ARI SHAPIRO, host: NPR's business news starts with a rival for Apple's iPad.</s>ARI SHAPIRO, host: The company that makes the BlackBerry used to dominate the smartphone market. Then Apple introduced the iPhone. Now, BlackBerry's maker, Research in Motion, is coming out with a tablet computer that takes on Apple's iPad.</s>ARI SHAPIRO, host: Research in Motion's tablet is called the PlayBook. It has a seven inch touch screen and a new operating system to address complaints that the software behind BlackBerrys is too clunky. But the tablet won't come out until early next year here in the U.S - that's after the holiday gift buying season and after other companies have released their competing tablets.
The company that makes the BlackBerry used to dominate the smartphone market. Then Apple introduced the iPhone. Now, BlackBerry's maker, Research in Motion, is coming out with a tablet computer that takes on Apple's iPad. It's called the PlayBook.