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Spheric Harlot · Dec 9, 2010, 03:39 AM

For one thing, that's next year's PlayBook comparing to last year's iPad, so to speak.

While the PlayBook looks interesting, I don't think RIM has the slightest clue what they're doing.

At least, their founder and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis doesn't.

This is pretty funny:
Mike Lazaridis live at D: Dive Into Mobile (with the PlayBook!) -- Engadget

OreoCookie · Dec 9, 2010, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by freudling

Not a big fan of RIM. Saw this video. What do ya'll think? A bit of BS? RIM seems to be heavily focused on just browsing on the PlayBook. Every demo they show really does spank the iPad in speed and performance browsing. The multi-tasking also looks far superior. But what will the actual product that ships perform like? How will the battery life be? How well will the apps run?

The guy in charge of RIM doesn't seem to have a clue: he's fixated on technology (this thing has a dual-core cpu, very powerful, blablabla. But it's software what drives innovation, not hardware.

One big pillar in the software strategy is `Flash and AIR support' -- which is known to be very energy inefficient. The second one is HTML5: it's a good cross-platform standard, but it doesn't really make the PlayBook special. And you won't be able to leverage any fancy technology that pushes the envelope. And lastly, developers can use C and C++.

RIM is doing some things right (such as buying QNX and TAT), but I'm not sure whether they really have the right software strategy in mind. Just fast-forward to the question regarding whether the improvements found in the PlayBook will make it down to phones. The answer was very convoluted (reminds me of the way many politicians talk) and doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

Regarding speed: since the Playbook will be released in `early 2011,' it should be compared to whatever other tablets are on the market then, e. g. the second-gen iPad rather than the current one. Even though it's too early to believe the rumors circulating the specs, it is clear that it will feature a faster processor and more RAM. I don't think it's unreasonable that a dual core ARM cpu with faster graphics will be included. In any case, I'd wait with benchmarks a little.

Originally Posted by freudling

Of particular note is how badly the iPad did on the Javascript/HTML5 test at the end of the video. I'd be interested to get some comments on this.

Apple is working on Webkit2 in concert with the open source community. It sandboxes every process, but does so differently than Chrome (see section Process Architecture). The advantage is that you don't need to code every app that uses webkit how to give each window a separate process, it's built into the API. I assume this will make its way into OS X and iOS and will lead to less beach balls and faster response.

freudling · Dec 9, 2010, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

The guy in charge of RIM doesn't seem to have a clue: he's fixated on technology (this thing has a dual-core cpu, very powerful, blablabla. But it's software what drives innovation, not hardware.

One big pillar in the software strategy is `Flash and AIR support' -- which is known to be very energy inefficient. The second one is HTML5: it's a good cross-platform standard, but it doesn't really make the PlayBook special. And you won't be able to leverage any fancy technology that pushes the envelope. And lastly, developers can use C and C++.

RIM is doing some things right (such as buying QNX and TAT), but I'm not sure whether they really have the right software strategy in mind. Just fast-forward to the question regarding whether the improvements found in the PlayBook will make it down to phones. The answer was very convoluted (reminds me of the way many politicians talk) and doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

Regarding speed: since the Playbook will be released in `early 2011,' it should be compared to whatever other tablets are on the market then, e. g. the second-gen iPad rather than the current one. Even though it's too early to believe the rumors circulating the specs, it is clear that it will feature a faster processor and more RAM. I don't think it's unreasonable that a dual core ARM cpu with faster graphics will be included. In any case, I'd wait with benchmarks a little.

Apple is working on Webkit2 in concert with the open source community. It sandboxes every process, but does so differently than Chrome (see section Process Architecture). The advantage is that you don't need to code every app that uses webkit how to give each window a separate process, it's built into the API. I assume this will make its way into OS X and iOS and will lead to less beach balls and faster response.

Thanks.

Less beachballs would be great.

imitchellg5 · Dec 9, 2010, 12:05 PM

I think it's hilarious how RIM's position for the BlackBerry is that you don't need a good browser, because "BlackBerry has superapps. Users know what we mean." And for the PlayBook they say that you don't need apps because the browser is fast.

OreoCookie · Dec 9, 2010, 12:35 PM

To me, just the naming is bizarre: RIM is synonymous with business and yet they call their upcoming tablet `PlayBook.' (Not that the name makes or breaks a product, but still.)

freudling · Dec 9, 2010, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

To me, just the naming is bizarre: RIM is synonymous with business and yet they call their upcoming tablet `PlayBook.' (Not that the name makes or breaks a product, but still.)

I was actually thinking this myself.

freudling · Dec 9, 2010, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

I think it's hilarious how RIM's position for the BlackBerry is that you don't need a good browser, because "BlackBerry has superapps. Users know what we mean." And for the PlayBook they say that you don't need apps because the browser is fast.

No doubt.

Thorzdad · Dec 9, 2010, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

To me, just the naming is bizarre: RIM is synonymous with business and yet they call their upcoming tablet `PlayBook.' (Not that the name makes or breaks a product, but still.)

I suspect they're referring to the sports term "playbook." Lord knows, businesses love their sports metaphors.

olePigeon · Dec 9, 2010, 06:16 PM

They should've called it the RIM Synergize. Can't go wrong with corporate speak, right?

OreoCookie · Dec 9, 2010, 07:25 PM

@olePigeon
They'd be sued by Palm/HP: they have a technology called Synergy (perhaps nowadays referred to as HP Synergy or something

).

freudling · Dec 10, 2010, 06:03 AM

Does every CTO/Project Lead have to be a nerd? I just watched several clips from All Things D on their Mobile conference... man, what nerds! And I can't stand Kara Swisher and Mossberg... social bankruptcy at its finest.

Am I alone here?

OreoCookie · Dec 10, 2010, 08:42 AM

@freudling
Why are Mossberg and Swisher socially bankrupt? I don't get it.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 10, 2010, 01:38 PM

I don't either.

olePigeon · Dec 10, 2010, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

@olePigeon
They'd be sued by Palm/HP: they have a technology called Synergy (perhaps nowadays referred to as HP Synergy or something

).

Damn! OK, how about the RIM Incentivized Vertical Conceptualization!

freudling · Dec 10, 2010, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

@freudling
Why are Mossberg and Swisher socially bankrupt? I don't get it.

I guess I'm alone on that.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 10, 2010, 03:23 PM

Because they get paid to talk about nerdy stuff that YOU spend your free time discussing on a nerd message board on teh intarweb?

turtle777 · Dec 10, 2010, 03:58 PM

True nerds don't get paid.

-t

-Q- · Dec 10, 2010, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

True nerds don't get paid.

-t

Right. Just like "true" musicians.

imitchellg5 · Dec 10, 2010, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by freudling

Does every CTO/Project Lead have to be a nerd? I just watched several clips from All Things D on their Mobile conference... man, what nerds! And I can't stand Kara Swisher and Mossberg... social bankruptcy at its finest.

Am I alone here?

That Lazaridis or whatever his name is was painful. He didn't even answer one question directly!

OreoCookie · Dec 10, 2010, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by freudling

I guess I'm alone on that.

I don't know.
I just don't have a clue what you're alluding to. I find their interviews with technology leaders quite entertaining, but that's about all I know about these two.

freudling · Dec 10, 2010, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

That Lazaridis or whatever his name is was painful. He didn't even answer one question directly!

For realz!