PlayBook 2.0: what you need to know

Improved internet visitor, handheld distant management function, but no BBM - yet

The BlackBerry PlayBook examples being passed out to designers at the BlackBerry DevCon in Amsterdam this weeks time come with the choice of a try out edition of PlayBook OS 2.0.

But that's just for the specialized functions in the os like managing Managing program programs, not the new Cascades-based program or the new texting programs.

Images of those are applied around the meeting center and we saw a demonstration of the same new functions RIM discussed at CES 2012, along with example programs and resources to help designers make great-looking programs that fit in with the new BlackBerry design.

New CEO Thorsten Heins statements that "we've taken our energy in texting and relationship and introduced that together for a effortless encounter in PlayBook OS 2.0, providing a customers a truly cultural, user-friendly, fun and simple way to be connected with their world".

What do you get in the bring up to date to produce that? Contact, schedule, connections and handheld distant management – but not BBM, which RIM says isn't prepared yet (expect to see that later this year).

PlayBook OS 2.0: BlackBerry flow

The best BlackBerry applications have always incorporated into the built-in BlackBerry resources like texting and schedule.

The new PlayBook applications come with some key solutions already incorporated in a way that allows you switch from an e-mail concept that makes as magnificently as a Website to information of the emailer to their Tweets nourish and Myspace up-dates to the newest information about the organization they perform for to locations you've met them in to a record of subscribers you both know (courtesy of LinkedIn), without having to leap out to another program and look them up all over again.

It doesn't perform quite the same way as the cultural incorporation in Windows Cellphone but the actual concept is similar; create it simple to get at the different methods you can socialize with someone.

This is what RIM is getting in touch with BlackBerry 'flow'; the key, says Heins, "is to be straightforward with regards to everything you do". In contact the functions are using the Idea cultural networking incorporation technological innovation that RIM bought; the schedule uses the organizing and giving resources it got from Tungle.

But one of the best functions in the schedule is the simplest; times when you have many events use a bigger typeface in Calendar month perspective so you can see immediately away when you're going to be fast paced.

PlayBook OS 2.0 isn't just the new apps; go of program go of program Vivek Bhardwaj calling it "a finish overhaul; we've improved just about every application". Mostly those are little changes but the Web internet visitor gets a significant update in 2.0. Heins statements that PlayBook and BlackBerry 10 will have "the most finish cellular assistance for HTML5 of any platform".

That maters not just to create Websites perform the way you're used to on the pc, but because that's a way designers can create applications that run on BlackBerry these days, PlayBook this 30 days and BlackBerry 10 at the end of the season - and RIM allows HTML applications use ancient BlackBerry functions like incorporation with BBM.

The internet visitor has and will keep have Display assistance (Adobe will provide RIM the value to keep changing it themselves if necessary). It also can handle AIR 3.0, which allows designers make programs that don't look like Flash; Records To Go on the PlayBook is an AIR app that these sharp “claws” into ancient PlayBook features so it seems like a ancient app.

PlayBook OS 2.0: The Flows look

The PIM programs in PlayBook 2.0 have an person interface using the 3D animated design and changes developed by RIM's new buyer group, the style consultant TAT. They're hardware-accelerated to be sleek and swift and the trademark style is something RIM style head Mark LeJune is getting in touch with "pre-packaged style ".

That could provide you with the look of actual newspaper with styling sides or images that reduce and zoom capability lens like vector design. Zoom out on a record of paperwork or mail messages and they don't just get smaller; the record stores like a concertina and just shows items that are flagged or outlined - again, an idea a little like semantic zoom capability lens in Windows 8.

RIM is doing some exciting elements with the Flows styles; it's also creating them available to designers to use in their own applications, so we're anticipating a variety of applications with the new PlayBook look.

PlayBook OS 2.0 handheld distant management with Bridge

Now that PlayBook has its own PIM resources, you don't need BlackBerry Link just to study and deliver contact. You can still use it to get on the internet if there's no Wi-Fi to use, but Link until also convert a BlackBerry into a handheld distant management for the PlayBook.

The most apparent use is for writing on the still-superior BlackBerry key pad rather than on the on-screen PlayBook key pad. But provided that it's a touchscreen present BlackBerry you can also use the same run actions on present to management PlayBook applications.

Imagine connecting a PlayBook into your surround-sound TV or hi-fi using the HDMI socket; that's a bit heavy to keep in your lap, but you don't want to get up and switch over to the supplement every time want to modify the place in Nobex R / c or stop it clip you're enjoying.

Using a BlackBerry as a handheld distant management that allows you create the same actions you'd use on the PlayBook could be attractive for that, and for game enjoying. You wouldn't want to perform Cut The String on your TV by managing the present from a BlackBerry, but it would perform for more immersive movie games.

BlackBerry OS primary Bob Jackson stated in his keynote that "we have console-quality movie games on a tablet". At perform, you could put the PlayBook on your workspace in a take a position that displays the present well and management it without inclined ahead and hunching over irritatingly.

What does QNX mean for PlayBook and BlackBerry 10?

Think BlackBerry has been dropping behind (despite revenue in European countries that have actually produced 75% season on year)? RIM's actually been considering that for the last three decades, which is when Heins details out the organization "began building the items we required to develop a upcoming confirmation next technology foundation that will take us into the next decade" (buying the many organizations that carry new functions to PlayBook).

The strategy is to keep the best of both planets. "We've taken the best of BlackBerry on it with superapps and the BBM cultural foundation, and in the reasoning and we've committed it to an market established leader OS that abilities 25 thousand automobiles, that works in Online routers, in specialist gadgets and in atomic vegetation."

One benefits of QNX is what Heins calling a "next-generation articles and emails circulation not just between applications on the same system but between devices; a effortless encounter that will be used in vehicles, in the property and in even more directory items to come".

QNX looks at the program it's managing on very diversely from other techniques. When it joins to other QNX techniques, provided that it has the right authorizations it snacks their options as if they're element of your program - so images saved on another QNX program displays up together with the images on your system.

That indicates a QNX program in a car could have the record of details or the songs information from your PlayBook without you having to synchronize it. In PlayBook OS 2.0 the Start To function will let you take images on your BlackBerry and present it instantly on your PlayBook.

Expect to see more applications using this to let you switch articles effortlessly between BlackBerry and PlayBook - how about getting a Website you want to see in more details and forcing that onto the larger PlayBook present with a gesture?

PlayBook OS 2.0 launch date: when is it?

The formal RIM range is still "this month" but "we're not providing plenty of period yet" (and BlackBerry 10 is still "later this year"). There have been a lot of speculation about particular times (especially since RIM published an graphic of the new program for AppWorld displaying Feb Sixteenth as the date) and advertising for the update have been displaying in some UK cellphone shops this weeks time indicating it's certain.

We also expect PlayBook OS 2.0 to come out before Mobile World Congress so the announcement doesn't get lost in the crowd of other phone news.

RIM would also do better to avoid launching at the same time as the Windows 8 Consumer Preview but until Microsoft announces a date that's hard to ensure.

From what we've seen of the latest builds, we're not expecting any delays and the firmest indication came from Vivek Bhardwaj who said "We're a matter of a couple of week away - we're at the point of eyeing out the last few bugs".

RIM has been making the technical improvements in the PlayBook available to developers for some months.

So we expect it to launch with both a large number of converted Android applications (which work properly with PlayBook gestures like opening app menus) and applications that take advantage of what PlayBook OS 2.0 can do like 3D gestures in AIR that let you control an application by waving your hand at the camera.

Having lots of PlayBook apps matters, but apps that show what QNX can really do are going to be what makes PlayBook stand out from the tablet crowd.