Basically Playbook is the 7-inch camera-packing tablet, is designed, according to RIM, to give users uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and high performance multimedia. It will become commercially available in the U.S. in early 2011, and in overseas markets in the second quarter of next year.

CEO Mike Lazaridis showed off the new computer tablet during the keynote of RIM’s BlackBerry developer conference in San Francisco on Monday. So far no pricing details has been announced.

Credit: Research In Motion

Research In Motion on Tuesday introduced the BlackBerry Torch, a touch-screen and sliding-keyboard device that will be the first to feature the sixth version of the company’s phone software.

The phone, which goes on sale August 12 will be an AT&T exclusive. New or otherwise upgrade-eligible customers will be able to get it for $199 with a two-year contract. There’s no word yet on whether it’s available without a contract, and, if so, how much it will cost without a contract.

The marquee feature of the device, besides the touch screen and QWERTY combination (which Palm did with the Pre), is the inclusion of the BlackBerry 6 operating system, which features a WebKit-based Web browser, universal search, and contextual menus. RIM has also built in a social-feeds application that can group together updates from several social networks, and pipe them into one stream.

During the press conference about the device, RIM’s CTO David Yach was keen to note that the BlackBerry 6 OS will work with all previous BlackBerry applications. The company is also releasing new APIs that will let developers build BlackBerry 6 OS features into their apps, such as integration with the new system search.

While there was no support for Adobe Flash announced, the new Webkit browser supports HTML5, which has been a selling point by Apple and Google on their mobile devices.

On the hardware side, the phone features a 3.2-inch diagonal capacitive touch screen with a 480×360 (HVGA+) resolution, and 4GB of built-in memory and 512MB of Flash memory. That can also be expanded up to 32GB through the device’s MicroSD/SDHC card slot. There is a 5-megapixel camera with a flash. RIM has also built in an image stabilizer–something few smartphones have. Additionally the camera software supports geotagging with the phone’s built-in GPS unit, as well as autofocus.

Other notable specs include 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, a quad-band antenna, 18 days of standby on GSM, 30 hours of music playback with the built-in media player, and 6 hours of video playback–all with a removable battery.

Source: CNET News

Each entry is logged by time, date and location, and you can add a title and search words as tags, as you would on a blog, The app even uses optical character recognition to read type on photos, so you can search pictures for words.

The free version of this app allows the user to upload 40MB of material a month. The premium service, which is USD45 a year allows 500MB of uploads. Premium users can also use more kinds of files, like Word or Excel, and can convert scanned documents to PDFs.

iPhone users reported some text-editing problems, which the company said had been fixed. Overall, Evernote belongs on the list titled “nice.”

Source: New York Times Special

This is the first touch-screen Blackberry phone. The Storm2 is faster, smarter and more fun to use. See product feature and some of key features below.

Product Features

• Vividly colorful touchscreen phone with improved SurePress platform, BlackBerry 5.0 OS, access to BlackBerry App World, and full range of BlackBerry messaging
• Access V Cast Music (with Rhapsody) and Video services via fast EV-DO data network; GPS-enabled for turn-by-turn directions; Visual Voice Mail; GSM global roaming capabilities
• Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g); GPS location services; 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth stereo music streaming, included 16 GB microSD card
• Up to 5.5 hours of talk time, up to 269 hours (11.2 days) of standby time
• What’s in the Box: handset, 16 GB microSD memory card, rechargeable battery, microUSB international charger with international clips, USB cable, wired 3.5mm stereo headset, pre-installed SIM card, quick reference guide, documentation kit, global support kit

Key Features

• Fast 3G connectivity thanks to the reliable Verizon Wireless EV–DO, Rev A network
• Global roaming capabilities with data access in more than 185 destinations
• 3.25-inch, high-resolution capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch support and integrated functions including Send, End, Menu, Escape (480 x 360 pixels, 184ppi)
• New SurePress technology makes clicking the display practically effortless and provides greater consistency with tactile response across whole screen. Use natural gestures such as pointing and clicking to interact with the features and applications.
• BlackBerry OS 5.0 includes typing accuracy and selection improvements, as well as usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons, and more use of animation.
• Support for BlackBerry App World featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include travel, productivity, entertainment, games, social networking and sharing, news and weather, and more.
• BlackBerry Internet Service offers easy access to up to 10 supported personal and work email accounts and one BlackBerry email account.
• Compatible with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for advanced security and IT administration features within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments. Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more.
• View attachments including JPEG, Adobe PDF, and Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Social networking apps include Facebook for BlackBerry, Flickr Photo Uploader for BlackBerry, and MySpace for BlackBerry
• 3.2 megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom, autofocus, Image Stabilization (IS), flash and video recording capabilities
• Digital audio and video playback
• BlackBerry Media Sync is built right into your BlackBerry Desktop Software and lets you sync your desktop iTunes or Windows Media Player music files with your BlackBerry smartphone. If you’re a Mac user, just choose the “media” option and you’re ready to sync your iTunes music collection from your BlackBerry smartphone onto your Mac.
• Integrated GPS for use with the BlackBerry Maps applications as well as other location-based applications and photo geotagging.
• VZ Navigator and VZ Navigator Global capable for voice-guided turn-by-turn directions and location services both in the United States and Western Europe.
• Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go
  Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity with stereo music streaming (A2DP) capabilities as well as hands-free headsets and car kits and tethering with your PC (with optional tethering plan).
• Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture and IM instant messaging (via popular services)
• 2 GB of onboard media storage
• Included 16 GB microSD card and compatibility with optional microSD cards up to 16 GB in size
• Improved BlackBerry Browser with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets.
• Voice dialing capabilities
• Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
• Speakerphone for hands-free conference calling