AT&T 3G-compatible BlackBerry PlayBook could launch this spring; LTE version to follow

By on Jan 18, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Tablets January 18, 2011

A new rumor on Tuesday suggests that RIM is currently developing a version of its upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook compatible with AT&T’s 3G cellular data networks. CIO’s Mobile Workhorse blog cites a trusted source in reporting that AT&T’s version of the PlayBook tablet will launch in late March or early April. The same source states that an LTE version will follow soon after the release of the 3G version. Only two BlackBerry PlayBook models have been announced by RIM so far — a Wi-Fi-only version that will launch this quarter and a 4G WiMAX-enabled model that will become available from Sprint some time this summer. RIM is on target to begin taking orders for the Wi-Fi version of its tablet sometime in February according to the report, and orders will be filled sometime in March.

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  • Baltimore

    What about T-mobile? Where is the blackberry playbook for T-mobile?

  • Geust

    so .. RIM started to listen to customers?

  • Anonymous

    Playbook UI seems really well thought out (if not stolen from WebOS) but thats besides the point. My Main concerns are battery life and APPS!… Being web connected is fine with flash in all its glory but APPS MAKE TABLETS… with over 300thou from IOS and 100Thou from Android I can’t seem myself looking else where… to be honest

    • Private Citizen

      Back to “how many apps…” and Apple has over 300K. Well, good for Apple but how many of those apps have ever seen the inside of a Phone, Pod or Pad? If you are a developer today, would you develop an app for App Store where you will be absolutely buried by 300K apps or for App World where you have a better chance of getting reviewed/noticed and make some money? I like making money.

      • Anonymous

        ….Dude do you know you you’re talking to? THE CUSTOMER. Customers want options. Apps=Options. Developers would develop for iOS because anything apple makes WILL SELL PERIOD. They are guaranteed to have customers. Another thing with iOS and Android(especially iOS) folks are willing to PAY for quality apps… new app stores don’t have folks willing the dump money in the store/market. You obviously don’t understand your demographic if you are at all a developer.

        Lol its funny that you think less apps means your app would stand out more… how long will that last?

      • Private Citizen

        No, I think you are funny. Every developer who creates an app for iOS think he has a huge winner. Truth of the matter is, only a fraction of the 300K apps makes up the huge bulk of the sale, you know, the 80/20 rule (in this case, more like 95/5). It’s like the football parents who think their kid is the next coming of John Elway (my favorite QB of all time). The number of apps is inconsequential when only a fraction of them get viewed and bought (mostly through word of mouth). Do you know how many games there are that are very similar to Angry Birds? I’m sure thousands but how many get bought? Not many because they are buried and no one talks about them. Trust me, there will be enough Playbook customers. If you are purely interested in making money, wouldn’t you rather develop for a platform where your apps will have a better chance of being viewed and bought? Get my point? Now, let’s be clear, I didn’t say anything about the quality of iOS as a platform. Seems like you’re getting defensive.

      • Tony

        You’re both right….sorta. I develop for both iOS and BlackBerry. It is difficult to earn a substantial amount through sales on the App Store simply because of the amount of Apps your competing with to gain visibility, thankfully though because of the amount of casual users who download anything that’s free, utilizing iAds can bring some nice coin. That said I earn most of money through the BlackBerry App World and other BB distribution sources because the competition isn’t quite there and as long as you create a solid product that looks good it’ll get noticed. I’m personally excited to develop for the PlayBook simply because Flash is my favorite platform to develop for.

      • Anonymous

        Most of Apple’s apps are free and not worth the memory on your device. Apple will always be ahead of you just want to install a lot of apps. I want apps I can use for work! Real apps that can use DropBox and read and write MS Office files. Most of Apples apps are cr^p

  • Jesus H Christ

    Why do all BGR articles say…… may launch, could launch and so on. You guys post every single Apple rumor on the planet. Do you ever report any real concreate news? Oh wait you do after Engadget reports it first. Enough with the would of could of and rumor crap.

  • Anonymous

    Not to beat a dead horse, but in view of AT&Ts (incredibly) botched and unreliable 3G network, esp. in large cities – and the impending 4G options from AT&T and others, I would bypass this product and wait a few months for the 4G rollout. At that point, you can see if AT&T also botches their 4G network, and if LTE may be (?) a better option vis a vis 4G. Why buy a 3G tablet on a network that has already established such a well-deserved FAIL?

    • Scott

      It all depends on where you live. I have had a very good experience with AT&T here in Phoenix. It’s just like how I could complain that they’re releasing a 4G WiMax for Sprint, when Sprint has ignored bringing 4G to Phoenix, even though we’re the 5th biggest city in the US.

      • Anonymous

        Scott, I agree completely. I have a bud in Hburg PA where ATT works VERY fast and VERY reliably. But there are many places in Manhattan (where I live/work) where I cannot even send/receive a text message. You call them and they say “oh, but there are 11 cell towers in that area, so everything is working just fine” or “use the mark-the-spot app to report areas where there is no coverage” – of course, you cant submit a report where there is no coverage! That’s why I consider ATT 3G network to be good, where it works, but extremely spotty.

  • Iceboxx3

    Nobody cares about T-mobile … get a real carrier

  • Anonymous

    The bezel looks huge

  • CMC

    AT&T’s network can’t handle what it’s already got on it. That’s why customer can only use it “a little” with those insanely small caps. If they could handle their customers, then they wouldn’t need that. Data products are pointless on their network. How funny that they’re just simply changing to name to “4G”…without actually doing anything. The work won’t even begin until later this year, yet they’re saying it’s “4G”. Um, No!

  • Dragon

    Get it on the market with LTE, get the bugs out, miniaturize it, and give us a dual-core, QNX, 4 inch, touchscreen superphone in 2011 while it’s still cutting edge. THAT’S why I’m excited about the Playbook–testbed for the QNX OS.

    P.S. Love the form factor if it is shrunk to a 4 inch smartphone.

  • Eh

    i think the rumour actually states that the LTE version is for Verizon.

  • Max

    Too small to be useful, too large to be portable. Epic fail.

    • uCosom

      Hey Max, let’s not talk about your brain like that. I’ll be picking up a PlayBook as soon as its available. It’s the perfect size. If the PlayBook is too large to be portable, then how can people bring laptops and netbooks wherever they go? If it’s too small to be useful, then then the iPhone is definitely not useful. Your logic is flawed. Go troll somewhere else. I think iSheep etc… are a little nervous. If you like your device so much, good for you. But don’t attack another one before it comes out because you think it’ll make your look like 1922.

    • Anonymous

      Just another person with their head stuck up Apple’s butt!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

    Sweet… so i have all that horsepower that RIM has included in this product and a weak ass 2GB limit on an underpowered network……

    someone cooked this in pure AWESOMESAUCE

    • Anonymous

      You are to stupid to live

  • http://twitter.com/Moestepp Morrison Stepp Jr

    Blackberry Balance will allow devices to partition personal and business data and effectively create two phones in one.

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