BlackBerry PlayBook to Run Android Apps; Monstrosity Made Official [RIM Makes Official PlayBook Android Applications Support; Everything Changes. Again]

Posted on TFTS by Chris Smith on Thursday, 24. March 2011 under: Mobile/Cell Phones, PCs, Notebooks, Netbooks & Tablets

We wrote a few pieces of this monstrosity so far and it looks like RIM has finally admitted to the whole world that its first tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, will be able to run Android apps. Is that good, or bad news? It’s both, and I’ll show you why.

From the consumer’s perspective it’s definitely great news. Not only will you have access to a lot of Android apps, hopefully, but you’ll also get to experience the Android universe while using a RIM device. An interesting concept that’s worth exploring. And lots of apps, hopefully, to run on the 7-inch tablet.

From the developer’s point of view, it’s also great news. You could simply create Android apps without having to focus on making a similar version for RIM’s upcoming mobile platform. Sure you’ll have to do some modifications to Android apps meant to run on the PlayBook, but that’s definitely an acceptable compromise.

Although both developers and PlayBook buyers will have to use the BlackBerry App World to upload/download their apps. At least RIM is not conceding everything right away, although access to the Android Market could be enabled, unofficially, later down the road.

But from RIM’s perspective, well, it’s also bad news. It’s like leading a sports team and officially admitting you do admire, nay, love, one of the competing teams so much so that you’d be willing to help their growth. Because by making sure the PlayBook runs Android apps to you’re not helping yourself, RIM. You’re helping Google’s platform become even more powerful.

The alternative would be launching a tablet that has close to nothing to offer. Sure the PlayBook is a great device. We’ve seen it live at CES and MWC. But unlike Apple, RIM doesn’t have that much content to offer tablet users. And without content (yes, that means music, videos, eBooks and, most importantly, lots of apps) the user is left with just browsing the web. You wouldn’t want to buy the PlayBook just for that, would you?

Let’s hear it from you, folks, what do you think about RIM’s initiative? Excited? Annoyed? A little bit of both?

Jrpsy
It’s a good move by RIM. Their first goal is to gain a foothold in the marketplace. It’s much more important for RIM to make a splash–even if it means de-incentivizing developers to write for the Blackberry OS platform–than it is to give Android the cold shoulder. I believe that the Playbook may prove Steve Jobs wrong on two important counts: First, a 7 inch tablet IS a highly desirable size for many of us; second, supporting Adobe flash video DOES matter to a lot of consumers. But in order to get an audience, the Playbook has to have enough app support to draw a crowd. This move accomplishes that. I’m all for it.
TMan
I want extactly that, a cheap portable device to browse the web and don’t care about apps, just want something cheap to read the news, email, and social network on a few discussion boards and something that will play flash. I have a desktop and have no need for something like a laptop with mega storage. The Playbook sounds great and some decent cameras in as well. Sounds good to me.