New Technology Reviews!.: PlayBook

Box.net updates Android cloud app with tablet support

Box.net updates Android cloud app with tablet support

The cloud storage choices are growing quickly out there and if you are a fan of the Box.net cloud platform that has been around for a wh...

Sprint cancels BlackBerry PlayBook 4G sales

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
 
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 13px/19px Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0.6em; padding-right: 0.6em; padding-top: 0.6em;">
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-84243" height="256" mce_src="http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9204/4gplaybooksprint.jpg" src="http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9204/4gplaybooksprint.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="4g-playbook-sprint" width="384" />It seems as though Research In Motion (RIM) is going through some rather tough times – what with their BlackBerry range of devices losing market share to rising sales of Android and iOS devices. On the tablet front, their PlayBook did not fare any better either, as solid hardware that cannot be backed by a decent amount of software is a no-go for the well-informed consumer these days.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Having said that, even a 4G-capable version of the PlayBook is not going to move folks across the US to line up for one – and to add insult to the injury, Sprint decided to halt sales of the 4G-enabled BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:yIl2AUoC8zA" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:yIl2AUoC8zA" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/3499/43828148.gif" src="http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/3499/43828148.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:qj6IDK7rITs" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:qj6IDK7rITs" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6337/55065918.gif" src="http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6337/55065918.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:gIN9vFwOqvQ" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:gIN9vFwOqvQ" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/719/40020704.gif" src="http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/719/40020704.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:-BTjWOF_DHI" mce_href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=wO6nokqto_s:QacH-Y6Rrms:-BTjWOF_DHI" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><img alt="" border="0" mce_src="http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/4569/45567785.gif" src="http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/4569/45567785.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>

Sprint cancels BlackBerry PlayBook 4G sales

It seems as though Research In Motion (RIM) is going through some rather tough times – what with their BlackBerry range of devices losin...

BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac 2.1 gets PlayBook support

<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-79272" height="99" src="http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5231/desktopmanagermac.jpg" title="desktop-manager-mac" width="302" />Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry, has just announced that their latest BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac which is in version 2.1, will now be able to support PlayBooks when it comes to media synchronization. Previously, you were able to copy files over to the PlayBook over USB or Wi-Fi from a Mac, but with this new version, you can rely on Desktop Manager directly to synchronize the entire bunch of music, photos, and videos with iTunes and iPhoto over USB. Among the changes found in the change log include Tablet Support, where you are able to “Sync and import your media files with the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet”, in addition to general fixes and improvements to features. Can’t wait? Why not point your browser here and pick up the new version? <div><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Gr3EyR-Pgds:kuDDuCZC8u0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/3559/15808283.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Gr3EyR-Pgds:kuDDuCZC8u0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/6610/61949500.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Gr3EyR-Pgds:kuDDuCZC8u0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7733/75333987.gif" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ubergizmo?a=Gr3EyR-Pgds:kuDDuCZC8u0:-BTjWOF_DHI"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5721/62644485.gif" /></a></div>

BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac 2.1 gets PlayBook support

Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry, has just announced that their latest BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac which i...

In Depth: BlackBerry PlayBook OS up close

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/BlackBerry_PlayBook/official%20tablet%20angle-crop-200-200.jpg" /> 
We've still only had a few glimpses of the BlackBerry PlayBook in action but RIM is telling developers a little more about how the operating system and interface will look and the way you'll be able to work with it. 
 
It has also confirmed that the PlayBook will be available with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB and unlike some cheaper Android tablets it will definitely have a 1GHz processor. 
The first PlayBook will have a 7" screen, with a 1024 by 600 resolution but reminders to developers to design their UI for 'different screen sizes' and to use percentages rather than absolute sizes hint again at the multiple screen sizes we've predicted in the past. 
To make sure the interface makes sense at different screen sizes, apps don't have to fit just in the current screen size or split functionality into different dialogs: it's just fine to scroll off screen. RIM talks about a 'limitless' screen that users can tap and swipe their way through. 
<img alt="PlayBook flash sites" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/flash%20sites-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
BIG APPS: Apps run full screen but they don't have to fit inside the screen size; you can scroll down for more 
The style of apps is going to be more like the flat look of Windows Phone than the buttons you see in iPhone apps; RIM is encouraging developers to make the content work as the navigation. So in a list of headlines you won't pick one and click on an 'Open' button; you'll just tap on the headline. 
Extra features that don't fit with that flow should go on the menu, which you open with a BlackBerry Storm-style gesture, swiping your finger down from the top of the screen. 
<img alt="PlayBook keyboard" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/keyboard-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
TOUCH TYPE: The PlayBook on-screen keyboard 
Some apps will also have popup menus that appear when you press and hold your finger on the screen the way you can on the <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3630952467398438450&postID=2659905425842154363">Torch</a> and <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3630952467398438450&postID=2659905425842154363">Storm</a>. We haven't spotted a physical menu button on the PlayBook prototypes we've seen either, so get used to gestures; dragging your finger up from the bottom of the screen shows the horizontal strip of running applications RIM calls the navigator. 
<img alt="BlackBerry playbook interface" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/looks%20like%20a%20bbl-320-100.jpg" width="320" /> 
BUSINESS AS USUAL: Familiar BlackBerry styles for buttons and lists 
<img alt="PlayBook media player" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/mediaplayer-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
MEDIA PLAYER: Use your finger for gestures and on-screen controls 
Dragging in from either side of the screen will switch you straight to the next or previous application that's running. We're hoping that doesn't get confusing; if you're swiping to scroll through the content in the current app, you don't want to accidentally trigger the menu or even switch to the next app. 
If you want to pick some text or one item in a list (like an email or a photo), use press-and-hold; if you want to select a long section of text, touch the beginning of the text with one finger and the end with another (at the same time). And as with almost every touch screen device now, you can use two fingers to pinch and zoom. 
<img alt="PlayBook screen" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/screen-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
KEEPING TIDY: Tabs organise your apps so it's not just one overwhleming list 
You can also use your fingers to drag the progress bar in a song or video to move forward or back and to change the volume, if you don't want to use the physical media buttons on the side of the PlayBook. 
Apps can still have buttons and check boxes, including 'toggle' buttons that you can tap or drag to change the setting on. 
Buttons, lists and text all have the familiar BlackBerry look and they'll switch with the style of the theme in use. The PlayBook will come with two themes; the default is black text on a grey and white background but you can switch to white text on black. 
<img alt="PlayBook themes" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/two%20themes-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
SWITCH THEME: PlayBook will have a standard white theme and an optional black theme 
We haven't seen tools for creating new themes, but there are ways for developers to 'skin' their buttons with their own design style. 
Unlike the home screen on BlackBerry OS 6 which mixes system and application notifications in wherever they fit above and below the date and time, the home and navigator screen on the PlayBook is much tidier – it puts notifications from apps on the top left and all the status icons for the system on the top right. 
You can tap the notification to see the details. You won't see the notification bar in third-party apps at all (just like on the BlackBerry today) and when you do see it in RIM apps like the official media player it seems to be more consistent (even in BlackBerry OS 6, you see the signal strength in all the RIM apps but others appear and disappear - the battery icon shows up in Messages but not in Contacts). 
<img alt="PlayBook notifications" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/notifications-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
TO THE LEFT: App notifications go on the left side of the screen 
<img alt="BlackBerry status" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/BlackBerry/playbookos/status-420-90.jpg" width="420" /> 
TO THE RIGHT: System status notifications go on the right side of the screen 
All in all, the new user interface looks like it's going to tidy up the look of BlackBerry even more than OS 6 has and make it a bit more fun and colourful.

In Depth: BlackBerry PlayBook OS up close

We've still only had a few glimpses of the BlackBerry PlayBook in action but RIM is telling developers a little more about how the ope...

BlackBerry PlayBook – devs asked to submit apps

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/BlackBerry_PlayBook/BlackBerry_PlayBook_photogallery-200-200.jpg"> RIM has announced that it is actively seeking developers to submit apps for its forthcoming <a href="">BlackBerry PlayBook</A> tablet. The <a href="">PlayBook</A> is set to be one of the most powerful tablets released to date and BlackBerry wants app developers to capitalise on this, asking for those using Adobe AIR, Flash and HTML to get involved. Groundbreaking performance "Interest and momentum behind the BlackBerry PlayBook continues to build and we are thrilled with the positive response from both the developer community and our customers," said Tyler Lessard, VP Global Alliances & Developer Relations at RIM. "With its groundbreaking performance and robust support for industry standard development tools, the BlackBerry PlayBook provides an exceptional platform that appeals to a wide range of mobile app developers. "We are very pleased to be working with developers in advance of the product launch and the opening of BlackBerry App World to accept BlackBerry PlayBook apps is an important next step." If a registered dev submits an app and it is successful, then they will receive a PlayBook prior to launch. RIM is offering up a host of information with regards to developing an app for the PlayBook. For more information on this, head over to <a href="http://www.blackberry.com/developers/tabletos" title="http://www.blackberry.com/developers/tabletos">www.blackberry.com/developers/tabletos</A>.

BlackBerry PlayBook – devs asked to submit apps

RIM has announced that it is actively seeking developers to submit apps for its forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The PlayBook is s...

BlackBerry PlayBook demoed again on video

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/BlackBerry_PlayBook/official%20tablet%20angle-crop-200-200.jpg"> RIM's new iPad competitor, the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/blackberry-playbook-what-you-need-to-know-719623">BlackBerry PlayBook</A>, has been shown off again in a detailed video to highlight some of its high end features. At a network event in Canada, the new device was put through its pace for a few minutes, highlighting a few things users can expect. The first was two styles of gestures - the normal way of flipping through screens, and then using the frame, so pulling down from the top will open up controls, much like the Android way of seeing notifications. Video also featured prominently in the walkthrough, with the 1080p capabilities on show and working smoothly, despite the early build. The next generation The RIM spokesperson said: "We wanted to make sure devices like this are a true crossover, moving away from merely messaging and into a combination of media, internet and more." The video even continued playing as the internet was brought to the foreground, and also when dropping out to view the multi-tasked apps in thumbnail, which seems pretty impressive. Sadly the browser isn't fully up to speed, not harnessing the dual core power of the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/blackberry-playbook-what-you-need-to-know-719623">PlayBook</A>, but we should see more as the Q1 2011 release date (for the US at least) draws ever nearer. </PARAM><PARAM value="true" name="allowFullScreen"></PARAM><PARAM value="always" name="allowscriptaccess"></PARAM><EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/0sEUipZkLy0&hl=en&fs=1 width=420 height=315 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"> </EMBED></OBJECT> Via <a href="http://bbleaks.com/2010/12/05/blackberry-playbook-demoed-at-rogers-tablife-event/">BB Leaks</A>

BlackBerry PlayBook demoed again on video

RIM's new iPad competitor, the BlackBerry PlayBook , has been shown off again in a detailed video to highlight some of its high end feat...

BlackBerry PlayBook pricing revealed

BlackBerry PlayBook pricing revealed

Pricing for the forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook looks like it has been revealed - and it could be cheaper than the iPad. Mobility Insider, ...

BlackBerry PlayBook will cost 'under' $500

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/BlackBerry_PlayBook/BlackBerry_PlayBook_front_navigator-200-200.jpg"> Research in Motion’sforthcoming tablet PC, the BlackBerry PlayBook, is set to cost less than $500 (around£312) according to RIM’s CEO. RIM’s co-CEO Jim Balsillie told a Korean interviewerthat RIM's 7-inch tablet computer will be "very competitively priced"and should be "under" $500 when it arrives in North America early in 2011. PlayBook launching early 2011 A UK launch should follow soon after the US launch,although we still await official details on UK launch dates, pricing and willbring you those as soon as we have them. RIM follows numerous other vendors into the tablet PC market, includingAsus, Acer, ViewSonic, HP, Samsung, Motorola and others. Apple currently owns 95 per cent of the tablet PC market withthe iPad. Apple has sold over 4.19 million iPads to date. The iPad’s dominance will "change when we’re in the market,"said the RIM CEO.

BlackBerry PlayBook will cost 'under' $500

Research in Motion’sforthcoming tablet PC, the BlackBerry PlayBook, is set to cost less than $500 (around£312) according to RIM’s CEO. RIM’s...