What would be on your must have feature list for an iPad killer? For most, especially those in the enterprise hoping that RIM’s PlayBook answers the bell, a native calendar and email application have to be pretty high up on the priority list. Right?
If RIM’s going to solve the tablet in the workplace conundrum like a lot of pundits are prognosticating, especially up here in Canada, they’re going to have to get their act together pretty quickly. RIM does not have a native email or calendar application on the PlayBook. The lack of a native calendar and email application is probably the biggest oversight I’ve heard so far during these humble beginnings of 2011.
According to Gizmodo and Just Another iPad Blog, RIM is expecting their PlayBook users to use their Blackberrys as their primary device for email and calendar based tasks, so they’re forcing users to tether their Blackberrys to the PlayBook to gain access to those two primary features. It might sound cool off the top, but it’s actually pretty stupid.
I have to ask a pretty rudimentary question right now, and it might seem sarcastic, but I really mean it: Has anyone on the PlayBook steering committee even spent five minutes with an iPhone and iPad? Anyone?
The great thing about the iPhone and iPad combination is that they’re both capable of working together or being used independently. You can’t tether the devices together, but you don’t have to in order to get stuff done. You can partner your devices in any way you see fit, or not at all. It’s up to you—it’s not up to Apple. Having a tethered solution is pretty cool, but it cannot replace a standalone option. Some people might prefer other phones to a Blackberry.
How is RIM’s approach going to re-build their market-share in any way? If they’re aiming to solely hit the enterprise with the PlayBook, they’re now tying corporate IT teams’ hands, forcing them to buy two devices for some employees when one would suffice. And, if they’re hoping these things take off in the personal computing market, they’re making it extremely difficult for consumers to pick and choose their devices.
If you want a PlayBook and a Windows Phone 7 device, you’re out of luck. If you want a PlayBook and iPhone, you’re out of luck. This makes absolutely no sense at all.
It’s hard to bill your upcoming tablet as revolutionary and better than the competition when you announce things like having to tether your Blackberry to the PlayBook to get your email.
RIM, you’re making it really difficult for this Canadian to love you.
Article Via Just Another iPad Blog
