RIM Introduces Blackberry Playbook Professional – Grade Tablet

Research In Motion (RIM) the makers of BlackBerry today redefined the possibilities for mobile computing with the unveiling of its newprofessional-grade BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and BlackBerry Tablet OS.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is designed to give users what they want, including uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and high performance multimedia, while also providing advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a breakthrough development platform for IT departments and developers.

The incredibly powerful and innovative BlackBerry PlayBook is truly a game-changing product in the growing tablet marketplace. However the initial version of the PlayBook appears not to ship with a 3G or 4G cellular connectivity. Instead, users can pair the device with their BlackBerry phones (via Bluetooth) to enable data connectivity or they can use the Wi-Fi connection.

Measuring less than half an inch thick and weighing less than a pound, the BlackBerry PlayBook features a vivid 7″ high resolution display that looks and feels great in your hand. With such a unique mix of utility, performance and portability, you’ll want to take it everywhere.

BlackBerry PlayBook is a multitasking powerhouse. Its groundbreaking performance is jointly fueled by a 1 GHz dual-core processor and the new BlackBerry Tablet OS which supports true symmetric multiprocessing. Together, the abundant processing power and highly sophisticated OS enable the BlackBerry PlayBook to provide users with true multitasking and a highly-responsive and fluid touch screen experience for apps and content services.

Key features and specifications of the BlackBerry PlayBook include:

• 7″ LCD, 1024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touch screen with full multi-touch and gesture support
• BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• 1 GB RAM
• Dual HD cameras (3 MP front facing, 5 MP rear facing), supports 1080p HD video recording
• Video playback: 1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV
• Audio playback: MP3, AAC, WMA
• HDMI video output
• Wi-Fi – 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Connectors : microHDMI, microUSB, charging contacts
• Open, flexible application platform with support for WebKit/HTML-5, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, Adobe Reader, POSIX, OpenGL, Java
• Ultra thin and portable : Measures 5.1″x7.6″x0.4″ (130mm x 193mm x 10mm) Weighs less than a pound (approximately 0.9 lb or 400g)
• Additional features and specifications of the BlackBerry PlayBook will be shared on or before the date this product is launched in retail outlets.
• RIM intends to also offer 3G and 4G models in the future

With support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR and HTML-5, the BlackBerry PlayBook provides customers with an uncompromised, high-fidelity web experience and offers them the ability to enjoy all of the sites, games and media on the web. For more than a decade, the mobile industry has worked to bridge the gap between the “real web” and mobile devices through various apps and technologies and, in fact, a significant number of mobile apps today still simply serve as a proxy for web content that already exists on the web.The BlackBerry PlayBook closes that gap and brings the real, full web experience to mobile users while also opening new and more exciting opportunities for developers and content publishers.

The BlackBerry PlayBook features premium multimedia features to support high-quality mobile experiences. It includes dual HD cameras for video capture and video conferencing that can both record HD video at the same time, and an HDMI-out port for presenting one’s creations on external displays. It also offers rich stereo sound and a media player that rivals the best in the industry.

For those BlackBerry PlayBook users who carry a BlackBerry smartphone, it will also be possible to pair their tablet and smartphone using a secure Bluetooth connection. This means they can opt to use the larger tablet display to seamlessly and securely view any of the email, BlackBerry Messenger(BBM), calendar, tasks, documents and other content that resides on (or is accessible through) their smartphone.They can also use their tablet and smartphone interchangeably without worrying about syncing or duplicating data.

This secure integration of BlackBerry tablets and smartphones is a particularly useful feature for those business users who want to leave their laptop behind. The BlackBerry PlayBook is enterprise ready and compatible (out-of-the-box) with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. When connected over Bluetooth, the smartphone content is viewable on the tablet, but the content actually remains stored on the BlackBerry smartphone and is only temporarily cached on the tablet (and subject to IT policy controls). With this approach to information security, IT departments can deploy the BlackBerry PlayBook to employees out-of-the-box without worrying about all the security and manageability issues that arise when corporate data is stored on yet another device.

The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built upon the QNX Neutrino microkernel architecture, one of the most reliable, secure and robust operating system architectures in the world.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to be available in retail outlets and other channels in the United States in Jan 2011 with rollouts in India and other international markets beginning in April-May, 2011. Price is not announced yet.