While the first RIM patent application we came across today covered a method of integrating a touchscreen within an LCD, our second patent app discovery depicts a mockup of an actual BlackBerry device that would make use of this technology. This patent, entitled HANDHELD MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH MOVEABLE DISPLAY/COVER MEMBER shows a BlackBerry with a slider configuration. The images above show both full QWERTY and SureType variations and one could only presume with the keyboard hidden the display would act as a touchscreen.
Who knows if a BlackBerry device will ever see the light of day in this exact form factor (just like that angled keyboard we looked at a few weeks back), but it's a good example of how RIM may combine a touchscreen and physical keyboard down the road. The concept here is that you can use it as a full touch, or slide and tilt the display upwards to access the keyboard. The tilt up display would also be awesome for watching streaming video.
Startling and intriguing images don't you think? One thing can be said for sure - obviously RIM is planning some sort of touchscreen device in the future.
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