Second, iPads are very expensive to add to your IT policy. They have more use than a smartphone, but cost cash upfront, unlike a smartphone where the cost is spread over time. Tablets have less function than a PC and generally cost more, but enable mobile working.
A company can't deploy an Android tablet without first taking a trip to IT so the necessary services can be set up.
Following the launch of Android on smartphones, Android came to tablets. Unlike the iPad, Android is open source and low cost, making it perfect for a larger touchscreen device. The first version of Android's tablet-centric platform, Android Honeycomb, was released at Mobile World Congress in February this year, making it much more suited for large screened devices.
However, the cost and security issues still remained. A company can't deploy an Android tablet without first taking a trip to IT so the necessary services can be set up. They are also pretty costly and, although encryption is increasingly becoming a part of them, there are still risks involved as local data cannot be protected in the same way as it can be on a PC.
In November 2010, the BlackBerry PlayBook was announced, with businesses specifically in mind.
The PlayBook works in a completely different way to any other tablet devices out there. Although the screen may be small (a disappointment to many), you can only access Exchange services through your BlackBerry smartphone, in most cases set up by IT managers. This means when the Bluetooth connection is broken, nothing important will remain on the tablet, making a lot more secure and more suited to business.
In fact, RIM has primarily targeted the enterprise market with the PlayBook, those that have an existing BlackBerry policy in place. The PlayBook can be deployed quickly and with no input from IT managers at all, saving a company time.
The PlayBook can also save money, because the Wi-Fi only version is a one-time investment of 320 excluding VAT. Sure, it may not be as cheap as a smartphone, but the ease is certainly a strong nod.
-
Blackberry revenue falls by 4% as cyber security division takes hitNews Despite this, the company’s Internet of Things (IoT) division increased its revenue by 28% as it attracted new customers from the automotive sector
-
Apple iPad Air (2020) review: The executive’s choiceReviews With the iPad Air’s most recent redesign, Apple has delivered the best bang-for-buck tablet money can buy
-
BlackBerry revival is officially dead as OnwardMobility shuts downNews The Texas-based startup is mysteriously shutting down and taking its ultra-secure 5G BlackBerry with it
-
In praise of the early adoptersOpinion The IT industry needs early adopters like you – and tech that fell by the wayside should still be celebrated
-
Apple is experimenting with attention sensors to save battery lifeNews Your next Apple device may shut down if you are not paying attention to it
-
Apple unveils M1-powered iPad Pro and iMac at April 2021 eventNews The new Apple Silicon hardware will be available to order from April 30
-
BlackBerry and AWS are developing a standardized vehicle data platformNews Platform will give automakers a standardized way to process data from vehicle sensors in the cloud
-
BlackBerry thwarts mobile phishing attacks with new AI toolsNews The company's Protect Mobile platform alerts users to potential malware before a link is clicked
