RIM Launches PlayBook Tablet Compatible with Apple iPad

According to foreign media reports, RIM released a tablet called "BlackBerry PlayBook" on Monday. RIM hopes to use this tablet computer to outperform Apple’s iPad in social networking, media publishing and enterprise applications.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet has a 7-inch display and two front and rear cameras. The PlayBook has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, but it needs to connect to a BlackBerry smartphone to access the cellular network.

After the announcement of the news, RIM's stock rose nearly 2% in after-hours trading and the transaction price was 49.29 US dollars.

RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis told developers that it is an ultra-mobile device and an ultra-thin device. PlayBook will provide a smooth web experience.

The PlayBook can provide users with a larger screen like a BlackBerry to view media files and edit files. Once the PlayBook loses contact with the BlackBerry, all corporate data will be deleted.

The PlayBook weighs 400 grams. The tablet is equipped with a dual-core 1GHz processor with a QNX core and a BlackBerry OS 6 operating system. The BlackBerry OS 6 is the operating system that RIM introduced in its Torch smartphone in August this year.

RIM expects to ship the tablet to business users and developers in October. The PlayBook tablet will begin commercial sales in early 2011.