Research In Motion Ltd., maker of
the BlackBerry smartphone, acquired the Internet rights to
blackpad.com this month, adding to speculation it may be
developing a tablet device to rival Apple Inc.’s iPad.
The domain name assigned to RIM was created July 8 and
expires Sept. 8, 2011, according to the Whois database of
Internet domain names. There was no record of a trademark
application for “blackpad” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office as of today.
Device makers are racing to develop tablets as Apple
benefits from demand for its iPad, which has shown the appeal of
a device that bridges smartphones and notebook computers.
Hewlett-Packard Co., which bought smartphone maker Palm Inc.
this month, applied to the Patent Office on July 9 to register
the name Palmpad for computers and computer software. HP said
last week it plans to produce a tablet device this year.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, last month said it
sold 3 million iPad tablet computers in 80 days after they
debuted in the U.S.
Marisa Conway, a spokeswoman for RIM, didn’t immediately
return a message seeking comment.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Hugo Miller in Toronto at
hugomiller@bloomberg.net
Rate this Page