play books

Research In Motion has recalled close to 1,000 of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablets due to a glitch in the build of the operating system for those specific units, according to a May 13 memo sent to Staples and published by Engadget.

RIM confirmed the recall in a statement sent today to CNET and said few of the defective units had made it past the distribution stage and into the hands of customers.

"RIM determined that approximately 1,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets (16GB) were shipped with an OS build that may result in the devices being unable to properly … Read more

RIM has been pushing hard to make sure consumers know that the BlackBerry PlayBook browser has Flash built in, a capability Apple's iPad is lacking. With the capability of Flash in the PlayBook's browser, the door is opened to playing video content that is designed for Flash capable devices. Enter YouTube Movies. This simple guide will show you how you can rent movies from YouTube and watch them on your PlayBook.… Read more

Welcome to the 411, my column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have similar queries, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

I am forced to trade my Palm 755p phone as the keyboard is dying and can not be repaired. I am considering the Blackberry Style. I need a PDA but will take the extras. Will this sync to outlook like my treo? is it easy to retrieve my treo info on a blackberry? Will the battery last a day between charges? Lastly, do you think it is a good swap? I usually do 1,000 minutes a month.. so not a diehard user.--"nags," via e-mail

If you like the form factor of the BlackBerry Style with its clamshell design and physical QWERTY keyboard, then I think there's nothing wrong with you replacing the Palm with it. It won't feel exactly the same, and the operating system has a bit of a learning curve, but you should be able to use it as a PDA after a bit of playing around.… Read more

When RIM introduced the BlackBerry PlayBook, it not only offered a 7-inch alternative to the iPad and Android tablets, it also offered a sneak peek into the future of RIM. Even though we think handsets like the Bold and the Torch are sleek and handsome, they're just not innovative enough. They cater to loyalists rather than attempt to woo new customers. Even the latest BlackBerry Bolds from BlackBerry World seem more evolutionary than revolutionary.

The PlayBook, however, with its innovative OS and features, may be RIM's first shot at what a next-generation BlackBerry phone will look like. Sure, … Read more

Potential BlackBerry PlayBook customers apparently will have to wait a while longer before they can buy the tablet through Sprint.

In a document addressed to dealers and revealed this week by mobile-device blog BriefMobile, Sprint broke the news of another delay in offering Research In Motion's new tablet. This latest delay follows initially promised launch dates of April 19 and May 8, according to BriefMobile.

Announcing the delay, the document promises that a new launch date will be communicated as soon as it's available. It also advises dealers who've bought PlayBook display pedestals to hang onto them … Read more

One of the coolest features of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is how well the device works as a multimedia presentation tool. With its integrated HDMI output and suite of Documents To Go apps, you can deliver high-resolution presentations with ease.

RIM also added a few tweaks to give the PlayBook an advantage over the iPad, such as the capability of selectively locking presentation content to the HDMI output while freeing up the tablet screen for private use and shuffling elements behind the scenes.

For those who want to learn more, I've put together this video and slideshow to … Read more

There are going to be times when you want to show someone something on your PlayBook and they aren't around, or the only way to explain an issue on your tablet is to e-mail someone the screen and show them exactly what you are seeing. This simple guide will show you the trick to taking a screenshot on your PlayBook.

We had previously covered how to take a screenshot on a BlackBerry smartphone, which required an application to be installed, settings to be properly setup, and customization features to be set. You will find the screenshot process on the … Read more

When CNET reviewed the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook, we found a number of things to like about the tablet, but the selection of apps was certainly not one of them. The number of available apps is still pretty meager, but we're thrilled to see that RIM announced new video chat and Facebook applications for the PlayBook today at BlackBerry World 2011.

The PlayBook video chat app will allow for one-click video and voice calls over Wi-Fi. Users can make calls in several different ways, including a friends list, recent call log, or by entering a contact's BBID e-mail address. … Read more

Future versions of Motorola's Atrix smartphone-laptop combo will be rolled out as Android "alternatives" to tablets and other newfangled devices, Motorola's chief executive said this week.

The phone maker's first crack at the Atrix smartphone-laptop convergence wasn't perfect. CNET Reviews said the lack of Google's Chrome operating system hurts (Atrix uses a FireFox-centric "Webtop" operating environment). And performance in the laptop configuration (i.e., the 'lap-dock") is sluggish.

But that doesn't mean it's toast, considering all of the praise the Atrix 4G and laptop dock received at CES … Read more