10-inch BlackBerry Playbook, accessories spotted at DevCon
updated 04:50 pm EST, Mon February 13, 2012
BlackBerry PlayBook 10, docks seen early
A Czech sighting in backrooms at BlackBerry DevCon Europe has claimed to show not just upcoming accessories for the PlayBook but the rumored 10-inch PlayBook. BlackBerryCzech claimed to have seen one within several feet but was denied a chance at a photo. The design was supposedly working and left open a chance the new version might show either at Mobile World Congress this month or, more likely, DevCon Americas in May.
More concrete views caught two accessories. The newest of the trio is a new pure docking station that has not just HDMI video out but Ethernet and three USB ports, turning it into a desktop stand-in. A wireless receiver would let the PlayBook make VoIP calls while staying docked.
Although more known, a PlayBook keyboard dock made a rare appearance. The peripheral makes the connection through Bluetooth and has its own battery to keep the keyboard running for 30 days independently of its tablet host.
The accessories don't have definite release dates, although they're likely waiting on the PlayBook 2.0 update in roughly a week's time to go ahead. The 10-inch PlayBook may center on LTE-based 4G and could arrive only later in the year. [via BerryReview]
