said by Gone:They're fantastic devices when they run 2.1, it's just that RIM dropped the ball so badly when the thing was initially released that no one bothered with the device and it's now relegated to a Canadian-only has-been. The multitasking on these things is phenomenal and blows iOS and Android out of the water, and the apps that do exist are very well done.
The guys at the shop have already fallen in love with them even though they've only had them for a day or so. They don't need games or crazy apps or anything of the sort. They just need the ability to view/edit documents, access their email, schedule and contacts and to browse the web. In that regard, the Playbook is the best bang for the buck you'll find.
The new Playbook came with OS 2.1 out of the box, so no wireless connectivity issues and setup was a breeze. The manufacture date was less than two months ago, so they must be going through inventory at an impressive rate. I think you're right that the pre-2.0 OS hampered its introduction and there's so much competition now that it has no chance, but I think it's going to go down in history as the Betamax of its time -- a superior product that was unfairly ignored. It's incredible that anyone would pay
more for an Amazon Kindle!
EDIT: I obviously meant Kindle Fire. Although at $119 the Playbook actually costs no more than many ebook readers.