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Blackberry Playbook OS2 Update Is Finally Available!

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The Blackberry Playbook is finally relevant again with a major software upgrade that spent almost a year in development. The new OS2 update is available in your settings menu where you select “update.” It will give you some amazing new features that will give you the quintessential RIM experience.

The new OS2 update gives users something everyone has wanted from day one and never received. The dedicated e-mail, calender, and contacts listing is the most prevalent addition that everyone will use on a daily basis. In the past you had to have a Blackberry Smartphone and the Bridge software that ported emails and everything else directly from your phone.

There are also new social elements that give you direct feeds to  your email via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Fancy yourself a reader? There is now an Amazon Kindle App for the Playbook so you can finally get a solid reading solution to buying and reading books. This is great because most  users had to rely on Kobo exclusively to get their content, and now there is some competition.

One of the most important elements to this update is the ability to use Android applications on your Playbook. Behind the scenes in the firmware is a Android Player that will give you access to tons of new apps. Speaking of apps, make sure to check out the revised Appworld for plenty of new programs, games, and productivity.  The most exciting thing for me is how easy the process is for existing Android apps to be converted over to the RIM format, so you can expect a massive influx for new content soon.

This OS2 update really is what the Playbook needed from day one and never received until a year after the release. Hardware wise it gives you a great dual core processor and you can multitask with impunity. The HDMI out is something most other mainstream tablets lack and is a deal breaker with most business people who need it for presentations or for average users who want to stream videos to their television. Speaking of TV, you can use your Blackberry Phone as a remote for your Playbook, so if its connected via HDMI to your television set. You can actually control your tablet with your phone!

Stay tuned for our full hands-on video later on today where we walk you though all of the new features found in the OS2 update! For Canadians, you can buy the Playbook 16 GB model for a cool $199 at Futureshop and Best Buy.

Update: Many people are asking about the Android Apps in the revised Blackberry App World. There is no specific category to find Android apps, they are mixed in with all of the other apps. The Kindle App was removed quickly after hitting the market due to bugs. We are working on a Playbook Section in our own Good e-Reader Android App Store and will offer tips/tutorials on how to easily load them on your Playbook.

[showhide type=’pressrelease’]
Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) announced that the new BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0 will be released for download today. BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 delivers an enhanced tablet experience and allows you to use the BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day – at work and at play. “Building on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s proven web browsing, multimedia and multitasking strengths, the new BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 introduces a range of new communications and productivity enhancements as well as expanded app and content support,” said David J. Smith, SVP Mobile Computing, Research In Motion.

New BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 features include:

• Integrated email client with a powerful unified inbox: With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 you have the option to use a unified inbox that consolidates all messages in one place, including messages from Facebook®, LinkedIn® and Twitter®, as well as personal and work email accounts.

• Social Integration with Calendar and Contacts apps: The built-in calendar harnesses information from social networks and makes it available where and when users need it. Contact cards are also dynamically populated with updated information from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to create a consolidated view of contacts.

• Updated BlackBerry Bridge app: BlackBerry® Bridge™ is a unique app that provides a Bluetooth® connection between your BlackBerry PlayBook and core apps on your BlackBerry® smartphone (including BBM™, Email, Contacts, Calendar and Browser) in order to let you view the content on the larger tablet display. With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, it’s easier and quicker than ever to take documents, web pages, emails and photos that appear on your BlackBerry smartphone and display them on your BlackBerry PlayBook for an optimized viewing and editing experience. The updated BlackBerry Bridge app also provides a new remote control feature that allows a BlackBerry smartphone to be used as a wireless keyboard and mouse for a BlackBerry PlayBook.

• Improved mobile productivity: Updated document editing functions, the new Print To Go app, and increased control and manageability of corporate data with BlackBerry® Balance ™ allow you to get more out of your BlackBerry PlayBook every day. Plus, an updated virtual keyboard with auto correction and predictive next word completion learns how you type to enable faster, more accurate typing.

• New apps and content: Thousands of new apps are being added to BlackBerry App World™ today (including a range of Android® apps that will run on the BlackBerry PlayBook). A new BlackBerry Video Store1 is launching today. Enhanced web browsing capabilities are also available with BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.

In conjunction with the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, RIM is making available an initial release of BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion that will include support for managing BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and BlackBerry smartphones2 in an enterprise. The full release of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion (with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices) is planned for general availability in late March 2012. For more information about BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, please visit www.blackberry.com/mobilefusion. Availability The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software update is now available as a free download for all BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.[/showhide]

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  • The information was really awaited for me since inception of google plus. Today I will set the button on my business website 

  • Once a happy user

    just installed the new update and it sucks (well compared to the expectations on the web)
    Where is the functionality to group your apps?
    Where is the upgrade to the docs to go apart from a new icon that would have made me use it rather than the system on my android tablet?
    Where is open access to the android market?
    And finally where is kindle, i can’t find it?
    This could have been the turning point, now we can say the playbook is dead?

  • Gugal

    I can’t find kindle app and my bookreader app is crashing. Hope I’m not doing anything. Upgrade doesn’t look all that cool 🙁

  • Q Qiu

    The same question: where are the android apps?  It is disappointing.

  •  They pulled it due to bugs about half an hour after the release. I think they are fixing it.

  • Once a happy user

    If you search for Android a lot of converted stuff come up, but that’s like selling a car that doesn’t require fuel, only to find the  maximum speed is 10 m/h. RIM should have controlled the expectations of us users, as i was disappointed with the upgrade and still find my $80 lower spec pandigital planet to be better for most tasks.

  • Once a happy user

     I forgot to mention, No Skype.

  • Kenpg31

    I can’t find any android apps……what’s up with that

  •  There is no dedicated section in the revised App World for Android Apps, they are mixed in with the other apps.

  • Mransom66

    I have to say I am disappointed bought a playbook based on os2 was expecting so much maybe too much I am amazed after all this time that a well tested application such as the Kindle App has to pulled just after launch because of bugs, not even going there on the Android Market. But we have no choice but to wait and see it is after all the first day of the launch.

  • Well after all the hype RIM flops again! If it took them a year to develop this then they might as well give up now. All I can see that is extra is a clunky email system, a kinda nifty calendar, a newspaper reader (which could be an app) and a revamped app store. Ok so the layout is “slightly” different but, as other people have noted, where are the android apps? where is the blackberry video store? where is skype? where is kindle? where is the substance? Ok, so it seems the android apps are built into the app store but all this has achieved is to flood the app store with junk. Really disappointing, and, to boot, my Playbook is now running slower than ever! Time to ditch it and opt for an iPad??

  •  I agree about the apps. We are going to be adding a section to our good e-reader app store where we convert ALL of the popular comic book and e-reader apps from Android to the Playbook Format and give you tutorials on how to load the apps in your playbook. Converting Android to Playbook apps is tedious work but we are going to make a go of it and let you guys get all the major apps like Nook, Kindle, Sony, Aldiko and others working on the Playbook in the next 48 hours.

  • Once a happy user

    I think this update sums up RIM and its future.
    Like Nokia before them, they think they know what the user wants and seem to ignore what the user really wants. I suspect this is due to the lack of real senior leadership and the hiring and promotion of “Yes men” rather than creating a balanced business that also allows development control by negativity. I Live near RIM and already they are talking about lay-offs this month.

    My advice RIM, keep the current price, sack your development leaders and your whole marketing department (for not controlling our expectations) and read what your users have written through “half full glasses” then look at what the jail breakers have done with your device and encourage it. The DS beat the PSP because it was easy to hack and run copied games. People like bargains legal or illegal , surely you can see where the market is going.
    Give us access to the android market!
    Include some kind if mame app as standard if your aiming this device at professionals, as their the games they will love.
    Include a better spreadsheet app or a version of open office.

    The next big thing due out i guess will be either a Nintendo or Sony gaming tablets with proper joypad and real games , can RIM survive this.

    As for apple, never, overpriced and too cult orientated.

  • Mstubbs

    could not find the amazon app

  • Wow!! Hard to believe there are so many blind people out there.

    Tackle this one first…see if you can get your heads around this: The Android apps that are converted are SEAMLESS to the playbook.  Why create a different section in App World just to list which ones are native and which ones came from the Android world.  Being SEAMLESS is better.

    As for OPEN ACCESS TO THE ANDROID MARKET? What are you smoking? That was never stated by anyone at RIM.  In fact, had that been the target they would have lost most of the corporate and gov contracts.  Being open to the Android market is a security risk.  Forcing a developer to port the app over using a RIM tool kit, then requiring approval before getting posted in to App World provides for better security checks and reduce crappy apps.

    Now, someone complained about not having folders/grouping.  This is easy.. supprised at the number of iPAD users who could not figure this one out.  Press and hold on an App icon. When it switches into edit mode simply drag it over top of another icon. It will auto create a new folder and allow you to name it.

    For the video store, well open the app that says Video Store.  Not sure how to better point that one out. 🙂

    As for apps that you expected to be in the new release?  Many of those are not the responsibility of RIM.  It is up to the app developer to port it over. 

    It was good that they pulled the Kindle app.  Nothing like having a crashing app.  Better to pull it and fix it.

    As for performance? If it seems slow try changing the App Behavior to Showcase.  I’m running in Default with 12 apps open, music playing in the background and three email accounts in constant push/sync.  It is still out performing my iPAD2 and unlike my Android devices, it has not crashed or required a reboot.

    Overall RIM did a great jon on the new release and the new integrated apps.

    In the end, if you have high expectations, you will always find a flaw….in any device.  The PlayBook is better than the iPAD and Android tablets in many ways.  There are areas in which iPAD and Android are nicer than the PlayBook.

    PlayBook, iPAD, and Android……I can find flaws will all; I can find good with all; In the end, choose that which best fits the need.

    Oh, and if you really want an app…..become a developer.  Or become really good friends with one.  😉

    ———————————————————————————
    “Life is too short. Embrace that which brings joy and run from the rest.”

    BlackBerry PlayBook 64g
    (2) BlackBerry PlayBook 32g
    Motorola Droid (Android 2.3.4)
    iPAD2
    (2) iPHONE 3G
    iPOD Touch
    iPOD Nano 5G
    ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime

  • ferocious beaver

    The good: 
    The browser seems a bit faster.
    The background colour is a nice blue.
    The bad:
    Still unable to sync with my laptop (and no I don’t lower my security to accomodate a device, especially since I can sync my Kobo, iPod and IPad.
    Sync with hotmail does not work.
    Kindle not available (how long did they work on this – 6 minutes or 6 month)
    A .pdf reader that is useless

    Sum up

    Incredible, mind numbing hpe that was not based on reality with utterly disappointing results.  I guess it is time to buy a real android tablet.  As for RIM – oh well before you there was NORTEL – we all know how that worked out.

  • No longer a Blackberry Fan

    My Book Reader is not working properly since this update. No Netflix, No Kindle, No Skype. This was such a hyped up OS2 update. This failure is just like AMD and their Bulldozer CPU.

  • No longer a Blackberry Fan

    BTW my Playbook also is running slower. 

  • Rees

    Just seached teh app store for Kindle and Linked in – No hits 🙁 

  • Kenpg31

    Thanks for the reply, I love my playbook it is the best tablet on the market I was looking at android apps the other day and there is a few I am hoping will make their way to BlackBerry app world  in time.

  • yourekiddingright

    ‘Best tablet on the market’???…really?…you must lead a sheltered life

  • That’s funny they removed the Kindle app due to bugs – the Kobo app has lots of bugs!

  • Penisman

    Depends what your looking for in a tablet, so arguably yes it is the best on the market for certain individuals.

  • Pendj

    Drag your apps over each other
    Android apps are in the application world

    Sigh I want the kindle app I don’t care bout fart apps and does my bum look like a yawning hippo app and rim I hate the auto text I am not retarded and I don’t need it to autocorrelation my text incorrectly I think this sentence shows why and I can’t be bothered to correct answer it

  • Stephenafrank

    You don”t really have a Playbook ..do you.

  • Gaja1234w

    wonder if someone at RIM is reading all these… got the playbook as a gift and cannot complain… but you can tell the hardware can do more… skype would be one thing. blackberry messenger would be another… being able to change background or sounds would be something one would call common sense…

  • Gaja1234w

    ok changin a background is possible… but took me a while…