Finally, Some Competition!
RIM just announced the PlayBook, and it looks like the first iOS competitor that’s playing to win.
The Real Comparison
Apple made some compromises with the iPad (i.e. only h.264 video) because, in exchange, they got ≥10 hours of I-can’t-believe-it’s-still-not-plugged-in usage, at a sub-$500 price point.
Each of RIM’s marketing bullet-points for the PlayBook is a short-sighted jab at the iPad’s compromises. And the spec list looks like it exists for the sole purpose of overwhelming consumers.
Battery
Here’s a fun game: try to find the word “battery” in the PlayBook press release.
If battery life was as remarkable as it should be, RIM would have something to say about it. It’s really great that they managed to get a dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. But this thing is going to be a flop if it’s an inefficient power hog.
Tethering
They apparently have a cellular model in the pipeline, and this will give their WiFi model a real advantage over the iPad WiFi. I welcome the competition, and it makes me hopeful that Apple can get AT&T to let iPad owners tether to their iPhones.
Third-Party App Quality
RIM has not announced a native SDK. Developers can use either HTML5 or Flash. Shit sandwich, anyone?
Looks like Flash isn’t going down without a fight. While all signs point to this being more of a high-profile death than a triumphant revival, it’ll be fun to watch either way.
