Topic: Mobility

RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

Summary: RIM confirmed earlier today that a batch of 1,000 or so 16GB PlayBooks were shipped with faulty build of the PlayBook OS.

By Ricardo Bilton for The ToyBox | May 16, 2011 -- 08:32 GMT (01:32 PDT)

Follow @rbilton

RIM has gotten a lot of flack in recent weeks over what many claim was a botched rollout of it's PlayBook tablet. And that rollout may have gotten worse.

RIM confirmed earlier today that a batch of 1,000 or so 16GB PlayBooks were shipped with faulty build of the PlayBook OS.

As many of the affected PlayBook owners noticed, their tablets were unable to load the PlayBook's user agreement, which rendered their tablets unusable. Fortunately, while the affected units were limited to a batch sent to Staples, most of them have remained unsold.

“The majority of the affected devices are still in the distribution channel and haven’t reached customers. RIM is working to replace the affected devices," RIM said in a statement.

Of course, at 1,000 devices, RIM's recall is pretty small as far as these things go. Still, at a time when the company is struggling to remain relevant in both the tablet and smartphone sphere, RIM needs all the good press it can get. And this latest incident is most certainly not good press.

Engadget has a list of the affected devices.

Topics: Mobility, Hardware, Mobile OS, BlackBerry

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24 comments

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RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

So less than 1000 playbooks, which never even hit shelves let alone customer's hands, have been recalled? How is this news? And its not like they had a fire risk or something.

Why the hate-on for playbook?

awkward hug
16 May, 2011 10:05

Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @awkward hug
  Agreed. I am really tired of this RIM bashing echo chamber. Recalling 1k units, especially when most of them have not even reached consumers is a really trivial event.
  
  josmyth
  16 May, 2011 12:28
  
  Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @awkward hug. Because unless it is Apple some people do not want it to succeed. RIM did the right thing and got to the majority of them before they got in customers hands. I would think this would be the right thing to do wouldn't it? Apparently not, maybe they shvould give out free bumpers <img border="0" src="http://www.cnet.com/i/mb/emoticons/happy.gif" alt="happy"> for a limited time that is.
  RIM should be applauded that they have the quality control in place to narrow it down to 900 units (not 1000) and act appropriately.
  
  striker67
  16 May, 2011 12:36
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
    
    @striker67
    Here we go, no matter what the point is these Apple haters always bring Apple in it. RIM has developed a crappy product while being a copycat they deserve all the bashing and biggest one is their ever diminishing market shares
    
    aliasadadm
    16 May, 2011 13:12
    
    Reply Vote
  - Welcome to the club
    
    @striker67 iHaters it a good handle. Go and get a name badge!
    
    I feel bad about this. The PayBook has lots an Apple DNA. To bad they failed to catch this problem, but why bring Apples name into this report? Maybe they should just install iOS in the PayBook, they copied everything else, why stop there?
    
    MacNewton
    16 May, 2011 13:54
    
    Reply Vote
  - RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
    
    Who said I hate apple? Not me. I have used apple products before and have decided they are not for me. However, when a company does the right thing it is the people who adore apple that come out and call everything else garbage. There must be an app for that.
    
    striker67
    16 May, 2011 15:29
    
    Reply Vote
RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

@awkward hug et al. -Couldn't agree more - a responsible product recall from a professional outfit... To err is human, to forgive divine.

stuart-seric
16 May, 2011 13:06

Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  The only err RIM made is that they didn't bring this puppy in at half the price!
  
  When I played with it in the store my feelings were that this would really be an awesome $250 tablet, but at $500 it's only ho-hum. I'm not referring to it's OS, but to the build-quality. There's really nothing about the hardware which gives the impression it's built as sturdy as the other $500 competition.
  
  camcost@...
  17 May, 2011 06:58
  
  Reply Vote
RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

@striker67
actually, i tried out the playbook in my local best buy last night. i was pleasantly surprised. it most definitely not a copycat! you want copycats look at android. the playbook is totally different setup and in some respects better than the ipad.

rocketboy5114
16 May, 2011 13:32

Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @rocketboy5114 I have tried it as well. I bought a xoom before the play book came out and am regretting it due to the slow pace google and motorola are putting out updates for it. I am in Canada so we didn't have the 3.1 update yet. I found RIM's Os intuitive and easy to use and the app that were there looked great!! Chances are someone who doesn't like it hasn't given it a fair shake.
  
  striker67
  16 May, 2011 15:46
  
  Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @rocketboy5114
  I've also tried it 3 times at Best Buy. I really like it. I keep comparing it to the iPad. I just cannot pull the trigger on buying an iPad. I already own a Touch, Mac and many iPods. The iPad just feels like the same thing. Nothing against it. It has a great screen and its thin and all but nothing special IMHO. And its too big to be considered "mobile". Where am I going to put it when I go out of town? The Playbook seems to be the right size and its interface is nothing short of slick.
  
  I almost pulled the trigger yesterday on the Playbook but surprisingly Best Buy does not carry the 64Gb version. What's up with that?
  
  ryork272
  17 May, 2011 07:06
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
    
    @ryork272
    
    Is it just that store or Best Buy (across the board) ??
    
    Mihi Nomen Est
    17 May, 2011 12:33
    
    Reply Vote
Hand-held devices...

I think that many users of the devices mentioned, are engaged in a form of unhealthy intimacy with these devices, one that leads to this emotional outpour.

davidtnicholson
16 May, 2011 13:36

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RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

n

davidtnicholson
16 May, 2011 13:38

Reply Vote
Blackberry Bridge

I see the playbook in action and works very nice. You can install Blackberry Bridge for free in your blackberry device so your Playbook have full Internet access and calendar, contacts, notes / Email fully encrypted with no wires at all. Is just amazing.

Is very good RIM do not allow this damaged units arrive to clients hands.

alexisgarcia72@...
16 May, 2011 14:19

Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @alexisgarcia72@... Until we find out there's another recall for something else going wrong...
  
  Champ_Kind
  18 May, 2011 12:46
  
  Reply Vote
RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

@josmyth
Double agreed. It seems like this site has a template that all articles follow:
1) Praise iAnything.
2) Question Microsoft.
3) Bash RIM.
One man's meat is another man's poison, but it seems like the staff here view apple as meat and everything else as poison. Please, please, please, please either give us some real news or at least semi-objective drivel.
To all the zdnet authors: Haven't you noticed the number of complaints about the "head up apple's buttox" articles? Does it mean anything to you?

dive_fla@...
16 May, 2011 14:40

Reply Vote
RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

RIM execution sucks. If they came with the PlayBook before the iPad, that would be a different thing. I remember when the iPhone came out and RIM CEO called it a "toy" and played down its significance.

If they had learned something from this "toy" instead of being arrogant, they could have beat Apple on the tablet.

The sad part is that the only good news to this recall was that nobody bought them so it was easy to fix...

prof123
16 May, 2011 19:08

Reply Vote
- RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse
  
  @prof123
  While I agree RIM has made mistakes, I don't believe the Playbook would fall into that category. I've owned the original Storm. Total schit product. I couldn't wait to get rid of it.
  
  The Playbook seems to be different though. Its fast, slick interface is very intuitive. I only wish the battery were a bit longer. Its size makes it much more mobile than an iPad. To me, an iPad is for people who do not need the power of a standard PC. But that's not me.
  
  I am willing to give RIM one more chance. The Bridge technology could very well prove to be a BIG feature for RIM. It borders on genius. But they better follow through on promises for this device or they are finished. Period.
  
  ryork272
  17 May, 2011 07:15
  
  Reply Vote
RE: RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook recall shows that things can always get worse

Why Fan Boy keep attacking each other ? It's clear that the first tablet not build by Apple, but Apple re-marketing it and become a HUGE MARKET, other follow. Same like MP3 player, the first one from Taiwan (Creative, and others), but Apple re-marketing it (iPad) and become a HUGE MARKET, other (Zune) follow.<br>Don't look the device it self, look the business concept they have, and how this concept acceptable by market.<br><br>For playbook, I'm big fan of BB, but playbook is a crap. BB device known great for email and messenger. But playbook don't support any of it. Why should I buy ? I can buy cheap unknown chinese brand tablet instead. For my point of view, RIM don't have good business concept while they launch Playbook. They just follow other because they need to show something to the world or else .... leave behind and death like Palm Pilot.

Voltus
16 May, 2011 20:50

Reply Vote