RIM Releases Mini Keyboard for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Research In Motion, more commonly referred to as RIM, is known for their BlackBerry range of smartphones that are geared towards entrepreneurs. The manufacturer has done little to spice up their product offering over the years, which is why RIM now finds itself in a bit of bind when it comes to their financials.

One of RIM's dud releases was the BlackBerry PlayBook. It was released to much hype, only to get torn down, criticized, and laughed at with scorn by numerous critics and reviewers. The firm has since made numerous attempts to try to make up for the PlayBook's lackluster features and performance: first, with the development of version 2.0 of the tablet's OS, and now with the release of the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard.

What the Mini Keyboard does is essentially convert the tablet into a laptop. It's similar in concept with the Asus Padfone (which has already been announced) and the Sony Vaio U hybrid tablet PC (which was unveiled in a leaked ad), which are all tablets that come with their own attachable keyboards.

The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is described as being ultra-portable and stylish which comes with an integrated touchpad alongside the full QWERTY keyboard. It was also thoughtful of RIM to throw in a stylish convertible case that doubles as a stand for the tablet.

Here's a list of the Mini Keyboard's other features:

Powerful Multi-touch Control. The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard comes equipped with a touchpad that supports BlackBerry PlayBook gestures. The touchpad also offers additional gestures similar to the standard mouse and touchpad controls on a laptop.

Ultimate Portability. The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard is ultra-portable and lightweight, measuring less than 6mm thick.

Security. The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard connects to your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet via Bluetooth, and features 128-bit encryption to keep the data passed between keyboard and tablet secure.

Third Party App Support. The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard works with the new BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 Messages, Contacts and Calendar apps as well as Documents To Go, and provides an optimal user experience for third party apps such as Citrix Receiver.

Article by Hazel Chua
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