RIM Planning "Blackpad" BlackBerry Tablet to Rival iPad

Maura

It seems not a day goes by without news of another possible "iPad-killer" tablet in development by one of Apple's many rivals, but Bloomberg has a significant story today stating that Research in Motion LTD (RIM), who makes the BlackBerry, is planning to release a tablet as soon as November to rival the iPad.

According to Bloomberg's sources, who wished to remain anonymous but who were "familiar with the company's plans", the new tablet will be very similar in size to the iPad, and will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that will enable users to connect to the Internet via their BlackBerry.

Bloomberg's sources say that the RIM tablet will be called the Blackpad, and that the pricing will be similar to that of the iPad, around $499. They add that it will play to the BlackBerry brand's strengths, such as the great email service and the phone's popularity with business customers, and that it will also have front and back facing cameras, something the iPad doesn't have, of course.

"They can't wait for a second generation of devices from Apple or they'll fall too far behind," Ashok Kumar, an analyst with Rodman & Renshaw Inc. in New York told Bloomberg.

Source: Bloomberg

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DarkLordEnron

Different markets entirely. RIM is business oriented, whilst apple is more of a consumer outlet. I don't see RIM as trying to dominate the app market, nor do I see them trying to develop an iPad killer. I could be wrong, but that's just my opinion.

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Hasty

"iPad-killer" is just bad/lazy journalism.

DavidNM

I think it might be too late to 'kill' the iPad. Blackberry has a chance to take some market share if the really integrate their tablet with the Blackberry - but they've run short of keeping up with the 'Jones' as it would relate to functionality and programs on the Blackberry - nothing out there to say that won't continue.

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col.bris 

Rim is about corporate / government/ business world wide not consumers in saying that many businesses have switched to Apple, my self included. I owned 3 blackberry phones they were the best then along came the iPhone. What the iPhone provided was a much easier device to access the Internet when mobile plus giving me the ideal solution for running my Apple business when mobile.

If rim moves into the tablet market most likely IT government/ corporate will love it At the same time i believe Apple will come out with yet another iPad that will be more advance than the current model and also offer what the corporate sector wants.

It is going to be an interesting next 12 months.

iVan

The iPhone is as business oriented as a Blackberry. Why is it not then seriously thought of that way? Because of the cultural aspects it also tends to. A music playing device is not for business. But that's all a question of perspective.

With the iPad, it's an other thing. It seriously needs autonomy, total autonomy from a host computer. In keeping the iPad a chained dog Apple somewhat succeeded in limiting some aspects of piracy but in the doing the also stifled the potential the iPad has as a total computer. There must be a reason behind this. An iBook tablet?

Blackpad even if it achieves only part of Apple's success will be RIM's first computer. If they gives it full office capability, that is. With the gift of an OS different from a phone's it would be even better.

And it's Canadian!

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