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Gadgets RIM

Blackberry PlayBook 3G Version Launching In March?

A number of Blackberry Playbook variants are speculated to launch in the next few months. Firstly, a Wi-Fi only version of the Playbook tablet is expected to launch soon after RIM’s financial year ends in February this year. Besides this, 4G LTE and WiMax variants are also learned to be in the pipeline.

Now another source has claimed that Research In Motion is also gearing up to launch a 3G variant around the end of March or in April. According to this source – apparently a Blackberry administrator who is in the know about RIM’s plans – this device could launch well before the 4G LTE variant launches – presumably in April this year.

Do note that we still do not have anything official at this point in time about either the 3G or 4G variants. So, take this with guarded skepticism for the moment.

Categories
RIM Software and Apps

Build Apps For Blackberry Tablet OS – Win A Free PlayBook

Research in Motion is undeniably late to the tablet game. But that doesn’t mean that the company does not have enough armor to fight its rivals. One critical advantage seems to be its incredibly easy app development procedure. The Blackberry Tablet OS SDK supports a number of technologies like Adobe AIR, Flash and HTML that developers who already have applications in these technologies can easily port them over to the new platform.

RIM has also released a PlayBook simulator for Windows, Mac and Linux which means developers on all these platforms can build and test applications that they may submit to the Blackberry App World for inclusion. And that comes with a reward. RIM has announced that developers who get their apps for Blackberry Tablet OS submitted and approved to the App World before the launch of the tablet in North America will win a free PlayBook.

You can check out the complete terms and conditions for the offer on the Blackberry website here.

Categories
Gadgets RIM

Blackberry PlayBook Price Starting At $399?

We have heard rumors about the price of Blackberry PlayBook more than once in the past. Back in September this year, John Jackson; an analyst at CCS Insight made an observation that the starting price of this RIM tablet could be between $300 and $350. This speculation gathered more steam when RIM co-founder Jim Balsillie noted in an interview earlier this month that the tablet shall be priced under $500.

Now here are more rumors. According to some insiders, the Blackberry PlayBook shall be priced at $399, $499 and $599 for the three iterative variants of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB respectively. There is some clarification needed here though. There has been word previously that the tablet shall come in three variants between 16GB and 64GB storage. So, it is likely that the starting model is 16GB and not 8GB as mentioned here.

Anyway, all of this is a rumor and unless Research In Motion does not come forward with its official announcement, we will have to take this with the clichéd pinch of salt.

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Gadgets RIM

Blackberry Playbook Video Demo

Research In Motion’s Blackberry PlayBook is the next big launch in the tablet space and could definitely be a hot commodity at least among users who already flaunt a Blackberry. At the Web 2.0 summit yesterday, RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie noted about a new module cavity in the device that could be used to pack additional features for WWAN and NFC in the near future. In fact, Balsillie went so far to suggest that “we’d be fools not to have it in the near-term, and we are not fools.

So while the anticipation stays high for this upcoming tablet computer, folks at Engadget have managed to get hold of a nice and short video demonstration of the PlayBook in action. The tablet comes across as pretty responsive and seamless which is a great platform to watch videos or surf the web. Check out the video below and let us know what you think.

[via]

Categories
Gadgets RIM

Win A Free Blackberry PlayBook By Building Apps For AppWorld

Mike Lazaridis, the co-CEO of Research in Motion announced on stage during the AdobeMAX developer conference that developers who build apps for the AppWorld platform now get “eligible” to win a free Blackberry PlayBook – yes, the tablet device that is releasing shortly. Now, this was an one off comment and we are still unsure if this means every developer who builds an app over the next few days stands to win a PlayBook or if this is for a selected few from this list. Sure, there is no information about this on the AppWorld developer website.

Either way, this is the best time for app developers to jump into the AppWorld platform. The registration and submission fee for getting accepted are waived at this point in time and those of you who manage to get in now at least save on the $200 entry fee with which you can buy a PlayBook for yourself.

Categories
Gadgets RIM

RIM BlackPad Release Next Week – No Blackberry OS?

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting piece of article that claims that Research In Motion could be unveiling its upcoming tablet computer – known as BlackPad to some and Surf Book to others – as early as next week. The newspaper’s sources have claimed that the actual launch could happen in the fourth quarter of this year; a no-brainer considering that the quarter begins in just over a week from now.

What’s interesting is that RIM could actually do away with the Blackberry OS on the tablet computer and could instead go with a completely revamped operating system built by QNX. QNX is a maker of operating system software that is used in a wide array of industries and the company was acquired by RIM not so long ago. Indications are that Waterloo could move towards incorporating this new OS – touted to be a worthy competitor to iOS and Android – on the upcoming Blackberry handsets as well.

As of now, the company has not given any hint about the upcoming release. Let’s wait for an announcement then.

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Gadgets RIM

Blackberry Tablet BlackPad Launch In 2011?

Research In Motion could miss the date. 2010 was supposed to be the year of the tablets, according to the New York Times. According to BBLeaks, the Waterloo based company could be launching on by early 2011. The device, codenamed ‘BlackPad‘ and ‘Cobalt‘ is expected to be thinner than the iPad and will include full Blackberry OS compatibility and functionality. These concur with rumors from earlier this month about a RIM tablet in the making.

Where did these rumors erupt? According to the website, RIM is learnt to have procured 8.9″ display screens from Hon Hai (better known as Foxconn). Considering that this is close to a year away from launch, there is not much of speculation over the technical specifications. But no problems with guessing. Write down if you have one.

[via BBLeaks]

Categories
Gadgets RIM

RIM Tablet PC In The Works?

Is Research in Motion, the company behind Blackberry next in line to launch a tablet device? Folks at Crackberry seem to have received unconfirmed reports that suggest that the Waterloo based maker of smartphones has been sourcing a good number of 8.9 inch display tablet screens from Hon Hai a.k.a Foxconn who is one of the prominent suppliers to a majority of consumer electronics manufacturers including Apple.

According to these reports, RIM is working on a Q3 or Q4 launch will come with a 3.5G modem and Wi-Fi capabilities. As expected, the device will also allow users to sync their tablet with their Blackberry.

There is no word on the authenticity of this news. But keep close eye on the subject. Everyone and his mom is building their tablet PC.

[via Crackberry]