So what do RIM’s QNX-based Playbook and Google’s Android devices have in common, anyway? I’m sure there’s a laundry list of features, but the big one people are talking about is still only a possibility, not a certainty. RIM may well be on the verge of adding support for Android apps on the Playbook.
It seems that RIM is still in the process of evaluating Java virtual machines (VMs) for use on QNX for their Playbook, and one of the top contenders is the Dalvik virtual machine. Dalvik is the open-source VM used by Google for their Android platform.
Assuming RIM does go with Dalvik, there are two scenarios that could play out. They could just use Dalvik and go it alone, without Google’s assistance. This would likely allow a lot of Android apps to work on the Playbook, but there could easily be compatibility issues.
The other scenario is that RIM and Google could collaborate on RIM’s use of the Dalvik VM. If RIM were to go this route and get their platform officially sanctioned, it would eliminate most (or even all) compatibility issues between the platforms, at least where hardware constraints aren’t an issue.
The Playbook was the tablet to watch at CES 2011 earlier this month, so I’ll have my eye glued firmly to this to see how it develops. How do you feel about the possibility of Android apps on the Playbook? Would it lure you away from the Android lines, or leave you feeling the Playbook is becoming more of the same? Let us know in the comments.