Research in Motion may be getting plenty of ridicule over its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, but now iPad users have at least one reason to envy the device -- it’s getting the very first official Facebook app for tablets.
Engadget is reporting that BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has just announced an official tablet-optimized Facebook app will be arriving on the BlackBerry PlayBook this month. The announcement was made at the company’s annual BlackBerry World event in Orlando, Florida where the app will be on display this week.
RIM’s press release is noteworthy because Facebook has largely dismissed the pleas of vocal iPad users for an official app (or a universal update to the existing app for iPhone and iPod touch). The move is also sidesteps the Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet market, allowing RIM to enjoy the first official tablet app for Facebook on its PlayBook, which has been met with equal amounts of scorn and praise since it debuted last month.
BlackBerry World slide revealing first tablet Facebook app for PlayBook, courtesy of MobileCrunch.
"There are over 30 million users of our Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones app who are staying in touch with their social network while on the go," said Tom Goguen, VP, Collaboration and Social Networking at Research In Motion, "Now with Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook we can also offer customers highly engaging social experiences optimized for the PlayBook including the ability to share FaceBook pictures and videos with friends and family on an HDTV."
RIM also announced that a new Video Chat app will be coming to the PlayBook on May 3 as part of an over the air update for current users, offering similar functionality to the iPad 2’s FaceTime feature over Wi-Fi only. The official Facebook app for PlayBook will be released later this week via the company's BlackBerry App World. Can an official iPad app be far behind?
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(Images courtesy of Engadget and MobileCrunch)
