On first touch, the BlackBerry Playbook seems like a comfortable and very portable size.

It is light, and with a 7-inch screen, fits into a regular sized bag without taking up too much space.

After the device is powered on, however, the navigation takes some getting used to.

The gestures used to exit menus and switch applications are not intuitive. The fact that there is no home button may further confuse some users who have tried tablets with physical home buttons.

Once you get the hang of navigating the device, you'll agree that one thing it does well is video and audio playback. Two thin speakers on each side of the tablet provide excellent surround sound to complement crisp video playback.

Quirky navigation aside, this isn't a tablet that'll attract new users unless they're users already holding a BlackBerry smartphone.

In today's consumer tech market, users looking for a tablet device are spoilt for choice. There are enough tablets in the market with comparable price points, and with the same multimedia and communication capabilities.

However, if you need a device that pairs with your BlackBerry device for email, this portable tablet will also provide a worthwhile multimedia experience.

Prices start at $668.