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The BlackBerry Playbook is said to be receiving its OS 2.0 update come next month and along with some much needed new improvements (like a native email app), the update will finally give the device the long promised ability to to play Android apps and games via the BlackBerry Runtime for Android app player. Developers have until February 6th to submit their Android apps into the BlackBerry App World store if they want their apps approved in time for the new Playbook OS 2.0’s launch.
So what exactly does it take for an Android app to win approval by RIM? Well, for one — a developer must remove any and all words containing “Android” in them, as well as our beloved green mascot (I call him Andy). Makes sense. Also mandatory, a developer must remove anything that would otherwise take a user to the Android Market be it links or otherwise.
RIM says porting Android apps should be a relatively painless process and we’ll have to wait and see how many developers jump on this opportunity. As a fan of technology in general, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Playbook and it will be interesting to see if this will help garner new sales of the almost failed tablet.
[RIM Developer Blog | Via Slashgear]
Instead of downloading an app to run Android games, why not just buy an Android tablet or just flash the playbook to an Android ROM?
Because Android isn’t as good. Seriously, watch RIM.
The OS itself is pretty awesome on the Playbook. Only thing it’s really missing is apps..
This will help BB10 more than the Playbook.
Well next month if it’s like everything else that RIM announces, then next month means November.
I am an Android Market only developer. I love it, and refused to publish elsewhere fit personal reasons (such as my hate for Apple as a company). Apple’s products sell well enough to give Android competition, something to worry about and never contribute to.
I think the PlayBook is a pretty terrible device and has sold like three copies, if it really is easy to publish to, I will because it won’t hurt Andy and costs me little.
I feel most developers will have a similar thought process.
Have you actually USED a playbook? It’s badass, it just needs some TLC. Hopefully 2.0 will bring it up to par.
Pretty terrible, come on. I own a PlayBook, an *eh*Pad, and an ASUS Transformer, just to name a few.
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I use my PlayBook the most out of all my tablets. Even with some shortcoming, which are being address, its current strengths make it one of my favorites — I carry it everywhere with me. It’s an outstanding tablet now and it’s only getting better.
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As for development and just for reference, QNX’s IDEs(QDE and FlashBuilder) are both based on Eclipse; and something I completely dig, is that I can test my builds on my PlayBook via WiFi and not have to be bothered with a USB cable.
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I think if you have a chance to actually use a PlayBook, you’ll be like most of us who have been sold on it. I bought mine after playing with the display at a local BestBuy that had internet enabled — If I had gone to Frys Electronics first, or even some of the other BestBuys in my area, I probably wouldn’t have bought one; their displays in general have been botched.
I’ve used a Playbook and didn’t like it that much, didn’t think much of the interface tbh, but that’s just my opinion. I’m sure many love it. What I genuinely want to know is does it have a native working email client yet? And what sort of productivity suite does it include? Thanks, just interested that’s all, I’m very tempted by the upcoming Acer a510 or A700.
I bought a Playbook after the price drop only because I know QNX 2.0 is coming. I think the combination of QNX and Android Apps will make this an awesome tablet. I must admit that in its current state my Playbook is useless to me because it can’t do much other than surf the web. One of the first thing I will download is the Youtube app because the stock one is awful!
My iPad is my current daily driver but hopefully that will change with QNX 2.0.