14 DAY TRIAL // Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion has just announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it plans on releasing two new BlackBerry PlayBook models before the end of the ongoing year, in addition to the already announced variants, both packing 4G connectivity options.
Initially, the company unveiled a Wi-Fi-only PlayBook variant, but it seems that there will be four flavors of the device available for purchase in the second half of the ongoing year.
In addition to the Wi-Fi-only model, the company will release a Wi-Fi + WiMax version of the PlayBook on Sprint's airwaves during the first half of the year, followed by Wi-Fi + LTE and Wi-Fi + HSPA+ flavors in the second half of 2011.
“The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is already being widely recognized for its superior performance, rich web experience, enterprise readiness and deep support for web standards and open development tools,” Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.
“We are now building on the BlackBerry PlayBook's many advantages with support for additional 4G networks that will allow enhanced business opportunities for carriers and developers and unparalleled mobile experiences for users.”
RIM's series of BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablets is expected to provide users with professional-grade, consumer-friendly experiences aimed at reshaping the possibilities of mobile computing, the handset vendor notes.
In addition to enhanced connectivity options, these devices are meant to provide users with industry leading performance capabilities, real-time multitasking, high-fidelity web browsing with support for Adobe Flash Player, and great HD multimedia capabilities.
Moreover, these devices would also offer advanced security features and out-of-the-box enterprise support, making them fit for use in the enterprise environment. Bluetooth tethering, Mobile hotspots and BlackBerry Bridge are also included into the mix on each tablet version.
“The combination of premium hardware features and design powered by the new and highly acclaimed BlackBerry Tablet OS and open development tools, along with support for carriers' high speed 4G networks, will provide a high performance platform that enables a mobile services revolution,” RIM announced.
Note: Fellow editors Cosmin Vasile and Alex Vochin are on the floor at the 2011 Mobile World Congress and are keeping us posted with pictures and live reports on the latest product previews and launches.