RIM's new tablet the PlayBook won't synchronise with BlackBerrys on AT&T's network - a critical failing for a device which lacks an email client or calendar of its own. The PlayBook is supposed to spend most of its life synchronised with a nearby BlackBerry, operating as a stateless device for security reasons, but AT&T …

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Wednesday 20th April 2011 12:07 GMT NoneSuch

The 'critical failing'

is having to have a BB to send / receive email with.

Blah...

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Wednesday 20th April 2011 12:38 GMT Chad H.

Why does this need software on the blackberry?

One would have thought the easier solution would be to add contacts and calendar sync to BIS and sync both from there...

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1. Wednesday 20th April 2011 12:49 GMT Ian 62
  
  Title
  
  At a guess... I would bet the RIM strategy is to make it a painless process for all the corporate droids to approve for use on their network.
  
  If 'they' have already approved the BB and its security, got the infrastructure set up, and happy with it. Its painless to upsell them the playbook.
  
  'Hey guys, your users can get this, no pain, no fuss, no extra stuff, all secure.'
  
  Or its..
  
  'iPad? well, we dont know if thats secure, and it needs itunes installed, and its too shiny'.
  
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  1. Wednesday 20th April 2011 18:52 GMT Ammaross Danan
    
    Security
    
    Just full-encrypt the PlayBook and it might be able to play host to email. BBs get away with security via password, so why not a playbook?
    
    "'iPad? well, we dont know if thats secure, and it needs itunes installed, and its too shiny'"
    
    Apple has shown next to no interest in making the iPad a "secure" device. It's not in their market goals, but if corporate users insist on utilizing the iPad for work, it's the IT dept that suffers, having to work around the lack of security on the device.
    
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  2. Wednesday 20th April 2011 19:30 GMT Chad H.
    
    @ Ian
    
    Still doesn't explain why software needs to be installed on the phone - add BES support to the playbook. No more or less painful than setting up the next blackberry.
    
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Wednesday 20th April 2011 12:49 GMT Jeremy Chappell

Epic

They have the hopes and dreams of the entire company pinned to this thing. I'd not want to be holding RIM stock or working for RIM.

This thing is an utter disaster. What exactly is working? The Android stuff isn't (and that looks so "part baked" anyway it's an embarrassment). Who outside RIM thinks this is a good idea?

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Wednesday 20th April 2011 13:21 GMT Mark Dowling

Just so we're all clear

If AT&T screws up an iOS related issue, it's because they are a bunch of incompetents who can't run a network to save their lives.

If AT&T and RIM have an issue, it's bound to be RIM's fault irrespective of how many other networks don't have that issue.

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Wednesday 20th April 2011 14:03 GMT Mark Dowling

Blackberry Bridge

By the way I saw one in action yesterday with one of our BB users - Calendar, Contacts, Mail integration quite swish although I wish the accelerometer flip landscape/portrait was a bit quicker. The touch gestures worked mostly although I suspect when they did not it was down to the user's wanting it to work immediately rather than RTFM, given that said user had only had it an hour including downloads and pairing, so opted to just "push harder" rather than learn the correct way to do it. The QR code pairing was very smooth.

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