Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue2u
-sideloading android apps, sounds a bit beyond my technical expertise, doesn't mean I'm not willing to learn if it all works when it's done. But read a bit more and for my limited purposes sounds like I could simply download required apps right to PB, is that correct?
-re:KindleFire, yes, I'm in Canada. From the bit I've read it sounds like there are definite work-arounds to this, but not sure for the $ it would be best for me and might be easiest to go with different tablet if PB isn't the direction I go with. And frankly, rooting scares the heck out of me. 
-I am concerned about clarity while reading so maybe I should read a bit more about pixel density. I love my SonyT1 and am hesitant as it is to go with lit screen. The prices of these darn tablets is too appealing, and as it seems most e-readers are going this direction anyway is what led me to start doing some reading about tablets. Vicious technology circle! I think my best bet would try to take a look at these in person side by side if possible.
-as to processing speeds, not sure this would be a huge deal breaker for me as long it's not something unbearable. I'm guessing the biggest place I would notice this is watching movies? Or will it be noticeable enough in web-browsing too? |
a.) You can't directly download the Android apps to the PlayBook (to my knowledge). You have to go through your PC/Mac.
You connect you PlayBook via USB to the PC/MAc. Then you use some kind of explorer and send the file from the PC/Mac to the PlayBook. It's installed automatically on the PlayBook. The Android files are downloaded on your PC/Mac. You don't have to manipulate them, use them exactly as downloaded.
It's really simple and the descriptions on Crackberry and similar sites are great.
Remember: It's no hack. PlayBook does have a dedicated Android emulator on board. Originally developed by BlackBerry. You can buy/download some Android apps from the BlackBerry store. Experts will recognise them by their slightly different menus and such. Only problem: Only few apps are ported by their developers from Android to PlayBook and put in the PlayBook store. But basically every Android app can be used on PlayBook the way I've described it.
b.) re. resolution and clarity: Most eBook readers (not tablet, but eInk devices) are 6" and have a resolution of 800 x600:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._pixel_density
Almost every tablet is way beyond that.
Whether the tablet is 1024 x 600 (PlayBook) or way beyond that won't make that much of a difference for reading.
Yes: If you directly compare iPad 2 to iPad 3, the difference is quite obvious. But take an iPad 2 on its own, without direct comparison and it still will be phantastic.
And you have to consider: iPad is huge.
Steve Jobs did demonstrate it: 7" vs. 10" tablets doesn't sound much of a difference. But that's the diagonal measurement! 7" basically fits twice into a 10" display. And now consider a resolution of 1024 x 600 (close enough to the resolutions we've used on Notebooks only a few years ago) on such a small display.
Some users prefer eInk to backlit displays. But that's not because of the resolution, but because some experience eyestrain because of the backlit display.
When iPad came to the market only 2.5 years ago, everyone was baffled by the brilliant display.
There are tablets with higher resolution available, but that's just the finetuning. The basic units for basic tasks still are more than adequate.
Movies don't stress the processor very much. Usually you'll use movie formats, your tablet can process natively and doesn't have to do any conversion n the fly. You shouldn't experience any lag then, even on "weaker" tablets.
I guess, it's mainly high-end games, that will push the tablets to their limits. There are some impressive games for iOS and Android, you won't find on PlayBook for example.
But personally, I still have to say: I never would play a high-end game on a touchscreen unit. I'd always prefer physical controllers such as PS3 or XBOX do offer. And from your description I didn't deem games that important.
BTW: Web browsing is great on PlayBook. It has a phantastic browser.
But you won't have problems on either tablets, with the exception on a few wbesites. But these usually make problems on all tablets. Minor problems, though. You'll be able to surf 99.9% of the web without any problems.