BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 coming Tuesday
The PlayBook is due next week, bringing native email, as well as the ability to run Android apps. But is it too little too late?
Good news for BlackBerry PlayBook owners. The long-awaited software update is due on Tuesday, meaning you'll be able to have native email on your tablet, run Android apps on it, and do much more.
The bad news? It was originally due back in October. And in my opinion, the PlayBook should've had native email on board when it launched. But still, it's very nearly here, Engadget reports, which must be some solace to those who shelled out.
So what does the update bring? Native email, as mentioned, and BlackBerry Bridge has been improved, making it easier to pair your PlayBook with your BlackBerry handset, meaning you can share contacts, calendars and more across both. You can also browse from your tablet using your handset's data plan, which is quite neat.
Android apps will also run natively on the PlayBook thanks to the update, meaning you can grab whatever you want from Android Market. It's a real boon, seeing as BlackBerry's offerings pale in comparison to the number on Android.
The update will roll out at 4.01am on Tuesday morning, though the pictured leaflet doesn't specify which timezone that is, so don't wait up.
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion also launches the same day, which will let IT professionals manage all their BlackBerry devices from a single interface. Android and iOS controls are also due sometime in March.
The update is welcome, but well overdue in my opinion. Shipping without native email was a calamity (as Rich Trenholm opined in his opinion piece), and RIM really shouldn't be announcing things until they're good and ready, as it just annoys anyone who's kept waiting. Here's hoping BlackBerry 10 helps RIM out of the quagmire it's currently wading through.
Did you buy a BlackBerry PlayBook? What do you think of the update? Let me know below, or over on Facebook.