RIM Buys BlackPad.com, Readies New BlackBerry Slider - But Can It Still Compete?

RIM Buys BlackPad.com, Readies New BlackBerry Slider - But Can It Still Compete?

MobileCrunch reports that Research in Motion has purchased the domain name blackpad.com, fueling speculation that RIM's long rumored enterprise tablet will be called the BlackPad. Others suggest it is merely a codename. One commenter at MobileCrunch notes the domain name was on sale at BuyDomains for $1,788. The domain blackpad.com doesn't revolve to any address at this time.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that RIM is likely to announce the launch of the BlackBerry Torch 9800, a device RIM hopes will compete with the iPhone, at an event with AT&T on Tuesday New York City.

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BlackBerry Cool provides a scan of an invitation to the event:

Engadget released images of the 9800 in June. The new device will run the BlackBerry6 OS we covered here previously.

The 9800 is expected to be released exclusively by AT&T - an odd move for a device competing with the iPhone, considering the the iPhone's exclusivity to AT&T has long been considered a major detriment to Apple's device. However, Verizon, RIM's partner for its previous iPhone competitor,The Storm, has hitched its wagon to the success of Android. The Storm's sales were reportedly lackluster. Reuters, citing RIM's declining market share, this week suggested the end of the BlackBerry era may be upon us.

Even in the area of enterprise security, where RIM has dominated Apple and Google, RIM is slipping in influence. Both companies have rolled out improved security features in recent months, and enterprises are accepting the devices. In an interview with InfoWorld, Intel CIO Diane Bryant says there are 9,000 employee-owned phones now in use at Intel, and the vast majority of them are iPhones.

The BlackBerry tablet, called BlackPad or not, will like enter a competitive enterprise marketplace. The iPad already had a respectable showing in the enterprise, and Cisco and HP have both announced enterprise-centric tablets.