After Apple, Dell and Samsung pose challenges to BlackBerry

TORONTO - Though BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM), based at Waterloo near here, has not commented on the development, Dell’s decision to take nearly 25,000 of its employees off BlackBerry smart phones is another bad news for the Canadian icon.

The Texas-based computer and IT giant, which has over 100,000 employees around the world, has reportedly decided to give its employees its own smart phone called the Aero.

Not hugely known yet, the Dell smart phone was unveiled earlier this year. It has also been reported that Dell would try to convince its customers to abandon the BlackBerry and embrace its device.

Since it runs on the popular Google Android system, the Dell smart phone will definitely make a dent in the BlackBerry market which has already shrunk in the face of Apple’s iPhone and Google Android devices in the US.

Dell is also entering the tablet market with its five-inch computer called the Streak which too run on Google’s Android system.

In the new tablet market, RIM is trying to give itself a big start by pricing its PlayBook tablet - unveiled in September - less than $500.

With a seven-inch display as against iPad’s 9.7 inches and much efficient Adobe Flash to run video and graphic works, RIM hopes the PlayBook will make a niche for itself as well as cut into iPad sales.

But even before BlackBerry’s PlayBook tablet hits the market early next year, Samsung is set to spring a surprise by launching next week its own multi-touch tablet.

Called the Samsung Galaxy Tab, it has a seven-inch display - just like the PlayBook. But Samsung has priced it at $400 with a contract with the service provider and at $600 without any contract in the US market.

Calling it the first credible competitor to the iPad, the Wall Street Journal says, “It’s a serious alternative to the iPad and one that will be preferred by some folks. It includes the three most-requested features missing in the iPad: a camera (two in fact); the ability to run Web videos and applications written in Adobe’s Flash software; and multitasking, though, to be fair, the latter feature is coming to the iPad imminently via a software update.

“Another strong point is that like Apple, Samsung has rewritten some of the standard apps, such as the email and calendar programmes, to make them look more like PC programmes and less like smart phone apps.”

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)