I'd argue that bit. The made the wrong decision - went for wide & thin when, even using LCD's, they'd have been better going for something with a bit squarer aspect ratio. I had one for a while, but it's a bit hard using a word processor when you can only see two lines of text at the time. I do remember the keyboard being surprisingly good though.

Jon

I am actually considering getting a iPad keyboard with dock for when I want to type. It will be considerably lighter than my Macbook Pro.

There are a couple of IPad cases that have space to put an apple bluetooth keyboard in them too so they become a bit like a laptop. You might want to consider that as well.

Jon

I'll be getting my hands on a Blackberry Playbook, it looks superior to every other tablet that's on the market.

Aside from the point it's not on the market yet, yes....

Jon

It's due out very soon though. Can't wait.

Well I already have a spare Apple wireless keyboard so could use that. I will try it out. Thanks for that. The idea of the dock was to keep it charged while being used.

Isn't that the one that also requires a Blackberry phone in order to connect to the intertubez?

It's also the one with the smaller display.
But it does do Flash and has two cameras.

No - it will have WiFi, though you can also Bluetooth it to your BlackBerry should you wish to use internet on the go, or use BB services such as BlackBerry Messenger.


...and can also multi-task applications, properly.

Will it have enough apps for you to be able to test that?

IIRC this is true, but the story I read implied (which is why I specifically don't want to state it as fact, but that was the implication) that the playbook would have no 'built in' email client of it's own - it would only display email which had been received by a tethered Blackberry and without a tethered Blackberry there would be no access to email. Obviously it's possible to write an app to do email, although I'd have to applaud anyone who can write a full-featured IMAP email client in Adobe AIR. Web browsing would be possible on it without any apps or other gear.



From the perspective of the vast majority of consumers, iOS multitasks fine. Flash and video calling are the major things that the Playbook will have over iPad 1 in terms of software functionality. And HDMI (IMO) is the major seller in terms of hardware. Of course the Playbook hasn't actually been reviewed by anyone yet, not even in so far as having a proper hands-on without a RIM PR hovering over their shoulder so it's all a bit 'well they say...' at the mo. All will become clear when the reviews start to come in, I assume early next month.

I have to say one thing about the 'two cameras' thing - and this applies to some phones too actually. I'm not entirely sure what the deal is with the setups I've seen so far. Nobody is actually going to use a tablet as a camera. Look, just nobody is. You can get a digital camera that is still better than any camera in any tablet for buttons in Tescos, nobody is going to lug out a 7" or 10" tablet to take a photo when virtually everyone has a reasonable camera in their phone or an actual digital camera. So I really don't see why they put the best camera on the back. If it was me, I'd put the best camera on the 'screen side' for best quality video conferencing and have the low quality one on the back for AR and what have you. It seems to me that because it's best use on a digital camera to be able to use the screen as a viewfinder, so they've just done it that way. That completely fails to recognise that tablets are not digital cameras, nor are they ever likely to be, and everyone already has a digital camera anyway. it's a bit... odd.

Actually multitasking Flash apps sounds like a great battery stress tester .

Incorrect. I saw two people in Brussels last autumn using tablets as cameras. They looked like utter numpties holding their oversized slabs up to take photos with the poxy lenses such devices get. I’m sure they found the whole experience fulfilling.

I thought that as it uses the same camera as the iPhone the pictures should be quite good. I doubt that I would use it that way, unless I did not have a camera with me and needed a quick photo. Needs must.