Research in Motion (RIM) ended weeks of speculation when it announced that it has indeed jumped into the tablet segment of the mobile device market. Called BlackBerry PlayBook, the device will run QNX, a real-time operating system, and feature a 7in LCD screen, dual-core processor, WiFi and a Bluetooth radio that will pair it with a BlackBerry for 3G connectivity. The tablet, like RIM’s phones, is aimed at the enterprise and mobile professional user. Key to the tablet is its QNX OS, acquired when RIM bought QNX Software in April; the operating system is reportedly quite stable and holds a high-level security certification. The Wall Street Journal reported that RIM plans to transition its BlackBerry smart phones to the QNX OS eventually. The BlackBerry PlayBook, which is being manufactured by Quanta Computer of Taiwan and based on chips from Marvell Technology Group, is expected to hit the market in Q4 2010, in time for the holiday frenzy of electronic device gifting.
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