Ex-RIM employee says the PlayBook faces challenges

January 11, 2011 By Molly McHugh

While the PlayBook's received some praise post-CES, one former RIM employee warns there could be a few hurdles in its way.

We were impressed with the RIM PlayBook tablet at CES. It has enviable multitasking abilities, not to mention its speed. But apparently, the device has some daunting challenges a former RIM employee recently pointed out to Business Insider.

According to Raymond Reddy, who was previously involved in RIM’s corporate development and M&A, developers might want to hesitate before starting projects for the PlayBook. Reddy himself owns and operates a music software company that he says he will initially drive towards Android tablets, and he doesn’t think he’ll be the only one. At launch, there will be a scant amount of third-party apps since RIM will have to persuade developers to create apps for the PlayBook’s QNX operating system, a major transition from the traditional BlackBerry OS. On the flipside, since the PlayBook is the first tablet to fully support Flash, this opens up a whole new realm for developers.

Reddy also warns the device might not make its launch date. While the QNX OS is responsible for the PlayBook’s heightened performance, it’s also apparently been more difficult than expected to adopt the previous UI to the tablet. Which leads to the largest issue: the Wi-Fi version will not have access to corporate BlackBerry e-mail. One of the PlayBook’s crucial features has been its productivity functions. Reddy told Business Insider that the BlackBerry crew first told him this, saying it’s for security reasons.

The tablet is supposed to be available in early 2011, so we’ll soon find out if RIM is able to deliver with the PlayBook.

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Techblogger at 10:31pm 11th January 2011 I saw the BlackBerry Playbook first hand at the 2011 CES here in Vegas and it is nothing short of amazing. I thought it was so amazing that I plan to order it. Having said that, what new product isn't without challenges. Apps for a new product are like new teeth on a baby. They are always the toughest on a newborn but grow they always do. These stories almost always carry the same meme and that is any new device isn't worth considering unless it can show a warehouse full of ready applications as the Apple store; forgetting the iphone didn't have apps at all its first 6 months of existence. Even the Windows 7 phone, a device I believe will become more popular than the iphone in less than 18 months recently bagged 6000 thousand apps. Growing far faster than any phone like it. But I wouldn't make too much of RIM's ex employee's mutterings. Someone got the division he hoped to get and now he sounds a wee bit biter.