BlackBerry Playbook

A Tablet Ahead of Its Time: The Untold Story of the BlackBerry Playbook

In 2011, the world was introduced to the BlackBerry Playbook, a tablet that promised to revolutionize the tech industry. With its powerful hardware and innovative features, it was poised to challenge the dominance of Apple's iPad and Android tablets. However, despite its potential, the Playbook ultimately failed to gain significant traction in the market and was discontinued just a few years after its launch. Today, it remains a forgotten relic of the past. But what exactly happened to this once-promising device?

The Birth of the BlackBerry Playbook

The Playbook was announced by BlackBerry (then known as Research In Motion) in September 2010. This was a time when the company was at the height of its success, with its BlackBerry smartphones being the go-to choice for business professionals. The Playbook was its foray into the tablet market, and it promised to bring the same level of productivity and security that BlackBerry was known for.

A Short-lived Legacy

The Playbook was officially released in April 2011, and it came with impressive specifications for its time. It ran on the BlackBerry Tablet OS, powered by a dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 processor and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. It also had 1GB of RAM and came in three storage options: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

Discontinued: The Downfall of the Playbook

Despite its powerful hardware, the Playbook's downfall can be traced to its operating system. The BlackBerry Tablet OS was not as user-friendly as its competitors, and it lacked essential features such as a native email app and access to the Android app store. This significantly limited the tablet's functionality and made it challenging to compete with the iPad and Android tablets, which were already gaining popularity.




But the Playbook's biggest flaw was its lack of cellular connectivity. With no option for mobile data, users were limited to only using the tablet on Wi-Fi. This was a significant setback for a device that was marketed towards professionals who needed to stay connected on the go.

The Playbook's Features: Ahead of Its Time?

Looking at the data summary, it's clear that the Playbook had some standout features that were ahead of its time. The 7.0-inch TFT display had a resolution of 600 x 1024, which was impressive for a tablet released in 2011. The tablet also came with a 5MP rear camera and a 3MP front camera, along with stereo speakers and a micro HDMI port for connectivity. It also boasted an impressive 1080p video recording capability.




In terms of software, the Playbook came with a built-in Adobe Flash player, which was a rarity on tablets at the time. It also had an accelerometer and gyro sensor, allowing for a more interactive and immersive experience.

The Legacy Lives On

Despite its shortcomings, the Playbook did have a loyal fanbase who appreciated its unique features and powerful hardware. Its open-source operating system, QNX, also continued to evolve and was later used in BlackBerry's smartphones.




In many ways, the Playbook paved the way for future BlackBerry devices, such as the popular BlackBerry Key series, which features a physical keyboard and focuses on productivity. It also laid the foundation for the development of BlackBerry's secure Android software.

A Blast from the Past: The Price

Unlike most tablets at the time, the Playbook was priced reasonably at approximately 120 EUR. However, this was still not enough to attract significant sales, as consumers were not willing to compromise on functionality and connectivity for a lower price.

The Unfortunate End

After a short-lived stint in the market, the Playbook was officially discontinued in June 2013. It was a sad end for a device that had so much potential. However, its legacy lives on in the technology that followed, and it will always hold a special place in the hearts of its loyal fans.

The Untold Story of the BlackBerry Playbook

In conclusion, the BlackBerry Playbook may have been ahead of its time, but it ultimately fell victim to its shortcomings. While its innovative features and impressive hardware were appreciated, its lack of cellular connectivity and user-friendly operating system proved to be its downfall. Despite its failure, the Playbook remains an interesting and forgotten chapter in the history of tablets, and its legacy lives on in the technology that followed.

Latest BlackBerry Playbook Specs and Prices

LAUNCH

• Announced:  2010, September. Released 2011, April
• Status:  Discontinued

PLATFORM

• Operating System:  BlackBerry Tablet OS
• Chipset:  TI OMAP 4430
• CPU:  Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9
• GPU:  PowerVR SGX540

MEMORY

• Card slot:  No
• Internal:  16GB 1GB RAM, 32GB 1GB RAM, 64GB 1GB RAM

DISPLAY

• Type:  TFT
• Size:  7.0 inches, 137.9 cm2 (~54.7% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution:  600 x 1024 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~170 ppi density)

BODY

• Dimensions:  194 x 130 x 10 mm (7.64 x 5.12 x 0.39 in)
• Weight:  425 g (14.99 oz)
• SIM:  No

MAIN CAMERA

• Single:  5 MP, AF
• Video:  1080p@30fps

SELFIE CAMERA

• Single:  3 MP
• Video:  1080p@30fps

BATTERY

• Type:  Non-removable Li-Po 5300 mAh battery
• Talk time:  Up to 10 h (multimedia)

CELLPHONE NETWORK

• Technology:  No cellular connectivity
• 2G bands:  N/A
• Gprs:  No
• Edge:  No

SOUND

• Loudspeaker :  Yes, with stereo speakers
• 3.5mm jack :  Yes

COMMUNICATIONS

• WLAN:  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band
• Bluetooth:  2.1, EDR
• Positioning:  GPS
• Radio:  No
• USB:  microUSB 2.0

FEATURES

• Sensors:  Accelerometer, gyro
• Browser:  HTML5, Adobe Flash - Micro HDMI port Document viewer Media player MP3/WMA/AAC+ Video player DivX/WMV/XviD/3gp Organizer Predictive text input

MISCELLANEOUS

• Colors:  Black
• SAR:  1.41 W/kg (body) & &
• SAR EU:  1.69 W/kg (body) & &
• Price:  About 120 EUR

Disclaimer: Specifications shown may be different from the actual product. We cannot guarantee that the information provided on this page is 100% correct. This content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice.