Blackberry Playbook Launching in US

After a series of successful launches of different tablets last year, the market is expecting an unprecedented launch of 85 tablets this year from various companies. Research In Motion (RIM) is all set to launch this year’s most talked about tablet Blackberry Playbook tomorrow in US.

Will Blackberry Playbook be a phenomenal success or a super flop? Only time can tell. It is surprising that this tablet does not support any of the common features like e-Mail, Calendar, Cellular Connections, Video conferencing, Skype, Notes app, GPS, or Games.

Although the entire tech world has been waiting long for RIM’s much hyped Blackberry Playbook, many people seem to be disappointed with what is on offer just as it is finally about to hit the market. However it has come up with three cool features which can challenge its rivals:  iPad and Android-based tablets.

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Firstly, the Blackberry Playbook has a special HDMI cable which can be hooked up to a television or projector for power point presentations.

Secondly, it can accept wireless transfer of music, photos or movies in sleep mode. One disappointing fact is that the Blackberry Playbook does not have any software like iTunes to transfer files automatically; so files have to be transferred from a PC to the tablet using a USB cable. However, once the set up process is completed using the USB cable, the transfer can be made over a Wi-Fi connection.

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Thirdly, it has Blackberry Bridge, a wireless Bluetooth connection which can be used for accessing e-mail, Calendar, Address Book and instant messages; the Balckberry PlayBook and BlackBerry mobile have to be paired in such a case to access the web since Playbook does not have cellular connectivity.

With super-responsive multi-touch screen, Blackberry Playbook, weighing 420 gm, looks very attractive. It is a seven-inch touch-screen tablet, having the propritory operating system QNX.

One of the critical and popular features not included in this tablet is Video Chatting or Video Conferencing which is the biggest strength of iPad and Android tablets.

BlackBerry email is accessible only when the PlayBook is connected via Bluetooth to an actual BlackBerry. Although RIM explains that this is due to security considerations, market believes that it is only because RIM has not been able to lock down the PlayBook's unreleased email system as securely as a BlackBerry's.

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Market sources opine that RIM is under enormous pressure from its customers, shareholders and others for introducing, after all the hype, a tablet with so few features. RIM has been losing out its market in the smart phone arena to Google and Apple. Android phones and iPhone have been cutting into RIM’s business heavily and RIM has been banking on this tablet to bounce back and re-claim the market. However Blackberry Playbook does not seem poised to satiate RIM’s loyal consumers as they are quite familiar with other tablets. This incomplete offering could prove to be the bane of the Playbook abd RIM.

Blackberry Playbook will be available in three models: 16 gigabyte model ($500); 32 gigabyte model ($600); and a 64-gigabyte model ($700).