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BlackBerry PlayBook first tablet certified for government use in Australia

By Michelle Haag on 1 Aug 2011 09:37 am
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The BlackBerry PlayBook was the first tablet to earn FIPS 140-2 certification in the US, then Russia started looking into using the tablet for its government officials. Now the PlayBook has been approved by the Defense Signals Directorate (DSD) of the Australian Government for use in government agencies, when using the BlackBerry Bridge application and connected to an approved BlackBerry smartphone.
“RIM continues to set the benchmark for government security and now with DSD approval the BlackBerry PlayBook is the first tablet to be certified for deployment in Australian government departments. This again demonstrates our leadership in the government sector and our commitment and investment in secure mobile technology," said Scott Deacon, Manager Security Certifications, Asia Pacific BlackBerry Security, RIM.
The Australian government has strict security standards, and the PlayBook is the first tablet they have certified to secure information with a classification of restricted or protected, which represents the majority of the government's day-to-day operational communications.

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Source: cfoworld

Topics: Australia Government BlackBerry Playbook News & Rumors Devices International News

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Michelle Haag Michelle Haag 1140 (articles) 1618 (forum posts)
39 comments

CLTrujillo

Sweet! This is good news for RIM no doubt.

maam

That's awesome news!!

segunnatural

Ofcourse ! its not iToy for kids..

Livadi77

I liked that iToy..... :)

f1mx

Some days ago I was discussing that with an iFan... while he was using a fart app (true story, no trolling intended)

big_time2

Dude, it's called BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK, keyword PLAY (dictionary: exercise or activity for amusement or recreation).

What sounds more mature, or not for kids as you say, Playbook or iPad?

312

What's your point, troll? Does that mean the iPad (because it has "pad" in the name) is for females on their cycle? Wake up, kid.

big_time2

My point is that you're making fun of iPad because it is a toy you say, yet the name of your tablet is Playbook, play book, play, meaning to play with it, not have a god damn meeting with your board of directors and discuss what to do with a budget of 32 million dollars. Playbook, again, meaning to play with it.

PN009

"Playbook again, meaning to play with it"

Man....I laughed so hard after reading this.

'Playbook' is a frequently used corporate term - and you CAN use it to 'have a god damn meeting with your board of directors and discuss what to do with a budget of 32 million dollars.'

The readers here are dedicated blackberry users and they will go overboard sometimes with their comments on 'iFart' products.... just take it with a pinch of iSalt.

gadgetsMcGoo

My bet is that "bigtime" is a smalltime teenager living in his parent's basement who believes that he's some sort of "boy genius" posting crap on the interwebs.

gadgetsMcGoo

The term "Playbook" refers to a "confidential book of strategies" and is used business, politics, as well as recreational games such as football.

playbook [ˈpleɪˌbʊk]
n
1. (Team Sports / American Football) a book containing a range of possible set plays
2. a notional range of possible tactics in any sphere of activity

playbook - a scheme or set of strategies for conducting a business campaign or a political campaign; "they borrowed a page from the playbook of the opposition"

shupor

+1.
The term PlayBook is one frequently used in the corporate world

mckillio

Actually, it's just one word.

siddo_d

The blackberry playbook is dominating the tech world

PN009

Gotta hand it to RIM for their capability to stay focused and deliver on their core capabilities (security) even if its on a brand new platform.

3 Govt certifications within a month for a product launched this April - as opposed to other tablets that've been in the market place a lot longer.

@ segunnatural - that comment made me laugh.

soo007

The PlayBook can use all the positive PR it can get. RIM must hire a marketing PR to better market their core capabilities. Now we want that Android player..... NOW!!!

The PlayBook rocks!!!

vhorst

BlackBerrys got popular because companies were giving it to their employees. Now its going to be the same with PlayBook!

Xterra2

Whatever, the pb is still half baked

surrealsounds

Compared to the fact that iPad, which is "fully baked" (depends on your POV, anyway), has not one to it's name, that says something.

Haters gonna hate.

shupor

Woopity doo da for the PB but this does absolutely nothing to improve my user experience.

312

You're obviously an unimportant individual.

shupor

...and you are obviously a moron.

surrealsounds

3 Gov't certifications in less than a year. No matter how you feel about the PB compared to the competition, you have to admit, that is pretty damn impressive, especially given the fact that industry's holy grail (iPad) has been around for a year and a half and has not one to it's name.

Now, all RIM has to do is pinpoint how they want to promote themselves towards the general populace. With the one-two punch from Apple/Google, establishing your niche while pushing for innovation is a must that they need to start doing.

furinkasan

RIM should hire Apple's PR guys, I don't own any Apple products but I love many of their commercials.

Xerxes10

I agree, the gov certifications are great news for RIM and back up their high security reputation. I love my PlayBook & all its capabilities, getting access to the Andrid Market & their app library will be icing on the cake.

mickrg123

Fantastic Can we now get email, spellcheck, bluetooth, android apps. This is absolutly worthlessss news!

Matt J

This is the best news ever for RIMs future.

f1mx

quit the trolling, if you want android apps get an android; if you want email then don't delete the internet shortcuts or use bridge, that's what it is for; want spellcheck? why? you guys always manage to write what you think it's right and get it wrong anyway
this is a news to celebrate, not to demand, that's what other ones are for

gord888

Nice... It shouldn't be long before governments start buying the palybook now!

EchoTango

My "hold your horses" comment still holds true.

The Government certifications are simpler because the Playbook does not retain data. Break the Bridge connection and all the data goes poof ! All other tablets retain data and therefore present a greater security challenge.

I know this is going to sound strange, but the more native functions added to the Playbook will make the security certification either invalid or harder to achieve. I suspect that eventually at least two versions will need to co-exists, one security compliant with the vanishing data and the rest not.

On a related note, this Bridge software could have many more uses, imagine software that "senses" your Playbooks presents and activates the functions and data and then disappears once you move away. Think about a "Bridge Server" in a retail store that makes a shopping info app "appear" and then disappears once you leave.

PineappleUnderTheSea

You know, if the US government starts buying PBs for its employees I'm going to start being a little miffed. A tablet is a nice-to-have, not a necessity. All these government employees likely have laptops, so the tablet becomes redundant. Especially if they are on AT&T and have to pay extra to Bridge properly, all at the taxpayers expense.

Not to rain down on the tablet-in-the-government parade, but it seems like a huge waste of taxpayer money. That money would be better served giving me a tax rebate so I can go and buy my own PB!

mckillio

The U.S. government almost solely uses Sprint. Just because the PB has been certified, it doesn't meant hey're going to buy them.

gadgetsMcGoo

You know, it really depends on the use of these tablets. It's not like in the military where everyone gets issued a gun and a uniform. And I really doubt that every government worker from janitor to senator gets issued a laptop. Most likely it will depend on what they are going to be used for and if there is justification that it will make what they do more productive.

CVCKDB8

dont let the 2 CEO's see the publicity we've been giving them due to countries governments okay with using playbook. otherwise theyll believe there doing something right and say screw the consumer and dedicate there work and revamp there phones/PB for government use more and then give excuses on why they dont have to compete. or they might say this is why we dont add bells and whistles to our phones lol

Jonathank

Mr. K EXCELLENT....My next blog is on security...come check me out crackberry.....http://mrksberry.blogspot.com

RRMan03

Their security has always been the best. It is the operating system that lags a little.

Jonathank

Mr. K Blackberry users pay for quality features, security and most of all reliability. Blackberry’s new tablet, the Playbook, takes into account everything a Blackberry consumer seeks in a device. mrksberry@blogspot.com