Is the Playbook Enough to Save RIM

Research in Motion's new Blackberry Playbook tablet and its QNX based operating system are impressive to say the least, but are they enough to save the company from its downward slope? Some would argue yes and that the Playbook is the iPad killer. I disagree.

At one point the Blackberry platform defined the business world. Its enterprise level emailing capabilities and its solid corporate designed were the cutting edge of the smartphone community. But sadly, RIM has failed to keep up with the constant innovation of the industry. While the Blackberry's corporate offerings have remained strong, several powerful competitors have entered the playing field.

With Apple, Google, and Microsoft battling it out for market share they seem to be leaving RIM behind. This is because while all three of these platforms are competitive in the business world, they look beyond that. They look toward the casual users, the gamers, the tech enthusiasts. Because of this, RIM is struggling to hold onto its dwindling market share (14%) while Android and iOS continue to see gains (33% and 16% respectively).

You may be asking what this has to do with the Playbook. The fact is, it has everything to do with the Playbook. With Apple's iPad dominating the tablet market and Google's Honeycomb based tablets just starting to take off, where does the Playbook fit in? Does it fit in the business savvy crowd? I believe that answer is no. At launch, RIM's Playbook had no email or calendar client available for the platform (not very business oriented). What about the casual users? The Playbook has little in the way of app offerings, although it will gain access to a portion of the Android Market at a later date. This means that all the games, media, and productivity applications that smartphone and tablet users have come to expect are not present on the Playbook. So, beyond the pre-installed applications, the tablet offers little else. The media and web browsing capabilities of the Playbook are impressive, but its nothing the iPad and Honeycomb tablets can't do as well or better.

So, while RIM struggles to find its own place in the fast moving smartphone and tablet markets, the competition continues to leave them behind. The Blackberry Playbook is a great product with a ton of potential, but in this crowded market you really have to stand out. Unfortunately, this isn't something RIM excels at.

Laptop Repair What Choice Do You Have

In today's day and age, a laptop is probably one of the best gadgets that you could ever possess. The reasons are pretty obvious. There are many things that you can do with a laptop computer. It can greatly enhance your productivity. The things that you can normally do within the four corners of your office may now be accomplished outside. Deadlines which you have to meet urgently can now be met because you can now work in your home, in the park, or on a plane. Moreover, a laptop provides you easy access to information from the information superhighway, the internet, from nearly anywhere. Through your laptop computer, you get updated with the latest trends in politics, business, entertainment, and other information that is important to you. As a result of these practical benefits that you derive from using laptop computers, when this gadget breaks down you are greatly affected. It is for this reason why there is a need for laptop repair.

There are many ways by which laptop repair may be accomplished. In fact, the alternatives that you have are quite a good. For your laptop repair needs you may go to an established service center. There are, however, certain disadvantages with using a service center to fix your laptop. Aside from these service centers, you may directly go to your laptop manufacturer, especially, if it has an office in the place where you live. Under certain circumstances, this alternative is the most cost-efficient since you do not have to spend money for the laptop repair. However, this is normally only possible if your laptop is still under warranty. Otherwise, the cost of repairing your laptop computer including the parts that may be needed will be charged to you. Moreover, you may go to Google, Yahoo, or Bing, and type in "laptop repair" to look for these individual service providers. It is possible that you will be able to find a professional who does laptop repair at an affordable price.

However, despite the number of options that you have for laptop repair, it is important that you do this carefully and deliberately. Remember, your laptop computer is one of your important assets, it is therefore proper that you consign this with somebody that you can trust. Otherwise, the potential for disaster is there. Hence, choose the service center or the laptop repair professional that has the proven competence and track record in being able to fix laptops. The best way to do this is by asking questions. Do some research on the customers that they have serviced before. Do not rely on the information that they give you. You can also ask for references so that you will be assured that your laptop is in good hands.

Finally, considering what is at stake, you should have a ready plan for laptop repair. You can achieve this by knowing your laptop well. You have to read product brochures and specifications. This way you will be informed of the capabilities of your laptop and hopefully gain an understanding on the things that might affect its performance. Laptop repair need not be tedious and taxing. You just have to know where to go for laptop repair and you will be alright.