RIM shows off PlayBook, a BlackBerry tablet

By Jeffrey Van Camp October 26, 2010

rim-blackberry-playbook-tablet-first-demo — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mike Lazaridis, CEO of Research in Motion, showed off the smartphone company’s first tablet at the Adobe Max conference. Named “PlayBook,” the device is intended to compete with the iPad and growing number of Android tablets hitting the market. Video is below.

The PlayBook was announced in early August and makes use of a new operating system dubbed BlackBerry Tablet OS from QNX, which the veteran smartphone company hopes will help it stave off the onslaught of iPhone and Android sales and bring momentum back to BlackBerry. Unfortunately, from this demo, the user interface (UI) seems laggy and unresponsive when performing simple tasks like browsing photos. It also appears necessary to sift through two menus to get to an Internet browser.

During the final portion of the demo, Lazaridis explains that he doesn’t plan on dumbing down the Internet for his device, but instead the PlayBook is powerful enough to fully experience the Internet. He then shows that the tablet can run HD quality YouTube videos, but does so with some lag. Still, “it’s actually running,” he says.

To learn more about the PlayBook, check out the opening announcement. Interested in the PlayBook? The company is certainly trying to remain relevant. Is it enough?

Topics

Jeffrey Van Camp

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…

Computing

Best Alienware deals: Gaming PCs, laptops, and monitors

Alienware Aurora R15 placed at an angle on a table.

Alienware has been around for a long time, before it was even bought out by Dell, and was making some of the best gaming laptops in the market. Now, Alienware has graduated to making excellent gaming gear across the board; whether you want a gaming laptop, a gaming PC, a headset, or even a gaming chair, there's very likely a great deal for you. That's why we've gone through everything it has to offer and collected our favorite deals below. You can also check out our roundup of the best gaming laptop deals and the best gaming PC deals if you want to check out some alternatives.
Alienware AW920H wireless gaming headset — $160, was $180

A gaming headset is a great way to keep in touch with your friends while you play. The Alienware AW920H gaming headset lets you do so without the burden or wires, as it connects to your gaming setup via Bluetooth. It has a built-in microphone for outgoing communications, as well as Dolby Atmos, Surround Sound, and Stereo Sound options to help immerse you in the game and incoming communications.

Computing

This HP Omen gaming laptop with RTX 4050 is $450 off

The HP Omen 16 gaming laptop on a desk.

You'll certainly get a much more powerful machine if you're willing to spend more than $1,000 on gaming laptop deals, but it's not a requirement if you just want to enjoy today's most popular games. Here's a device that's relatively budget-friendly -- the HP Omen 16, which is down to $850 from its original price of $1,300 following a $450 discount from HP. We're not sure how much time is remaining for you to get the gaming laptop at 34% off though, so we recommend pushing through with the purchase immediately.

Why you should buy the HP Omen 16 gaming laptop
The HP Omen 16 isn't as powerful as the top-of-the-line models of the best gaming laptops, but it packs more than enough punch to play the best PC games without any issues. Inside the device are the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, plus 16GB of RAM that's the best place to start for gaming, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need. With these specifications, your video games will be running smoothly, and they'll look sharp and colorful on the HP Omen 16's 16.1-inch screen with Full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate.

Computing

This HP laser printer deal cuts over 50% off the price for a limited time

The HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw laser printer on a white background.

There's no shortage of printer deals out there, which will make it hard to narrow down your options. If you want a recommendation, here's an offer that you'd probably find attractive -- the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw laser printer for an affordable $200, as it's less than half its original price of $420 following a 52% discount. The $220 in savings is only available for a limited time though, so there should be some sense of urgency on your end if you want to take advantage of this bargain. Buy it now if you don't want to miss out.

Why you should buy the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw laser printer
Among the advantages of laser printers versus inkjet printers is their ability to print documents quickly and efficiently. You'll enjoy these benefits with the HP LaserJet Tank MFP 2604sdw laser printer, which offers print speeds of up to 23 pages per minute, with the option for automatic two-sided printing while maintaining sharp text and bold black levels. With a full tank of HP toner, the printer can print up to 5,000 monochrome pages, and once the toner needs replacing, the process will only take seconds so you can resume printing with barely any interruption.