Earlier this week, Kobo also announced plans for an industry-first social eReading application that will leverage the new BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform. 

 

“We are thrilled to be extending our extensive relationship with RIM into the tablet space,” said Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo. 

 

“Readers will love the elegant design, crisp display and portable size and weight of the BlackBerry PlayBook, which is perfectly suited for long reading sessions.  I am also excited by the possibilities of the BlackBerry Tablet OS, which will allow us to bring today’s bestsellers and classics, as well as other rich content, to BlackBerry PlayBook users.”

 

The 7" BlackBerry PlayBook also features a WebKit browser engine, preferred by Kobo and is used across its applications to deliver the feature-rich eReading application.

 

“The new BlackBerry PlayBook is a multitasking powerhouse for apps and content services and, together with Kobo’s eBooks app and service, it will provide users with an exceptional eReading experience,” said Jim Tobin, senior vice president, Value-Added Services, Research In Motion.  

 

“Kobo is an excellent partner for RIM given the global nature of both our businesses and because Kobo provides a great customer experience, including regionalized apps, content and pricing.”