[audiotaku]

You lot love a good rumour... And then to rip it to shreds cos of no evidence, so here goes another lamb to the slaughter.
I'm at the Everything Everywhere retail launch / training conference in Birmingham, UK and one of the device specialists was telling me about future tablets and phones supporting 4G. He said Blackberry were supposed to be a launch partner before the slip to Jan for BB10 devices, but he also said they were working with the Playbook 2, 7" tablet (albeit the one they were testing with did not have an LTE chipset), but did say they were looking to release both next year and EE would be fully supporting Blackberry in 2013.
The afternoon sesh has just started so I'll report back to see if there's any other info I can get...

[anon(3641385)]

Thanks for that snippet of info

So it's supposed to be another 7 inch device - good oh ..... That suits moi

[mikeo007]

Heinz said in a recent interview that they were concentrating on phones in 2013 and moving to other mobile computing later on. Guessing your source hadn't a clue.

[anon(3249139)]

Heinz said in a recent interview that they were concentrating on phones in 2013 and moving to other mobile computing later on. Guessing your source hadn't a clue.

While I doubt some of the information given, lets not forget this roadmap BlackBerryOS.com - Exclusive: Leaked BlackBerry 10 2013 Roadmap

[robsteve]

http://www.rogers.com/web/link/wirel...+11+4294935552

The second generation PlayBook is already available in Canada.

[audiotaku]

Yeah, well there was no mention of it in the afternoon... What confused me was that the guy said they were testing with the "playbook 2" that didn't have an LTE chipset. My hindsight thought was the 2nd gen Playbook 4G LTE "too". Guess we'll have to wait and see... But when u look at the general lifespan of tablets and new model sequential upgrades (1yr for iPad, galaxy tab etc), is it that inconcievable?
Everything leaks these days... So a rebranded pb makes more sense, over an extremely well-kept secret new project. However, I asked Ragen Whitehead TSr propositions manager for 4G in the uk) outright if they were working with an early Playbook 2 and he blinked, look concerned and reverted back to my previous question about MS Surface. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but they're going to be "working closely with RIM" in 2013 so hopefully the UK can get in on the 4G action soon.
I'll post a link of the full Q&A once get it uploaded later, if anyones interested in how EE is going to roll on the 30th.

[daglesj]

Cool, I'll be ready to pick one up for �129 again in 18 months.

[Bobert_123]

Honestly this sounds plenty believable. I would love to get a native bb10 second generation playbook (although I don't think it's a smart move on RIM's part). BB10 could be so much more than a phone os and RIM realizes it.

[skyrocket9]

Honestly this sounds plenty believable. I would love to get a native bb10 second generation playbook (although I don't think it's a smart move on RIM's part). BB10 could be so much more than a phone os and RIM realizes it.

It will take a miracle for something to replace windows as crappy as it is lol. Even ios as in the computing market has barely made a dent, only mobile device have but not the computers.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[jwn66]

http://www.rogers.com/web/link/wirel...+11+4294935552

The second generation PlayBook is already available in Canada.

ikr? lawlz

[madman0141]

I hope Blackforest makes it I would jump at the chance for 128GB PlayBook.
Don't say anything negative I don't want to feel any negative vibes.

[Plazmic Flame]

http://www.rogers.com/web/link/wirel...+11+4294935552

The second generation PlayBook is already available in Canada.

[bbmme]

If this is true, I'm going to be soooo poor. Already spent thousands on my blackberry, and just bought the playbook 4g/lte.

[Bobert_123]

I hope Blackforest makes it I would jump at the chance for 128GB PlayBook.
Don't say anything negative I don't want to feel any negative vibes.

Same here!

Sent from my BOLD or maybe my soon to be BB10 PlayBook

[Jonathan-Archer]

Isn't it more likely it's the European release for the LTE version?

[SK122387]

I'd love a new PlayBook, or some other tablet from RIM.

When I look back on how quickly they made the PlayBook, and the device features, it's beyond solid for a Q2 2011 device. Even the most negative RIM bashers couldn't quarrel with the specs on the PlayBook (speakers, camera quality, screen, feel of the PlayBook). But all of this was overlooked by little things like NO EMAIL, no native calendar, no sign of native BBM, and I gotta admit, the onscreen keyboard the PlayBook shipped with was annoying to type with since it didn't have auto correct.

But the PlayBook is finally up to speed it seems, though the specs are no longer anything surprising, and processors have gotten bigger, screen resolutions better, etc. But if RIM is launching the London BB10 phone with a screen better than the iPhone 5, there's no reason they couldn't get a better-than-the-new-iPad screen (or..better than whatever new one Apple will put out in the Spring next year). I still really like the 7" form factor, and it's obviously a size that is here to stay, with the new Kindle Fires, Google Nexus 7, upcoming iPad mini. It'd be awesome to see RIM put out a serious update to the current 7" PlayBook, maybe with LED flash, a better camera, better screen, NFC, vibrate mode, flashier in appearance.

The 7" size makes the PlayBook perfect for taking anywhere, and I've taken a few pictures with it when I'm out and about. I feel like it's just at the size limit threshold for being able to take pictures of stuff, without looking like a tool holding a huge iPad-sized thing in front of you. That's why the LED flash would be useful, because more people would be comfortable using a smaller sized 7" tablet for taking pictures of more things, even at night.

With all the excitement about BlackBerry10 phones, I've sort of forgotten about the prospects of RIM's future tablets. I'm still perfectly happy with my PlayBook, and it has only grown more useful, but I'm fully onboard with the idea of them properly launching updated or new tablet models.

[JAGWIRE]

As was stated in a previous road-map, that was re-posted here, and also stated/rumored on and off for over a year... the Blackforest is the code name for the 10" PB. The road map does say that it is going to be coming out this year but id but more trust into T.H. saying that 2013 is the year of The Ten. RIM knows it needs to focus more on the phone market then the tablet one. Once the PB gets BB10 then it will be a big push again for it. With 2.1 and SMS coming to the PB all its missing is Native BBM and it will be a complete device, IMO. TH and RIM need to get the six models out for BB10 and get people thinking that RIM is here to stay.

[elliott436]

Or could it be that rim is indeed coming out with a new playbook but with better hardware such as led flash for camera, more memory and possibly a thinner unit?

[daglesj]

If this is true, I'm going to be soooo poor. Already spent thousands on my blackberry, and just bought the playbook 4g/lte.

Whats the problem? Like I said just wait for the firesale and pick one up cheap.

I really don't think the Mk2 will be any more a success than the Mk1. Shame but there you go.

[diegonei]

LTE 7'...Sorry but sounds like they are talking about the PlayBook 4G...

[el_excelsior]

So I guess for the Blackforest we're looking at the actual third generation Playbook

[diegonei]

So I guess for the Blackforest we're looking at the actual third generation Playbook

Well, let's say that roadmap holds.

Just looking at it, we can see it is a larger device, so definitely a different model - the alleged 10' BlackBerry tablet.

Not sure if it counts as "third generation", but it isn't just the same PlayBook we all know.

[el_excelsior]

Well, let's say that roadmap holds.

Just looking at it, we can see it is a larger device, so definitely a different model - the alleged 10' BlackBerry tablet.

Not sure if it counts as "third generation", but it isn't just the same PlayBook we all know.

Quite right, quite right.