Holiday Gift Guide »

BlackBerry working on a Padfone-like device?

By: , IntoMobile
Monday, May 20th, 2013 at 10:13 PM
BlackBerry working on a Padfone-like device?

First of all, this isn’t rumor nor I have any inside information – it’s just me speculating and reading between the lines. Here’s how I came to this conclusion:

1. BlackBerry CEO Thosten Heins’ words

First he predicted the demise of tablets and then said they should be easier to use. While these two comments may sound contradicting they don’t need to be – if we’re talking about a device like the ASUS Padfone, everything makes sense. Perhaps he just hinted us what BlackBerry is working on?

2. BlackBerry ports

When we look at the both Z10 and Q10 they have similarly places microUSB and HDMI out ports. It’s not hard to imagine a tablet shell which can house either of the two devices. MicroUSB port is there for charging, while HDMI out would be used to beam the image from the BlackBerry Z10 or Q10 to the bigger screen.

I was one of those predicting the demise of BlackBerry when the company was ruling the day (and some arguments like the lack of patents still apply); today with the new management, however, I believe they can return to the game, big time. I just hope if BlackBerry does launch a tablet shell that it will make it available in few different screen sizes, ranging from 7 to 10 inches, and that there will also be a keyboard dock.

The question is – would you be willing to switch boats if BlackBerry launches a tablet shell? Cause I’m sure existing Z10 and Q10 users would instantly buy this product.

[Image from ComputerActive]

About The Author

Dusan Belic

Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run Symbian Watch which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis.

  • PeterSteinbeck

    Tablet shell is the way to go. Not just for BlackBerry – for every mobile platform out there.

  • Peter

    Most definitely… In fact (perhaps a even a Miracast-like device) may heavily damage the iPad in sales. This device could be quite cheap because it is a peripheral and contains no real power in its own right other than a graphics processor and a memory chip. iPads are an easy target because they are insanely expensive for what you get.

    However, Blackberry needs to execute this correctly as others have failed in the past at similar attempts (Asus, Motorola).