RIM have finally announced their tablet device, the Blackberry Playbook which on the surface looks to be a killer device. It did amuse me that RIM’s founder Dan Dodge introduced the device at its launch event as “the first professional tablet”, but they call it a “Playbook”.
With a 7″ screen and support for full HD, an HDMI output connector, front and rear facing cameras and USB ports, its certainly well featured. RIM have made a big noise about support for Adobe Flash, which seemed squarely aimed at Apple’s iPad, but I have to say I stand firmly in Apple’s camp there as Flash is an ageing technology that is being superseded by better technologies like HTML5 and jQuery.
The Playbook will not initially ship with 3G connectivity, it will have Wi-Fi and tethering through a Blackberry mobile phone. Capacities are mentioned as 16Gb or 32Gb. UK Launch is currently announced as being in the second quarter of 2011.
There is no doubt that having features like the cameras to enable video conferencing will make the device a hit, however I cant help feeling that by the time the Playbook launches we will be dangerously close to the launch of the much-rumoured iPad2. RIM will have a tough battle on their hands to compete with such a hugely successful device.
RIM have finally announced their tablet device, the Blackberry Playbook which on the surface looks to be a killer device. It did amuse me that RIM’s founder Dan Dodge introduced the device at its launch event as “the first professional tablet”, but they call it a “Playbook”.
With a 7″ screen and support for full HD, an HDMI output connector, front and rear facing cameras and USB ports, its certainly well featured. RIM have made a big noise about support for Adobe Flash, which seemed squarely aimed at Apple’s iPad, but I have to say I stand firmly in Apple’s camp there as Flash is an ageing technology that is being superseded by better technologies like HTML5 and jQuery.
The Playbook will not initially ship with 3G connectivity, it will have Wi-Fi and tethering through a Blackberry mobile phone. Capacities are mentioned as 16Gb or 32Gb. UK Launch is currently announced as being in the second quarter of 2011.
There is no doubt that having features like the cameras to enable video conferencing will make the device a hit, however I cant help feeling that by the time the Playbook launches we will be dangerously close to the launch of the much-rumoured iPad2. RIM will have a tough battle on their hands to compete with such a hugely successful device.
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