Of course with the language used by the company, it’s just as likely they’ve got no large-screened BlackBerry devices in the works as it is that they do. With the original BlackBerry PlayBook having stayed in the technology news ranks for far, far longer than it’s been a commercial success. As Heins suggested in the article released earlier today:

“In five years I don’t think there’ll be a reason to have a tablet anymore. Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model.” – Heins

In an update sent across the wire by BlackBerry this afternoon, it’s being clarified what the company wants Heins to have meant. As he said previously, they make clear, never say never!

“The comments that Thorsten made yesterday are in line with previous comments he has made about the future of mobile computing overall, and the possibilities that come with a platform like BlackBerry 10. We continue to evaluate our tablet strategy, but we are not making any shifts in that strategy in the short term. When we do have information about our PlayBook strategy, we will share it.” – BlackBerry

So do we expect BlackBerry 10 to be coming to the market in a large-screened tablet in the immediate future? It wouldn’t be a very good bet, that’s for sure. Will there be BlackBerry 10 devices appearing outside the BlackBerry Z10 and keyboard-toting Q10 out on the market today? That you can expect with a bit more confidence.

The new SMS feature uses a new version of BlackBerry Bridge that can be downloaded and installed from the BlackBerry App World store now. Additional features on the new OS update include the ability to use the Messages, Contacts, and Calendar apps in portrait mode, and you can now print documents from a BlackBerry PlayBook using their Print To Go app. This feature works even if the printer and tablet are connected to different networks.

PlayBook OS 2.1 also offers new features that make the tablet easier to use in enterprise settings thanks to BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. You’ll be able to connect to the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server over-the-air, get support for ActiveSync authentication, as well as have access to other IT Policy controls.

The 2.1 update is now available as a free download and it will arrive to your PlayBook tablet over-the-air. Users should automatically receive a notification of the update, but if not, you can tap the settings icon in the top-right corner and check for a new update under “Software Updates”.

Exact specifications for the 10-inch PlayBook have not been confirmed, so it’s hard to know what’s going on inside the black slab. The current PlayBook uses a Texas Instruments dual-core chipset, so it’s possible RIM has stuck with the OMAP46xx range with this larger model.

Externally, it’s more of the same: black bezel, matte-finish black casing and a front facing camera, while there’s a second camera on the back. Narrow cut-outs on the left and right edges of the fascia reveal the speakers, and there are pogo pins on the bottom edge for a docking station.

When the 10-inch model might hit shelves is a matter of contention. RIM was originally expected to launch a larger PlayBook sometime this year, but delays around BlackBerry 10 have apparently changed all of that; now, according to a more recent roadmap leak, the target date for a larger “Blackforest” PlayBook is Q3 2013.

Meanwhile, there’s a 4G PlayBook 7-inch still to come, which according to that same leaked roadmap is headed to retail in Q4 2012. That means it will presumably run the same PlayBook OS as we’ve already seen so far, rather than launching with BlackBerry 10.

[via Engadget]

The 7-inch slate will come with 32GB of storage, so it looks like RIM was serious when it said it would no longer 16GB as an option. Better yet, the processor will also see a bump to a 1.5Ghz dual-core model, although it’s not clear if it’s the same TI OMAP processor or perhaps one of Qualcomm’s offerings with an integrated LTE modem. The other specs remain the same, including 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel rear camera and 3-megapixel front-facing camera, plus PlayBook OS 2.0.

If you want a LTE connected PlayBook, you’ll be paying $549.99 unsubsidized. If that sounds fair, then you only have to wait a week or so, and you can take comfort in the fact that RIM will upgrade the tablet to BlackBerry 10 when the operating system launches early next year, assuming the company can overcome its financial and market troubles.

[via Engadget]

Meanwhile, two BlackBerry 10 devices will be released in the first quarter of next year, the London and the Nevada. We’ve seen hints of both devices previously, with the London being an all touchscreen device and the Nevada sporting a portrait QWERTY keyboard. Interestingly, those devices will launch in Europe before heading to the United States.

After that, the BlackBerry PlayBook will see an update to BlackBerry 10, with three new devices planned. The first is a device codenamed “Nashville”, coming in Q2/Q3 2013; then, a 10-inch PlayBook codenamed “Blackforest” will make an appearance in Q3; finally, another BlackBerry device called “Naples” will land in Q3/Q4. The exact details surrounding Nashville and Naples aren’t clear.

It’s good to see RIM is thinking ahead, but the company will be facing strong competition from every direction. RIM recent financials showed a $518 million loss, with the company announcing a delay of BlackBerry 10 to the first quarter of next year and an additional 5,000 jobs needing to be cut. Year on year, the company saw a 43% drop in revenue.

[via Electronista]

[Image credit: miggslives]

The sad fact is that all of this could have been avoided. The company was slow to act in the wake of Apple’s smartphone bombshell back in 2007, believing that consumers would always want a hardware keyboard. Steve Ballmer famously criticized Cupertino’s phone at the time, but even the Windows giant saw the writing on the wall and quickly moved to revamp its own mobile operating system. It’s fair to say that Microsoft has had an uphill struggle itself, still clinging to single digit market share numbers despite the recent launch of the Nokia Lumia 900 in the United States.

Now look back at RIM, a company with nowhere near the same resources that started developing its own answer to iOS and Android even later than Microsoft. Not only that, but the latest news from RIM marks the second time the OS has been delayed. Back in December 2011, RIM claimed it made a strategic decision to delay the platform until late 2012 to wait for a dual-core chip with LTE compatibility, yet a few short months later a wealth of smartphones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and LTE solutions hit the market. Perhaps the real reason is that RIM is simply struggling with the development of BlackBerry 10.

Sure, the company tried to dip its toe into the next-generation OS waters with the introduction of the Blackberry PlayBook, but it was met with mixed reviews and poor sales. The app ecosystem on the PlayBook is also looking quite dire, despite the company’s insistence that the majority of what’s available will be able to run on BlackBerry 10 when it does eventually launch.

The additional delay might as well be the final nail in the coffin for the company. Phones like the HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S III, and iPhone 4S are all vying for customers’ attention, and RIM’s competitors aren’t standing still. By the time BlackBerry 10 and associated handsets finally make it to market, RIM will have to compete with the next iPhone, the next Nexus device(s?) from Google, and Windows Phone 8.

But wait! BBM and the enterprise market are what’s keeping the company afloat, right? Even those areas are slowly being eroded. BBM used to be a strong selling point for the company, but once again the world has moved on while RIM has stood still. Apple introduced iMessage with iOS 5, taking a direct shot at RIM and bundled carrier text messages in the process. Even if you’re not an iOS user or don’t dig closed messaging standards, there are a wealth of alternatives that are cross-platform compatible: Google Talk, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Kik Messenger, even Samsung’s ChatOn. The fact of the matter is that BBM isn’t anywhere near as relevant as it once now that everyone has their own cross-platform solutions.

The enterprise and business markets will be the next to slip through RIM’s grasp. Make no mistake: Apple and Google are eyeing up both territories, with BYOD schemes already seeing employees swapping out their antiqued BlackBerry handsets for iOS and Android devices. It’ll take awhile for the tech giants to fully grasp the security needs of the business world, but you can bet that RIM’s competitors are busy working behind the scenes to make their devices business friendly.

Even in the face of financial turmoil, job cuts, and the BlackBerry 10 delay, RIM believes it can somehow license out the new operating system. Let’s just think about that for a second: it wants to license out an operating system that won’t even be released for at least another six months. Who would even consider jumping aboard BlackBerry 10? HTC and Samsung are quite content with Android right now, with both companies also occasionally flirting with Windows Phone. It’s hard to imagine Chinese OEMs like ZTE or Huawei touching BlackBerry 10 either.

And yet, despite all of this, RIM is a company that knows the jig is up. On yesterday’s earnings conference call, the company announced that it had hired JP Morgan and RBC Capital to explore options and find a way to leverage the company’s assets. The first port of call may be to try and license BlackBerry 10 – a move that most likely is going to fail spectacularly – but it’s clear that RIM is considering every scenario, including the possibility of an acquisition. And why not? The company has a healthy patent portfolio, networking infrastructure, and strong relationships with carriers across the world.

In which case the only remaining question is: who’s going to buy RIM?

Here’s the full statement from RIM:

RIM will no longer be making the 16 GB model of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The 16 GB PlayBook will continue to be available for distributors and retailers while quantities last. We continue to remain committed to the tablet space and the 32 GB and 64 GB models of the BlackBerry PlayBook continue to be available from our distributors and retailers around the world.
There is more value for our customers in the higher capacity models (32 GB, 64 GB), and as such we have decided to focus our efforts here.

There you have it. RIM say that the 32 and 64GB models represent better value for customers and will focus efforts on those two models instead. Still, the speculation machine was in full swing before the statement, with some believing that RIM was ditching the 16GB model due to a lower profit margin.

RIM doesn’t seem to be abandoning the tablet entirely either. The company has previously said that the PlayBook will receive an update to BlackBerry 10 when it’s made available later this year, and that the adoption rate for OS 2.0 has been high.

This would be the third large writedown in three quarters for RIM. It took a $485 million writedown against unsold PlayBooks back in November of last year and then another $267 million writedown for unsold BlackBerry 7 handsets in February.

Additionally, analysts expect to see a major drop in revenues and profits for RIM in the face of growing demand for Apple’s iPhone and Android devices as well as the resurgence of Nokia. Shipments are expected to be down 20 percent from a year ago, while the smartphone market has grown 50 percent.

RIM is expected to execute a major restructuring, which could see at least 2,000 jobs cut and as many as 6,000. RIM also just lost its chief legal officer of 12 years, Karima Bawa, among other senior execs that have recently left the company, including global head of sales Patrick Spence and former co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.

[via Guardian]

The official announcement came via an official Cisco blog. SVP OJ Winge wrote, “Cisco will no longer invest in the Cisco Cius tablet form factor, and no further enhancements will be made to the current Cius endpoint beyond what’s available today. However, as we evaluate the market further, we will continue to offer Cius in a limited fashion to customers with specific needs or use cases.”

Factors that set the Cius apart included that it came pre-loaded with Cisco software such as WebEx, Cisco Quad, Cisco Show, and a proprietary messaging app. The device also suppored Cisco Telepresence video conferencing. The company still wants to be a part of the tablet space, but it simply will bow out of the hardware aspect. “We will leverage key learnings and key collaboration experiences native to Cius in our other collaboration products,” Winge said.

[via VentureBeat]

First, RIM showed off the developer hardware that would be used to create apps for BlackBerry 10, the Dev Alpha device. It features a 4.2-inch screen with a 1280×768 resolution, 16GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, an HSPA+ radio, along with a mini HDMI port and microSD card slot. The device isn’t actually running BlackBerry 10, instead running PlayBook OS, but various hooks and calls are available so that developers can start building apps now for final hardware later on.

The Canadian company then showed off some of the functionality that would be coming to BlackBerry 10, with a large emphasis on gesture based controls. Swiping would reveal notifications, and allow you to move through app menus seamlessly instead of relying on menu items. The keyboard was also shown off, riffing off the current BlackBerry hardware keyboards, with support for word prediction and gesture based alternate keys.

Gaming was also teased, with Gameloft announcing that they would be bringing 11 games to BlackBerry 10, including N.O.V.A. 3. The game was briefly shown running, showing good graphics, and Fish Labs also made an appearance, praising the PlayBook for how easy it is to port games to the platform (they converted Galaxy on Fire in a single day), and the lack of piracy. A subtle jab at Android, perhaps?

Other apps will also be gracing BlackBerry 10, such as a magazine app created by PixelMags. The company has previous experience working with magazines to bring them to iOS and Android, and the PlayBook along with BlackBerry 10 will also be graced with some on-the-go reading. There was nothing groundbreaking about the app, with a familiar user interface, but RIM did say there would be 10 minutes of free reading each month. After that, an unlimited reading subscription would be available to purchase.

Developers will be able to download the BlackBerry 10 SDK starting from today, and developers at BlackBerry World were handed free Dev Alpha devices for testing. The WebWorks SDK will also allow HTML5 applications to be developed for cases where a native app might not be suitable.

Naturally, you’ll need to serve up your own legally obtained ROMs before you can start getting your game on, and the graphics won’t be up to par with the latest games coming out on smartphones. A YouTube video demos the emulator, and we have to say, everything looks nice and smooth. If you could tolerate the touch controls, Tekken is totally playable, and Rayman runs without any issues.

The full details for PCSX-ReARMed-PB are available on the Crackberry forums, so if you want to breathe some new life into your PlayBook (before that BlackBerry 10 update, anyway) then head on over and get downloading. In the meantime, check the video below courtest of YouTube user RDilus to get an idea of how things run.

[via Ubergizmo]

The BlackBerry PlayBook OS version 2.0.1.358 is an over-the-air update and is available for download today. It improves support for Android apps, offers better browser performance, and optimizes Video Chat, PIM, and BlackBerry Bridge applications. There are several other improvements as well, but no major additional features.

You should be prompted to install the update automatically. If not, you can check for the software update in the Settings menu under “Software Updates” and then tapping “Check for Updates.” If you purchase a BlackBerry PlayBook on or after April 17, 2012, the tablet should automatically be updated to version 2.0.1 during the setup process.

[via Liliputing]

It was a tweet that he wrote that caused a media firestorm, as it suggested that the tablet device would no longer support wide-scale compatibility for Android apps, which is one of the only moves RIM has done lately that actually gained praise. What the company would highly prefer is for the app’s developer to convert it into a Playbook-friendly format and then submit it to the Blackberry App World marketplace so that it becomes an official Playbook app.

But the company, for a change, was realistic and realized not every Android developer would go to that effort. So it came as a huge surprise when Saunders suggested that this would be the only way that an Android app could come to the new platform. In a more expansive blog post, Saunders said, “140 characters doesn’t allow for nuance,” clarifying, “Side-loading on our platform is changing in nature. Side-loading is a developer feature. It exists so that developers can load their apps onto their own devices to test. It’s there so developers can send a beta release to their testing community for review. It is definitely not there for some people to side load a pirated app.”

[via PC Magazine]

Officially supported Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook were introduced with the PlayBook OS 2.0 update back in February, but the selection is still limited. Users wanting apps not yet available through the BlackBerry App World have been able to sideload the apps to their PlayBook through software on their computer.

Although the number of apps on BlackBerry App World doesn’t come close to the volume of apps on the Android Market, or now called Google Play, it apparently is more profitable, according to Saunders. He claims that developers are refusing to work with RIM until sideloading has been blocked to avoid piracy. The change is likely to arrive with the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 update.

[via MobileBurn]

Back when the idea of a 4G Playbook first came up, it was speculated that RIM would be supporting the Wimax standard, but if there’s one thing RIM doesn’t need right now it’s adopting a technology that’s on the way out. So according to some FCC documents that have been uncovered, the Blackberry company has been getting the paperwork filled out to offer a 4G LTE-powered tablet. If it could happen to get such a device out on the market soon, it might actually draw some attention.

There are very few LTE-enabled tablets available now, but that will soon change, so if RIM enters the market when that feature is not a differentiating one, it would be a moot point. The Playbook is not even close to being a success, and even the units that RIM has actually managed to get into consumers’ hands aren’t doing a good job of generating a revenue stream the way the iPad and the Kindle Fire do. That is the first thing RIM needs to address. LTE connectivity would be nice, but it’s not going to sell a failed tablet.

[via Crackberry Forums]

The Playbook launched in February 2011, which the cheapest model available for around $500. People praised RIM for finally implementing a brand new operating system that didn’t look like a 1990s smartphone, but that praise was overshadowed by rampant criticism for some of the most basic oversights – like the fact that the Playbook didn’t even have a calendar or contacts app unless you linked it to a Blackberry phone.

Over time, the Playbook’s reputation was so poor that RIM started selling it for as low at $199, and even gave away massive amounts of them to developers that showed interest in developing Playbook apps. Now, the Playbook allows users to download some Android apps because of the pitiful amount of content on the device. RIM doesn’t really have a great strategy for monetizing the device once it gets into a customer’s hand, and that has been the real killer.

[via Liliputing]

“This is not a BlackBerry 10 smartphone – it is a prototype running a modified version of the PlayBook OS which will help developers design their apps for the BlackBerry 10 smartphone form factor.  Just to be 100% clear – it’s not the final hardware or OS for BlackBerry 10 – it’s a device to help developers get started with designing for what’s coming.  BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha is only for developers – not end users – and is only available to developer attendees at BlackBerry 10 Jam” RIM

Although both the PlayBook OS and the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS are each based on QNX, the latter will see significant tweaks and modifications versus RIM’s tablet-specific software. From the sound of it, the BlackBerry software engineering team is doing some basic redesigning to get PlayBook OS running on a smaller, smartphone-scale device.

That should allow developers to get used to the new form-factor, but without giving away too many secrets about what, exactly, RIM has on the cards for devices and software. Still, getting app creators onboard early is a sensible move: RIM is presumably hoping it will have a reasonably broad range of third-party apps available when the new platform drops toward the end of 2012.

In fact, we may well have already seen the FrankenOS, in the shape of RIM’s collaboration with Porsche and the QNX-powered concept car. That vehicle’s dash-mounted display is actually, Crackberry suggests, a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device clad in a custom enclosure; they claim to have swiped at the screen and found identical page transitions to the PlayBook.

It’s understandable that RIM isn’t going to take a flexible stance on jailbreaking as say Android would, since it’s targeting enterprise and business users. Plus, the image of having an especially high standard in security may be one of RIM’s last advantages over competing smartphone platforms and manufacturers. It has already quickly squashed the DingleBerry rooting tool since it was made available last year and its PlayBook is so far the only device in the BlackBerry lineup to be rootable.

But in the detailed post today, RIM outlined the different ways in which it will handle two basic types of root access exploits. The priority in patching goes to exploits that require little interaction from the user. These include jailbreaking methods that only require users to visit a web page to download a software to the device. Since this type poses a much greater security risk, it will be patched immediately following discovery.

The second type of root access exploit involves connecting the PlayBook to a computer and voluntarily making changes that may require putting the device into developer mode, a method that requires much more interaction from the user and generally cannot be performed by remote attackers. With these exploits, patches will be distributed through a future software update instead of through a more immediate security update.

This device (or both versions of the device, rather), has been leaked previously via a RIM roadmap which noted the device to be scheduled for mid-2012. With the company still promoting this device with such items as trades for Android apps and inclusion in brand new Porsche concept cars, it appears that RIM wont be letting go of this device any time soon. Will RIM bring out the big guns for a re-release or upgrade for the summer season?

We’ve had our own look at the original release of the BlackBerry PlayBook many moons ago, and since then the tablet has had its fair share of mishaps and price reductions. If the PlayBook were re-released for $200 with a dual-core processor and full access to the Android Market, would you purchase one? How about if RIM touted LTE and HSPA+ with a reduced price for data?

[via Engadget]

According to the copy on the newly minted Playbook 2.0 page, there will be dedicated Twitter and Kindle apps for the Blackberry tablet. As anyone who has been following the Playbook will know, it was supposed to get a Kindle app a long time ago but Amazon never released one. In addition, there is no Playbook-optimized Twitter app. The app that exists now is nothing but a shortcut to open the Playbook’s Web browser to Twitter.com.

That is exactly what the Playbook’s Facebook “app” did for a while – it just opened up the mobile Facebook website. But the social network finally got around to launching a dedicated Playbook app. This all highlights exactly why the Playbook hasn’t gotten more traction; simple things that mobile users expect like a Facebook app just haven’t been available. Playbook 2.0 is sure to bring with it a lot of major updates. At least we hope it does. These apps are just part of what we can hopefully expect when the update goes live next week.

[via BerryReview]

In the latest development, RIM has revealed that Android apps carried over to the Playbook will not be able to contain advertising. This means developers who made a free app on Android and collect the advertising revenue that it generates will have absolutely no monetary incentive to offer those apps to the Playbook. And in a society where free apps are of significant importance, that is quite a blow. This may be something that can be altered in the future, but it won’t be ready when the Playbook 2.0 software launches later this month.

The Playbook has become so crushed that it is now being offered to app developers for free. There is a serious lack of interest, even though RIM continues to try to peddle it as a good enterprise-level iPad alternative. Playbook 2.0 may help ignite new interest in the device, especially among those who were turned off by the fact that in its original state, the Playbook couldn’t even access Blackberry Messenger or things like a calendar app unless it was tethered to a Blackberry phone. More details are sure to be revealed at the Mobile World Congress.

[via GigaOM]

Featured: So here’s an interesting article for anyone who has ever shopped at Target; did you know that even though Target doesn’t have one of those customer loyalty card things, it still knows who you are and tracks your purchases? Yep, it’s true. Okay, so if you’re looking for something less Big Brother-esque, we also have a couple iPhone app reviews – there’s this review of Dash Race, and also this look at WinZip for iOS. You know, since unzipping files on your iPhone is always an issue.

Mobile: So the Mobile World Congress is coming soon, and we’ve got all sorts of news in preparation for that – like, Googld Pod teased for MWC 2012 revival, PlayBook OS 2.0 launch date, and HTC Android 4.0 ICS dates dropped for North America. In addition, we have some iPad 3 news: iPad 3 Retina Display allegedly confirmed, and iPad 3 buyers don’t care about price. Of course they don’t.

According to the leaked documents, PlayBook owners should be able to start downloading the PlayBook OS 2.0 update as soon as next Tuesday. The update is expected to finally bring the long promised native email, contacts, and calendar support that the RIM tablet has been lacking.

The update will also bring an improved BlackBerry Bridge functionality as well as the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps that will allow users to run certain Android apps directly on the PlayBook. A deadline was announced late last month calling on developers to prepare the first Android app ports for the PlayBook, to ensure that there would be PlayBook-compatible Android apps ready once the feature gets introduced.

This update has been tipped before, this update appearing to be the real deal preparing users for the update to be pushed to them sooner than later. This update will hit the tablet as it sits at a staggeringly inexpensive $199.99 at Office Depot. In addition, BlackBerry senior brand manager Jeff Gadway spoke on the possibility of a 4G version of the tablet, saying “we’re still committed to a 4G PlayBook, and 2.0 is a large part of getting 4G right.”

We’ll be at Mobile World Congress 2012 to bring you all the news on the PlayBook you can handle should it indeed be updated to version 2.0, and the rest of the mobile world should be in full play on the date they’re pushing as well: February 29th. The short history of the RIM PlayBook isn’t over yet, folks, with price drop after price drop and stock still full at your local electronics store. Stay tuned!

Update: Looks like RIM has a little extra wiggle room. Apparently Gadway’s comments have been “more precisely framed” in an update, and now PlayBook OS 2.0 is expected “very soon” and “likely” at MWC 2012.

[via PC Mag]

For a company whose tablet was once several hundred dollars, giving these tablets away for free to developers might seem like a move of madness. Of course the truth of the matter is that there’s no better way to get people to love your hardware than to get the greatest creators of software on your side. And there’s no greater way to get a developer to work for your platform than to give them free hardware, right?

Incorrect, ladies and gentlemen, the best way to get a developer to work on a particular bit of hardware is to make that hardware popular on your own. If the user base exists, the developers will come and grab the cash they’ve got burning a hole in their pockets. On the other hand, when you’re in the position that RIM is in right now, the best solution may well be what they’re doing right now. So Android developers, grab yourself a free tablet and play gleefully upon it!

You can get all the tools you need for Runtime for Android apps beta over at Blackberry.com and start tapping away at your future market. Look at how easy it is to get into!

[via Saunders]

The duo found that they can listen in on the Bluetooth connection between the devices. RIM left the security token needed to decrypt emails in a place where anyone that knows where to look can find it. Once they had hands on that token, the researchers were able to access all the email and other information they wanted as a privileged user.

The key to allowing the exploit was the discovery of the security token sitting there waiting to be found. The token sits in a place that is world readable while the Playbook and smartphone are in a Bridge session. There are caveats to the attack though. The Playbook has to be running an app that can access the token. A malicious app could also be installed on the tablet to open access to the token.

[via ThreatPost]

You new owners of the BlackBerry PlayBook who picked one up for $199 as well as all you old-school owners who blasted your pocketbooks for the chance to own the business-class tablet for yourselves early on will be glad to know that the most popular game in the whole mobile universe is now available for you, too. The only downside here is that each of these games will cost you $4.99 apiece. Luckily though this means you won’t have to mess with advertisements that block your gameplay area.

You’ll have the best time in the world playing the games everyone else has had access to for many months now, and included in your packages you’ll find such bonuses as ties to the Rio movie that was released in the middle of this past summer and all the Seasons you missed in the summer of your discontent. On the plus side, it does appear that Rovio will continue to update these apps through the future just as they do the rest of the platforms, so no need to buy new games, one time’s enough!

You can pick up Angry Birds Rio then head a bit back in time to grab the original Angry Birds and have the continuation of holiday cheer with Angry Birds Seasons. It’s cheer time for BlackBerry PlayBook! Thanks for the tip, Jason!

[via N4BB]

BlackBerry devices shipped 14.1 million units worldwide, which is up 33 percent from last quarter, an improvement likely due to the recent introduction of a slew of new BlackBerry 7 devices. Customer reach is now at 75 million, increasing 33 percent from last year, while revenues were up 24 percent from last quarter.

The company is still struggling to move its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which shipped only 150,000 units this quarter. Earlier this month, RIM had announced that it would be taking a $485 million hit for its stockpiled PlayBooks to account for the reduced pricing. The global service outage in October has also attributed a $54 million charge.

RIM insists it will remain committed to its PlayBook tablet and platform transition, saying that “it may take some time to realize the benefits of these efforts and the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry.” Nonetheless, RIM’s stock fell 7 percent in after hours trading.

[via VentureBeat]

In the past we’ve heard that there’s certainly going to be another PlayBook, namely one that rang true with whatever 4G network the carrier it would be carried on would be working with. Of course that “certainly” turned out to be bunk when the WiMax toting carrier turned down the project earlier this year, but from what we’re seeing here in this very new code, the dream remains alive. And hear this: if these icons are all meant for a single model device, there’s only one network out there right this second differentiating between 4G and 4G LTE: AT&T.

There’s also an icon for a SIM card notification as well, which makes us think that this device will be able to be sold off-contract even in its 4G-capable configuration. Then there’s the screen resolution: 1280×768 pixels. This would place the entire BlackBerry line very much in a modern sharp category with the rest of the functional smartphone world – unless that’s just for the PlayBook, in which case the rest of the smartphones RIM produces for 2012 will again be less than fantastic in the PPI department. We’ll see all this and more inside 2012 and BlackBerry 10!

[via n4bb]

It sure seems to have worked for the HP TouchPad, so why not here with the PlayBook? We’ve got word that this hacked version isn’t held nearly in as high a regard as the doomed TouchPad, and no sign of Android is in sight, so what’s to be done with this little monster? We can watch Hulu on it, for one. Time to break out the Office, Community, and Parks & Rec, team, Thursday night’s shows on Friday for all!

Then there’s the possibility that a port of other systems could very well happen. What we’ve seen with the TouchPad is a dual-boot situation where its own Palm-made system was able to be launched aside Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and reports are that it’s not the worst thing in the world, especially for the $99 USD customers payed a few months ago. So here we go with the PlayBook, and not a moment too soon. Let the games begin!

[via CrackBerry]

Best Buy explains that it had to cancel orders and pull the listing simply because the PlayBook sold out rapidly during its Black Friday promotion. The company intends to continue stocking the PlayBook and will replenish stock soon. It had listed the PlayBook with a $300 discount, pricing it at $ 199.99 for the 16GB model and $299.99 for the 32GB model.

The PlayBook has faced many challenges since its launch with firmware issues, such as the lack of native email, calendar, and messenger apps, that have yet to be fixed. A major update was originally set for later this year that would address these issues and bring the promised Android app player, but the update has been pushed back to February. Despite all this, it seems that a $300 price drop was all that was needed to clear out PlayBook inventory.

The catch with these TouchPad sales is that they have been with some catches. To get the TouchPad for $149 you had to buy a qualifying HP notebook or desktop. RIM is reportedly set to launch a Christmas special on the Playbook that it hopes will spur the moving of some of the stock that locations have around the country.

The price for the Playbook is said to be dropping to $199, $299, and $399 for the 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB versions. That $199 price puts the Playbook in direct price competition with the TouchPad deals but the Playbook buyer doesn’t need to get a notebook as well. The catch is that the Playbook is still very feature limited.

[via AppleInsider]

In addition when you purchase a BlackBerry PlayBook before the end of the year (straight from one of RIM’s preferred retailers, shown below), you’ll also get one of several accessories for free! One per PlayBook, that is: a BlackBerry Leather Sleeve (in Black), a BlackBerry Charging Pad, or as High-Speed HDMI cable 6 feet long. This may well get businesses in the mood for some tablet action, believe it or not, as the business world continues to have a wonky eye for the RIM-made mobile OS.

You can take part in this lovely sale over at BlackBerry.com where you’ll get a big list of all the places where you can pick up your tablets in sets of threes. Meanwhile you can also check out our recent update on when the PlayBook will get PlayBook OS 2.0 as well as hit up the big PlayBook portal. Then don’t forget our PlayBook review from back this spring – an April special! Check out the hands-on video below:

To help spur the purchase of the Playbook by consumers retail partners have been hacking significant amounts off the price to lure buyers away from other tablets. The Register reports that in the US, prices had as much as $200 chopped off and sellers in the UK are offering £150 discounts. Despite the significant discounts, RIM still hasn’t been able to get consumers to purchase the Playbook.

The discounts did spur a slight uplift in sales, but overall sales are still disappointing. Perhaps sales of the Playbook will pick up early next year when the 2.0 OS lands and the tablet gets some of the basic features it is lacking without connecting to a Blackberry Smartphone. RIM has so far denied any plans to discontinue the Playbook, but if OS 2.0 fails to lure new buyers, the tablet can’t continue as it is now for much longer.

[via ChannelRegister]

RIM has officially confirmed that the update to version 2.0 for the Playbook will not be offered until February 2012. RIM says that it would like to get the OS into the hands of users today, but that it won’t launch the OS until it’s confident it has met the expectations of the developer community and end users. As much as PlayBook owners will hate to hear this, it’s a good thing. If RIM launches the new OS for the tablet and it doesn’t work the PlayBook is dead.

Another big piece of bad news is that RIM announced that it has decided to not include the BBM application with version 2.0 and will push that feature until a later version of the OS. The rumors had pointed to RIM having difficulty integrating multiple user devices into a single BBM account. The bright spot in the announcement is that RIM is ready to provide developers with the gold release of the native SDK for the tablet and a beta of the OS 2.0. This will allow the devs to port their apps to the PlayBook in native form.

The key support is for Android apps, native email, and PIM access as well. BGR notes that RIM’s Jim Balsillie has announced on the last RIM earnings call that the PlayBook would get an update this month. This is where the BGR source comes in with claims that the 2.0 update is pushed until mid-February. The source BGR sites claims that the problem RIM is having has to do with the ability to allow a user’s BlackBerry smartphone and PlayBook work with one BBM account.

The solution as of now according to the source will be two independent BBM apps for the smartphone and tablet each with different contact lists. That won’t be what owners of the PlayBook and a Blackberry smartphone want to hear. A rumored specific date for OS 2.0 to land is February 17.

[via BGR]

This tablet is not exactly known for its successes, but it’s certainly inspired the community to create better tablets. With the BlackBerry name on the hood and Texas Instruments powering the engine, is it enough for you to drop a couple of Benjamins to sign in? Isn’t this supposed to be the next step in the evolution of RIM and their BlackBerry mobile OS?

Perhaps, but with stories such as the BlackBerry service outage and the fact that BlackBerry is no longer the top mobile OS by a long shot (but still hanging on there in third!), you should definitely explore your options. If you DO decide to pick up a PlayBook, be sure to check out other deals on this device from Office Depot and Staples, and don’t forget to compare!

Here’s what RadioShack is offering:

BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB tablet computer, original price $479.99
10/7 till 10/15 : $180 instant price reduction
10/16 till 11/5 : $200 gift card

AKA if you shop at RadioShack a lot, you’re just looking at a $279.99 tablet, if you’re not an avid RadioShack shopper, you’re about to be.

If you currently own a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, you should automatically get a notification for the software update. You can also check for it under the Software Update section in the settings menu. PlayBook tablets purchased after October 6 will have the update installed automatically during the setup process.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the major BlackBerry Tablet OS 2.0 update that’s been rumored. The update is expected to add native email, contacts, and calendar functionality as well as the Android app player. However, it’s believed that RIM will release the update later this month during the BlackBerry DevCon event.

[via RIM]

However, the Evernote app for the BlackBerry PlayBook will lack some of the features that can be found on the versions for Android and iOS. For instance, the PlayBook version cannot create rich-text notes with checkboxes or to-do lists. But since it is only the first version for the QNX platform, updates ahead should bring it up to speed.

And as usual, the app is free and available through the BlackBerry App World. If you’ve been mulling over whether to take advantage of the recent BlackBerry PlayBook promotions, let us know if the addition of your favorite note-taking app makes any difference. Or, are you holding out for a 7-inch Android slate?

[via CrackBerry]

This deal follows just two days after the end of Best Buy’s PlayBook promotion, which offered a $150 discount on the 64GB model, but only offered a $50 discount on both the 16GB and 32GB models. So if you missed out on that, here’s another chance, but this new deal from RIM is also for a limited time only, running until September 22. The deal is available only to residents in the US and Canada, and is limited to one claim per PlayBook with a total of three claims per household.

The PlayBook currently runs on RIM’s new QNX platform while current BlackBerry smartphones are still running on the BlackBerry 7 OS. There have been some incompatibility issues and plenty of criticism over the PlayBook’s half-baked firmware, but RIM has been trying to remedy that with several updates over the past few months. Also, the promised Android App player feature is still not available, although leaks of the interface suggest that it should be arriving soon.

[via CrackBerry]