Sony Releases New Ice Cream Sandwich Beta ROM for Xperias

In-development Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs haveleaked for plenty of Android smartphones, giving us early looks at what some official updates may hold in store, but there's been very little in the way of authorized distribution of such pre-release code. One notable exception is Sony, which back in December announced an early alpha build of ICS for a selection of its Xperia models. Today we get to see what the company's been up to since then, upon the release of a new beta version. 

Like the alpha release, there's a lot of functionality missing here that's going to detract from the phone's usability. That means that while you might want to poke around this build to get a taste for ICS, it's still a way's off from being ready for daily use. This release enables the phone's modem for GSM operation, for instance, but WiFi and Bluetooth still don't work. You'll also notice the ROM doesn't include the standard assortment of Google apps. 

If you've got an Xperia Arc S, Neo V, or Ray, and you've already used Sony's tool to unlock your phone'sbootloader, you're ready to check out this new beta release. Sony says that it's very interested in getting feedback on this build, so don't hesitate to let the company know what you think of your experience. 

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Motorola Droid 4 1080P HD Video Recording Sample (Video)

Motorola Droid 4 1080P HD Video Recording Sample
The latest in Verizon's Droid family is the Droid 4. Its rear-facing 8MP camera is set at the factory to 720P, but is capable of 1080P. 

To give you an idea what kind of video you can expect when you get your Droid 4 I bumped up the resolution to 1080P, headed to my front yard, and shot a varied assortment of close-ups and distance, land and sky, all while holding the phone at about 18-inches away. 

Take a look and let us know what you think of the quality in the comments below. 
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Box Ups Free Cloud Storage to 50GB for Android Users

Cloud storage provider Box normally hooks users of its unpaid accounts up with a free 5GB. For a lot of users, that much will be plenty, but for those of you with some heftier storage needs, we've seen a couple promotions so far that gave owners of certain phones a big bump in how much free space they're allotted. While you could have gamed the system by having your handset misreport its manufacturer, today there's a far more legitimate way to get your hands on that same kind of storage space; along with releasing an update to its app, Box has announced that Android users who log-in between now and March 23 will see their Box accounts permanently upgraded to 50GB. 

The big news here is clearly the order of magnitude increase in free storage capacity, but the Box app itself gets a few tweaks, too. There's increased language support, the ability to move the app to your microSD card to save space, and a new comment system. You'll now be able to upload files from your phone in batches, as well as invite other users to collaborate with you on a file. 

Box 1.6.0 is available in the Android Market now. We haven't heard of any plans for Box to run a similar promotion for iOS users. 
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Microsoft Ads to Feature "Smoked by Windows Phone" Results

A couple weeks ago, we learned that the "Smoked by Windows Phone" smartphone speed runs the company introduced at the CES were making their return, with Microsoft's Ben Rudolph bringing the competition to Microsoft's retail locations across California. Just like before, Ben would put the platform's reputation on the line as he faced-off in challenges against other smartphone users, seeing who could complete certain common tasks the fastest. Beating Rudolph would net the winner $100, but losers would have to admit their defeat on-camera. Now it's time for Microsoft to share some of those showdowns with the rest of us, announcing plans to turn Smoked by Windows Phone into its next advertising campaign. 

When Windows Phone faced-off against challengers at the CES, Rudolph managed to come out on top 88% of the time. After going up against the public in Microsoft's retail stores, his win-rate has climbed even higher, and Rudolph's been managing to emerge victorious 19 times out of 20. 

After hearing from Windows Phone fans that they'd love to see these contests featured more heavily, Microsoft has decided to make them the focus of its next ad campaign. Over the next several weeks, we should have plenty of opportunities to see confident Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry users go home with their tail between their legs after making the mistake of challenging Ben Rudolph. 

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LG Brand-New Android Lineup Gets Filmed (Video)

With the Mobile World Congress just about to commence in Barcelona, it should be no surprise that the companies preparing to demonstrate their latest handsets have been getting their gear together in preparation of the show. That much smartphone hardware all together in one place is just making it more and more likely that bits and pieces will leak out a little early, giving us some teases of what we can hope to see once things really get started. Italian site Telefonio recently found itself with just such an opportunity, and has managed to capture plenty of pictures and video of LG's recently-announced lineup of Androids. 

LG's been very busy this week, formally revealing phones like the Optimus 4X HD3D MaxVuLTE Tag, and its trio of L-series phones; maybe "busy" is actually a bit of an understatement. As such, Telefonio really lucked-out with getting access to these LG handsets, and managed to snap more images than we could ever hope to show you here. For the highlights, though, check out the video clips below, giving us some of our first hands-on looks at these just-announced models. 

We'll be bringing you our own first-hand reactions to these LG phones as we start our MWC coverage, and with commentary in English, to boot. If you just want to get a quick first look, or you happen to speak Italian, here's a good starting place: 




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Will the Nokia 801 Introduce Symbian Carla?

Earlier this month, we heard about the Nokia 801, a rumored Symbian smartphone, but we really haven't been able to get a good read on the handset. At first, there was a rumor that we'd only see one new Symbian, so news of multiple upcoming models had us wondering where the truth really was. Then there was the mystery of what would be the follow-up to Nokia's N8, which is now looking likely to be the PureView 808. Lastly, we had the picture of the supposed 801 itself, which was clearly just compiled from pre-existing Nokia images. Still, there were some strong voices claiming that the 801 was very much real, so we resigned ourselves to await further news. Today, some new rumors surface around the 801, claiming to reveal some additional details about its release plans. 

Supposedly, the 801 would be the very first Nokia to graduate from Belle to Carla, the next revision of the once-Symbian OS. We've already seen evidence of work on Carla thanks to bug-tracker postings made on Nokia's developer site. According to today's news, Carla is still very much under construction, and that's why we haven't heard more about the 801 just yet, and why it's not expected for the MWC. To get a chance to see the handset, assuming it truly exists, we'll just have to keep waiting. 
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HTC Connects With Users Through New Official Blog

As we bring you news about smartphones and tablets, we have to think critically about where the latest rumors are coming from: if they're worth bringing-up to you, and how confident we feel about the information itself. That's why it's great to hear about things straight from the horse's mouth when at all possible. HTC has just given itself a new official mouthpiece – one we're hoping will become a great resource for fans of its smartphones – in the form of a new blog. 

Obviously, we won't be seeing the latest leaks here, nor a lot of speculation on upcoming HTC hardware, but it still should give the manufacturer a new tool to keep us updated on its latest work. We can probably look forward to HTC using the blog to discuss things like news about software updates, insight into its design process, and what the company is up to with its latest business ventures, like the Beats Audioconnection. 

The blog shouldn't replace any existing support resources, but it will still give users a chance to ask questions about what might be coming next from HTC and get an officially-sanctioned response. Right now, the sky's the limit for what HTC might do with the site, so we'll be keeping a close eye on it to see just how it ends up developing. 
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Google+ Circles heading to Google Voice, creepers heading straight to voicemail

If you've spent some quality time with Google+, we're sure you've encountered Circles. You know, the feature that enables you to control who sees your G+ posts and who doesn't. Now, the folks in Mountain View have added the social network management tool to Google Voice. You can organize your contacts into groups who can actually ring your Galaxy Nexus and those who are sent straight to voicemail. Custom greetings can also be added to each Circle, should you feel the need to offer some Punch Brothers instead of the boring ol' standard ringback. Looking to take 'er for a spin? Hit the Groups & Circles tab in your Voice settings in order to customize your sets of contacts, but take note that your existing Google+ Circles are getting cozy there already.
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Samsung demos new 32nm quad-core Exynos ahead of MWC

Exynos
If you were lucky enough to be at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, then you might have caught a glimpse of Samsung's latest sliver of mobile silicon. The as yet unnamed Exynos parts will come in dual- and quad-core configurations running at up to 1.5GHz. Perhaps the most important change though, is the switch from a 45nm manufacturing process to 32nm. That means smaller parts that draw less power, while delivering better performance. The A9 cores are paired with Sammy's own GPU, an OpenGL ES 2.0-capable chip with four pixel processors. According to the company, the new CPUs deliver a 26 percent boost in performance and up to a 50 percent increase in battery life. Of course, we'll have to wait to run our own benchmarks to confirm that lofty claim. Who knows, maybe we'll see it show up in some phones at MWC.
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The Engadget Interview: BlackBerry PlayBook product manager Michael Clewley

There's no getting around it: it's been a rough couple of years for Research in Motion. This week's on-time release of its PlayBook 2.0 software marked a rare bright spot in an otherwise grim era, bringing much needed features for the QNX platform such as a unified inbox, deeper social integration and updates to the company's BlackBerry Bridge app.

At the same time, the release of the 2.0 software has brought many of our outstanding questions to the fore: why weren't these features present in the first go-round? Why did the company take so long to flesh out its software? And lastly, when will we see some proper second-gen hardware? We sat down with PlayBook product manager Michael Clewley to discuss the slate's ups and downs, and how the revamped tablet stacks up in an increasingly crowded field. 

Was the unified inbox something you were shooting for with the first version of the OS?

When we launched the PlayBook, we launched it with the BlackBerry Bridge as well to show that your two devices work really well together and you get that HD view into your smartphone. Obviously, that wasn't exactly what consumers wanted with the product, so from there we took the feedback and began working on it. We wanted to make sure that we take the product to the next level and not just deliver basic messaging, and that's what I think we've really done here. It's an overall integrated experience, not only with messaging, but with social. It goes across the device, so we wanted to make sure that that was an experience that would excite and delight users instead of just kind of meeting their expectations.

So the messaging wasn't there in the first version because you didn't think that's what people wanted out of the device?

Well, we wanted to make sure that the experience that we delivered for the PlayBook was something that BlackBerry users would find valuable. Again, the pairing of using your tablet with your phone to view email and keep that kind of view and synchronization in place is something we felt that would really excite BlackBerry users. But it seems that many users also just want an on-device built-in messaging application. That said, with 2.0, users are really excited about the new features in Bridge. Similar to how we've raised the bar with messaging, we've also raised expectations with the Bridge integration, with how these two devices work better together because of the remote control and because of the open-on features from your smartphone to your tablet.

So you initially envisioned the PlayBook as more of a supplemental device to your smartphone?

I think initially it was a great tablet for BlackBerry users to use as a companion to the smartphone, but what we've seen is that users who have the PlayBook love it just as much on its own.

Are you finding that there are people picking up the PlayBook that aren't already BlackBerry users?

For sure. I think that's why OS 2.0 is a big release for those users. It brings the built-in applications to those users and gets them that experience that comes goes with the BlackBerry. It brings native messaging, it brings the built-in contacts, the calendar to the PlayBook.

The price has gone down significantly since release, but based on the initial MSRP, would it have made sense to position the PlayBook as a standalone tablet?

Yeah, the PlayBook itself is a great device on its own, with lots of great applications. The browsing experience experience on the PlayBook is phenomenal, plus the content consumption experience is great. The thing that really resonated in the early PlayBook seven-inch form factor was the portability, plus the hardware that we have in the product. The dual-core 1GHz processor is still a valid hardware specification today, and it will be for a some time. It's powerful under the covers and it's what drew people to the product.

Does that mean that it's going to be a little while before you have a new tablet device coming down the pipes? 

We never tend to comment on new hardware coming down the road.

Now seems like the time. The first PlayBook was announced at CES 2011 and came out shortly after.

Yeah, we had the big unveiling at CES 2011 and it launched in April of 2011, with our initial version of the software, which again, was a success for many users who appreciate the product and saw value in the product itself. So with OS 2.0, what we've done is essentially raised the bar with the value that it brings to the product, just giving it more holistic offerings.

Does the 2.0 update keep it more competitive with the current batch of tablets?

Yeah, not only do we have the built-in support for the applications I talked about, but it's a competitive platform for developers to bring applications to. We've seen a great influx of applications in the last several months, including apps that are built specifically for the PlayBook. We've seen titles like Angry BirdsCut The RopeMonopoly and Madden come to the BlackBerry PlayBook. With OS 2.0, we've also included support for Android applications, so Android developers can bring their apps and port their apps to PlayBook. It opens up, not only value for developers, but end users as they get more applications.

The last area is the web. The PlayBook browser in OS 2.0 is just phenomenal. We're seeing some really great scores in the HTML5 tests, and it's very competitive even in the desktop browser space. So it's another great platform for developers, and again, when you get developers on the platform, the users benefit from having those applications.

Is there a benefit, so far as you can see, for developers to develop an app on the native OS versus Android, if Android apps can be used on the device?

The way we look at it is that the Android runtime is a way for developers that are new to the platform to get their feet wet. It allows them to see how successful they can be actually be to have an app on the platform. I'm sure you've heard this stuff recently, but even back at DevCon Europe, we did some myth-busting and BlackBerry developers tend to make the most money out of any other platforms out there today. What we have in terms of a development platform, whether it's native using QNX or whether it's web, we'll give you the best overall experience on a device. I want to make sure that we have a really great Android experience as well. We're not 100 percent compatible for all Android applications, but we're pretty good and that is again going to bring over those long tail applications for those who have never even touched the platform before.

What are the specifics, as far Android app incompatibility?

Our website tends to list what we do and don't support. Right now it's native APIs on Android runtime itself that are the big contenders.

Why did the 2.0 update take so long to hit?

We've been talking about [the promised update] for a while. We talked about it in an interview back in the summer. We first announced 2.0 on an investor call back in September. We wanted to make sure that when we actually released the product, we brought the right experience that was going to really wow users, and I think that's what we've really delivered here. Something that RIM can be proud of in general and that our users are gonna really enjoy.

But you've been saying, "Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you PlayBook owners."

Yeah, we wanted to make sure that PlayBook owners knew there was an OS update coming, and that we were listening to the feedback that we had gotten from them, and we're going to deliver on the experience to update what they're asking for.

As far as the ever-dropping price point -- was the device over-priced in the beginning, or have the drops come as a result of increased competition?

Yeah, I think that the tablet marketplace is still relatively new, but at the same time it's very, very competitive, so I think that the current price point and promotions that we're offering allow us to remain competitive in that market. In addition to that, with the feature set that we have now with OS 2.0, it really brings focus to the product and gives it a strong value proposition, so I think that this is an excellent opportunity for users to get a fantastic product.

The low-end PlayBook is roughly the same price as the Kindle Fire with current promotions. What does this product bring to the tablet that other tablets don't?

The big feature that we have right now is social everywhere. If you look back at BlackBerry, there's a lot of things that we do for users. The devices anticipate what your moves are. They give you the information before you know you need it, and I think that's what some of the things that we've delivered in OS 2. It's a really good device for someone who wants a really great tool, but also likes to have fun because we have a lot of really great applications.

I would assume that enterprise functionality would be a pretty big selling point, as well.

Definitely. With the launch of 2.0, we've also launched our next generation version of enterprise management. The next generation of BlackBerry Server, which is called BlackBerry Mobile Fusion allows you to not only manage your BlackBerry smartphones, but your tablet devices and enroll your tablets, push out applications, manage the tablets, make sure the data is being kept safe and secure, but also allow users to bring their own devices and continue to use them for fun while their using it for work as well. So this is an area where we're using the BlackBerry brand and trust and management and security to go further.

So basically, you see it as a consumer tablet first with added enterprise functionality.

With the introduction of Mobile Fusion, I would view it as a tablet that is for those who are working folks like the rest of us. They want to use the device not only for work purposes, but they want to use the device for fun as well. With BlackBerry Balance it allows the best of both worlds, so to speak. I can have work on my device but also have my games, it can have my Angry Birds, but I get my work email from my device and that data is kept safe and secure.

But you think the tablet is competitive for those who want a non-work device.

Hands down. The built-in functionality, the social integration and the apps -- we have 10,000 apps in App World specifically for PlayBook today, plus those apps built for Android. It's also a fantastic consumption device, whether it's media, video, music or reading, there's multitudes of ways to do this and the form factor again, portable, is great for on-the-go media consumption as well as reading. And that seven-inch form factor is beautiful for reading a book.

Has the recent change in management done anything to impact the company's focus on the PlayBook?

No. We said, back in the beginning of November that we were delivering in February, and we've delivered in February. So, again, we are focused on delivering great experiences to our customers and that's what we've done with OS 2.0. We are strongly committed to the PlayBook.
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LG Optimus 4X HD unveiled: Quad-core Tegra 3, Ice Cream Sandwich, 4.7-inch display

If LG failed to impress so far with the Android 2.3 phones it's shown off in the run up to MWC 2012, perhaps the Optimus 4X HD can turn things around. This 4.7-inch beast will hit Europe in the second quarter and is its first to feature a 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 as its benchmark destroying CPU, a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD (1280x720) plus what appears to be a lightly customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich. Perhaps the only logical followup to its Optimus 2X that kicked off all the dual-core madness, it also includes a 2,150mAh battery, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Despite that huge screen, at a depth of 8.9mm it's only slightly thicker than the superwide 4x3 Optimus Vu. Just like the Fujitsu prototype we spent some time with at CES, the Tegra 3 features a 4+1 "Companion Core" design, with a fifth low power unit available to take care of more mundane tasks without draining the battery. This is all pretty close to the leaked "X3" specs we'd heard, however there's no mention of NFC or HSPA+ just yet, only DLNA and MHL. Check out the full press release after the break for a few more specs.

LG'S QUAD-CORE SMARTPHONE MAKES
DEBUT AT 2012 MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS

LG Optimus 4X HD Takes Desktop Performance to the Mobile Space

SEOUL, Feb. 23, 2012 – LG today unveiled its first Quad-Core processor smartphone, LG Optimus 4X HD. Combining NVIDIA's latest 1.5GHz Tegra 3 with True HD IPS display, the LG Optimus 4X HD delivers PC-like performance in the palm of one's hand.

"LG introduced the world's first Dual-Core smartphone exactly one year ago and today we're announcing the next milestone," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "But speed in itself isn't what makes LG Optimus 4X HD unique, it's the benefit we're bringing to customers with the HD multimedia experience in a mobile form factor."

The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor is the world`s only 4-PLUS-1™ Quad-Core mobile processor designed for high-level multimedia performance but utilizes a fifth battery-saver core to handle less demanding tasks such as active standby and music playback. When running at full speed, the 12-core graphics processing unit (GPU) in Tegra 3 delivers a visually rich experience and console-quality game playability.

Equipped with the True HD IPS display, the Optimus 4X HD guarantees the finest viewing experience with high resolution, clarity and no color or shape distortion. The Optimus 4X HD includes 16 GB internal memory and runs on the latest version of Android OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Besides the smooth and fast performance, the Optimus 4X HD boasts a 8-megapixel BSI (Backside Illumination) Sensor camera with LED flash and advanced multimedia features to enrich the overall multimedia experience.

And LG designers made sure that looks didn't take a back seat to performance. The 8.9mm slim and sleek smartphone features a "prism-edged" design with enhanced materials and finish.

Additional information on the revolutionary new Optimus 4X HD will be available at LG Stand (Hall 8) at MWC 2012 from February 27 to March 1.

Key Specifications:
o Chipset: 1.5GHz Quad-Core processor (NVIDIA Tegra 3)
o Display: 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) True HD IPS
o Memory: 16GB eMMC and 1GB LP DDR2
o Camera: 8.0MP BSI Sensor (Rear) and 1.3MP (Front)
o OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
o Battery: 2,150mAh
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BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 review


Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the world of email. Yes, email! Sure, many of you have given up on the stuff in favor of more instant means of communication, but don't worry, because that's here too! Yes, the BlackBerry PlayBook, which was released 10 months ago, is now finally able to send messages all by itself. Sure, BlackBerry Bridge is still there and more useful than ever, tying the PlayBook even closer to your work-issued smartphone, but the 7-inch slate finally feels like it can stand a little more solidly on its own two feet.

Thankfully that's not all -- this recently refreshed tablet has a few other tricks up its sleeve, most notable being the ability to run some (focus on the some) Android apps without having to resort to any messy tweaks or hacks. The experience isn't entirely clean, nor does it quite feel like the refresh the "two dot oh" moniker implies, but it is a nice step forward. Click on through to see what you get.

Messages



No, the biggest point of discussion at the PlayBook's launch was what it couldn'tdo.

The biggest point of discussion at the launch of the PlayBook wasn't the thing's stout build
quality, its stoic good looks or even its finger-friendly gestures. No, the biggest tale was what it couldn't do. It lacked a dedicated email app, had no concept of a calendar and couldn't even keep track of your contacts. Sure, there was a Gmail icon sitting there next to the other apps, but that was just a link to an optimized version of the web interface. It didn't fool anybody.

As we mentioned, more and more people are forgoing email for other means of communication and those still down with POP are largely sending their missives through some online service or another. But, for a platform that made a name for itself by producing the most email-friendly smartphones on the planet, producing a tablet by the same name that's completely ignorant to the stuff was a glaring oversight.

Of course, the PlayBook could send emails, but only when paired with a willing BlackBerry smartphone via the Bridge app. That 'ol Bridge is still here, which we'll discuss in just a moment, and now users are swimming in a wealth of messaging options. Both Bridge and Messages let you send and receive emails and, should you configure the same email account in both you'll get not one but two notifications with every email you receive! That is every bit as annoying as it sounds.


Thankfully Messages is much more than just email. Through it you can aggregate messaging from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn -- the most important social network for suits -- though you are limited to only one of each. (Sorry, Twitter schizos.) You can, however, have as many email accounts as you like, coming through Exchange, Hotmail, Gmail, IMAP, or POP.

Add a bunch and everything will be all jumbled together into a single view of what's going on. Every friend request, every Twitter DM and every desperate "Know of any openings?" message from that guy you used to work with that summer who quit in a huff and quickly had second thoughts. The integrated view is nice if you're a casual communicator, but if you're the social sort things quickly become overwhelming. Thankfully, with a tap in the list of accounts on the left you can display only content from that source, and you can also filter by folder (or label, in the case of Gmail).

While you can view other content, this is not a replacement for the various other social apps in there. For example, unlike the (generally quite good) Facebook app, in Messages you can only view messages, friend requests and events. No status updates here.

The email sending interface is clean and simple and pretty much everything you would expect. There's a box for "To," a box for "Cc," a third for "Subject" and, finally, the place where you type in the body itself. No, Bcc is not supported, but attachments thankfully are, and you can choose any file you like.

Contacts and Calendar



Yes, there are new applications to manage these things, too. We signed in with our Gmail and Facebook accounts and the tablet made quick work of our pending appointments, listing them all in a simple, straightforward calendar view. You can create new events and push them to any of those accounts, but the functionality is somewhat limited compared to the real thing. For example, you can create an event on your Google Calendar, but you can't specify anything more than a simple pop-up reminder.

The Contacts app is similarly functional, pulling down whatever your social networks want to serve up. However, it's not particularly smart. For example, we have plenty of friends in LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter who appeared two or three separate times in the list. You can manually link them together if you're so inclined, but that sounds only marginally more entertaining than manually defragmenting your hard drive bit by bit.

Android



Happening across an Android app in the App World is a bit like winning the lottery: you're unlikely to do either by chance.

As nice as it is to finally have some proper integrated messaging, the most talked-about feature here is the ability to run Android apps right out of the box. You'll find them in the App World -- well, you might find them. RIM didn't want to make these stand out beyond the standard apps, so happening across an official APK is a bit like winning the lottery: you're unlikely to do either by chance.

So we specifically went looking for some clues on what to search for, and we had the most luck poking around the CrackBerry forums for posts by lucky winners. In this thread we found a short list of available apps and downloaded two: the Dolphin HD browser and Pool Break Lite.

The apps download and install quickly and smoothly enough, like any other app, and they're listed right next to any native apps with nothing untoward about their icons. Just make sure you save up a little extra patience the first time you run them. Select one and you'll be presented with a black screen telling you that the app is "initializing" and ask that you "please wait."



It's basically like rebooting the tablet, but thankfully that's just a one-time thing. Android apps will later load more quickly and, once in memory, seem to run well. We prefer the (still excellent) stock PlayBook browser to Dolphin HD, but that's not to say the other one doesn't swim very well in these unusual waters. It does.

We wanted to try out a little game performance, and are happy to report that Pool Break Lite too ran well. It admittedly isn't the most polygonally demanding of all titles in the world, and the multi-touch navigation in the app was a bit jumpy, but the tablet had no problem emulating the Android calls to make it run.

Developers will be glad to know that, after submitting their apps to App World, they can charge money if they wish, and indeed many already are. In-game ads are also supported, but RIM provides no Android support for its own BlackBerry ad services.

BlackBerry Remote

BlackBerry Remote will turn your Bold into the best HTPC remote on the planet.

The biggest new feature in the 2.0 version of BlackBerry Bridge, which ties your phone to your tablet, isn't actually directly related to Bridge at all. It's Remote, which adds the ability to use it as a very smart, very expensive remote control. Pair the two and you can use the phone's display like a trackpad, moving a cursor about the tablet and performing gestures on the edges. You can also use the phone's keyboard to type or enter a Presentation Mode for easy navigation through a PowerPoint hosted on the tablet.

It's really great, but what's even more great is that this works with any device -- any device that can talk to a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, at least. We've seen this hooked up with PCs, Android tablets and more, so even if you don't have a PlayBook you'll be wanting to install the new Bridge app. It will turn your Bold into the best HTPC remote on the planet.

Print To Go

Docs To Go has been around since the beginning, giving simple viewing and editing for Office-like documents. New in 2.0 is Print To Go, which you're probably thinking gives the ability to print from your PlayBook. Actually it's the other way around. If you install the Print To Go client on your PC (no Mac support currently) you can print documents directly to your tablet, wirelessly. It shows up like a printer and anything sent through it can be easily viewed offline later. Nice and simple -- if you have a PC.

BBM

It's clear that RIM doesn't even want to bring it to its ownplatforms, and so we're going to go ahead and stop wondering about when it will show up on anyone else's.

This is the part where we'd like to write about how great the new BBM integration is with the PlayBook 2.0 OS but, sadly, we can't -- because there still isn't a BBM app outside of BlackBerry Bridge. Yes, you can BBM on the tablet if you have a tethered smartphone, but it's time to be able to do it without.

For a long time we wondered when, not if, BlackBerry would bring BBM to other platforms -- iOS, Android, we knew people who would pay real money to use it. Now, though, it's clear that RIM doesn't even want to bring it to its own platforms, and so we're going to go ahead and stop wondering about when it will show up on anyone else's.

Wrap-up



The PlayBook was clearly designed at the outset to only be used with a crutch, and that crutch is a smartphone. Using the tablet just felt a bit uncomfortable without a reassuringly blinking blue light from a nearby BlackBerry. With the 2.0 release the PlayBook is rather more independent, less codependant, but still far from a strong figure when stacked up against the competition. This is a positive refresh that current owners will want to apply as soon as is readily possible, but it won't bring many new users to the fold.

The Messages app fills a void and the Android app support is a nice plus, but the former is simply something that should have been there at the beginning and the latter offers far too limited selection now to be a proper selling point. Both feel like too little and both have arrived far too late. Sadly, the best new feature here is not on the tablet at all -- it's the BlackBerry Remote app for smartphones.
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