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BlackBerry Playbook: full specs and more

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Having had your first taste of the BlackBerry Playbook, if you’re hungry for more, BlackBerry has us covered with a press release, full specs, and a fancy new web page.


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.

Okay, some interesting things revealed. First, the computing power is the beefiest we’ve seen in an (presumably) ARM-based tablet. They’re not kidding around with the cameras with 1080p support on both(?). As previously assumed, the BlackBerry Table OS is built from QNX, a recent RIM purchase.

One standout difference compared to competitors is that wireless broadband is not built in. The website specifies connectivity will be through your existing BlackBerry service plan, so they’re pushing a tethering solution. While some won’t like that, it makes sense for the product being a companion/expansion to the BlackBerry. The coolest feature of this partnership could be the ability to view BlackBerry content on the Playbook. Besides, it’s not like BlackBerry users leave the house without their BlackBerrys. :)

I have to say, the Playbook is a considerably more impressive offering than the Torch. The Torch struck me as a compromise device, competitive with Android and iOS, but still distinctly BlackBerry. The Playbook likewise is designed to appeal to existing BB customers, but it looks spectacular enough to reel in new and former customers. Very nice work by RIM.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Randall Garrett

    09/27/2010 at 6:44 pm

    FWIW, I agree with Sumocats take. Likely to appeal to certain segments in BB’s core markets – enterprise and some smaller business sectors. Nice to see a business focused device for a change.

  2. Mike

    09/29/2010 at 1:52 am

    It is nice to see more real competition (and not just another keyboardless netbook running windows.

    However, no GPS is no-go for me. Having GPS on-board (and functioning well, not just some throwaway rendition of it) opens up a lot of useful capabilities for these devices.

    Not least of which is that I would not be thinking of paying a couple hundred for a new dedicated GPS for the car.
    … Or thinking of adding yet another monthly charge to my cell phone contract.

    I really want a good, far reaching swiss-army-knife of a tool with one of these – not just something to couch surf with.

    And speaking of couch surfing – we all know damned well these will end up in that position often. So when will somebody wise up and put a gosh-darned IR port in there. A good powerful one. That would be another expense (custom remote) that I could stop thinking about then if I had such a tablet.

  3. Filip

    09/29/2010 at 6:49 am

    No GPS onboard but maybe the tethering makes the GPS from the connected torch/storm available to the Playbook too…

  4. dvd car gps nissan

    10/08/2010 at 10:48 am

    Having GPS on-board opens up a lot of useful capabilities for these devices.

  5. James Nguyen

    04/20/2011 at 12:04 am

    No GPS – It is a DOA out of the gate.

  6. Anand6775

    06/13/2011 at 1:29 pm

    its better thing for laptop users

  7. Deepti

    05/16/2012 at 11:29 am

    It’s better to buy iball slide than this playbook.

  8. Steve

    11/02/2012 at 7:51 am

    I got shocked after i figured out that there in no GPS inside playbook ,Engineer who made this Playbook must be missing intelligence in his Brain , Plyabook without GPS sucks, Now I bought a Sony Tablet s which is COOL

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