RIM says PlayBook Web browsing beats iPad

By Geoff Duncan November 16, 2010

Image used with permission by copyright holder

RIM’s PlayBook isn’t available yet—and isn’t due to be reaching consumers until early next year, but Research in Motion is wasting no time in letting potential customers know they think they’ll be shipping an iPad-killer. First the company floats the notion that the PlayBook will be priced lower than Apple’s current entry-level iPad, and now they’re saying the PlayBook will significantly outperform the iPad for Web browsing—and the PlayBook supports Adobe Flash too.

In an online video, the company rolls a pre-release PlayBook and an iPad running iOS 3.2.2 through a series of comparison tests over a high-speed Wi-Fi network, including loading IFA.com, the Flash-intensive CBS.com, the Acid3 rendering test, and a Javascript performance test. In each instance, the PlayBook appears to trounce the iPad. The CBS.com site in particular fares better in the PlayBook—no doubt it was chosen in part because it is so dependent on Flash technology.

Although the PlayBook’s display is both physically smaller and lower resolution than the iPad’s (1,024 by 600 pixels for the PlayBook, versus 1,024 by 768 for the iPad), the PlayBook sports a 1 GHZ dual core processor, where the iPad runs on a single core 1 GHz processor. Ironically, both the iPad’s Safari browser and the PlayBook’s browser are based on WebKit, the open source Web rendering engine developed by Apple, originally from KHTML. The PlayBook is based on an operating system from QNX, rather than something home-grown by RIM, and is built entirely using Adobe’s Flash and Air technologies.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Mobile

You may have to wait a while longer for new iPads

The backs of Apple's iPad Air and iPad Pro, with the tablets place on a table.

Just days ago, the Chinese website IT Home said Apple would announce the launch of its 2024 iPads on Tuesday, March 26. However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman — who still believes new iPads will arrive this spring — has debunked this rumor. In other words, we'll probably have to wait a little longer for new Apple tablets to arrive.

Gurman had previously stated that Apple's next-generation tablets would arrive in late March or April. Of the March 26 rumor, Gurman took to X, formerly Twitter, to say it was "not true."

Mobile

Get 32% off the cellular model of the iPad Pro 12.9 this weekend

The iPad Pro on a desk next to a stylus and AirPods.

If you've been thinking about getting the iPad Pro with cellular connectivity but you've been hoping to buy the tablet from iPad deals for a discount, this may be what you've been waiting for -- a 32% discount from Amazon's Woot on the 12.9-inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular model of the 2021 Apple iPad Pro with 128GB of storage. From $1,199, it's down to just $810, which is a steal price for this device with savings of $389. However, while there are still several days left on this offer, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase immediately because there's a chance that stocks don't last that long.

Why you should buy the 2021 Apple iPad Pro 12.9
It's not the latest version of Apple's top-of-the-line tablet -- the honor goes to the 2022 Apple iPad Pro -- but the 2021 Apple iPad Pro is still a pretty powerful device by today's standards. That's because it's equipped with Apple's M1 chip, which promises fantastic speed and excellent graphics when you're working on your multimedia projects, multitasking between several apps, or playing console-level games. With its 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR touchscreen, you'll enjoy high-brightness and high-contrast content, and its mini-LED display provides deeper black levels and more vibrant colors.

Mobile

Best tablet deals: iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Fire, and more

Front face of Samsung Galaxy Tab S8.

Whether you’re shopping for one of the best iPads or one of the best tablets in general, it never hurts to keep an eye out for some savings. Tablet deals are often pretty easy to come by, with top tablet brands like Samsung, Apple, and even Microsoft having a tablet model or two discounted somewhere on the internet. We’ve scoured all of the current tablet deals and compiled them into what we feel are the best tablet deals going on right now. Reading onward you’ll find everything you need to know in order to save big on a new tablet, as well as some information on which of the best tablet deals may best suit your needs.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite (32GB) -- $96, was $160

If you need an Android tablet for simple tasks like browsing the internet and watching streaming shows, the affordable Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite may be enough for you. Its 8.7-inch screen is decent with WXGA+ resolution, while maintaining portability so you can easily hold the tablet in one hand. Its internal storage is limited at 32GB, but you can expand it by up to 1TB using a microSD card. For the clumsy ones, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is perfect for you because it's protected by a sturdy metal frame.