Aug 12

Will RIM’s PlayBook get WiMAX? The Now Network says no (update: RIM focusing on LTE)

Posted in: 4G, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, playbook, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, Sprint, tablet, tablets, Today's Chili, WiMAX


Whoa there, RIM — not so fast. Despite an earlier commitment from Sprint, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Now Network has cancelled its plans to bring WiMAX to the BlackBerry PlayBook, leaving Research in Motion to continue selling WiFi-only models of the half-baked tablet. Sprint representatives cited poor adoption rates among business customers as one reason for the move to cancel PlayBook sales, along with an already crowded tablet market, also adding that the decision will have “no impact” on the carrier’s relationship with RIM. We can’t say that a WiMAX-capable PlayBook would have topped our back to school wish list, but this latest move is somewhat shocking nonetheless.

Update: RIM wrote in to share the following statement:

RIM has decided to prioritize and focus its 4G development resources on LTE. We remain excited and committed to delivering innovative and powerful 4G tablets to the US market together with our carrier partners. Testing of BlackBerry 4G PlayBook models is already underway and we plan to enter labs for network certifications in the US and other international markets this fall.

Will RIM’s PlayBook get WiMAX? The Now Network says no (update: RIM focusing on LTE) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink @Phonescooper  |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

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Aug 04

Gmail for Mobile gets a facelift, now ready for its Retina Display close-up

Posted in: app, Apple, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, Gmail, Google, ios, mobile, playbook, Today's Chili, twitter

Gmail for mobile was looking a little tired around the eyes, so Google went ahead and gave the ol’ web app a cosmetic lift. The update, announced on the Gmail blog, packs a hat trick’s worth of tweaks aimed squarely at iOS and QNX (read: BB PlayBook) users. Email messages can now be manually refreshed with a top-down pull and release — a feature similar to Twitter’s own drag-down approach. The team also added a bit of finesse to inbox navigation with new sliding transitions, and even beefed up the graphical interface, taking full advantage of that Retina Display. Curious to see these tune-ups in action? Then head to the source for your own hands-on.

Gmail for Mobile gets a facelift, now ready for its Retina Display close-up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 04

Screen Grabs: BlackBerry PlayBook pops up on ‘White Collar’

Posted in: BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, RIM, tablet, Today's Chili
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today’s movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.

You know those pictures of smiling people and happy families that come with frames when you buy them from department stores? We’d like to submit this image from USA Network’s White Collar to RIM as a possible preloaded wallpaper, should it ever want to go in a dramatically different direction with its marketing for the PlayBook. Standard business customers are only so exciting. But white collar criminals and the people tasked with stopping them — now that’s where the action is. Side note to the gentleman on screen: you’re holding it wrong.

[Thanks, Imdad]

Screen Grabs: BlackBerry PlayBook pops up on ‘White Collar’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 03

BlackBerry PlayBook will run Android apps by ‘late fall,’ later than expected

Posted in: Android, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, exclusive, Google, GoogleAndroid, playbook, RIM, Today's Chili

RIM previously announced that its PlayBook tablet would be able to run Android apps by the summer, but we’ve just heard something to the contrary. A reliable source told us that this highly anticipated feature of the BlackBerry slate now won’t arrive until “late fall.” With RIM struggling against ever-stronger competition, delays like this are bad news — the PlayBook needs this new lease of Android life as soon as possible.

BlackBerry PlayBook will run Android apps by ‘late fall,’ later than expected originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 31

How would you change RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook?

Posted in: BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, HowWouldYouChange, HWYC, playbook, RIM, slate, tablet, tablet pc, TabletPc, Today's Chili

RIM’s 7-inch PlayBook may be lovely to hold, and that gesture area along the bezel is downright genius, but the QNX-powered slate hasn’t had the easiest time taking on the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple’s iPad 2. Still, RIM’s following is amongst the most loyal in the industry, and those who wouldn’t leave the house sans a BlackBerry handset may have been inclined to give this guy a go. If that’s you, we’re overly interested in hearing how you’d do things differently. Would you have preferred a larger screen? Android app support right out of the box? A beefier software store? Go on and get creative in comments below — something tells us RIM isn’t exactly in a position to turn a deaf ear.

How would you change RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 27

Android Market seen running on BlackBerry PlayBook (video)

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, playbook, RIM, tablet, Today's Chili, video

We’ve already seen the Android App Player leak out, and now the BlackBerry PlayBook has taken one more (unofficial) step towards being a full-fledged, psuedo-Android tablet. While it’s described as a “proof of concept,” the video above from CrackBerry forum member Lawguyman shows that the tablet is at least capable of running the Android Market and downloading apps, albeit with a few PlayBook-induced obstacles — check out the furious swiping around the 1:30 mark. Here’s hoping for a slightly more official solution before long.

[Thanks, Steve]

Android Market seen running on BlackBerry PlayBook (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 22

RIM brings video editing service JayCut into the BlackBerry fold

Posted in: app, apps, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, playbook, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, Today's Chili, video
RIM and JayCut

If it’s going to try and compete in the tablet world, whether or not it wants to be known as the enterprise-friendly slate, RIM will have to step up its multimedia game. The company clearly understands this, that’s why it’s snatched up the online video-editing service JayCut. It’s obvious the startup’s expertise will be used to create a video editing app for the BlackBerry platform, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of sharing and cloud storage service built on top of it as well. Obviously we’re just speculating for now. Check out the brief announcement posts at the two source links.

RIM brings video editing service JayCut into the BlackBerry fold originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOfficial BlackBerry Blog, JayCut  | Email this | Comments

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Jul 22

Android App Player leaks out on to BlackBerry PlayBook

Posted in: Android, AndroidApps, app, apps, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, Google, leak, leaked, playbook, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, Software, tablet, Today's Chili
Android App Player leaks out on to BlackBerry PlayBook

Back in April, when we put the PlayBook through its paces, we were disappointed to find it lacked the previously promised, and eventually teased, Android Player. Well, the time has finally come — at least for those of you, who don’t mind getting your hands, and tablet, dirty with leaked software. The folks over at n4bb snatched up a beta version of the program, which brings nearly 250,000 little-green-monster apps to the BB slab, but point out that it’s got its drawbacks. Aside from altogether lacking a back button, this build apparently has some lagging issues. If you’re the adventurous type, however, you can download and sideload the appropriate file by clicking on the source link below. But if your PlayBook gets covered in all sorts of leaky beta goo, don’t come running to us — it is unofficial after all.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Android App Player leaks out on to BlackBerry PlayBook originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 21

BlackBerry PlayBook receives certification for US government use

Posted in: BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, government, playbook, RIM, Today's Chili

The BlackBerry PlayBook may not have exactly won over consumers en masse, but it looks like RIM can now at least put a feather in its cap when it comes to one of its key customer bases: government agencies. The company announced today that the PlayBook is the first tablet to receive the so-called FIPS 140-2 certification which, according to RIM, means that the US federal government can “buy with confidence knowing that the PlayBook meets their computing policy requirements for protecting sensitive information.” Of course, those agencies will still need to make sure to supply a BlackBerry smartphone as well so folks can access some of that information — although this may be one instance where that’s considered to be more of a feature than an omission.

BlackBerry PlayBook receives certification for US government use originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 19

BlackBerry PlayBook update brings zip extraction, more storage options for attachments (updated)

Posted in: 7-inch, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, ota, playbook, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, software update, SoftwareUpdate, tablet, tablets, Today's Chili, update

RIM sure is working fast to bring its 500,000-strong BlackBerry Playbooks up to functional par. The tablet’s been on the market for three short months and is already set to receive its fourth software update. This go ’round, RIM added the ability to save attachments to a removable SD card or your phone’s internal storage, extract zip files from email (although you’ll have to use Bridge and port from your BlackBerry smartphone), a pinch-to-zoom feature for video viewing and — winner of the duh award — portrait viewing for photos. Also, the software now supports 15 additional languages — great news if you speak Galician. If you’re planning on picking up this QNX tab, you’ll receive the v1.0.7 update as part of the setup process. Current owners can wait for an update notification, or just pull it manually. So, what are you waiting for? Get downloading.

Update: And it’s gone. Seems some folks who downloaded the update were having connectivity issues using BlackBerry Bridge. RIM posted on Twitter saying users should expect a fix later this week.

BlackBerry PlayBook update brings zip extraction, more storage options for attachments (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileBurn  |  sourceBlackBerry Blog, BlackBerry (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

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