RIM introduces PlayBook -- the BlackBerry tablet

Today at Research In Motion's annual BlackBerry Developer Conference, CEO Mike Lazaridis announced the company's new tablet -- the PlayBook. The tablet will utilize an OS created by the recently acquiredQNX (just as we'd heard previous to the announcement) called the BlackBerry Tablet OS which will offer full OpenGL and POSIX support alongside web standards such as HTML5 (which is all tied into RIM's newWebWorks SDK). Lazaridis was joined on stage by the company's founder, Dan Dodge, who said that "QNX is going to enable things that you have never seen before," and added that the PlayBook would be "an incredible gaming platform for publishers and the players." RIM also touted the PlayBook's ability to handle Flash content via Flash 10.1, as well as Adobe AIR apps. The new slate -- which Lazaridis described as "the first professional tablet" -- will sport a 7-inch, 1024 x 600, capacitive multitouch display, a Cortex A9-based, dual-core 1GHz CPU (the company calls it the "fastest tablet ever"), 1GB of RAM, and a 3 megapixel front-facing camera along with a 5 megapixel rear lens (and yes, there will be video conferencing). There was no mention of onboard storage capacity during the keynote, though the devices we just spied in our eyes-on post are labeled 16GB and 32GB on their back panels. The PlayBook will be capable of 1080p HD video, and comes equipped with an HDMI port as well as a microUSB jack, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1. The device clocks in at a svelte 5.1- by 7.6-inches, is only 0.4-inches thick, and weighs just 400g (or about 0.9 pounds).

In terms of interface, the OS looks like a mashup of webOS and the BlackBerry OS, even allowing for multitasking via what amounts to a "card" view. Interestingly, RIM and QNX boasted of the PlayBook's multimedia and gaming functions, but Mike Lazaridis also described the tablet as "an amplified view of what's already on your BlackBerry." That's due largely in part to a function of the tablet which allows you to siphon data off of your BlackBerry handset via Bluetooth tethering and display it on your PlayBook (a la the ill-fated Palm Foleo). While the PlayBook doesn't seem to rely on phone content alone, the press release from the company says that users can "use their tablet and smartphone interchangeably without worrying about syncing or duplicating data." RIM didn't hand out any solid launch dates beyond "early 2011," and of course, there was no mention of retail price. We've got a slew of content after the break, including the PlayBook spec rundown, the company's press release, and a full video of the device (and UI) in action -- so take a look!

• 7-inch LCD, 1024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touch screen with full multi-touch and gesture support
• BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• 1 GB RAM
• Dual HD cameras (3 MP front facing, 5 MP rear facing), supports 1080p HD video recording
• Video playback: 1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV
• Audio playback: MP3, AAC, WMA
• HDMI video output
• Wi-Fi - 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Connectors: microHDMI, microUSB, charging contacts
• Open, flexible application platform with support for WebKit/HTML-5, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, Adobe Reader, POSIX, OpenGL, Java
• Ultra thin and portable:
• Measures 5.1"x7.6"x0.4" (130mm x 193mm x 10mm)
• Weighs less than a pound (approximately 0.9 lb or 400g)
• RIM intends to also offer 3G and 4G models in the future.

via Engadget

Apple May Have Quietly Approved The Official Google Voice iPhone App Already?

We've seen several third-party Google Voice iPhone apps make their way into the App Store, but we'll be seeing Google's official version soon too according to a report by TechCrunch. Apparently Apple may have even approved the app already:

[TechCrunch has] gotten word that the official Google Voiceapplication is on its way to the iPhone in the next few weeks. In fact, [they've] heard from a source close to Google that it's already been approved - Google just needs to revamp the application to work with the iPhone 4 and iOS's multitasking capabilities.

Sounds like great news, particularly since an official Google Voice app could include features which third-party versions are unable to offer due to API limitations. [TechCrunch]

Facebook Privacy: 6 Years of Controversy [INFOGRAPHIC]

The release of Facebook Places raised serious privacy concerns for users of the social network. Places allows users to alert their friends to where they are by checking-in to a nearby location, often via mobile phone. Users can also view the location of nearby friends and the information they’ve posted about locations.

Critics of the feature point out that under Places’ default setting, a user can tag a friend’s location even if that friend is not physically in that location. What’s more, all checkins will appear in the News Feed and activity stream for that place, unless otherwise specified. If this sounds like over-sharing to you and you’d like to opt out, you can change your privacy settings.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has received criticism for its privacy practices. In fact, Facebook’s problems stretch back to before its founding when then Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg hacked into the school’s network to steal pictures of students for a site that ranked their attractiveness. Below is an infographic tracing the history of privacy snafus that have dogged the platform since its creation.

The graphic below was created for Mashable by Lisa Waananen.

How To: Get Exposé-Style Multitasking on Your iPhone or iPad

If flicking through that puny pop-up tray isn't what you had in mind when you envisioned multitasking on your iPhone, well, you're not alone. But jailbreakers can get gorgeous Exposé-Style task management with Multifl0w 2.0. Here's how it works:

It's pretty simple:

1. Jailbreak. If you haven't upgraded to the latest, jailbreak-breaking iOS 4.0.2 on your iPhone, or 3.2.2 on your iPad, then jailbreaking with jailbreakme.com is still easy as pie. Just visit the site on your iPhone or iPad and follow the simple steps. There's no jailbreak available for iPhone 4's running 4.0.2 yet, but one's bound to pop up sooner or later.

2. Buy multifl0w 2.0 from the Cydia App Store. Multifl0w, which costs $5, has long been a staple of pre-iOS4 (read: jailbroken) iPhone multitasking, but a recent update adds the super sexy Exposé-style management seen in the clip above. You can customize the trigger for activating the Exposé, and, crucially, you can customize just what type of multitasking you want it to trigger. From the Multifl0w FAQ:

How does Multifl0w incorporate with Apple's multitasking on iOS4?

This was a difficult problem to solve, because there are so many different possible solutions. So what's the answer? Provide as many different customization options as possible so that it's easy for everyone to have the backgrounding style they want. Multifl0w used in conjunction with Backgrounder should be able to provide you with the options that suite your preferences. Using Multifl0w without Backgrounder on iOS4 will function like Apple's switcher, apps stay "open" in memory (although not actually running). Using Multifl0w without Backgrounder on 3.1.x is not advised, because apps will be closed as soon as they are exited. However, Multifl0w does not force Backgrounder to be installed on any OS version for maximum flexibility.

Can I use both Multifl0w and Apple's switcher together?

Yes, you can. Just set Multifl0w's activation method to something other than Double-Press Home, and you will still be able to use both together.

The developers note that the Exposé-style multitasking will work on older iPhones and iPod Touches, though it really requires the speedy processors of the iPhone 4 and iPad for the full, smooth experience. [Multifl0w - Thanks Ryan94]

Can't Print. Not Enough Mana. Lol Pic of the Day.

I don't use printers, but I get the same feeling every Monday morning. And Tuesday. And Wednesday too. [Lachson]