BlackBerry Playbook available for pre-order

Tablets are a new dimension into computing, staying connected online and are somewhere between a PC and a smartphone. RIM recently announced the release date of their highly anticipated tablet, the Blackberry Playbook. It has some pretty impressive specification and the hands-on reviews seen online are also good, it seems to be right up there with the iPad and the Motorola Xoom. BestBuy and OfficeMax are already taking pre-orders for the Playbook which will be officially released on April 19th.

Following is a spec. sheet of the Playbook:

• 7" 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen
• 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1" x 7.6" x 0.4" (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
• MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback
• Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)
• 1080p HDMI output
• Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)
• 1 GB RAM memory
• Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)
• GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)
• Stereo speakers and stereo microphones
• Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support

How well does the Playbook sell in comparison the the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, iPad 1 and 2 is something we cannot speculate at this time. But it's obvious with the release of Playbook and the imminent release of Samsung 8.9 inch and 10.1 inch tabs and the LG slate that the tablet war is just getting started. If you're interested in pre-ordering the Playbook, just hit the source link below:

Source: Blackberry, BestBuy

Editorial: AT&T and T-Mobile's merger from manufacturers and consumers perspective

According to AT&T the the acquisition of T-Mobile will bring together the building block of the new world and will be in public interest. How will it affect the hardware manufacturers and customers?

From manufacturer's point of view as things stand right now, the likes of HTC, Motorola, Samsung, LG etc. all have the option to negotiate terms with T-Mobile and AT&T before releasing a new phone. After the merger AT&T will have such a huge market share and monopoly in the GSM market that they will be able to dictate their terms, handpick the type and the number of smartphones they release in a calender year and will most definitely have the upper hand in any kind of negotiations with the manufacturers.

From consumer point of view, right now there are a lot of options available as far as phones and plans are concerned. T-Mobile is known for cheaper plans, and both of them have great phones available in their lineup. What pricing structure will be in affect after the merger? Since AT&T's market share will dramatically increase, will they lower the price on their phones and plans? Or will it be the other way around? It's anyone's guess.

For now the matter is in DOJ and FCC's hand. It will take about a year from it's approval for the transition to take place. Only then will we know for certain how it is affecting the consumers and hardware manufactures.

For further reading AT&T + T-Mobile