RIM PlayBook recalled for software bug
There have been mixed feelings about RIM’s latest tablet invention, the PlayBook, regarding whether or not it’s a front runner with the iPad. Now RIM has more than just a popularity contest to worry about as it announced today that it will be recalling approximately 900 of its 16GB tablets due to bugs in its operating system. The buggy confirmation came about after RIM started notifying its distribution partners about the faulty units, with RIM noting that the majority of the recalled units are in distribution channels, and not being used by customers.
News about the recall started on Saturday when media sites started publishing information from a leaked memo to Staples saying that about 900 units had been determined faulty along with a list of serial numbers for employees to check against. News site Ars Technica says that the bug in-question resides within the OS preventing software from being loaded upon initial set-up.
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The news site also suggested that RIM could have remedied the issue by issuing a software update to fix the glitch, but did not choose that route in order to improve the overall initial customer experience. It’s likely that customers wouldn’t bother to or even remember an install update before playing with the device first.
RIM’s official statement to CrackBerry states:
RIM determined that approximately one thousand BlackBerry PlayBook tablets (16 GB) were shipped with an OS build that may result in the devices being unable to properly load software upon initial set-up.
The majority of the affected devices are still in the distribution channel and haven't reached customers. RIM is working to replace the affected devices.
In the small number of cases where a customer received a PlayBook that is unable to properly load software upon initial set-up, they can contact RIM for assistance.
