The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is a good-looking piece of hardware. Like the proto-humans in 2001: A Space Odyssey , you'll be eager to touch the monolithic object's black, buttonless visage. But once you do, things get a little more complicated.

Sexy design appeals to the Mies in you; Media is a joy with a brilliant display, great sound and an HDMI output; Two cameras: one on the front, a better one on the back; Supports tethering to BlackBerry phones; Comes with office-productivity apps that can read and edit MS Office files.

RIM's WebKit-based browser is about as stable as your bipolar uncle; No native e-mail, calendar or contacts apps; App ecosystem is lacking; You'll need to install a driver before you can connect it to your PC or Mac; Runs Flash, sorta

RIM is walking the fine line between enterprise and consumer tablet with its BlackBerry PlayBook. Is the business-friendly tablet still fun and useful for consumers, or is it a tweener[...

Tough; solid build; BlackBerry Tablet OS responsive; fluid; Most complete tablet browser to date; Office apps superb

Missing basic apps at launch (coming soon; however; No SD card slot; Power button way too small; Memory management needs work

The new tablet from Blackberry, the Playbook is a lot like Samsung Galaxy Tab and is priced in the same range as well. Coming right after the iPad2, Playbook has an edge over the former with superior cameras, but is pitted by the Apple tablet for its small display and lack of SIM support.

The tablet war is definitely hotting up now, and it isn't just a case of choosing a tablet that looks nice. RIM, maker of the BlackBerry, is the latest company wanting a slice of Apple's pie with its 7-inch screen pad, the PlayBook.

Amongst the slew of tablets that have been announced over the past couple of months, the BlackBerry Playbook has been one of the most anticipated, and for good ...

Great design and form-factor, U.I; is polished and easy-to use, fast performance, excellent display that is complimented by a set of powerful built-in speakers, Android app compatibility is coming

No dedicated email or calendar apps yet; hampered by lack of apps at the moment but that will surely change quickly; power/wake button is a bit too recessed; pricing could be more competitive

I am a blackberry fan and this tablet is ideal for business use. It is functional, has a good battery life and has all the features one needs to get by at work. Media support is average. Apps are an issue -- but with ability to sideload some Android apps, it even overcomes that problem.

PlayBook may be an odd name for BlackBerry's first tablet, but RIM's 7in PlayBook offers a refreshing interface and smooth performance that live up to its name. However, beyond the great multitasking and intuitive UI, the PlayBook holds little appeal for non-BlackBerry smartphone users.

The BlackBerry PlayBook has a refreshing interface and excellent multitasking, but its lack of apps -- both default and through BlackBerry App World -- means it offers little incentive for non-BlackBerry smartphone owners. With future software updates and additions, the PlayBook will only improve, but it remains behind the competition.

Great software, multitasking and slick UI; Excellent performance; Comfortable size for travelling and commuting;

No native calendar, e-mail or contacts apps (yet); Limited selection of apps in App World; Not much appeal for non-BlackBerry users;