UPDATE 11/04/2012: we've updated our review of the BlackBerry PlayBook following its upgrade to version 2.0 of BlackBerry's Tablet OS. This update is available free of charge to current and future owners of the PlayBook.

Very good screen; Excellent design and finish; compact and easily portable; BlackBerry Tablet OS 2.0 is original; new and very fast; Good battery life / Good e-mail system; Pleasant; high-quality web browsing (with Flash) / Good; clear audio

BlackBerry Bridge still required for access to BlackBerry Messenger; Not many PlayBook apps in App World; but Android apps now available; Not many connection ports; No camera flash; Physical buttons could be better finished

This tablet malarkey is really taking off isn't it? Anyone who's anyone is getting involved with increasingly mixed results. The latest to make a splash in this convergence pond is RIM, which is surprising in itself as it's a manufacturer who has never been known for its innovation, but has rather...

Great at multitasking; with an intuitive; gorgeous-looking display; it?s also dinky enough to fit comfortably into any average size bag

The BlackBerry App World is lacking in apps when compared to Apple and Android?s offerings; The fact you can only get online via Wi-Fi may put off some

Update : With more price drops for the BlackBerry tablet, we've taken yet another look at the Playbook to see if it's finally worth the cash, in light of a 4G PlayBook coming later this year. It's probably fair to say that the BlackBerry Playbook had something of a rocky start to life.

Update: RIM has announced the 4G LTE BlackBerry PlayBook tablet , which supports the fourth-generation mobile internet and is set to be rolled out in the UK by the end of 2013. The maker claims that it will be considerably faster than the original BlackBerry Playbook.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is a superb piece of hardware with a great screen, powerful speakers, smart design, and feature packed innards. And were the software up to scratch it could easily be one of our top choice tablets.

Smaller size is easier to handle; Elegant design; Feature packed; Theoretically fast hardware

Performance too variable; Unstable; Limited app support; Requires BlackBerry phone for email

While Android and iOS are the big movers of late, BlackBerry is a key player. The company's first tablet looks to build on its impressive, smartphone-based reputation.

It is small enough to fit in a pocket and can handle your productivity and entertainment needs but takes a different path to other non-Apple tablet s.

When BlackBerry released the original PlayBook it had some curious issues. Native email, contacts and calendar apps were missing, the app store was barren, and the price matched the iPad at £399.

A fast and long-lasting 7in tablet, the PlayBook's connection to BlackBerry phones make it a must-have for existing users, and its Android app support widens its appeal further

Well, everyone's jumping on the tablet bandwagon now aren't they - some being more successful than others. The latest company to take a leap into the pond of convergence is RIM - quite a surprise as it's never been big on innovation, preferring instead to stick to its tried and tested devices.

Excellent multitasking; intuitive; vibrant screen; it's also small enough to fit easily into your average bag

There's a lack of apps at BlackBerry App World compared with the likes of Apple and Android's app stores; The Wi-Fi-only net connection may deter some