video and all these running in parallel and it never appeared sluggish or bogged down. VIVA playbook.
slbailey1#CB Feb 14, 2011 at 5:43 pm
What I've read, you can set what a TYPE of application will do when it loss focus.
Ex: All movies can be set to pause. All games can be set to pause.
B_Eazy Feb 15, 2011 at 2:47 am
Are you kidding me???? Copy WebOS to get multitasking right??? Listen RIM has been the king of multitasking since their first device!!! So copying WebOS would ruin the blackberry experience! Certain aspects of WebOS are good but copying a OS that has failed in the past and that still has a lot to prove to be in this competition, would be a HUGE mistake! I'm sure RIM didnt need WebOS to come up with their OS infrastructure and some OS today are still trying to add copy/paste and multitasking the way RIM does it!
So if ur a Palm lover, fine! But please dont talk out of your ass cause only crap is coming out!!!
mhunterjr Feb 14, 2011 at 5:23 pm
I'm glad to see BB securing good software for the playbook, but its hard to be impressed by this video, when Palm did this exact same demonstration over a year ago on a tiny cell phone.
If you're going to ape something, at least make it better in some way.
sf49ers Feb 14, 2011 at 5:46 pm
For gods sake learn to notice the difference, webOS does elegant app switching than real mutli-tasking
jwmax Feb 14, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Can you post that video? NFS and Quake at the same time on a Palm Pre that really would be impressive. Let's see it. The only video I could find shows that the game freezes when it's in the background.
killab6420 Feb 14, 2011 at 6:28 pm
WebOS IS "TRUE MULTITASKING". Games pause in the background because you can't play a game while doing anything else, that's just smart. In fact, you can see notifications while gaming and you don't ever have to leave the application. WebOS was built from the ground up with multitasking in mind just like QNX, but Blackberry is already behind Palm for so many other reasons (Synergy, Notifications, UI, Homebrew, etcetera). Seriously though, use WebOS first before saying it doesn't have true multitasking.
sf49ers Feb 14, 2011 at 7:09 pm
nice trolling, then that is called app switching and not "TRUE MULTITASKING". when webOS can play 2 videos at the sametime smoothly come back here, that thing lagged as hell even with one app running at a time. webOS lack many things than current BBOS forget about QNX, don't get me started on it..
killab6420 Feb 15, 2011 at 1:32 am
Trolling? I'm just wondering what is so different about this OS that WebOS doesn't already do? I know this is the best thing to ever come out of RIM, and God knows they know how to make great hardware, but what do they offer that you can't already get from WebOS? And don't say two videos/games at once because you will never use this. Try playing two youtube videos at the same time and tell me how long you can stand it. I am excited about the Playbook and I think competition is great for the consumer, but I would be lying if I said this looks better than Palm's current offerings.
jwmax Feb 15, 2011 at 8:28 am
There is a difference between looking and doing. As a very very simple example look at the blackberry travel app. They have set it up so it always runs in the background. It can constantly check for update (or I imagine since it's RIM - be read for pushed updates). Yes it's a trivial little program but now imagine ramping that up. Either having a hundred of those little things running or having this work on some real crunching in the background as you prepare for a presentation.
I think the way you need to look at this is it's more of a laptop replacement than a phone system. It should be clear that you want that multitasking ability. I don't think you'd say phoey with windows or OSX I want web OS on my computer, would you?
edyts Feb 15, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Not two you tube videos, but id love to play NFS, and mute the sound and stream a youtube video in the background for the sound, but hey maybe thats not for you.
phillieburne Feb 14, 2011 at 9:04 pm
You all have some good points, we have been hearing about the Playbook since September. I will wait as long as it takes because this is the only tablet that i have seen so far that i know i will buy. The others are good but the Playbook is great!!.
Its small, neat and yet so powerful.
RIM have us all on the edge of our seats, they planning something big, i feel it.
By the way any news about battery life?
What is the point of running 3, 4 apps at once and the battery will not last a day?
If it last me a full 24hrs doing all that, i will be ok!!!
Crackberrykills Feb 15, 2011 at 7:47 am
I just want to see the ATP application in action. Do it. Do it.
HTC_Droid_EvO Feb 15, 2011 at 8:12 am
Weak, IPAD...will kill this
RIM Blows..so does there phones
jwmax Feb 15, 2011 at 8:32 am
hehe your posts are getting more lame as the release date approaches.
jwmax Feb 15, 2011 at 8:35 am
If anyone over there is reading this I'd like to see the kobo app working on this thing. I have a kindle so I'd like to see this as e-reader. Thanks.
canon1100 Feb 16, 2011 at 12:23 am
Does anyone know if the rear camera will feature a flashlight? I think it'd be a cool feature to have simply for the fact that just about every Blackberry phone that was made came with a flash that had the ability to be a flashlight.
velkcro Feb 16, 2011 at 1:21 pm
so did they make an agreement with EA which means that they will have more games from EA that would be cool