Sources who claim insider knowledge say that RIM’s Blackpad – or the SurfPad – may be launching at their Devcon developer conference next week. That’s pretty much the extent of the new information in this WSJ article, which goes on to summarize everything known about the Blackpad and every other tablet on the market. Got to fill those inches, I guess. → Read More
Can you hear that? It’s the sound of war. Better choose your side soon, too. The tablet wars are going to get nasty. Apple’s army is prepped, already backed by over 3 million zealous iPad owners. But the Google Android horde is quickly banding together and will soon offer countless weapons from several major CE houses and dozens of smaller camps. Google is also quietly forming the stealthy Chrome OS platoon that will likely enter the battle a bit late, but shouldn’t be forgotten, ether. Then there’s the suit & tie brigade with their trusty BlackBerry holstered on their hips, ready to be tethered to the coming BlackPad. Don’t forget about the wildcard: The HP-produced, webOS-powered PalmPad no doubt has a couple of tricks, enough to put up a decent fight. Then there’s the battle-tested Windows that might still be able to fire a few direct shots. The tablet wars are coming and not everyone is going to survive. There simply isn’t enough market share to support the five or more upcoming tablet platforms. → Read More
RIM’s upcoming tablet might come packing a brand new OS instead of a large screen version of OS 6. According to Bloomberg, three separate sources indicated that the new operating system is coming from infotanment company QNX Software Systems that RIM bought back in April. This new system allows the BlackPad — or whatever it will be called — to have a fresh OS rather than being held back by the legacy parts of OS 6.
Perhaps this news, if it’s true, shows that RIM has put a bit more work into the upcoming tablet than I previously thought. However, other details in the Bloomberg report still doesn’t sway my original opinion that the BlackPad will be an also-ran. Even a new OS won’t save the BlackPad. → Read More
Digitimes is reporting via the Chinese news site Apple Daily that RIM’s BlackPad will launch this November at $499. Oh, and I haven’t changed my opinion; the BlackPad will be an also-ran. → Read More
Sorry, BlackBerry fanboys, the BlackPad — or whatever it will be called — is going to flop in a monumental way. Remember how RIM’s last iDevice clone, the Storm, failed in such a public way? Yep, it’s going to happen all over again. RIM has no business making a consumer tablet.
We all need to give major props to Research In Motion. They were really the first major player to make smartphones relevant by offering a nearly-bulletproof mobile emailing system to business. Eventually RIM started making consumer-orientated email devices that worked with personal email accounts. RIM really showed the world that you need email while you were away from your desk.
But that’s where their claim to fame stops. Don’t misunderstand the Canadian company’s importance in consumer electronics’ history. RIM ranks up there with the best of them, but unless the so-called BlackPad is targeted solely at businesses and enterprise users — and all signs suggest otherwise — the BlackPad will fail. → Read More
