Shelf It is complete with…

• a wallpaper friendly homescreen
• on screen apps 24/7 (if you choose)
• hidden and quickly accessible top 6 apps
• crisp, clean icons easily identifiable

Customizable options include…

• lights (on / off)
• 3 clock styles (white / black / rectangle)
• clock power cord (on / off)
• 6 different colored wallpapers AND the option to disable completely (red / orange / yellow / green / blue / black / off)
• 3 different shelf options (0 / 1 / 2)

** Does not support landscape view on the homescreen. It’s straight to the apps on a sideways flip. **

WAterloo, ON – (Marketwire – Feb. 21, 2012) - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) announced that the new BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0 will be released for download today. BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 delivers an enhanced tablet experience and allows you to use the BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day – at work and at play.

“Building on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s proven web browsing, multimedia and multitasking strengths, the new BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 introduces a range of new communications and productivity enhancements as well as expanded app and content support,” said David J. Smith, SVP Mobile Computing, Research In Motion.

New BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 features include:

• Integrated email client with a powerful unified inbox: With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 you have the option to use a unified inbox that consolidates all messages in one place, including messages from Facebook®, LinkedIn® and Twitter®, as well as personal and work email accounts.
• Social Integration with Calendar and Contacts apps: The built-in calendar harnesses information from social networks and makes it available where and when users need it. Contact cards are also dynamically populated with updated information from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to create a consolidated view of contacts.
• Updated BlackBerry Bridge app: BlackBerry® Bridge™ is a unique app that provides a Bluetooth® connection between your BlackBerry PlayBook and core apps on your BlackBerry® smartphone (including BBM™, Email, Contacts, Calendar and Browser) in order to let you view the content on the larger tablet display. With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, it’s easier and quicker than ever to take documents, web pages, emails and photos that appear on your BlackBerry smartphone and display them on your BlackBerry PlayBook for an optimized viewing and editing experience. The updated BlackBerry Bridge app also provides a new remote control feature that allows a BlackBerry smartphone to be used as a wireless keyboard and mouse for a BlackBerry PlayBook.
• Improved mobile productivity: Updated document editing functions, the new Print To Go app, and increased control and manageability of corporate data with BlackBerry® Balance™ allow you to get more out of your BlackBerry PlayBook every day. Plus, an updated virtual keyboard with auto correction and predictive next word completion learns how you type to enable faster, more accurate typing.
• New apps and content: Thousands of new apps are being added to BlackBerry App World™ today (including a range of Android® apps that will run on the BlackBerry PlayBook). A new BlackBerry Video Store¹ is launching today. Enhanced web browsing capabilities are also available with BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.

In conjunction with the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, RIM is making available an initial release of BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion that will include support for managing BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and BlackBerry smartphones² in an enterprise. The full release of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion (with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices) is planned for general availability in late March 2012. For more information about BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, please visit www.blackberry.com/mobilefusion.

Availability

The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software update is now available as a free download for all BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

Additional Reference Material

• Inside BlackBerry blog post
• BlackBerry PlayBook web page
• BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 – How to Video
• Developer’s Getting Started web page

¹ BlackBerry Video Store will initially be available in the United States. Support for other countries is expected to be added later this year.
² BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Studio can be used to manage BlackBerry smartphones through a single unified console, supporting devices activated on BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 5.0.3 or later.

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend,” “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of RIM’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM’s forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

courtesy of n4bb

Press Release

Waterloo, ON – The Board of Directors of BlackBerry® maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that, acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.

Mr. Heins said he looks forward to continuing to work with Mr. Lazaridis, globally recognized as a technology pioneer. He said, “Mike created a whole new way of communicating and I look forward to continuing our close collaboration.”

On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now. With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond. Jim, the Board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins.”

Jim Balsillie remains a member of the Board. “I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” he said. “I remain a significant shareholder and a Director and, of course, they will have my full support.”

Mr. Lazaridis said that he decided to move from Co-Chair to Vice Chair of the Board in order to return the public’s focus to what is most important: “the great company we have built, its iconic products, global brand and its talented employees.”

Mr. Lazaridis added, “Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward. We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens. I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional $50 million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.

Mr. Heins said he believes that RIM has tremendous potential. He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.

“Mike and Jim took a bold step 18 months ago when RIM purchased QNX to shepherd the transformation of the BlackBerry platform for the next decade,” Mr. Heins said. “We are more confident than ever that was the right path. It is Mike and Jim’s continued unwillingness to sacrifice long-term value for short-term gain which has made RIM the great company that it is today. I share that philosophy and am very excited about the company’s future.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has a strong foundation on which to build. “We have a strong balance sheet with approximately $1.5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt. We reported revenue of $5.2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.”

Mr. Heins said, “BlackBerry 7 has been well received. We are very excited about PlayBook 2.0 and BlackBerry 10. The reception of our products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was encouraging.”

He continued, “RIM earned its reputation by focusing relentlessly on the customer and delivering unique mobile communications solutions. We intend to build on this heritage to expand BlackBerry’s leadership position.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has grown quickly. “As with any company that has grown as fast as we have, there have been inevitable growing pains,” he said. “We have learned from those challenges and, I believe, we have and will become a stronger company as a result.

“Going forward, we will continue to focus both on short-term and long-term growth, strategic planning, a customer- and market-based product approach, and flawless execution. We are in the process of recruiting a new Chief Marketing Officer to work closely with our product and sales teams to deliver the most compelling products and services.”

Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair. John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board. Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.

Speaking on behalf of the Board, Ms. Stymiest said: “We believe that Thorsten is the right executive to succeed Mike and Jim. He has 27 years of telecommunications experience, including four years at RIM in senior management positions. As a Board, we have been impressed with his outstanding management skills, his leadership and his accomplishments within the company.”

Ms. Stymiest also expressed the Board’s respect and admiration for Messrs. Lazaridis and Balsillie, the company they built, and the steps they have taken to position RIM for the future.

“They created RIM, nurtured it, and in the process not only built an iconic brand, but literally pioneered the smartphone industry,” she said. “It is Canada’s largest tech company and one of the largest in the world.”

Conference Call and Webcast

A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 8 am ET, January 23, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3414 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 10 am ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4509630#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, February 6, 2012.

About Thorsten Heins

Thorsten Heins, 54, is a respected business leader with 27 years of broad experience and expertise in wireless networks and consumer electronics devices. Mr. Heins has a global reputation for his organizational and leadership skills and his ability to build successful organizations that deliver on their commitments. Prior to today’s announcement, Mr. Heins was one of RIM’s two Chief Operating Officers and, before that, Senior Vice President for the Handheld Business Unit. He played key roles in the creation of RIM’s product portfolio. Mr. Heins came to RIM in December 2007 from the industrial conglomerate Siemens AG. He joined Siemens in 1984 after graduating from the University of Hannover in his native Germany. At Siemens, Mr. Heins rose through the ranks of R&D customer service, sales and product management positions. After serving as Chief Executive Officer of various business divisions in the communication business, Mr. Heins moved to Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Board of the Siemens Communications Group. He came to RIM after being impressed by the level of innovation displayed by founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. Mr. Heins is married with a daughter and a son. Away from RIM, he is usually outdoors bicycling, motorcycling, skiing or hiking.

About Barbara Stymiest

Barbara Stymiest has served as a director of RIM since March 2007. She has an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, and an FCA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. Ms. Stymiest joined Royal Bank of Canada in 2004, where she served as a member of RBC’s Group Executive, which is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company. Prior to that, she held positions as Chief Executive Officer at TSX Group Inc., Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at BMO Nesbitt Burns and Partner of Ernst & Young LLP. Ms. Stymiest is currently a Director of George Weston Limited, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the Royal Ontario Museum.

About Prem Watsa

Prem Watsa is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, a financial services holding company whose corporate objective is to achieve a high rate of return on invested capital and build long-term shareholder value, since 1985. He is also Vice President of Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. since 1985. Mr. Watsa formerly served as Vice President of GW Asset Management from 1983 to 1984 and in various positions, ultimately as a Vice President, with Confederation Life Investment Counsel from 1974 to 1983.

RIM Showcases New BlackBerry 7.1 OS at CES 2012

New BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel Updates Also Released

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA–(Marketwire – January 09, 2012) – (CES 2012) – A wide range of software improvements await BlackBerry® 7 smartphone customers at the BlackBerry® booth (South Hall 3 Booth # 30326) at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012). Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM) is showcasing the new BlackBerry® 7.1 OS as well as updates to the BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), BlackBerry® Traffic™ and BlackBerry® Travel™ apps. The new OS and app updates make seizing and sharing the moment even easier.

BlackBerry 7.1 will begin rolling out from carriers around the world beginning today and over the coming weeks(1). The new releases of BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel will be available on BlackBerry® App World™ beginning today.

“BlackBerry 7 delivered a next-generation platform for our customers around the world and the range of software updates announced today build upon the strengths of that platform to further enhance the mobile experience and make life easier, from managing daily tasks to planning big adventures,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.

Life Is Better Shared

The BlackBerry 7.1 OS incorporates a new feature called BlackBerry® Tag that can change the way BlackBerry users share information and content. By simply tapping their NFC enabled BlackBerry® smartphone against another NFC enabled BlackBerry smartphone, users can make sharing easier than ever. They can instantly invite a friend to BBM, exchange contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content, and they can also pair their BlackBerry smartphone with an NFC enabled Bluetooth® device.

Support for BlackBerry Tag is just one of a number of enhancements in the updated BBM app (version 6.1) being released today. Additional features allow users to personalize their experience even more with support for animated avatars (animated GIFs)(2), a dozen new and fun emoticons to spice up conversations, and the ability to customize chat bubbles with different colors. In addition, the new BBM app allows users to add customized personal messages of up to 160 characters in their online Profile, more than double the length supported in previous versions. Users can also now set the picture for their BBM avatar directly from the camera app – simply snap a picture and select “Set as BBM Display Picture” from the menu.

Make Things Happen

With BlackBerry 7.1, users can be productive from virtually anywhere. They can now turn their BlackBerry smartphone into a mobile hotspot that can be shared by up to 5 Wi-Fi® -enabled devices, including laptops and tablets(3). The 7.1 update also supports carrier implemented Wi-Fi calling services (UMA/GAN where available), allowing users to make Wi-Fi calls from their BlackBerry smartphone that don’t eat into their airtime minutes.

Getting to any location is now so much easier with the new BlackBerry Traffic (version 3.0), a free app from RIM that is being released today. BlackBerry Traffic determines a user’s estimated time of arrival (ETA) based on current traffic conditions, and now includes hands-free turn-by-turn voice guidance.

Planning, booking, managing, and sharing travel activities are also easier than ever thanks to the updated BlackBerry Travel app that is being released today. The new version adds support for contextual deals, such as offers for hotels and car rentals, or for arranging limo services to and from the airport. BlackBerry Travel can automatically keep track of a user’s bookings and schedule and quickly notify them if their flight is delayed or cancelled, and can then help them find a new flight right away. The automatic trip scanning feature pulls the travel details into the app, allowing the user to see all their travel updates in one place.

Seize the Moment

Sometimes it’s nice when someone (or something) does the thinking for you. The Universal Search capability has again been enhanced to help users find what they are looking for. It now includes an auto-suggest feature that intelligently filters Bing® search results to offer users a variety of relevant Web sites based on their search terms.

Love a good deal? Now finding and taking advantage of them is so much easier thanks to BlackBerry® Maps – an essential app that comes preinstalled on BlackBerry smartphones and has been enhanced in the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update. When users launch the new BlackBerry Maps application they can discover special offers, coupons, and discounts from nearby vendors. Users can immediately act on the deals presented to them by clicking to call the vendor or clicking to get the best route to the location where the deal is offered(4).

Customers with a BlackBerry Curve 9360 or 9380 smartphone will find a nice surprise with the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update in the form of an FM radio. The FM radio circuitry is already built in to the Curve 9360 and 9380 models and BlackBerry 7.1 provides users with a new app that allows them to tune in and enjoy local FM radio stations. Listening to the FM radio does not require a data plan or use data services.

For more information about the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update, visit www.blackberry.com/bb7. For more information and to download the new versions of BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel visit BlackBerry App World at www.blackberry.com/appworld.

The BlackBerry 7.1 OS update is subject to carrier certification. Please check for availability with your service provider.

The animated avatar feature is supported on BlackBerry smartphones running OS 5.0 and higher.

Mobile hotspot feature requires BlackBerry 7.1 and may require an additional data plan. Please check with your service provider.

Please check with your service provider for availability of this feature.

RIM shows off OS2 for the PlayBook at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA–(Marketwire – Jan. 9, 2012) – (CES 2012) – This week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) will be previewing new features of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 that will enable customers to stay even more connected and productive in their personal and professional lives.

“BlackBerry PlayBook is already recognized for delivering powerful performance, true multi-tasking, advanced web browsing and HD multimedia in an ultra-portable design,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 we are building on this strong foundation, as well as leveraging our strengths in communications, social integration and productivity, to allow people to use their BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day.”

CES 2012 attendees who visit the BlackBerry booth at CES (South Hall 3 Booth # 30326) will get a sneak peek of upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 functionality including:

Advanced Messaging Experience:

New unified inbox – a powerful unified inbox within the built-in messaging app allows users to quickly manage their personal email and work email accounts as well as the messaging capabilities of popular social networking sites like Twitter®, LinkedIn® and others – all in one place.

Multi-tasking within email - by extending the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s multitasking capabilities to ‘tabbed email’, users are able to reference one email while they compose another.

Rich-text email composing and editing – new features within the Messages app enable users to benefit from full support of fonts, formatting and editing of email threads, offering a robust email experience similar to that of a PC or laptop.

Inbox management tools – allows for powerful inbox search across multiple email accounts, as well as the ability to set out-of-office messages and email signatures directly from their tablet.

Deep Integration of Social Relationships:

Innovative people-centric calendar - in addition to standard calendar features that help users plan and organize their day, the powerful built-in Calendar app provides the unique ability for users to view their calendar by who they are meeting with that day and review valuable information about that contact. Information is consolidated automatically from social networking sites about that contact and/or their company.

Relationship-centric contacts app - more than just an address book, the new built-in Contacts app serves as a social hub – merging and consolidating information from multiple sources (including email and social channels) into one contact file for each person in their address book. Each contact file includes information such as recent status updates, conversations, related news articles and mutual contacts that are kept up-to-date automatically.

Making Your BlackBerry Smartphone and Tablet a Powerful Pair:

Remote control for the BlackBerry PlayBook – new BlackBerry Bridge features allow a user’s BlackBerry smartphone to act as a keyboard and mouse for their BlackBerry PlayBook – effectively providing a wireless remote control for their tablet. Perfect for pausing a movie when a BlackBerry PlayBook is plugged in to a TV with an HDMI connection, or for using the tactile QWERTY keyboard on a BlackBerry smartphone to compose a message or document on the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Opening content on the BlackBerry PlayBook – BlackBerry Bridge allows you to take documents, emails, multimedia files and web pages found on your smartphone and open them quickly and directly on the BlackBerry PlayBook so you can use the larger high resolution display for an optimized viewing and editing experience.

Improved Mobile Productivity:

Updated document editing capabilities – updated Documents To Go® functionality makes it easier for users to create and edit documents while on the go. Improvements include: enhanced support for the virtual keyboard, the ability to view and update embedded charts and chart sheets within spreadsheets, a new formula wizard with over 100 functions as well as the ability to edit presentations including text, bullets and formatting.

Print To Go application – this app allows users to wirelessly “print” from their laptop or PC directly to their BlackBerry PlayBook over Wi-Fi®. A digital printout is created on the BlackBerry PlayBook so that users can view, sort and manage their digital printouts as though they were physical sheets of paper. The Print To Go app is the perfect way to consolidate info from various related sources like a hotel web confirmation, an airline boarding pass email, the show event schedule or even a map of the destination city and make them available for quick access on the go.

Increased control and manageability of corporate data – the combination of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and BlackBerry Balance will help to overcome many barriers to widespread tablet deployment, including device manageability and the ability to secure, manage and control confidential corporate information on the device. Plus BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 supports dedicated shelf space inside the BlackBerry App World storefront to allow IT departments to control distribution of enterprise applications and to make those approved enterprise applications easily available to the organization’s end users.

New Apps and Content:

Your favorite apps plus thousands more – many exciting new applications built for the BlackBerry PlayBook will be made available on BlackBerry App World with the availability of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. From gaming and lifestyle to business and productivity, RIM is showcasing some of the latest apps available for the BlackBerry PlayBook at CES 2012 including Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Groupon, Thomson Reuters, Zinio and many more.

Video store – a catalog of thousands of movies and TV shows will be available through the integrated BlackBerry Video Storefront* with new releases to be made available for purchase or rent the same day they come out on DVD. Users will be able to begin watching media as soon as they start to download the file, so users won’t have to wait for the entire file to transfer before they can enjoy great entertainment on the tablet’s high resolution display, or on an HDTV via the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s HDMI output.

Enhanced web browsing – the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 browser also includes a new reading view, which is designed to make web sites even easier to enjoy by eliminating page clutter at the touch of a button. What’s left is a cleaner format that is great for reading online news articles, blog posts, or websites that contain heavy amounts of text.

Availability

The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software update will be available as a free download for all BlackBerry PlayBook users and is expected to be available in February 2012.

BlackBerry Video Store will initially be available in the United States. Support for other countries is expected to be added later this year.

Glow is complete with…

• a wallpaper friendly homescreen
• a weather slot
• on screen apps 24/7 (if you choose) with optional labels
• hidden and quickly accessible top 12 apps
• hidden and quickly accessible TODAY area
• crisp, clean icons easily identifiable

** Glow does not support landscape view on the homescreen. It’s straight to the apps on a sideways flip. **

Flip open the case to reveal the goodies. A nice cut-out along the top for the power and media buttons. Just to the right a bit, the corner has a nice little cut-out for the headphones of your choice.

The case is wrapped in a black / red Moroccan cloth outside and inside. The case feels very solid and is nice in hand to carry around. All in all, I’m very pleased and would highly recommend one to anyone who needs a case for their electronic gizmo.

What really makes this case extra special is not necessarily the case itself, but the fact that the company uses old skool book binding techniques to create a new age product. By doing this, lots of older generation folks with knowledge that would normally have been put out of business by technology, are now essential BECAUSE of technology. Mad props to the guys and gals at DODOcase for that.

Below is a video with more info about DODOcase as well as a few pics of the case in action.

Thanks BerryReview and DODOcase for this great opportunity and product!!!

Meet the DODOs from DODOcase on Vimeo.

Click here for more DODOcase information.

So without further adieu ado (thanks sam_b77), The Z Man’s Z PlayBook review.

Portability & Screen Size

courtesy of crackberry.com

Initially, I was very skeptical about the 7″ tablet idea over the typical 10″ that seem to have invaded our world like locusts on a corn field. It struck me as just a little too small. Honestly, I sort of wished it was an 8.5″ tablet. I don’t like the idea of the 10″ tablet, simply because it just seems too big to carry around and use daily.  It’s just not my cup of tea. After using the PlayBook day in and day out, the 7″ has REALLY grown on me. It fits nicely in the back pocket of 90% of my pants with it’s stock case on it, making it ultra portable. It’s very light-weight (0.9 pounds) and thin (0.4 inches). Not to mention, everything being in 1080p makes it extremely crisp and clear.

Speed & Multi-Tasking

This little sucker is quick. Period. I have had up to 10 different apps open at one time and have experience ZERO lag or downtime. I’ve had a video up, then switched to some tunes, whilst I played a killer game of Need for Speed (PlayBook edition), stopped that to snap a shot of my 3 1/2 year old acting like “Cousin It” with her long hair, then back to the movie. During all that moving and shaking, not once did the PlayBook falter. It’s sporting a 1Ghz dual core ARM Cortex A9 processor to go along with its 1GB of RAM.

Native & Third-Party Apps

Okay, now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. This is what the average consumer really cares about. We all do it. We all equip our – phones, tablets, computers, cars, etc. – with gloves and toss it in the boxing ring with a fellow individual’s comparable item and let ‘em duke it out. As of late, the tablet war for the average consumer is usually waged around what apps are available for each device. My initial impression of the PlayBook is that it is lacking, somewhat, in the app department. Now I say that to say this, there is one main, justifiable reason as to with this is, and why it’s changing. The PlayBook OS (QNX) is brand-spankin’ new to the tablet world and to the BlackBerry world. Therefore, the amount of time it’s been around is a HUGE factor as to the lack of apps. Due to the fact that the PlayBook apps aren’t built using Java, instead using Adobe Air or WebWorks, more and more developers are finding it much easier to create apps for the PlayBook. Because the PlayBook will render flash, a lot of those pass-time games found online are also readily available and playable anytime.

As for the native apps, such as email, calendar, and contacts, I am a little annoyed they aren’t there. While I do have my Torch on me 24/7 and always connected via BlackBerry Bridge, I still would like to have at least email be none-BlackBerry smartphone dependent. I feel that it is putting an unnecessary strain on my Torch to have the bluetooth enabled 24/7 as well. I have noticed a decrease in battery life in my Torch since obtaining the PlayBook, and I can’t make phone calls with my PlayBook. That is my biggest gripe.

All in all, the apps list is growing everyday. RIM has promised to equip all with native email in the coming update, which will be very nice. Not to mention, once the floodgates are opened to allow Android 3.0+ apps into AppWorld, I expect to see a lot of the app argument dissipate.

Ease of Use

courtesy of crackberry.com

I consider myself a pretty technology savvy individual, so I will do my best to write this objectively. When you pick up the PlayBook for the very first power-on, you are greeted with a quick setup in which you must be in a wifi friendly area (so you can setup your BlackBerry ID account for AppWorld and such). The one thing I loved that I think all tablets should embrace is the absence of needing a computer to plugin to for setup (ie: all “i” devices). For all “i” devices, you are required to have a computer of some-sort available, with iTunes installed. All you need for the PlayBook, Star Buck’s wifi next door to Staples and Best Buy. Truly wire-free tablet.

Setup aside, let’s get to the good stuff, using it. After a brief tutorial on how to use the gestures to switch apps, minimize apps, and check for app options you’re ready to go. I showed my 3 1/2 year old in 2 minutes how to do all of that. Now, she’s a pro. I will concede, however, that the PlayBook’s use is not as intuitive as “i” devices, but once you’ve seen someone swipe from the bottom to minimize an app, they instantly start swiping all over discovering new features. I love being able to swipe from either top corner diagonally down to check the time, battery life, calendar, wifi, etc. on my status bar. Gesture support is HUGE in the world of a 7″ tablet. It really allows you to make the most of the entire screen and hiding unnecessary items off the screen.

Overall Impressions

I’m really impressed. For a first dive into the tablet world by RIM, I think it’s a solid device. I’m finding it quite useful in meetings for note-taking and showcasing websites on the go. I’ve already used it several times to record some 1080p videos of my family.

Pros: battery life, 1080p recording and playback, 7″ screen size, superb multi-tasking, light-weight, thin, standard micro-hdmi port
Cons: no native email, better indicators of gesture support for ease of use, lack of apps

currently only OS6 is supported with OS5 coming soon

Update 1 (6.14.2011): OS 5 support now for Storm 9500, Tour 9630, Curve 8900, Curve 89xx, Bold 9700

Tired of the same ol’ themes? You know which ones. The ones that have a thousand hidden, clickable areas that you cannot remember where they are located. The ones that require you to memorize a dozen shortcuts just to access what’s right in front of your face. How about the ones that say they’re smoking fast, but really lag like an old person in a Pinto?

Well how about we swap out that Pinto out for a brand spankin’ new Camaro SS! Yeah you know the one. The black one with the silver racing stripes down the middle. The one that caught your eye as it went screaming past you and your friends on the highway.

“Effortless” is that new Camaro for your BlackBerry. It’s sleek, simple design allows for quick easy access to your most used programs with one click. It eliminates all the distractions and it’s quick to do so.

Pinnacle a smooth, fast, FUN theme. Pinnacle is provides a slick interface to get you where you want to go… fast! Where else can you find the highest quality premium theme for such a low price? That’s right, they don’t exist. Pinnacle is a fully customized, highly functional premium theme that is attractive and entertaining to use.

Pinnacle is great for showing off your favorite background. It’s great for seeing your upcoming today items. It’s great for professionals and casual users alike.

• FAST and FUN!
• Great for showing off your favorite background
• Five (5) user defined home screen icons
• Hidden today items
• Click the Clock to access the Clock
• Click the Battery to access Options
• Click the Speaker to access Profiles
• Click the Meter to access Manage Connections