BlackBerry Tablet to Become Official Soon
The so-called BlackPad, the tablet that BlackBerry-maker RIM is rumored to be creating, will soon become official, with details on hardware and pricing.
The Wall Street Journal reports that RIM will likely unveil its tablet at a developer conference next week, according to anonymous sources. RIM will then release the tablet before year's end.
The report confirms several other rumors that have been floating around, including the screen size (7 inches) and the QNX operating system . QNX is more well known for making software used in BMW cars and military transports, but RIM now owns QNX and plans to use its software in the BlackPad instead of the latest BlackBerry OS 6, which is found on its phones.
The sources also reiterate early rumors that the BlackPad will not have any 3G connectivity. It will only be able to tether to a cell phone network through a BlackBerry smartphone . That means the BlackPad will not require a cell phone contract of its own, but will only work for current BlackBerry owners. The BlackPad will have Wi-Fi, though.
The BlackPad will run on Marvell processors, although sources couldn't specify a specific model. It's clear the BlackPad represents a new push by RIM to be competitive in the mobile market. Not only will it supplement BlackBerry phones, but the QNX operating system developed for the tablet will eventually make its way into all of RIM's BlackBerry phones, too.
