So, let’s get this out of the way now: there is no ‘tablet market’. There is no huge demographic out there craving and desiring a tablet computer. There are millions of iPad customers. And there a few hundred thousand people – maybe even a few million worldwide – who desperately want a tablet running Android, WebOS or QNX. Yet because that’s true right now, it doesn’t mean things won’t change. The tablet is just too inevitably necessary for the (lack of a) market to stay that way. The need for a web-connected frame for content of all sorts is just too obvious. And while tablets will not and are not meant…

Most of the iPad’s competition has been inferior and higher priced, which has resulted in numerous failures to create a true competitor. But Research In Motion might be on to something with the Blackberry Playbook. But this one little detail might be the most shocking of them all: it will cost $499. Since the creation of the original iPad, there has been little in the way of competition for Apple. Tablets like Galaxy Tab and Xoom have hit the scene, but they also have a price (a bigger one than iPad), which meant that not only was iPad superior, but it was more competitively priced. And that is how it has…

Earlier today, I was lucky enough to catch a too-brief glimpse of RIM’s 7″ Playbook tablet when David Neale, VP for Special Projects quickly demoed the device at an event in Toronto. Though the time that we got to see the device was limited, what is clear is that, though the tablet is definitely in a rough, unfinished shape, it is shaping up to be quite impressive. Here’s what we saw and learned: The interface hasn’t changed from what we’ve seen before. Neale showed that you can work ‘in the window’ i.e. swiping left and right to move between screens; and ‘in the frame of the window’ i.e swiping up from…

You just hit ‘play’ on a video touting the PlayBook’s allegedly ‘faster’ and all-around more awesome browser than the iPad’s. And the proof would appear to be in the pudding – the PlayBook’s browser DOES appear to be a fair bit faster, rendering pages in a relative jiffy when put beside the iPad’s sudden plod. The video also demonstrates the iPad’s lack of Flash (again), and even shows off some fancy Java rendering. But the big question here is: who cares? That’s a stupid question. Of course people care, but jeez, RIM… is it really wise to prod Apple fanboys like that, especially when the iPad 2 is…

When rumors that RIM, the makers of the Blackberry, were about to announce a tablet, you could have been forgiven for not being too excited. After all, beyond hearing silly names like ‘Blackpad’, people were skeptical RIM could create a compelling product. Then they actually announced the Playbook – a device with a new OS and some pretty impressive specs – and we all started to wonder: maybe this thing will be alright, yeah? Now comes news from the RIM CEO that the Playbook will come in for under $500. Suddenly, we might have a real competition on our hands. But other than price, what else does RIM have…

According to RIM’s co.CEO Jim Balsillie, the BlackBerry PlayBook will launch in Q1 2011 – and cost less than $500. That certainly doesn’t sound like bad news, especially considering the cheapest WiFi-only iPad is $499. While smaller than the iPad (7 inches, as opposed to 9.7), the PlayBook’s still got cool stuff the (current) iPad hasn’t, including two cameras and Flash support. Not that I’m a die-hard Flash hanger-on or anything, but even if it’s dying, it still accounts for a large part of the internet. Big Steve, I’d like to be able to see it. But let’s not go turning the comment section into a Flashwar…

As expected, RIM yesterday announced their entry into the tablet market, the Blackberry Playbook. Except the tablet won’t be available until early 2011. RIM’s annual developer conference, DevCon 2010 saw a barrage of releases yesterday, starting with the MacBook, PlayPad, PlayBook, followed by information about Blackberry Tablet OS, the iBook, PlayBook’s operating system and WebWorks, RIM’s developer tools for building web apps optimized for the BlackPad PlayBook. This is, of course, huge news. The world has waited with baited breath to see who will take on Apple’s iPad, and the much-rumored…