RIM unveils BlackBerry PlayBook 4G

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the launch of its BlackBerry PlayBook (4G/LTE) tablet for the international markets. The 4G/LTE version of the BlackBerry PlayBook will be first made available in Canada on August 9 and later will be launched in other countries.

Apart from being a fully cellular network capable device that does not have the calling functionality, the 4G/LTE version of the BlackBerry PlayBook features a dual core 1.5 GHz processor for improved overall performance. It has almost same features as the older PlayBook such as the same 7 inch capacitive display with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution.

Like the older version, the PlayBook 4G tablet has a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 3 megapixel front camera. Only this time the rear camera features full HD 1080p video recording capability. The new PlayBook is only available in one variant with 32 GB of onboard storage and there will be no 64 GB version of the tablet.

First look: BlackBerry OS 10 alpha device

Research In Motion gave us an opportunity to look at and feel the new BlackBerry OS 10 alpha build OS as well as the device at a press event in Delhi way before the official launch. So here is our first impression of the latest BlackBerry OS 10 alpha device.

BlackBerry over the past couple of months has been playing with the slim and sleek design and it seems RIM will continue it with OS 10 devices as well. The device we got to see is sleek and features the official black color. In terms of looks this could be a miniature BlackBerry PlayBook, only it is lighter and more pocket able. But there are no trims or highlights on the design of the device. It has a simple bold black look.

As announced by RIM the device that we experienced today is an alpha build sample and will be changed when the device finally hits the market. While the device's design might get altered we are sure that the difference won't be big, but that will only be known in the coming months when BlackBerry finally announces OS 10 for the masses.

OS 10 gives a feel of the BlackBerry Playbook OS with similar swipe gestures and application management, but in terms of response and fluidity the OS 10 is spot on. The applications work faster and multitasking is supercharged.

RIM had earlier mentioned that the final build of the user interface will be different. The device is a smaller version of a BlackBerry PlayBook with a bigger than ever 4.3 inch display; BlackBerry has never used such a big display on a Smartphone. Although the actual specifications of the display are unknown it features resolution close to 1280 x 700 pixels with capacitive multi touch input system. True to promise the full touch based input system is quite fluid and the device have better graphics.

As far as connectivity goes OS 10 devices get a standard 3.5 mm audio connector and the micro USB connector ensures easy connectivity with most other devices and earplugs for some good tunes. But along with that there is an HDMI port so there is no denying the inclusion of a faster graphic engine as well.

Price in India: BlackBerry Curve 9320

Research in Motion (RIM) launches their 3G Smartphone BlackBerry Curve 9320 in India. The device was revealed in February this year and now it is available in India. It is a mid-range Smartphone from the BlackBerry Curve series. BlackBerry Curve 9320 has BlackBerry OS 7.1 and 3.2 MP Camera with 4X Digital Zoom. It has QWERTY Keypad which gives a phone Business Look. The phone supports Wi-Fi & 3G connectivity. BlackBerry Smartphone Curve 9320 Price in India is around 15499.

BlackBerry Curve 9320 Key Features:

- BlackBerry OS 7.1
- 2.44-inch TFT 65K colors display
- Touch-sensitive optical track pad
- QWERTY keyboard
- Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass
- 512 MB ROM and 512 MB RAM
- 3.15 megapixels (2048 x 1536 pixels) main camera
- 32 GB Expandable Memory Support
- Long battery backup

BlackBerry Curve 9320 Technical Specifications:

- Company: BlackBerry
- Model: Curve 9320
- BlackBerry OS 7.1
- Dedicated BBM key
- 2.44-inch TFT 65K colors display
- Screen Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels
- Touch-sensitive Optical Trackpad
- QWERTY Keyboard
- 512 MB ROM and 512 MB RAM
- 3.15 megapixels (2048 x 1536 pixels) main camera
- 4X digital zoom
- LED flash, Geo-tagging, image stabilization
- Picture formats: .bmg, .jpg, .gif, .png, .tif, .wbmp
- Stereo FM radio with RDS
- MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV/Flac player
- MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV player
- 32GB Expandable Memory with microSD card
- Accelerometer Sensor
- Proximity Sensor
- Digital Compass
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 (2G network)
- HSDPA 3G networkGPRS and EDGE support
- HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA up to 5.76 Mbps
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
- Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
- Uses microUSB v2.0 interface
- SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
- HTML browser
- WPA/WPA2 Personal and Enterprise
- GPS with A-GPS support
- Autonomous and Assisted GPS with pre-loaded BlackBerry Maps app
- Cisco CCX certification
- Document viewer
- Voice memo/dial
- Predictive text input
- Dimensions: 109x60x12.7 mm
- Weight: 103 gram

Price in India:BlackBerry Curve 9220

Blackberry Curve 9220 will come with features like QWERTY Keypad with Optical Trackpad, 2.44 inch Display Screen, 2 MP Camera, High Quality Video Recording, Multi Format Supported Audio and Video Player, FM Radio, 512MB ROM, 512MB RAM Internal Memory, 32GB Expandable Memory support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, GPS, EDGE, GPRS, Social Networking plug-in and more embedded features.

BlackBerry Curve 9220 Key Features:

- Low Cost
- BlackBerry OS
- 2.0 MP Camera
- QWERTY Keypad
- Optical Trackpad
- Wi-Fi

Colors:
- Black

BlackBerry Curve 9220 Features & Specifications:

- Blackberry OS 7.1
- 2.44 Inch 65K TFT Screen
- Display Resolution: 240 x 320 Pixels
- QWERTY Keypad
- Optical Trackpad
- 2.0 MP Camera with Digital Zoom & LED Flash
- High Quality video recording
- Multi Format Audio Player: MP3, eAAC+, WMA, WAV, Flac
- Multi Format Video Player: MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV
- FM Radio With Recording
- 3.5 mm Audio jack
- Internal Memory: 512MB ROM, 512MB RAM
- Up to 32GB Expandable Memory
- Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- Accelerometer Sensor
- Proximity Sensor
- Digital compass
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
- USB Cable
- GPS
- WAP
- GPRS
- EDGE
- Social Networking
- Email & Instant messaing
- Loudspeaker
- Speaker phone
- Downloadable Games
- MP3, 64 Polyphonic Ringtones
- Li-ion Battery
- Dimensions: 109 x 60 x 12.7 mm
- Weight: 165 gm

BlackBerry, HTC, Motorola slash tab prices by around Rs 13k

2012, it seems, would also be the year of tablets with manufacturers announcing huge discounts on their tabs.  Discounts up to Rs 13,000 have been announced on many high-end tablets coming from reputed brands like BlackBerry, Motorola and HTC. So here's a roundup of the best tablet deals that are available for customers right now. 

BlackBerry PlayBook 16 GB (RS 13,490):

Research In Motion has recently announced a whopping 50 per cent discount on its PlayBook. Under this discount, the Wi-Fi only 16 GB version of the BlackBerry PlayBook is now available at a discounted price of Rs 13,490. 

The other variants of the BlackBerry playbook also carry a similar discount as well. Now the 32 GB PlayBook model is available at a discounted price of Rs 16,490 while the 64 GB PlayBook model is available at a discounted price of Rs 24,490. 

Earlier these discounts were only available till 31 December 2011 but RIM has extended the offer for another seven days as a New Year gift to all BlackBerry fans. The PlayBook features a 7 inch LCD display with 1024x600 resolution and houses a 1 GHz ARM Cortex processor for faster multitasking along with a 1 GB of RAM memory. RIM has promised a software upgrade that will allow the PlayBook to get Native Email support and run select Android applications on the tablet as well, so buying it would be a good deal. 

HTC Flyer 32 GB (Rs 23,990):

When the HTC Flyer was launched back in the month of June 2011, it was heavily priced that deterred many potential buyers. But now buying the HTC Flyer would not burn a whole in your pocket as its price has dropped drastically. 

 

Earlier the HTC Flyer was available for a price tag of Rs 39,890, but now the 32GB version of the tab can be bought for as low as Rs 23,990.The HTC Flyer comes with a seven-inch display featuring a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and a fast 1.5 Ghz processor. Its 1 GB RAM ensures complements well with the Android Gingerbread 2.4 operating system for a faster performance. 

One of the unique features of the tablet is its stylus which looks similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Note; HTC calls this HTC scribe technology. With this technology HTC Flyer users can write or sketch or even edit directly on their tablet screen with the help of stylus. 

Motorola Xoom 16 GB (Rs 21,500):

Although the official word on the discount on the Xoom is still awaited from Motorola India, the tablet is already being offered by online retailers with a huge discount - up to Rs 10,000 on both the WiFi only and the 3G versions.

 

The WiFi version of the tablet is now available for Rs 21,500, while the 3G version comes for just Rs 25,000. This offer is available as of now in Koovs.com but other websites are expected to follow suit soon. 

The tablet is based on Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system that has been upgraded to the latest version of Android Honeycomb and features a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra processor and 1 GB of RAM for superior multi-tasking. One of the best features of the Motorola Xoom is its 10 inch high Definition display and with Nvidia Tegra the graphics capabilities of this device have been boosted a lot. 

During the launch, the WiFi only and the 3G versions of the tablet were priced at Rs 32,990 and Rs 39,990 respectively. With the price reduction, Motorola must be expecting a wider acceptance of this device. Notably, Motorola is also planning to port the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system to this tablet which thus makes it a great buy.

Blackberry Curve 9360 Review in India

Blackberry Mobiles recently launched their latest smartphone in India, the Blackberry Curve 9360. It is said to be the slimmest Blackberry smartphone ever. Curve 9360 is powered by the latest Blackberry 7 OS, 5 MP Camera, QWERTY Keypad, 3G, Wi-fi and more. Blackberry Curve 9360 price in India is Rs.19,500.

Size and Design:

The Curve from blackberry is has impressive designin terms of sleekness and light weight. The phone weighs only 90g. It is 109mm long, 60mm wide and has a thickness of 11mm which is better than many Blackberry business phones around.

Camera:

The phones feature a 5MP camera with LED flash. There is no autofocus in the camera which is rather disappointing for a 5MP camera. The maximum image resolution is 2592*1944 pixels. Another disappointing aspect of the camera is lack of image enhancing features but it has the geo-tagging features. The recording capabilities of the camera are also not of very high quality as it is able to record video with maximum VGA resolution. There is no secondary camera for video calling.

Processor and OS:

Blackberry Curve 9360 features a Blackberry OS v7.0 with is rum by a decent 800 MHz processor.

Connectivity:

The phone comes with decent connectivity features having support for 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v2.1 and micro USB v2.0. The connectivity features are not of a high end smart phone but still enough for not too heavy tasks.

Storage Capacity:

The internal storage capacity of the phone is 512MB. The processing power is supported by a 512MB of RAM which compliment the 800MHz well. The external memory can be extended with the help of a micro SD card up to 32GB.

Battery:

The phone features a Standard battery, Li-Ion 1000 mAh battery that is capable of providing up to 5 hours of talk time and up to 348hrs of standby time, the standby time is reduced to 288hrs on 3G coverage.

Other Features:

Other important features of the phone include support for NFC and GPS connectivity with A-GPS  and Blackberry browser.  The audio player is capable of playing MP3 eAAC, WMA and WAV format while the video player plays MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV formats.