BlackBerry administrators supporting users with PlayBooks won't have to manage an entirely new device; those admins will be able to use new, PlayBook-specific IT policies within BES, via a BES-connected smartphone, to manage things like how long corporate data can be cached on the PlayBook; password enforcement; and whether or not certain users can connect to BES resources via PlayBook at all.

This PlayBook/BlackBerry smartphone relationship should make managing the BlackBerry tablet easier than managing tablets from RIM competitors like Apple and Samsung, since the process won't be much different than managing existing BlackBerry smartphone deployments, according to Bidan.

2) PlayBook Connects to BlackBerry Smartphones via Secure Bluetooth Link

BlackBerry PlayBook users will connect their tablets to BlackBerry smartphones using a secure Bluetooth connection. The PlayBook/smartphone pairing process is very similar to how BlackBerry smartphones currently link to RIM's secure smart card reader, according to Shelly Sofer, RIM's PR director. (Read more about the BlackBerry Smart Card Reader .)

3) First PlayBook is Wi-Fi Only; No New Data Plan Required