When RIM first launched the BlackBerry PlayBook last spring, we were all rather shocked to find that RIM’s stand-out core services — secure messaging and productivity related apps like calendar and contacts — were… absent. The company promised an update to fix it, and after eight months said update has finally been unveiled here at CES.

Truth be told, the new PlayBook OS is much better than expected, but I guess you start to set the bar low when the first time around was so disappointing. We got a chance to go hands-on with the new system here at CES, and recorded a video just for you fine readers.

In it, you’ll see the new unified inbox which I find to be the best new feature. I also like the fact that you’re not bombarded with a home screen full of pre-set app tabs, but can now customize tabs to hold whatever apps you like. Everyone organizes themselves differently and on a tablet specifically designed for the productive professional, there shouldn’t be any restrictions to how you set yourself up.

The only problem is that this is exactly what PlayBook 1.0 should have been, as Matt points out. RIM was relatively early to the tablet space, and flopped entirely. It would’ve been better to enter the tablet space now (with 2.0) than to try and regain consumer interest in what has become a rather crowded segment.