Until recently, when asked what I thought of the PlayBook I would say, “It’s rad. But don’t buy one.”

It had no native email or calendar client. Its app store was like a ghost town. It might’ve had a bitching interface and hardware, but it sucked in every other regard.

That’s changed. A recent update and general improvement in logic at Research In Motion have stacked up to make the PlayBook one of the best tablets on the market. Here are five reasons why I think you should consider buying one.

1. PlayBook OS 2.0
   The PlayBook has always been awesome from a hardware perspective, but its original operating system left a lot to be desired. You  had to connect to a BlackBerry smartphone to do email that and other basic things like calendaring – unless you were happy with web interfaces. The new OS, however, mends all of these problems. It has a kick-ass email client, nice calendar app and no longer makes the PlayBook feel like a smartphone accessory. It also has one of the best user interfaces I’ve ever seen. Much better. Thanks RIM.
2. Price
   After a troubled launch, the PlayBook is now one of the cheapest tablets on the market. In my home country of South Africa you can pick it up for less than R3000 and in the USA prices go as low as $200. For that you get some of the beefiest hardware available on a really well-built tablet that has just had fresh life blown into it with OS 2.0. At prices these low it’s worth buying even if all you use it for is an espresso tray.
3. Accessibility
   File management on the PlayBook is near-perfect; you simply access shared folders on the device over your WiFi network. It makes it really quick and easy to drop a movie file, for example, onto the PlayBook for viewing on the go, without even having to take the tablet out of your bag. It also supports Adobe Flash better than any other tablet platform I’ve tried. While I still find tablets to be a very limited computing environment, and prefer just carrying around my laptop, the PlayBook is less limited than most. The form factor and light weight also make it easier to transport and less cumbersome to use than bigger tablets.
4. Charging
   This might not sound like a big deal, but bear with me. Remember, it’s the small things that matter with tablets. The PlayBook uses an industry-standard, micro-USB connection for charging. This means that not only can you use any other BlackBerry smartphone charger with it – but any other phone charger too, from Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, or whoever. One of the things that drives me crazy about other tablet brands is that they each have a proprietary charger than can’t be shared with my phone – except the iPad. And since Apple has its own connector for iOS devices, the PlayBook is the most universally compatible by far. For someone who travels weekly as I do, being able to carry a single charger is a killer feature.
5. Apps
   The single biggest problem with the PlayBook at launch was a lack of apps. There was no Evernote, Dropbox, Angry Birds or any of the apps that people had learned to love on iOS and Android. But that has changed. BlackBerry App World is now full of awesome apps for the PlayBook including an official Evernote client and, yes, Angry Birds. Twitter was also conspicuously missing from the original PlayBook OS, but it is now incorporated in the universal messaging platform of PlayBook OS 2.0. While the PlayBook still trails way behind Android and iOS and in the apps department it is now way, way better than it was and can actually be used for stuff now.

I own a small menagerie of tablets – an iPad, Motorola Xoom, several other Android tablets and the PlayBook. Out of all of them I find myself using the iPad most, but it has recently started taking a backseat to my PlayBook, especially when traveling. Watching movies on the PlayBook is second-to-none, and that’s mostly what I want to do with a tablet while flying.

If the iPhone was the Jesus phone then the PlayBook is the Lazarus tablet. It was dead and gone, but now lives again – kicking ass and scaring disciples.

I’m also steering away from things like post-processing software and speed-lighting because those are best addressed in isolation. I won’t elaborate on terms like aperture or shutter speed either as those are easily referenced elsewhere and should be in your vocabulary before purchasing an SLR anyway.

Spend on glass, save on cameras

A lot of first-time buyers make the mistake of fixating on camera bodies. They want to know whether to choose Nikon or Canon, generally, or whether it is worth getting one of the less-conventional SLRs from Sony or Pentax, for example. That’s the wrong question. Instead, you should be considering what your first lens will be. Spend more on your first lenses than you do on your first camera.

Digital photography has taken giant leaps forward in recent years and cameras are constantly updated, replaced and improved. The cheapest “entry level” SLRs from Canon and Nikon today are as good as the best professional bodies of five years ago, even if they aren’t full frame.

The body you choose is important, but not as important as your lens collection. Lenses will determine what you can shoot and how. A good lens on a cheap body is much, much better than a crap lens on a good body.

Your choice of lenses is also what will lock you into a camera system – be it from Canon, Nikon or another manufacturer. Start with a really good, versatile zoom lens like the Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II or equivalent Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. After that you might want to buy a good, prime lens for shooting portraits or a nice telephotofor wildlife – whatever floats your boat.

You will likely upgrade your camera body every so often as new models are released, but glass will be with you for much longer, unless you have so much money that buying expensive lenses whenever you feel like switching systems isn’t an issue.

Avoid kits

I will probably get some flack for this recommendation – but I believe that beginner photographers should avoid the temptation to buy cheap camera kits that include lenses and camera bodies. The reason I say this is because all the kits I have seen include inferior lenses – see my first point, above.

My first SLR camera was bought as a kit and I regretted it almost immediately. I had a great camera body and a mediocre lens. This is the wrong balance for a beginner. What you want, as I’ve said, is a good lens, even if it’s mounted on a cheaper body.

Ignore the zealots

Some people will tell you to buy Nikon, only because that is what they have chosen, or Canon because they have some weird attachment to the brand. Ignore them.

The best camera for you might be a Sony or a Pentax. Or, if you’re loaded, you might consider a Leica. I recommend playing around with friends’ cameras or picking up and handling cameras in a store to get a feel for them.

I love the accurate colour-reproduction of Canon cameras and lenses, but prefer the build quality and feel of Nikon. These are personal preferences and you will have to find yours.

I’ve also recently been messing around with Sony’s new single-lens translucent (SLT)cameras. These are great for beginners because they allow you to view the effects of shutter and aperture settings in real time on the camera’s display or in its digital viewfinder. I also like the built-in GPS on some Sony models that automatically geotag photographs – something that generally costs extra for Nikon and Canon bodies. The Sony Alpha 65 is particularly good thanks to the high quality of its digital viewfinder.

So the right camera system for you might not be a Nikon or a Canon – and that’s OK.

Ask the big question

Do you really need an SLR? You might find a compact camera that covers your needs and presents less frustration than a full-on SLR. Learning to master a single-lens reflex camera will take time and practice whereas you could get a really good compact that will allow you to just point and shoot. Oh sure, you can put your SLR into Auto and just start shooting, but then you aren’t really capitalising on your investment even if you are benefitting from better lenses.

Compact cameras have come a long way. The Canon S100, for example,  is ridiculously good and features a remarkably powerful image processor. Or you might consider the Nikon P7000 or Canon G12 that many professionals use as travel cameras.

Buying a good compact will save you money and might allow you to achieve what you want from your camera without breaking the bank or causing headaches.

Follow the experts

There are so many great photographers that make their knowledge available on social networks and elsewhere. Follow these people and use them for inspiration. Below are some of the photographers, both pro and hobbyist, that I follow:

• Chase Jarvis -  Chase is an edgy photographer that experiments with lights, mobile phones and other things to create new effects. Check out his website and follow him on Twitter.
• Light Stalking - A fantastic community of photographers that freely share their tips, tricks and work. I strongly recommend following Light Stalking on Twitter.
• The Strobist - Lighting is one of the most overlooked elements of photography, especially by beginners. The Strobist is all about lighting, and specifically using speed-lights – or flashes. This site is indispensable and should inspire photographers to pick up some lighting equipment.
• Dustin Diaz - I met Dustin in 2009 and spent some time with him in the bush in South Africa where I was blown away by his photography. Based in San Francisco, Dustin is a wealth of knowledge on speed-lights and shares his setups with the world. Be sure to check out his Flickr stream where you’ll find links to his book for Kindle, iOS and other platforms.
• Darren Smith – Darren is a friend of mine from Johannesburg and one of my favourite photographers. He takes photos for the best reason – because he loves it. And he’s bloody good.
• Craig Rodney – Another friend of mine, Craig takes photos for the sheer joy of it – and he is massively talented. Be sure to follow him on Instagram and see what he can do with an iPhone when not shooting on his 5D.

You never stop learning in photography and I consider myself to be a beginner. The important thing is to take time and learn. Equipment is not as important as knowledge. And the best camera is the one that’s with you

Got any other suggestions? Want to argue any of my points? Please share your thoughts in the comments section…

On Tuesday I tweeted that I was pleased with DStv making it simple for subscribers to cancel their accounts. This prompted replies from people wondering why I cancelled my subscription. I can’t answer that with a character limit of 140, so I decided to put my answer here instead.

About a week before the 2010 FIFA World Cup I bought the new HD PVR 2P decoder for DStv. I had been without DStv for almost two years but made an impulse buy of the decoder when I saw the price – R2000. I wanted to check out DStv’s high definition channels and thought it would be worth having for the World Cup. I set it up myself, after returning the decoder because the first one I was sold had a mismatched smart card.

Watching the World Cup in HD was totally worth it – mostly because it was a great excuse to have friends over. Now, about a month after the event, I have cancelled my subscription. These are some of my reasons:

• There’s nothing on. I really can’t think of anything on DStv that I have an interest in watching. Now and then Discovery HD Showcase will have a decent enough documentary that’ll keep me interested for a short while, but that’s about it. I can’t stand puerile, imported-and-knocked-off reality bullshit like Idols and TV series that are outdated.
• TV is a waste of time and cognitive energy. It’s depressing how much time our species spends lying in front of televisions with our brains idle. I like making things, reading, spending time with my kids and fitting as much productivity into the finite time I have on earth as possible. What do I get from watching television? Even documentary channels have been dumbed down with shows like Ice Road Truckers on History Channel. How the fuck can watching barely-literate Canadians driving trucks in the snow be classed as History? And if you tune into Discovery you get to watch a fat guy building a motorbike. Seriously?
• It’s expensive. Considering the return – null – paying close on R600 per month is just too much for subscriber television. Some things are a waste of money no matter how rich you are. Television is one of them.
• It makes my kids sad. Gone are the days when children’s television consisted of 30 minutes on a Saturday morning. Now there is 24/7 content across multiple channels and the sprogs know it’s on whenever they want it. Thing 1 (my oldest son – I have two) is addicted to CBeebies. As kids’ content goes CBeebies is brilliant and educational. But it’s on all day – and he knows it. It makes him tense when he isn’t watching and he nags for it. I’m sure that CBeebies has its shows available on DVD. I’ll use the money I’m saving to buy him a few. Tonight our house was quiet and Thing 1 spent time playing with his brother, who fell asleep soon after. Win.
• I don’t like sports. I enjoyed the World Cup, but I don’t get sports in general. Grown men watch other grown men throwing balls around and then either celebrate or get depressed based on the outcome. I am yet to hear a cogent argument for why sport matters. I choose to get happy or sad based on meaningful events. There are enough real things to worry about in the world without having to care about who kicked a ball more accurately. I know a vast majority of people will disagree with me on this, but let’s get back to DStv – without sport, what else does the service have going for it?
• I get my news and entertainment on-demand, online. I don’t think I need to do much explaining on this point. We all know how iTunes and YouTube works. I also love watching next-level online broadcasts like This Week in Tech where I can engage with hosts and other viewers in real time.
• Content licensing is retarded. It’s 2010. The world is connected. And yet we still have douchebags in suits that think it makes sense to license things by country and roll out content to different territories at different times. I want to buy my content online and download it at will. Legally. The way content is licensed for pay television windows (an industry term) is silly.
• There are better things to do with 42 inches. Plug a modern gaming console or a Mac Mini into your television and put all that screen real-estate to better use. Even the most inane of video games are more mentally stimulating than Idols and contain a more accurate view of reality than Oprah. Your HD TV makes a really good screen for your computer.
• DVDs are cheap. If I really want to see something I can get it on DVD or Blu-ray and watch it with better quality and less advertising. For less money.

These are just the most front of mind reasons for why I don’t see the value of having a pay television subscription. If television channels were provided as part of a triple-play telecommunications package I might take them. In their current form there is just no value. I’m not a TV guy.

What are your reasons for not having pay television? And, if you disagree with me, why do you see value in having it?