BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Upgrade: 5 Key Features Explained

BlackBerry PlayBook was written off for losing grip on the tablet market. But that may not be true anymore. The new PlayBook OS 2.0 announced on February 21, has some astonishing features and it’s going to help RIM tighten its grip on the tablet market.

The new OS injects a fresh breath of life into PlayBook tablets. After BlackBerry PlayBooks were launched in the market last year, they made some hype. But they were also equally criticized for not having a native e-mail app and lacking some essential features. As a result, the tablet flopped in the global market.

In Canada – the home of Blackberry, PlayBook controls only 15% of tablet market share. But, with this update, the market share is set to increase. Why? It's because of these 5 new key features of PlayBook OS 2.0:

1. Refreshed UI

The user interface in PlayBook OS 2.0 has received some nice tweaks. Now it allows folder creation, so that apps can be arranged in categories by folder name. Icons can be moved here and there. There are few other noticeable improvements too.

2. Messages - Native e-mail client

Lacking a native e-mail app was the strongest point for critics against PlayBook. Now with PlayBook OS 2.0, BlackBerry aims to improve its image. The Email app has a nice fancy user interface. It supports multiple e-mail account and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

3. Android app support

Android is a strong platform and a direct rival of Apple’s iOS. Both the platforms have a flood of apps to offer. PlayBook OS 2.0 now includes Android app support. It means a lot for its subscribers as they will be able to use select Android apps on their PlayBook.

4. Calendar & Contacts

Blackberry users have many hopes from this update. Social Integration is an important part of both Calendar and Contacts applications. Users can set up monthly, weekly or daily agenda and even know about birthday of a Facebook friend from the Calendar app.

5. Blackberry Bridge

For those who use both PlayBook and Blackberry phone, Blackberry Bridge is a useful app. This feature allows the Playbook tablet to be controlled by the Blackberry smartphone. For presentation purposes, this is a must-have feature.

(Reported by Johnny Wills, Edited by Surojit Chatterjee)

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