BlackBerry PlayBook Mini Keyboard incoming (Updated)

The first official keyboard-case from BlackBerry is coming and it’s bringing a trackpad

While there are several keyboard add-ons for yourBlackBerry PlayBookalready, this is the first official selection of solid keys from BlackBerry. The case-come-keyboard uses Bluetooth to turn your 7in tablet into a laptop complete with dual-click trackpad and a keyboard battery that can last a month.

While the PlayBook Mini Keyboard won’t charge your tablet like theAsus Transformer Prime, it will let you use thenew OS 2.0like a laptop system, without that pesky on screen keyboard taking up real estate. It even comes with a 128bit encryption so BlackBerry security fans can feel at ease while tapping out their top-secret emails.

Shipping starts on April 11 in the US at US$120 (£77), or if you pre-order now it’s US$100 (£65). There’s no word on shipping to the UK from the official sellerthesource.ca, but we expect it to be available in the UK soon.

Update:You can now preorder the Mini Keyboard accessory from theBlackBerry storefor £80.

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Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. 

Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge.

Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones.

He’s also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home