RIM Introduces NFC-Powered BlackBerry Tag | RIM | BlackBerry

it was all the way back in February when RIM first promised that “many, if not most” BlackBerry handsets in 2011 will feature NFC technology. It proved true with both the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, along with the BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370, and we should see plenty more where that came from. That said, RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie had one more trick up his sleeve at this week’s GITEX conference in Dubai, unveiling for the first time BlackBerry Tag.

BlackBerry Tag will come as part of the next BlackBerry 7 update. The idea is that you can share photos, documents, URLs, and contact information by just tapping your BlackBerry devices together — not unlike the Bump application on iOS and Android. The only difference is that the Bump app employed Bluetooth connectivity while BlackBerry Tag uses NFC technology.

Instead of scanning codes, BBM users will now be able to make connections by simply tapping the devices against each other, which will automatically swap BBM contact info. Even better, developers will have access to the BlackBerry Tag API, meaning they can bake the Tag functionality into their own apps.

It’s been a trying year for RIM. But perhaps this, along with other new software offerings, will get RIM back on track.

64GB PlayBook Gets Price Cut To $550 At Best Buy | playbook | tablets | pc |

64GB PlayBook Gets Price Cut To $550 At Best Buy

It may not be quite the savings we got from the $100 TouchPad, but taking $150 off the top of the PlayBook’s price may help move a few more units. There hasn’t been much action lately regarding RIM’s first tablet, which received lukewarm reviews and promptly dropped off the radar. The last thing we heard was that native email and BBM coming some time this month. But wait! A wild news item appears!
It looks like Best Buy is reducing the 64GB version of the device to $550. That’s not a bad deal… if you want a PlayBook. Unfortunately, it’s still not a particularly good deal if you just want a tablet. RIM hasn’t followed up much on adding value to the device, and while the new features due this month will make it more of a contender, playing catch-up isn’t going to do it for this thing.
The early adopters are still waiting on the promised Android app support, which may be scheduled for a 2012 release alongside the QNX Blackberry devices. By that time, though, there may be a new iPad and a dozen or so new Android tablets.

No word on whether the 16GB or 32GB model (the latter costs the same as a 64GB now) will be getting similar price drops.