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The big tablet news of the day is no doubt the launch of the BlackBerry PlayBook in the US and Canada, RIM’s first entry into the modern era of slate-style mobile devices. It employs an updated version of the BlackBerry OS that can easily run Android applications, among other things, but it still faces an uphill battle in a market saturated by the iPad and numerous Android tablets. Likewise, the poster child of Android Honeycomb, the Motorola XOOM, is continuing on its path to worldwide domination. Today marks the availability of the XOOM at Canada’s TELUS. Its $599.99 price tag matches the cost of the 32GB version of the PlayBook, though BlackBerry also offers 16GB and 64GB versions priced at $499 and $699 respectively.
Moving outside of North America, where the PlayBook is not yet available, Motorola and Australian carrier Telstra have announced their intention to launch to XOOM next month. Specific details on pricing and exact availability were not revealed. This will be another 3G, contract-priced version of the XOOM from the looks of it.
So which tablet comes out on top in the long run? Both enter the ring with the backing of an established hardware manufacturer and thriving operating system, but both also face the similar hurdle of knocking the iPad from its thrown. As has been evidenced, the XOOM is struggling early on to capture a foothold, but with Android already establishing itself as a tablet force the PlayBook’s run might be tougher still.
The Xoom just got here in Brazil too!
It’s around R$1900,00 which is around U$1000,00 without a contract…
It’s qnx not blackberry os. The android support also isn’t there yet.
For God’s sake Kevin, do some research for a change.
Hmm… let see. None of these tablets have VPN agents to connect to your corporate environment. Integration with email systems like Exchange… hmm no. Central management for complete data wipe in case they get stolen… hmm no. Data encryption to protect corporate data… ah no. So let me see so even though RIM thinks that it has better market share on corporate wireless devices they put out a half ass product for business customers and a pretty expensive POS at that. Business will wait for the Galaxy Tabs just because of their business bundle. Cisco VPN, Corporate email integration with MS products, encryption and over the air data wipe and on top of that central management.
Do any of these come out on top? No
xoom does have encryption
Not to mention Exchange support. I don’t think he knows what he is talking about.
Not just a few facts, but everything you sid was incorrect. As Ntan and ckeegan has already stated, Xoom has great buisness support.
Playbook also has a unique method that is not comparable to any other device to get emails from BES/Exchange in the most secure method possible using Triple DES/AES encryption. Keep in mind this links up perfectly with existing blackberry infastructure in a coperate enviroment.
Of course, you likley have little to no experence in a blackberry corperate enviroment so the ignorance is forgivable, but speaking like you know anything about the topic.. not so much.
Thrown? Or throne …..
Boss handed my dev crew a Playbook yesterday to play with for a while. Initial impressions were pretty good, the screen is definitely killer. It’s a snappy device, but I could see myself getting tired of it way too quick. While 7″ is the perfect tablet size for portability, I just don’t see myself going any smaller than 10″ because I love the extra screen real estate. My G-Tablet is still keeping me plenty happy. Now only if it could get Honeycombz :(
I own a galaxy tab 7″
And belive me. You can wipe out a android device. We are now testing our mobile device management with exchange 2010. And yeah my tab got wiped.
Xoom is DOA – playbook is a niche player.
neither. they’ll be also rans just like the galaxy tab.