Research in Motion used to sit at the top of the heap when it came to the smartphone market. But over the years both Apple, and Google have nibbled away at their lead, eventually knocking them into third place.

Stylish design; Great new OS; High end cameras; Web browsing with Flash

Power button placement; Lack of Apps; No native email

While many of the initial reviews of the BlackBerry PlayBook are correct in that the tablet has a ways to go before it truly rivals other tablets, there are glimpses into features that will help distinctly set this model apart from its competition.

Research In Motion released the much-anticipated PlayBook OS 2.0 this week. The update infuses the BlackBerry tablet with additional functionality, including e-mail, calendar and contacts functions, and the ability to run some Google Android apps.

Will the new and improved 32GB BlackBerry PlayBook 4G-LTE keep the fires burning for RIM or is it too little too late for the QNX and future BlackBerry 10 tablet? We get a hands on at the newer, faster and 4G-er PlayBook.

Blackberry made a name for itself with its business-centric phones and messaging applications. It has now entered to tablet business as well, producing the PlayBook, a light 7 inch tablet that runs its own OS, called BlackBerry Tablet OS.

Great if 10 inch is too big; A snappy OS and solid supplied apps

Weak third-party application support; No network media streaming

With its slick design and solid performance, the PlayBook feels like a sports car, but its lack of common applications makes it feel like a Ferrari that you'll only drive to and from the shops.

Excellent hardware; Fun; intuitive navigation; HDMI-out; Good battery life

No email; calendar or contacts apps; No keyboard auto-correction; No 3G option; Browser needs a few tweaks

It?s been a while since our first look of Research In Motion?s contender in the newly-sprouting tablet market, and since then we?ve get acquainted with the quaint device and feel out the kinks. In our hands we?ve held the Wi-Fi-only 16GB model.

Intuitive controls; classy design; BlackBerry smartphone pairing

Not as ?professional-grade? as touted; no larger screen option; lacking App World

It's been a while since our first look of Research In Motion's contender in the newly-sprouting tablet market, and since then we've get acquainted with the quaint device and feel out the kinks. In our hands we've held the Wi-Fi-only 16GB model.

Intuitive controls; classy design; BlackBerry smartphone pairing

Not as 'professional-grade' as touted; no larger screen option; lacking App World

You might not recall, but when the BlackBerry PlayBook came out last year it was close - oh, so close - to being a respectable iPad competitor . But the omission of native email, calendars and contacts was a fatal flaw , both for reviewers and the buying public .

The blackberry playbook is one hell of a tablet. The blackberry os is just amazing right from its security to the way it works. I felt the blackberry playbook which i am using from the past few months to be simply superb. The battery backup, the videos the screen everything is brilliant.