RIM Showcases PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES 2012

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion has unveiled to the world a new version of its tablet mobile platform, the PlayBook OS 2.0.

The new platform version will bring along a variety of improvements to RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook devices, some of which have been demonstrated during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

At the event, RIM has announced that the upcoming OS flavor will deliver advanced messaging capabilities to all users.

There will be a new unified inbox for them to take advantage of, as well as multitasking capabilities within the email.

The messaging application will also include rich-text email composing and editing, along with inbox management tools to set out-of-office messages and email signatures from the device.

The new platform release will also arrive on shelves with an innovative people-centric calendar, meant to gather information about contacts from social networking sites and/or the company.

There will also be a relationship-centric contacts app, designed to be more than a simple address book. Status updates, conversations, related news articles and more will be automatically delivered to user’s devices.

Users will also be able to remotely connect the BlackBerry PlayBook to their BlackBerry smartphones, courtesy of new BlackBerry Bridge features.

The capability will offer them the possibility to pause a movie when the BlackBerry PlayBook is connected to the TV via an HDMI connection, or to write a message or a document on the tablet straight from the smartphone.

The PlayBook OS 2.0 also arrives with a series of productivity tools inside, including Documents To Go for editing documents while on the go. The Print To Go application will enable users to print documents from the BlackBerry PlayBook over Wi-Fi networks.

Increased control and manageability of corporate data will also be included in the upcoming PlayBook OS, courtesy of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and BlackBerry Balance.

Various other applications will also be available for PLayBook users, including Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Groupon, Thomson Reuters, Zinio and many more. Some of these have been showcased at CES 2012.

“BlackBerry PlayBook is already recognized for delivering powerful performance, true multi-tasking, advanced web browsing and HD multimedia in an ultra-portable design,” said Mike Lazaridis, president and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.

“With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 we are building on this strong foundation, as well as leveraging our strengths in communications, social integration and productivity, to allow people to use their BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day.”