Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • Mobile
    • Networking
    • PC Hardware

    RIM Positioning PlayBook As Primarily WiFi Tablet, With Security

    By
    Nicholas Kolakowski
    -
    January 17, 2011
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Research In Motion is positioning its upcoming PlayBook tablet as mostly a WiFi device, walking a delicate line between touting the device’s BlackBerry tethering as a feature and trying to appeal to those who own other smartphones.

      “There’s a misperception in the role of tethering,” Ryan Bidan, a senior product manager at RIM, explained during a Jan. 14 meeting with eWEEK. “The PlayBook is a standalone WiFi tablet first.” One that just happens to boast 3G tethering via a user’s nearby BlackBerry.

      RIM refers to that tethering feature as “BlackBerry Bridge,” and in theory, it will provide additional layers of security for tablet users. For example, removing one’s BlackBerry from tethering range will “disappear” the PlayBook applications related to messaging and other security-sensitive features. Users can also set expiration dates for the PlayBook’s cached data, as well as more stringent password policies. Tethering also allows the BlackBerry’s encryption key to reside solely on the smartphone.

      For more security-minded professionals, that could well ease fears about bringing tablets into the enterprise. However, RIM faces substantial competition in the segment from the likes of Apple’s iOS and Google Android, which are also being pressured to boost the security of their own offerings.

      RIM is also focused on what it calls “enhanced apps,” which incorporate BlackBerry APIs, and in theory allow the programs to take advantage of features such as BlackBerry Messaging. The ability to build BlackBerry applications using Flash, RIM’s executives argue, also gives the platform more versatility than Apple’s iPad, which currently dominates the tablet market.

      The proliferation of devices capable of creating mobile WiFi spots, including the “personal hotspot” feature on the new Verizon iPhone 4, could also help RIM’s PlayBook prospects. In a statement released during this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Sprint said that the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook would be the first PlayBook model to include wide-area wireless connectivity. Nonetheless, the PlayBook faces a number of devices, including the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, whose built-in 3G functionality could be seen as a value proposition.

      The PlayBook relies on a proprietary operating system based on software acquired during RIM’s takeover of QNX Software Systems from Harman International in April 2010. It emphasizes multitasking, with the ability to swipe your finger along the sides of the screen to cycle through applications; “flicking” one of those applications’ thumbnail images will close it down. RIM is currently tweaking the software for better battery life, with executives claiming the device will provide “a full day’s work” on a single charge.

      Despite the competition offered by the burgeoning tablet market, RIM remains bullish on the PlayBook’s prospects. “I think the PlayBook clearly sets the bar way higher on performance, and you’re going to see more,” Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM, told analysts and media during the company’s Dec. 16 earnings call. “I think with the PlayBook … we’re going to set the new standard on performance and tools, very powerful tools. And we’re growing really fast.”

      Nicholas Kolakowski
      Nicholas Kolakowski is a staff editor at eWEEK, covering Microsoft and other companies in the enterprise space, as well as evolving technology such as tablet PCs. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Playboy, WebMD, AARP the Magazine, AutoWeek, Washington City Paper, Trader Monthly, and Private Air. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×