[CENTER][CENTER][CENTER]Matt Hartley Jul 27, 2011 – 12:37 PM ET | Last Updated: Jul 27, 2011 4:18 PM ET
Research In Motion Ltd. may have found a new ally in its quest to establish the BlackBerry PlayBook as the default tablet within the corridors of power around the world: the Russian government.
Reports from several Russian newspapers — including the daily business publication RBK Daily — indicate the Russian government is considering a ban on Apple Inc.’s iPad inside government agencies due to security concerns, instead opting for more “cryptographically secure tablet PCs.”
The reports suggest the government is still deciding whether it will use devices from RIM, tablets running Google Inc.’s Android software or a new device created by a Russian agency using “a variety of security systems.” The implementation of a more secure system will help “speed up workflow among agencies” according to the report.
If true, the backing of the Russian government could prove to be another victory for RIM as it seeks to use its reputation of prioritizing security technology to position the BlackBerry PlayBook as the tablet of choice for businesses and governments, the way it originally marketed its BlackBerry smartphones.
Indeed, it was RIM’s security technology which helped the company’s BlackBerry devices to become the gold standard of mobile devices for government agencies around the world, including the Canadian government and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Last week, RIM announced the United States government had granted the BlackBerry PlayBook “FIPS 140-2 certification,” making it the first tablet approved for use by employees of U.S. federal government agencies.
Since launching earlier this year, RIM’s first tablet has struggled in the consumer market to keep pace with Apple Inc.’s iPad, which currently commands 61.3% of the market, compared to about 3.3% for the PlayBook, according to data from market research firm Strategy Analytics.
RIM was criticized for its decision to not include a native email client on the BlackBerry PlayBook – users can access their email by wirelessly connecting their PlayBook to their BlackBerry smartphone — however RIM officials have maintained that by ensuring no email data is stored on the PlayBook itself, the device is more secure for government IT departments.
The entire market was down today. No reflection on RIM, it is to do with the Debt Ceiling issue the US is dealing with. I think the market will see some more losses until the issue get's ratified. If the US credit rating gets down graded we will be in for one heck of a ride.
