Gartner India, the local unit of the global IT market research agency, seemed to be not so hopeful about the chances of the just unveiled Blackberry Playbook in India.
The biggest downside, as has been pointed out by overseas reviewers, seems to be its inability to connect to a 3G or cellular network without help from a separate blackberry phone.
Vishal Tripathi, Principal Research Analyst for Gartner in India, points out that real CEO and corporate officials, the target for the tablet, like to move about and use their tablet on the road. Unless they depend on their blackberry, they cannot connect to the Internet or to their company’s home network with the playbook, he points out.
Tripathi points out that the reason for the bridge-requirement seems to be Research In Motion’s inability to port its blackberry security model to the QNX operating system that powers the Playbook.
“Thus the need to bridge to the BlackBerry which means that playbook does not have standalone access to secure corporate email that Blackberry is known for, unless it is connected to a BlackBerry phone using a BlackBerry Bridge that works on Bluetooth technology.
“Playbook also does not have 3G or other carrier-based mode of internet access, for which the user have to be in a Wi-Fi environment which is a challenge to real mobility,” he points out.
Another reason why CEOs and others may continue to carry the iPad around, instead of switching to the Playbook, is the size. While the iPad is as big as a netbook at 10 inches, Playbook is only 7 inches. “In the enterprise segment 10-inch Tablets are preferred, due to its ability to support more-robust two-hand typing and larger viewing areas for apps,” he points out.
Indeed, many corporate officials can often be found in seminars typing a quck email out with both their hands on the iPad placed on their lap or the table.
“Though RIM has substantial following in Smartphones, but tablets still must prove themselves to the RIM followers. Enterprise are still warming up to the idea of Tablet adoptions and it’s not happening at any significant pace as of now,” he points out.