It’s a big week in the technology marketplace—one that may leave the construction industry with another viable tablet option for jobsite productivity. On Monday RIM (Research In Motion), www.rim.com, Waterloo, Ont., announced the details of its much-anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet aimed toward business users.  

The device will use the new BlackBerry Tablet OS, will feature a 7-inch screen, and weighs less than a pound. It will also feature dual front and rear-facing cameras, which RIM says are useful for video conferencing. This is just one example of the many ways RIM is gearing the PlayBook toward the business user. 

The company makes it clear the new tablet is designed for enterprise, stressing security and compatibility with BlackBerry smartphones. Users can pair their tablet and smartphone using a Bluetooth connection, and they can then view emails, calendars, and other content on the tablet screen. RIM stresses that when connected using Bluetooth, smartphone content is viewable on the tablet, but it remains stored on the smartphone and is only cached on the PlayBook. 

No doubt RIM hopes to appeal to companies interested in issuing tablets to their employees, but also concerned over security issues. RIM expects the PlayBook to be commercially available in early 2011.

The company most likely has its sights set on competing with Apple’s, www.apple.com, Cupertino, Calif., iPad, which was released earlier this year. The device is making a big impact in the residential construction space—with many builders adopting tablet technology to streamline workflow processes on the jobsite and in the backoffice.

French Brothers Homes, www.frenchbrothers.com, Alamogordo, N.M., is one example of a builder that has found great success with tablets, and the iPad in particular. While implementing a software solution from MARK SYSTEMS, www.marksystemsusa.com, Mount Holly, N.J., Tom French, president, French Brothers, says the company began experimenting with hardware products for field personnel.  

While initially considering smartphones the optimal tool for superintendants, the company quickly realized a cellphone did not have the functionality they needed. After considering laptops and netbooks, French Brothers ultimately decided a tablet device—the iPad—was the best option.

The president says employees of all ages and technical abilities took to the devices even quicker than expected. The company also says the iPad devices have made numerous processes more efficient, saving time and money. An unexpected form of ROI (return on investment), according to French, is the positive image the tablets seem to encourage in the eyes of the homebuyer. 

Tablets are a hot item on the technology scene for both consumers and businesses. The form factor lends itself to many applications, including productivity, entertainment, and just about everything in between. With RIM’s announcement of its BlackBerry PlayBook, the iPad and other productivity tools may have another competitor on the construction jobsite.

SOURCE:  CONSTRUCTECH Magazine - the construction industry advocate focused on the technology needs of the construction professional dedicated to driving technology initiatives forward.   http://www.constructech.com/news/articles/article.aspx?article_id=8591&utm_source=Constructech+CT+Today%3A+Residential&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Constructech+CT+Today%3A+Residential+09%2F30%2F2010