RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook is the WiMAX enabled version of the BlackBerry PlayBook which is introduced as the first "professional tablet" keeping with the BlackBerry's heavy usage in the business world. The specs are hot enough to interest both consumers and business users. The PlayBook features a 7 inch capacitive LCD display with resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Instead of the new BlackBerry 6 OS, a new tablet version of the BlackBerry software devised by the recently acquired QNX is running the show. The tablet will have some power under the hood with a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM on board. There are two cameras. The front facing shooter is 3MP with a 5MP on back. The WebKit browser will allow for HTML-5 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1. RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie was particularly chatty after the announcement of the new 4G PlayBook models. The takeaway is that RIM expects to price that BlackBerry tablet at less than $500 (WiFi-only model, presumably) -- much less with any carrier subsidies. He's also expecting to followup the Sprint deal in the US with similar signings of AT&T and Verizon Wireless. "All of our carrier partners want [PlayBook]," said Balsillie, referencing the 580 carrier partners that RIM enjoys in 165 countries. While Balsillie refused to comment on the PlayBook's rumored ability to run Android apps, he did confirm that RIM's new tablet was on track for a March or April release. Count 'em, because RIM has now announced fourvarieties of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. As of today, we've got the PlayBook with WiFi + LTE and WiFi + HSPA+ models joining the previously announced PlayBook with WiFi and PlayBook with WiFi + WiMax. As such, there's a pretty good chance that your carrier will have a 7-inch dual-core PlayBook with the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS on offer at some point in the future, no matter how it chooses to define "4G."Unfortunately, RIM says that its LTE and HSPA+ models won't be coming until the second half of go to deals
Posts
