Industry reactions to the latest tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, have been mixed - with one specialist bemoaning its "lack of software" and another praising its "handbag-friendly" dimensions.

BlackBerry's latest offering has been designed to rival the likes of the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy, and many industry experts, such as Natasha Lomas of Silicon and Simon Bisson of ZD Net, have been given the chance to play around with the new device, getting a feel for its pros and cons.

The former had much to say about the product, which has been praised for its easy network integration - a great benefit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but of little interest to the public.

The right dimensions

Punching above its weight

However the latter didn't seem to faze Bisson, who praised the PlayBook's browser on ZD Net. He called it "probably the best feature" of the tablet, and said it helped it to "punch way above its weight."

Furthermore, he was impressed with the book's design - claiming the keyboard was much better than many of its counterparts - and that the PlayBook was very "usable" as a camera or video recorder. This is something which other tablets have reportedly failed on.

Bisson did however conclude by saying the "lack of software" on the PlayBook really let it down, but added that, still, he "enjoyed using" the new device. His comments could really help those SMEs who wish to update their technology, but are confused as to which tablet device would be best for them.