The company behind the BlackBerry phone has unveiled a tablet computer it hopes will rival Apple's iPad.
The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to hit shops in 2011
The PlayBook, which was showcased at developer Research In Motion's annual conference, has a 7in screen and two cameras.
Like some models of the iPad, it comes with WiFi connectivity.
However, it needs to be hooked up to a BlackBerry smartphone to access 3G networks.
The device is expected to hit shops in the US early in 2011, with other countries to follow later in the year.
Research In Motion is yet to set a price but it said it would be in the lower range of prices for tablets already in the market.
[YOUTUBE]eAaez_4m9mQ&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]
There are plans for 3G and 4G models in future.
The PlayBook weighs 400g (14oz), is less than half an inch thick and will launch with a dual-core, one-gigahertz processor.
Some online technology pundits gave it a cautious welcome.
Matt Burns, writing for gadget website TechCrunch, said: "There's a lot to like here.
"There's no doubt that the PlayBook rocks some impressive hardware, but that's only a small part of what makes a tablet great.
"Its future lies in the hands of what seems to be a totally revamped operating system."
A visitor to a forum at dvdtalk.com said: "I guess they have the time to come up with this since all their smart phones are just constant re-hashes for the last few years.
"Still, this looks kinda neat."
The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to hit shops in 2011
The PlayBook, which was showcased at developer Research In Motion's annual conference, has a 7in screen and two cameras.
Like some models of the iPad, it comes with WiFi connectivity.
However, it needs to be hooked up to a BlackBerry smartphone to access 3G networks.
The device is expected to hit shops in the US early in 2011, with other countries to follow later in the year.
Research In Motion is yet to set a price but it said it would be in the lower range of prices for tablets already in the market.
[YOUTUBE]eAaez_4m9mQ&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]
There are plans for 3G and 4G models in future.
The PlayBook weighs 400g (14oz), is less than half an inch thick and will launch with a dual-core, one-gigahertz processor.
Some online technology pundits gave it a cautious welcome.
Matt Burns, writing for gadget website TechCrunch, said: "There's a lot to like here.
"There's no doubt that the PlayBook rocks some impressive hardware, but that's only a small part of what makes a tablet great.
"Its future lies in the hands of what seems to be a totally revamped operating system."
A visitor to a forum at dvdtalk.com said: "I guess they have the time to come up with this since all their smart phones are just constant re-hashes for the last few years.
"Still, this looks kinda neat."
