I was once a BlackBerry acolyte, permanently locked in prayer mode over the device just likeall my peers, thumbing away furiously at the altar of its keyboard. It was the perfect phone for receiving and viewing the e-mails that dominate my working life and for tapping out replies on those unbeatable keys.
But then along came Apple and Android devices to tempt me away with their tactile touchscreens and appetising apps and, as their smartphone concepts developed into tablets, I wanted them as well.
So, what to make of the BlackBerry PlayBook, Research in Motion’s first tablet, which goes on sale on Tuesday in the US and Canada, and in other markets later this quarter?