Pretty much everybody is getting into the tablet game these days in the wake of the iPad actually making it a viable market. Samsung has the Galaxy Tab, Motorola is putting out the Xoom, and we’re sure there are a bunch of cheesy Chinese knockoffs coming as well. But one competitor people have been awaiting is Research In Motion and how they were going to respond to the tablet craze. Back in September, we found out it was going to be with the PlayBook, but we didn’t know when it was coming out.

Well, guess no more; it’s coming April 19th.

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So HTC‘s latest smartphone looks a bit like the Blackberry Bold, but that’s okay; RIM’s probably flattered by having some competition that isn’t copying the iPhone (although, HTC’s kind of done that as well). For specs, you’ve got the Windows Mobile OS running on a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor. There’s 192 MB of RAM — a bit better than the Bold’s 128 MB, at least — a 2.4-inch screen, a 2-megapixel camera, 3G HSPA and all the usual stuff, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a QWERTY keyboard. Asking price? Fat chance, they never talk about this stuff during reveals. It’ll be available in the second quarter, but here’s something nice: An unlocked version, dubbed the HTCS522, will arrive for U.S. consumers in the summer.

Make sure you take a look at the BlackBerry free apps that are available to download on the market place. There are many new free apps to keep you entertained on your new RIM device.

[via Wired]

RIM has decided to re-name their app store to (drumroll please) “BlackBerry App World” much like DisneyWorld the app store will be relatively the same as if it didn’t have that “World” designation at the end of it. We’re not exactly sure what made RIM decide to change the name, but we’re sure BlackBerry App World will be on the top of everyone’s summer vacation list. You can check out all the world has to offer now here. Can you think of any more appropriate names for BlackBerry’s App store?  We like “CrackCorner”. [via Engadget]

Eat this, iPhone: the Blackberry Curve was the most popular handset in retail stores during the month of December. It had already accomplished the same feat in November, so RIM can feel pretty good about making a hot holiday item. AvianResearch’s Monthly Retail Store Survey gathers data from 100 service representatives and store managers at the four major carriers’ stores. It’s not clear whether Apple stores are included in the survey, so maybe this is a little skewed? In any case, Blackberry Storm came in third, followed by LG’s Voyager and Dare to round out the top five. Then came the Blackberry Bold, Samsung’s Rant, Behold and Instinct and, finally, the LG Env2 — envious of those other phones, no doubt. Burn! [RCR Wireless via Electronista]

What is the Mozilla Phone?  Simply one part Blackberry, one part Optimus Keyboard, 100% cool.  The Mozilla Phone design concept seeks to improve upon the Blackberry Storm’s clickable screen by making a visual keyboard that is, well, actually a keyboard.  This is where the inspiration from the Optimus Keyboard comes into play.  The rest of the Mozilla Phone is all Blackberry– from its OS to its functionality and more.  Don’t expect this one to materialize any time soon, but we salute this designer for his foresight! [mozphone]

Speculation has suggested that President Barack Obama will get to keep his Blackberry after all.  Rumor has it that the Secret Service will provide Obama with a Sectera Edge by General Dynamics, a suped-up ultra-secure take on the classic BlackBerry he has come to love.  The Sectera Edge is a smartphone by defense contractor General Dynamics which employs a range of encryption systems to ensure that all inbound and outbound data is virtually hack free.  While nothing is truly unhackable, the Sectera Edge is deemed more secure than any other option Obama has on the table.  Hopefully our new President will find that the Sectera Edge, humoursly dubbed the BarackBerry, is just the phone he needs. [pcworld]

• What else is hot around the web today?  Check it out…
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• Sprint launches, then un-launches, the Palm Treo Pro [gearlog]
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• Do a little stargazing with your Nintendo DS [technabob]
• Hide your USB drive in a tube of toothpaste [unplggd]
• How to make Lego pixel art [walyou]
• MIU HDPC launching?  Perhaps not, says GadgetVenue [gadgetvenue]

Any developers in the house? Research in Motion is now accepting submissions for the “Blackberry Application Storefront.” In opening the door to developers, RIM revealed that it’s “counting down to a spring launch.” That’s great news for software makers who haven’t given up on the Blackberry to focus on the iPhone’s sexy App Store or Android’s spiffy Marketplace. Of course, Blackberry applications have been around for some time, but these days it’s all about the virtual app mall. We await a firm release date for this surely transcendental shopping experience. [Blackberry via VentureBeat and MobileCrunch]

These smartphones are hideous. And unfortunately for President-elect Barack Obama, they’re on the National Security Agency’s list of approved PDA-phones as of 2007. The one on the left is a Sectera Edge from General Dynamics and the one pictured right is L-3 Communications’ Guardian. Short of any miraculous developments, Obama will have to part with his beloved Blackberry and start wielding a hulking beastphone when he takes office — a relatively small price to pay to secure top secret info. No wonder he wants a technology czar; someone’s got to make government gadgets more fashionable. [via Engadget]

Slackers G2 music player is now available not only online, but on your Blackberry or iPhone as well. The mobile version of the program works just like the traditional web version, streaming a slew of radio stations directly to your mobile phone.  Pandora is currently one of the most downlodaed applications from the Apple store,  so Slacker has a pretty slid chance of getting quite a few downloads themselves. One huge downside to the iphone application is there is no buffer, so you’ll have to have a constant internet stream going to really use the app (or deal with your music starting an stopping when your connection is interrupted). [via BoingBoing]