Playbook instead of Kobo Vox?

[oldyellr]

Originally Posted by Anjohl

I spent some time with the BB today at futureshop and the build quality is most definitely on a higher level than the Vox. I am gonna switch I think.

My step grandson got one of the $200 Playbooks for Christmas. We were setting up the WiFi and playing with it before wrapping it and it felt a lot smoother and faster and just slicker than the Vox. The BB gurus all recommend the 32GB over the 16GB, but it's $100 more, which seems weird since memory isn't expensive anymore. You can even change the microSD card in a BB Torch for a bigger one, but can't upgrade the PB inexpensively. The other down-side of the PB is no Overdrive app available to borrow library books.

[hpulley]

Sadly for RIM, 32GB flash probably cost more than $99 when they made them. I got the 32 because they were sold out of 16GB models and I'm glad I did, still a good deal IMO.

[sjfwhite]

I picked up a 32GB PB as well. As a tablet (not as a dedicated ereader) it runs far better than the Vox. The device really has potential - I bought it because I have a blackberry for work (that I hate but must use) so figured I would get the PB to piggy back on the phone for data when I am travelling or at the gym. It's NOT an iPad but it was a steal for $249.

[hpulley]

Just when I thought they couldn't get any cheaper! $299 64GB $249 32GB, wow! Really giving them away now...

[Anjohl]

One thing that bugged me about the BB was the lack of a netflix app. Can I just use the web site to watch shows?

[hpulley]

The Connect to Media app says it connects to Playon Netflix. Once version 2 of BBOS is out Netflix might repack their Android apk as a par if we're lucky.

[Anjohl]

Hmm, that's a big gamble to take...NF is flawless on the Vox.

[hpulley]

Or you can root your PB and install Honeycomb launcher (still lets you run BBOS too) and Android Market but it is rooty... who knows if it will work on production BBOS 2 or if they'll plug it. And I am not certain if NF works as I don't use NF.

http://crackberry.com/how-install-an...berry-playbook

[Glenn56]

I guess an important distinction is if you want a tablet or an e-reader.

If you primarily want an e-reader, then I can't see the point of the Playbook - how are you supposed to get library books if it won't run Overdrive ?

[oldyellr]

Exactly. However, if cost were no object, you'd be buying all your books. You can seldom get a bestseller from the library without waiting for months. I put one on hold a couple of weeks ago and was 9th in line, so I gave up and bought it for $10.

[hpulley]

I buy all my books from Kobo so far. I read them in the Kobo app on the PB most of the time, sometimes on the Vox. My wife uses Overdrive on the Vox a lot and I do search the library once in a while but they never have what I want when I want it.

But I use the PB a ton for work, all the bridge apps with my BB, and surf, youtube, weather, gps maps plus Kobo, take videos too, do meetings and show videos with HDMI too.

[Anjohl]

Well, pretty much all color devices are equally suited to ereading, screen size is the only factor, and the PB has the same size screen. Now that I think of it, the only thing the Vox has on the PB is expandable memory.

[hpulley]

Well, the Vox ereading Kobo app lets you read the free format color kids books and comic books. The 1.3.1 Kobo app on the PB, whatever version on the iPad and Android does not play those Vox only books. I don't think the Nook or KF will play them either. Comic nooks for other apps run fine on the PB of course.

[Laridae]

Originally Posted by Glenn56

I guess an important distinction is if you want a tablet or an e-reader.

If you primarily want an e-reader, then I can't see the point of the Playbook - how are you supposed to get library books if it won't run Overdrive ?

Exactly! We're comparing apples to oranges here. Tablets to eReaders.
If you want to play around with a serious but discontinued tablet available at a fire sale price then get the PowerBook. It's very good value if that's what you need.

But if you want an eReader that supports Canadian library ebooks then get the Vox. It's not perfect but it does the job, will hopefully benefit from software improvements as an internationally popular product. And the Vox has the potential to be a successful player in the future in a new product category and at a very attractive price point.

[mr_nobody]

Originally Posted by Laridae

Exactly! We're comparing apples to oranges here. Tablets to eReaders.
If you want to play around with a serious but discontinued tablet available at a fire sale price then get the PowerBook. It's very good value if that's what you need.

PowerBook? Do you mean touchpad? Powerbook was an apple laptop. Anyways, I don't think there are too many touchpads left if that's what you meant.

[edit]: Or maybe you meant the playbook? However, it ain't discontinued.