RIM Updates BlackBerry PlayBook OS

RIM has rolled out an update to BlackBerry PlayBook OS, with users of the tablet able to download the upgrade from today.

Version 2.0.1.358 brings a number of incremental updates to the tablet, but no major additions such as those included in the last release.

Incremental update

Among the improvements are browser enhancements which address performance with some websites and better support for Android apps. Also included are optimisations for video chat, personal information management (PIM) and BlackBerry Bridge applications.

The upgrade can be downloaded over the air and users should receive a software notification on the tablet status ribbon. Alternatively, they can check the settings menu under ‘software updates’ to receive the new version. Users who purchase and activate a Playbook on or after 17 April will automatically be upgraded as part of the setup process.

Version 2.0 was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January and introduced a number of significant additions, including the ability to access emails without requiring users to tether their BlackBerry smartphone to the tablet, addressing one of the key criticisms of the device.

Other improvements included new management tools, a unified inbox, a new calendar and an integrated contacts app. BlackBerry Bridge was another new addition designed to promote closer interaction between different BlackBerry devices such as the ability to view documents stored on a smartphone on a PlayBook.

However some commentators said that the update was “too little too late” for the beleaguered tablet and that these features should have been included at launch, with disappointing sales leading to price cuts in both the US and the UK.

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