BlackBerry announces SecuTablet, a modified Galaxy Tab S
BlackBerry has just revealed a new tablet, but don't worry, it's not a follow-up to the flop that was the company's PlayBook. It's called the SecuTablet, and it's basically a modified version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab S 10.5, albeit with a strong focus on data security. The device is a result of BlackBerry's purchase of security firm Secusmart last year, as well as a software partnership with IBM. The SecuTablet is part of BlackBerry's attempts to find success in targeting the corporate and government security sectors.
While it may have the outward appearance of a standard Galaxy Tab S, this tablet is not meant for everyday consumers, and it's $2,380 price tag makes that clear. The SecuTablet is built with a purpose of preventing sensitive data from leaking to the wild, and does so with voice and data encryption from a built-in Secusmart Security Card.
But that doesn't mean the tablet will be a boring, work-software-only kind of device. Typical entertainment and social apps like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter can be installed on the SecuTablet without worry of security compromises. This is where IBM's software comes in, keeping secured apps and data isolated from personal items, including potentially malicious apps.
While the SecuTablet won't even run BlackBerry's OS, it is part of the company's renewed focus on security, much like the previous agreement with Samsung to strengthen the latter's Knox mobile security software, and the collaboration with Boeing on the self-destructing Black phone. All things considered, it sounds like a winning recipe to at least avoid the failures of the PlayBook.
SOURCE BlackBerry