BlackBerry PlayBook Android App player leaks, brings thousands of apps from the Market

RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook features a handful of apps, but we've been teased with the promise of Android app support for months. And now we seem closer than ever to the final version as a beta of the BlackBerry PlayBook Android app player leaked out. The application was found through a changelog in an update to the Desktop Manager and tech blog N4BB has been sent an old beta build which might not have the final interface (there's no back button, so you have to swipe on the bezel at the bottom to go back), but it works.

Ironically, the app player is based on Android Gingerbread 2.3.3, a version that's only available on a few phones yet. That should translate into support for the more than 200,000 apps available on the Market, an addition that might make you reconsider purchasing the 7-inch PlayBook. Early testers have reported that the app is huge and sluggish, but that wouldn't stop enthusiasts from trying. 

Hit one of the download links below to get the application, but remember that the beta is not yet an official release by RIM, so you're taking a risk and have to sideload the application by first getting the DDPB installer, then putting your PlayBook into developer mode. Have you already tried the Android App player? Feel free to share your experience in the comments below.

source: N4BB