RIMs PlayBook Offers Multitasking and BlackBerry Tethering

by Nicholas Kolakowski

RIM’s PlayBook represents the company’s hope for breaking into the rapidly burgeoning tablet market. The screen measures 7 inches, and power comes courtesy of a dual-core processor.

The PlayBook supports Adobe Flash 10.1 for what RIM describes as optimum Web cruising. The company is reportedly tweaking the battery ahead of release, hoping to have it capable of providing a full day’s work.

RIM will market the PlayBook toward businesses increasingly interested in tablets as productivity tools. In keeping with that, the device includes PDF support among other features.

Every tablet needs built-in apps, like a calculator. Good for adding and multiplying, not nearly as entertaining as some of the games on offer.

RIM is angling the PlayBook as a multimedia device with full music- and video-playing capability.

A glimpse at the PlayBook’s music library interface.

The PlayBook offers front- and rear-facing cameras, the latter clocking in at 5 megapixels. RIM plans on encouraging developers to find ways to leverage that dual-camera setup.

Despite RIM’s focus on business, the company realizes that games are a vital way to attract consumers. The PlayBook runs games such as Quake pretty smoothly, based on a couple minutes’ worth of experimenting with the device.

The PlayBook allows users to swipe a finger “up” the bottom BlackBerry logo to access the home screen, and flick the sides of the device to cycle between active apps.

Here’s the back of the PlayBook. Overall, the device weighs a little less than a pound.

Here is a view of the PlayBook’s side. Note how thin it is.

Among the PlayBook’s widgets: easy access to YouTube and videos. RIM will offer the PlayBook in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models.