The "BlackPad" is on it's way!

[Bryancd]

Rumor has it Research in Motion may unveil a new tablet device next week called the BlackPad, or something similar. Should be interesting to see what features they add to compete with the iPad. Although the "Pad" name was mocked relentlessly when the iPad was announced, it looks like that might become the ubiquitous name for these devices. I like to STAR TREK connection. :)

[Rico]

"Star Trek" was using the name Padd long before Apple or anyone else.  ;)

[Bryancd]

"Star Trek" was using the name Padd long before Apple or anyone else.  ;)

That's what I mean, I think it's cool that something created in the Trek universe has the same name and similar function as these portable devices. Just add it to an ever growing list of Trek firsts!

Here's the article:

Research in Motion could reveal the "Blackpad," its response to Apple's iPad, at next week's BlackBerry Developer Conference, a new report claims.

BlackBerry DevCon runs from Sept. 27-30 in San Francisco, Calif., and would be an ideal time for RIM to reveal the rumored tablet.

Sources familiar with the BlackBerry maker's plans told the Wall Street Journal that the tablet will feature a "seven-inch touch screen and one or two built-in cameras" and will forgo the BlackBerry 6 operating system for a new OS developed by QNX.

Earlier this year, RIM bought QNX, which makes operating systems for everything from "cars to nuclear reactors." RIM's purchase of QNX was seen as a move to counter problems with the BlackBerry operating system, which critics have described as "slow and buggy."

The new tablet device will support Bluetooth, broadband, and tethering with a BlackBerry smartphone, according to the report.

Sources also claimed that the device will be manufactured by Quanta Computer, the world's largest notebook manufacturer, with chips sourced from Marvell Technology Group.

Although a spokeswoman for Quanta and executives at Marvell told the Journal that their companies were independently working on tablets, neither company would name RIM as the client. RIM declined to comment on the rumors.

Bloomberg reported in July that RIM was prepping the "Blackpad" for a November release. RIM acquired the blackpad.com domain earlier in July.

The runaway success of the iPhone has RIM scrambling to keep up. Second quarter data from Research firm Gartner revealed that iOS and Android continued to gain on RIM in world-wide smartphone sales. In August, RIM held a high-profile publicity event to launch the BlackBerry Torch, a smartphone meant to compete with the iPhone

[Rico]

Mmmm, tethering!

[Bryancd]

Just rolled out today! The "Playbook" is what they call it. Slightly smaller 7" screen than iPad, front and rear hi-def cameras, Wi-Fi only but able to tether to a blackberry phone for internet outside of Wi-Fi coverage. Won't be available until early 2011.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

This is the closest competitor to the iPad so far.  That much is obvious and it appeals to the business core a lot more, because let's face it, Blackberry has always been strong in the Business sector.  And it's safe to say as long as the OS isn't bugged up and they've released a solid product here, Blackberry will have a strong contention in the Pad race.  However, the iPad still wins out with the bigger screen which appeals to me more (I'm a visual person) and is a solid product released by Apple.  The Playbook is an initial risk until the reviews come in and it's shown to be good.  It's late release date in early 2011 also hurts it as the iPad is coming out with iOS4.2 in November, securing itself as a multi-tasking machine of badassness ;).  The iPad also has iTunes and the entire cloud behind it, Blackberry is just starting out this "cloud" of theirs.  

Also, it's got competition coming from other companies, although if I saw the Dell's answer, Dell is fairly silly with it's Pad-computer.  (It's a joke).  

I'm waiting to hold judgment on these 7" screens to when I hold one in my hands for testing this winter.  

King

[Blackride]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/rims-playbook-protect-the-enterprise-house/39723?tag=content;feature-roto

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-gadgeteer/will-rims-new-blackberry-playbook-be-able-to-take-on-the-apple-ipad/3917?tag=content;feature-roto

[Bryancd]

The Playbook is really not about the iPad, as that first article outlines, it's about Research in Motion playing defense for it's enterprise biz. The fact that they have no plans to have this product out for the holidays and the smaller screen size make it less a consumer product and more a business product. I think it's a good move for RIM, a comapny whose stock I have owned a lot of in the past, but I don't see this as a big catalyst for them, at least based on the share perfromance since this rumor began.

[X]

I have a device with the 7" screen and I think it gets the job done well. Still too damned big to put in a pocket other than a trenchcoat, but I like the size of them. It's about the size of a digest comic.

[Jobydrone]

It's about the size of a digest comic.

Archie Andrews' Pals 'n Gals?

[X]

It's about the size of a digest comic.

Archie Andrews' Pals 'n Gals?

pretty close. the width is the size of a standard paperback with the length being about an inch short. If you are familiar with the sony pocket reader, it's almost exactly the size of two screens put together. The width of the screen is just about equal to the length of the reader screen.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

The Playbook is really not about the iPad, as that first article outlines, it's about Research in Motion playing defense for it's enterprise biz. The fact that they have no plans to have this product out for the holidays and the smaller screen size make it less a consumer product and more a business product. I think it's a good move for RIM, a comapny whose stock I have owned a lot of in the past, but I don't see this as a big catalyst for them, at least based on the share perfromance since this rumor began.

Yeah, pretty much.  RIM has never really gone after the consumer market as much as Apple or other companies has and instead appeals to the Business enterprise market.  They have the experience, the technology and everything else to make this work and with a new OS, the Playbook has the best chance to, at least for companies, succeed in holding their customer base.  

However, this does beat out the Samsung Tablet which it's now obvious that Samsung is rushing that tablet.  RIM has a .4" devices in thickness, and Samsung has a 12" thick device.  (iPad is .5" thick)  RIM is creating an entire new OS for enhanced usage of their Pad and it looks sleek and nice to use.  The Galaxy looks like a clunky, fat device running off an OS that was not designed for it.  Sorry, but that tells me your doing it wrong.  It tells me that their main customer base will be those who do not want Apple/Blackberry...

King