Research In Motion has unveiled its first tablet device, the Blackberry Playbook. Aimed at the business market, the 400g device features a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touch screen, 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB memory, and the new BlackBerry Tablet OS, based on the QNX Neutrino microkernel architecture. The PlayBook includes a 3MP front-facing camera and 5MP rear camera, with support for 1080p HD video, as well as a web browser with support for WebKit/HTML-5, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe Mobile AIR. For connectivity, the PlayBook offers Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1, which can be used for connecting to a BlackBerry smartphone and sharing data. RIM said it will later offer 3G and 4G versions. The PlayBook will launch in the US in early 2011, and reach international markets in Q2 2011. RIM will begin working with developers and select corporate customers next month to begin development and early testing efforts. The BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK is planned for release in the coming weeks and developers can register for early access at RIM's website.
