Thursday, March 1, 2012

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 arrives, built-in e-mail and all

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 arrives, built-in e-mail and all | The Digital Home - CNET News CNET News @import "http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/Ads/common/css/SponsoredTextLink/sponsoredTextLink.live.css"; Manage Packages With UPS My Choice Home Reviews Cell Phones Camcorders Digital Cameras Laptops TVs Car Tech Forums Appliances Cell Phone Accessories Components Desktops E-book Readers Games and Gear GPS Hard Drives & Storage Headphones Home Audio Home Video Internet Access Monitors MP3 Players Networking and Wi-Fi Peripherals Printers Software Tablets Web Hosting You are here: News Latest News Mobile Startups Cutting Edge Media Security Business Tech Health Tech Crave Apple Microsoft Politics & Law Gaming & Culture Blogs Video Photos RSS Download Windows Software Mac Software Mobile Apps Web Apps The Download Blog CNET TV How To Computers Home Theater Smartphones Tablets Web Marketplace Log In | Join Log In Join CNET Sign in with My profile Log out .mad_center {text-align:center;} .mad_center div, .mad_center table, .mad_center iframe, .mad_center a img {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;}
CNET News The Digital Home BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 arrives, built-in e-mail and all Don Reisinger by Don Reisinger February 21, 2012 4:47 AM PST

If at first you don't succeed, they say. Still, although PlayBook owners will now have much of what they were hoping for in the first version, they're not getting everything.

Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBookResearch In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook

(Credit:James Martin/CNET)

Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook OS 1.0 was criticized for a general lack of built-in features. With a new software update, the BlackBerry maker is trying to address that.

RIM today announced the launch of its BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. The operating system includes many of the features users were hoping to find in the last version, including a native e-mail client with a unified inbox, and built-in calendar and contacts applications.

The company made the odd decision in the first version of the software to not include native e-mail, calendar, or contacts applications. In order for users to have access to them, they'd need to have a BlackBerry smartphone and connect that device to their PlayBooktablet. The move was a major black mark in PlayBook reviews, and stunted the 7-inch tablet's growth.

Related storiesGet a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for $169.99RIM will trade you a free PlayBook for an Android appRIM lineup leaked: More Curves, BlackBerry 10, and new PlayBookCNET Review: BlackBerry PlayBook

Although PlayBook owners will now have much of what they were hoping for in the first version, they're not getting everything. BlackBerry Messenger, which allows users to instant-message each other from one BlackBerry device to another, is still absent from the software.

In the platform's calendar and contacts apps, RIM has added social integration, courtesy of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The software's updated BlackBerry Bridge application, which lets a BlackBerry smartphone and the PlayBook communicate over Bluetooth, now includes a remote control feature, allowing owners to use their handsets as a wireless keyboard and mouse.

One other major improvement to the operating system: BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 includes support for certainAndroid applications.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 is, as expected, available now as a free download.

Posted by Ambar jaiswal at 11:44 AM
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