As has been rumored, Blackberry announced today that they will be releasing a tablet device to compete with the iPad.
More details to follow...in the meantime, from Bloomberg:
July 30 (Bloomberg) -- Research In Motion Ltd., maker of
the BlackBerry smartphone, plans to introduce a tablet computer
in November to compete with Apple Inc’s iPad, according to two
people familiar with the company’s plans.
The device will have roughly the same dimensions as the
iPad, which is a 9.7-inch diagonal screen, said the two people
who wouldn’t be identified because the plans haven’t been made
public. The device will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless
technology that will allow people to use their BlackBerry
smartphones to connect to the Internet, the two people said.
RIM is racing to come out with a product to rival the iPad
in the fast-growing market for devices that bridge the gap
between smartphones and notebook computers. Apple, based in
Cupertino, California, last month said it sold 3 million iPad
tablet computers in 80 days after they debuted in the U.S.
RIM plans to call the tablet Blackpad, according to one of
the people familiar with the company’s plans. RIM, based in
Waterloo, Ontario, acquired the Internet rights to blackpad.com
this month, according to the Whois database of domain names.
The tablet will be closely integrated with the BlackBerry
smartphone to allow users to integrate RIM’s e-mail system and
other features, the person said.
RIM fell $1.18, or 2.1 percent, to $54.52 at 9:50 a.m. in
Nasdaq Stock Market trading. The stock has dropped 18 percent
this year as Apple has climbed 22 percent.
Marisa Conway, a spokeswoman for RIM, declined to comment,
citing company policy not to comment on rumor or speculation.
More details to follow...in the meantime, from Bloomberg:
July 30 (Bloomberg) -- Research In Motion Ltd., maker of
the BlackBerry smartphone, plans to introduce a tablet computer
in November to compete with Apple Inc’s iPad, according to two
people familiar with the company’s plans.
The device will have roughly the same dimensions as the
iPad, which is a 9.7-inch diagonal screen, said the two people
who wouldn’t be identified because the plans haven’t been made
public. The device will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless
technology that will allow people to use their BlackBerry
smartphones to connect to the Internet, the two people said.
RIM is racing to come out with a product to rival the iPad
in the fast-growing market for devices that bridge the gap
between smartphones and notebook computers. Apple, based in
Cupertino, California, last month said it sold 3 million iPad
tablet computers in 80 days after they debuted in the U.S.
RIM plans to call the tablet Blackpad, according to one of
the people familiar with the company’s plans. RIM, based in
Waterloo, Ontario, acquired the Internet rights to blackpad.com
this month, according to the Whois database of domain names.
The tablet will be closely integrated with the BlackBerry
smartphone to allow users to integrate RIM’s e-mail system and
other features, the person said.
RIM fell $1.18, or 2.1 percent, to $54.52 at 9:50 a.m. in
Nasdaq Stock Market trading. The stock has dropped 18 percent
this year as Apple has climbed 22 percent.
Marisa Conway, a spokeswoman for RIM, declined to comment,
citing company policy not to comment on rumor or speculation.
