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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?

By | January 3, 2012, 7:49am PST

Summary: NO!

RIM drops the price of it’s beleaguered PlayBook to $299 (64GB, 32GB and 16GB models) … should you buy one at this price?

NO!

Why? I can give you a list of reasons:

  • The PlayBook OS was never finished, still missing key features like an email client.
  • Apps will dry up … and getting Android apps to work on the tablet is painful to say the least.
  • Think for $299 the PlayBook will make a decent ‘couch surfing’ device? Will you still think that when there are no more security updates?
  • $299 is a long way off the $99 tht HP’s TouchPad ended up at when it went into its final death spiral.
  • Spend you money on a Kindle Fire instead!

So no, don’t even think about picking up a PlayBook for $299 … you can do better, a lot better!

Poll

Are you interested in a RIM PlayBook for $299?

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Topics

Research In Motion Ltd., Mobile Security, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
Ferntfactor 9th Jan
Bingo. All this bashing (and that's exactly what it is) is tiresome and flat out unfair. THe PlayBook is a powerful, fun and easy to use "beast" as you so aptly put it.
View in thread
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How about USD$199.00 Adrian? That OK?
IT_Fella 3rd Jan
Did that before Thanksgiving at Best Buy for a 16 GB model.
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Brought to you by Apple's marketing department
toddybottom 3rd Jan
Thanks Adrian, nice advertisement.
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Seconded
happyharry_z 3rd Jan
@toddybottom I got the 32GB version. Fantastic machine. I hope RIM can weather the transition.
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Paranoid?
use_what_works_4_U 3rd Jan
@toddybottom
The article mentions the Playbook, Android, and the Kindle Fire. It even recommends the Kindle Fire. The word 'Apple' didn't come up until you (predictably I might add) mentioned it.

This article has nothing to do with Apple, it's drawing conclusions from the Playbook's reality which (unless you've had your head in the sand) we all know to be grim to say the least.

So, go get a Fire, or a Nook Tablet, and be happy. Or continue to use the iPad2 you have claimed to own. Or (more likely) you can just troll the blogosphere looking for any excuse to take pot-shots at your favorite "I love to hate it" brand.
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Um nobody mentioned that "OTHER" company except
James Quinn 3rd Jan
@toddybottom ... you my friend. So thanks for the plug:)

Pagan jim
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
Rick_Kl 3rd Jan
You???re going to have to save up for Microsoft???s latest ???God-phone???. Microsoft has been hammering the Help forums over at Apple.com. If you???re a Windows Fan-boy you must help in the holy war, There is one OS to rule them All. Remember your oath
one world, one company, one OS!!!
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
Djnshores 3rd Jan
RIM looks like it will be getting a management change soon and who knows where the Playbook will fit in after that. I took a chance and bought one for $199 but never at $299.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
twms 3rd Jan
I bought the playbook when it came out, specifically as a better ebook machine than the nook I had (I read a lot of history books and needed a quick web access). I also bought the fire for the same reason because the KOBO ereader on the PB is much worse than even my original nook. Now Amazon knows how to do an ereader, so really happy with the fire, but beyond ereader, the fire's operating mode is really a klunker relative to the PB. The PB works well and the finger moves are a lot better than the fire.
But even though I would rate the PB better than the Fire, without market drive, support, and etc, my guess is that it will die and it just may take RIMM with it. Again, a shame as for a time, they had a great product.
O, how fast the market can change and strangle off the slow movers.
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Thanks
use_what_works_4_U 3rd Jan
@twms
That was incisive and useful. It's nice to hear from someone with experience using the product(s) give an honest appraisal.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
NotM$Sucked 3rd Jan
@twms
Too bad you didn't just get an iPad. Then you'd have one Tablet, which does the job for you.
Of well there's always a next time !

Yes the PB has work to be done on it; the risk is will RIMM develop the PB further and update the current models.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
twms 4th Jan
@NotM$Sucked
I actually tried the ipad - I found it tiring to hold, again, that is as a book reader. For we primary book folks, and then do something else, the size of the PB, Fire, Nook, and all works so much better than the ipad.
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For book reading
use_what_works_4_U 5th Jan
@NotM$Sucked
For book reading I will always prefer my e-ink Kindle. The big downside is that most publisher's of illustrated books don't do a good job of converting pics to black and white so the don't look as good on the Kindle. I still have Kindle apps on my phone, my PC, and my Macs that I can use for photo viewing. Since most of my reading (other than sailing journals) is text only, this is a small concern.
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Lame much Adrian?
sagec Updated - 3rd Jan
Really poor article.

You probably know that OS 2 is publicly announced for next month (February 2012) and will have an email client, among other things.

Also, the hardware is more than twice the specs of a Kindle Fire.

A 64GB Playbook for $299 soundly trumps all comers, and you've done your readers a disservice with a knee-jerk article.

You can do better, a lot better!
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
dhmccoy 3rd Jan
@sagec

How about we'll see. That OS update has slipped twice. Never buy a device for with it *will* do. Buy it for what it does.
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Lenovo IdeaPad A1 - $239
bmeacham98@... 3rd Jan
I got a Lenovo IdeaPad A1 16gig and am pleased with it. It is OK for couch surfing. It is kind of toy computer though, for getting real work done.
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Where to begin
rbethell 3rd Jan
For me, these points are meaningless.

A Kindle Fire is useless to me. It only operates in the United States.

I have a Blackberry and Gmail, so what do I care about it having its own email client? In any other respect worth noting, the QNX Neutrino operating system running on it is considerably more "finished" than Android is, by any stretch of the imagination!

As for apps, the thing runs Flash, and better than a Windows desktop does. If I was interested in games (which I'm really not) there are five million of them on the web.

Other than that, I'm fine with EverNote and the Office to Go suite (the latter of which came installed.)
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
SC_Boots Updated - 4th Jan
@rbethell Couldn't agree more.

The Fire and Nooks of the world do not work outside of the US in any meaningful way (for the masses). They are really a non-starter for anyone who does not reside in the US.

ZDNet and tech journalists in general are doing the Playbook a real disservice. Our family has an iPad, an ASUS Transformer and, *gasp* the Playbook (16 GB). I was able to pick up the PB for $199 in November for my wife. For $199 this thing is a beast. The 7" form factor is lovely to hold and carry around (wife can put in her purse, cannot do this with our other tablets), works great as an ereader, has some fun games, productivity suites are nice and the PB is the BEST at browsing. It's like being at your desktop. The Transformer and iPad don't even compare. Using the PB really is a slick and enjoyable experience.

Even if RIM does fail in the next two or three years, the PB will manage to be an excellent device throughout that time period and then, well, it's getting close to upgrade time anyway so make your next choice at that time. $199 or even $299 for a wonderful machine that will last at least three years is good enough bang for my buck for me. You can get two or three of these for the price of one of the other tablets.

I recommend buying one from a retailer that will allow you to return it within a certain grace period. Give this thing a real try. Youll see.

Of course, if I lived in the US I'd probably try out the Fire purely for its connectivity to Amazon media.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
Ferntfactor 9th Jan
Bingo. All this bashing (and that's exactly what it is) is tiresome and flat out unfair. THe PlayBook is a powerful, fun and easy to use "beast" as you so aptly put it.
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Tech Blog hacks
MobileAdmin 3rd Jan
I really wonder if any of Zdnet actually use the Playbook? The way you write about it, it must be the worst device every released?

QNX is further along then Android's tablet offering. Is everything now really just about an App perspective? Without Apps = it sucks? Everyone gets the need for native email / PIM but web based does work quite nicely and the OS update will bring it so people can shut up about it.

OS 2.0 Android support thus far seems to work quite nicely. RIM cannot MAKE developers port their App, those that do will reap the profit as Blackberry users are second to Apple's for actual App purchases. Those that don't want to convert (the process is quite easy) there is a robust homebrew effort to convert Apps. Not everything works as a number of API are closed and only Google holds the hooks for them. What other tablet will be able to run multiple OS in a quasi virtual environment? The QNX kernel is impressive.

Again you compare a firesale to a price incentive. RIM is not blowing out Playbook inventory as they are leaving the market. They are selling stock as a new model is due. What other tablet is at $299 offers the hardware Playbook has? 64gb, HDMI out, HD camera's, 1gb Ram. Kindle Fire is a joke. It's lacking in storage (8gb), memory (512k), no Cameras, no HDMI.

The bias on ZDnet is getting to be too much. Why doesn't other tablets get called out for their shortcomings? Why is Apple never grilled for issues with their devices / OS?
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"RIM is not blowing out Playbook inventory"
theFunkDoctorSpoc 3rd Jan
@MobileAdmin ..the point is that they should be.. the device and the company are dead men walking...
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Haha...The funniest part of the article
nogobo Updated - 3rd Jan
"Spend you money on a Kindle Fire instead!"

Wow. No, please save your money and don't waste it on a kindle fire.
First of all, in no way do these two compare, as they are designed to do different tasks.
Second, the kindle fire is useless.

In no way am I promoting either. But if your going to spend $200, buy a HP Touchpad, put CyanogenMod 7 on there, and wait later this month for the Ice Cream Sandwich release.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
Loverock Davidson- 3rd Jan
$299 is still to high for a tablet, but the other reason I wouldn't buy it is because its from RIM. Right now no one knows what their future is looking like and where they will be in 2012.
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Buy a Kindle Fire?
Michael Alan Goff 3rd Jan
No.

"The PlayBook OS was never finished, still missing key features like an email client."

And the 2.0 update comes in Feb.

"Apps will dry up ??? and getting Android apps to work on the tablet is painful to say the least."

And? No, seriously, I'm wondering what's relevant about the app numbers.

"Think for $299 the PlayBook will make a decent ???couch surfing??? device? Will you still think that when there are no more security updates?"

You have information that they're going to stop updates? Do share.

"$299 is a long way off the $99 tht HP???s TouchPad ended up at when it went into its final death spiral."

This isn't even remotely relevant.

"Spend you money on a Kindle Fire instead!"

I repeat. No.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
johnny316 3rd Jan
Yes, I got the 16GB for $199. For $299, take the 64GB. The PB can do a lot more than the Kindle. The App world is limited, but how many apps do you really need. No problems with getting personal or company email. Next month native email and Android app player is coming. Both of both worlds!
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
thetickrocks 3rd Jan
I have owned the PB since it came out and I have found it to be a very slick device. It has worked very well for me and the apps have been getting better every day.

I understand the compaint about the native email and you would think after this long you could come up with something more than that. It worked great with my bold 9000 and then also with my 9900. I also just use the web based email and calendar from Google, so really do not need the native client.

Another great thing is the tethering. I can tether my BB, an Android and even iPhones. Try that with an iPad (I did, does not work without jailbreaking).

The camera in the PB is also great, far better than other devices. It does HD video that I have used many times and am very satisfied with it.

There is also the security that goes with the device. Do you know which tablets are FIPS certified? No, it is not Apple.

It may appear to you that BlackBerry is washed up, but their sales are still going very strong, and this sale of the PB may be just the thing that helps them get it out there. Personally I think $299 is where the 32GB should have been in the first place. I also think they should have only had a 32GB and also had the SD card slot. That was one of the things that set them apart from the other guys.
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
TruthyTech 4th Jan
It's amazing what passes off for technical journalism these days!! Why not list technical specs instead of just your opinion as if fact?!
"The PlayBook OS was never finished, still missing key features like an email client." In these days of Rapid Development, nothing is fully finished (iOS has had several updates since the iPad 1 was released) - the OS updates on the Playbook have since fixed all the little things like battery etc. Even my biggest annoyance with the power button has been fixed in the new Playbooks. As for email client, with full web browsing, you can get gmail, hotmail etc. without a problem.
"Apps will dry up ??? and getting Android apps to work on the tablet is painful to say the least." Apps will 'dry up'?? From what I have seen over the 9 months since the Playbook was released, the apps have steadily increased including the ever popular Angry Birds. And since all useful apps come pre-loaded...
"Think for $299 the PlayBook will make a decent ???couch surfing??? device? Will you still think that when there are no more security updates?" If 'SECURITY' is the big concern for Tablets, then the Playbook is the only FIPS certified tablet there is.
"Spend you money on a Kindle Fire instead!" If I could get 64GB (minimum 16 GB) instead of maximum 8 GB, plus HDMI, Bluetooth, 2 high resolution cameras (all missing in the Kindle), I'm not sure how the Kindle makes a better multi-media tablet.
"So no, don???t even think about picking up a PlayBook for $299 ??? you can do better, a lot better!" Given all the technical reasons listed by this esteemed 'reporter' what else can one say??
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RE: Should I buy a PlayBook for $299?
JasonJ1968 Updated - 4th Jan
At two or three hundred dollars, the PlayBook is amazing, period.

Another provocative, infantile article from Mister Kingsley-Hughes. I always click on his stories, wondering what stupid premise he's writing about.
Anyhow, I got the 32gb Playbook for $249. My sister got the same.
Mr. K-H's quality of writing (opinion?) does not deserve to be published, IMHO.
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Uh, yeah!
Ferntfactor 9th Jan
I purchased 2 @ $199 but would certainly say $299 for the 64G is a great value. Amazing tablets. Easy, fast setup, intuitive, speedy OS, great size (fits in jean pockets), mini HDMI and USB ports, good battery life, easy bridge to email (and of course any web email if you don't have a BB smartphone), gorgeous screen, slick multitasking, near-perfect browsing and simple itunes sync. We have ipods and an imac too, but this deal was a no-brainer. In fact, I bought a $319 16G ipod touch over a year ago. 319 for that, or 299 for 64G PB? Duh... People can choose to be one brand drones or think for themselves and get the best of everything from various makers as long as it all integrates. Which this does very well.

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