Wonder If RIM’s Blackpad Will Have a Roller Ball App
Does RIM really have a tablet in the works? “Two people familiar with the company’s plans” tell Bloomberg that it does and plans to launch it in November just in time for the annual holiday spending binge. The device will likely be called “Blackpad”, which is better than Flatberry, I suppose–but not much. And it will be about the same size as Apple’s iPad. It will support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but not 3G, and is rumored to be outfitted with cameras for videoconferencing. Pricing will be competitive with that of the iPad. Which is wise, if the same thing can be said of the device itself.
And that’s a big if, as I’ve noted here before: “With the iPad, Apple (AAPL) has shown us that success in the burgeoning tablet market requires good design, a robust OS and a vibrant app platform. And at this point, RIM (RIMM) doesn’t really have these things. The BlackBerry OS might be great for email-focused handsets, but will it translate well to a larger slate form factor? That doesn’t seem likely, though one never knows.”
Comments
RIM, HP, Microsoft, Nokia faceless suits: “let's copy Apple and spin it. Nobody will ever know”
Posted by res08hao at July 30th, 2010 at 6:27 pmWhatever Rim does, it does email only. Even if Rim makes a toaster, this Rim toaster will be popping up email.
Rim is going bankrupt, Rim can't make anything right.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 6:31 pmThe real folly here is that RIMM has not proven that they can execute a software platform play, and this class of device is arguably all about the third-party software. Just feels like a case of Blackberry & Co not understanding the definition of the situation.
Posted by hypermark at July 30th, 2010 at 7:09 pmEven though I am a very satisfied iPad and iPhone user, I want to believe in BlackBerry because they are integrated devices with satisfied real-people users (as opposed to I-T or CS users) and because I went to school in Ontario and the people there are awesome. But RIM really has to reinvent themselves as a computer maker. The fact that they bought a WebKit browser maker was a good sign. But Apple so raised the bar. iPad is not a scaled-up phone, it's still a scaled-down Mac. Apple's advantage in iPad is even more than in iPhone. And you've got to open things up to C developers even more on a full-size system than on a phone.
“BlackPad” is an awful name. I hope they just registered that domain to keep it out of someone else's hands, same as Apple has “iSlate”. iPad is both black and “Pad”, it is too confusing and generic to say “BlackPad.”
Just like they have “BlackBerry Bold” which people call “The Bold” I would call a BlackBerry tablet “BlackBerry Big” and let people call it “The Big.”
Posted by JohnDoey at July 30th, 2010 at 7:26 pmFor all things digital, they all run apps. Even the OS itself is an app, a control app that carries out the commands from the CPU or SoC that masterminds the digital thing. Contacts, Calendar, FaceBook, Calculator, GPS, MP3 Player, Notes, games, email, Messenger, etc. these are all apps !!
Apple is the undisputed runaway app leader, with currently 87% of all able bodied programmers. Programmers of all platforms are converging to Cocoa programming on the Apple, all other forms of programming are shrinking rapidly.
Research In Motion's browser in its OS 6 is built on Apple technology, the Apple WebKit, an Apple Open Source Foundation. Rim is thinking of using Apple's technology to compete against Apple itself.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 7:26 pmiPad is not of any design constraint such as desktop, tablet, notebook, mobile, or any other form factors which are results from systemic analysis, design, and development efforts. It is very difficult to describe because people have traditionally labelled machines with names that are derived from design. iPad is not based on analysis and designs at all, it is entirely attributed to human needs. The best example I can come up with is the product 'Kleenex', we do not call Kleenex paper tissues because the very idea of Kleenex is extremely well ingrained into people's minds and souls. iPad is the same, but whereas the idea of Kleenex and Rim Blackberrys are indeed severely limited, the iPad idea is a lot broader, iPad is synonymous with the idea of User Computing, whatever it is.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 8:12 pmYou are SOOOOOOO STUUUPPIIIIDDDD!!!!!!
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 8:21 pmCopy Apple? Apple did NOT invent the tablet!!! And RIM has been working on a tablet for a long time. Just because Apple released their device sooner does not mean they invented it. Get a clue before you post.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 8:23 pmYou're a moron and you post the dumbest $hit.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 8:24 pmActually, iPad is synonymous with OVERHEATING, turning off on its own, not working in daylight, poor battery, poor security.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 8:26 pmMr. Paczkowski, we know you don't like RIM. We get it. We've been hearing your same comments forever now. Please stop writing about RIM because you obviously don't like RIM and you don't understand the RIM platform.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 8:28 pmNo, you listen here. You are extremely rude and ignorant, and you will be ignored.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 8:34 pmJobs had been working on a tablet for 10 years. Why don't you get a clue before you plunge in to attack somebody?
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 8:36 pmWhat you said was also a lie, Rim had never worked on any tablet, it started as a pager in 1984.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 8:37 pmDo you have any idea what your talking about?
Posted by Eakster at July 30th, 2010 at 8:50 pmIpads don't overheat, the battery last a very long time and it's more secure then any other tablet or phone.
You have iPad envy or something wrong with your brain?
Do you feel better about yourself calling others stupid?
Posted by Eakster at July 30th, 2010 at 8:54 pmJohn, please get some help and stop calling people names.
Posted by Eakster at July 30th, 2010 at 8:56 pmApple didn't invent a lot of things, they just made them better or easier to use thus making them popular and wanting everyone else to copy Apple. If you don't think Microsoft, HP, RIM… Don't want to copy Apple your delusional. Apple is the trend setter. Microsoft mentioned tablets 10 years ago but failed. Apple released one this year and look how many other companies are trying to make tablets now.
Posted by Eakster at July 30th, 2010 at 9:03 pmApple made them better? You call dropped calls better? You call a locked down OS better? You call no multitasking better? Random reboots are better? Overheating iPads are better? iPads that shut down randomly better? Give me a break!!! You people are blind!
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 9:19 pmOnly this guy because he truly is suuuper stuuuupid! Just look at all the crap he posts and then tell me I'm wrong.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 9:20 pmYou are rude and you are a liar. You have nothing but hatred towards RIM. BlackBerry is obviously not for you. Leave it. Let it go. Go make positive comments about whatever platform you like. Until then, I will continue to out you with your lies and hatred.
Posted by John Peters at July 30th, 2010 at 9:27 pmFor those of you who don't the name: BlackPad, may I suggest some others?
Posted by davebarnes at July 30th, 2010 at 10:03 pmRimJob
TamponBerry
CrackPad
I own an iPad with none of the problems you wrote. Do you own an iPad?
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 10:25 pmI found the article from blackberryrocks addressing the wrong competitive issues. The advantages Apple and Android have over Rim are a whole lot more strategic than just Rim adding an Apple based browser (WebKit is Apple's open source contribution) and getting rid of long menus but staying Window-ish yet still shackled with a plastic keyboard. The changes Rim 6 is bringing to its competitors are far too late, too little.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 30th, 2010 at 10:37 pmNokia were making mobile phones before Jobs even knew what one was and tablet computers have been around for years. Feel free to get your facts right, Fanboi.
Posted by Stroganoff at July 31st, 2010 at 12:19 amJobs named it iPad in memory of the great IBM ThinkPad.
Since Rim has been getting so many black eyes from its competitions, why not call it the Rim BlackEyePad?
Posted by Jamesapple at July 31st, 2010 at 5:55 amThe old Apple lost out to the old IBM, not Microsoft. People have to keep things in perspective. The new Apple has yet met a worthy competitor.
Palm has lost out to Rim, but Rim is losing out to Apple because Apple is 9 times bigger and getting even stronger everyday.
IBM has lost all the small battles to Microsoft keeping only the mainframes, but Microsoft is in a pitched battle against Unix and Linux which is a partner with IBM.
Posted by Jamesapple at July 31st, 2010 at 6:05 amUh, dude, hello from earth. We are talking tablets and where o where is Nokia? I will concede they were eating herring for a long time, tho.
Posted by res08hao at July 31st, 2010 at 7:53 amI am the proud owner of the Blackberry Tour from Verizon, a phone so bad, so clumsy, I refuse to use it and bought a 3gs from ATT. Paying 2 phone bills a month is stupid, but that is how bad BB is.
Posted by res08hao at July 31st, 2010 at 7:57 amJohn have you actually used an iPad? You sir are an uninformed idiot.
Posted by Bmcfadden at July 31st, 2010 at 11:31 pmApple made them better? Yes
Posted by Ronnie at September 3rd, 2010 at 4:25 pmYou call dropped calls better? iPads don’t make calls yet
You call a locked down OS better? Yes I do – Is a virus ridden Malware crippled OS better to you?
You call no multitasking better? Yes if it makes me more productive by saving battery and processor resources. Random reboots are better? Seems to work for Windows users, but it doesn’t happen.
Overheating iPads are better? Great try but urban myth.
iPads that shut down randomly better? Go spend a few hours in an Apple Store with iPads in use 12 hours at a time see if any ‘randomly shut down’ not happening.
Give me a break!!! You people are blind! And you’re a FUD Freak.
FUD ALERT!!
Posted by Ronnie at September 3rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm