Just to be clear, I have not played with the RIM Playbook for more then a few min and that was a beta model.  It seemed pretty good for a beta back then and I was looking forward to seeing how it will do when finally released to the market… Then I read this on Venturebeat..

According to reviewers, the biggest problem with the PlayBook is that it requires a Bluetooth connection to a BlackBerry phone to access your email, calendar, contacts, memo pad, and the popular BlackBerry Messenger chat. Without the phone connection, which RIM calls BlackBerry Bridge,  those apps are greyed out and completely inaccessible from the PlayBook — that means you’re left out in the cold if your phone runs out of charge. It also means that none of that seemingly basic functionality is available to users of competing platforms like the iPhone and Android. RIM says that standalone versions of those apps will be available this summer.

Mind blowing. Who in the right minds would release a product that ONLY blackberry users can use and ONLY if they phone is nearby.  That has to be the most insane thing I have ever heard.  So not only do you have to complete with all the other slates out there, you are asking your customer to make sure their phones are nearby.  And if you lose power on your phone, opps, your bad.

Gezz.. worse if you are the type that wants to carry this around then hold up because  the Bridge feature is also the only way for the PlayBook to receive mobile internet access — the device doesn’t ship with 3G or 4G cellular radios, though RIM mentioned that mobile broadband support will come in future versions of the PlayBook later this year.

So what can we conclude?  There will be a VERY soft launch of this device.  In fact, we should just call it a beta launch because with so few apps, 3,000, no 3G and dependance on a blackberry phone, its not something I would call.. launch ready.