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BlackBerry's Latest Experiment: a $2,300 'Secure' Tablet
An anonymous reader writes: After missing the boat on smartphones, BlackBerry has been throwing everything they can at the wall to see what sticks. From making square phones to insisting users want physical keyboards, their only standard is how non-standard they've become. Now they're expanding this strategy to the tablet market with a security-centric tablet that costs $2,300. And they're not doing it alone — the base device is actually a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5. The tablet runs Samsung Knox boot tech, as well as software from IBM and encryption specialist Secusmart (which BlackBerry recently purchased). The device will be targeted at businesses and organizations who have particular need for secure devices.
"Organizations deploying the SecuTablet will be able to set policies controlling what apps can run on the devices, and whether those apps must be wrapped, said IBM Germany spokesman Stefan Hefter. The wrapping process—in which an app is downloaded from a public app store, bundled with additional libraries that encrypt its network traffic and intercept Android 'intents' for actions such as cutting or pasting data, then uploaded to a private app store—ensures that corporate data can be protected at rest, in motion and in use, he said. For instance, it can prevent data from a secure email being copied and pasted into the Facebook app running on the same device—yet allow it to be pasted into a secure collaboration environment, or any other app forming part of the same 'federation,' he said."
"Organizations deploying the SecuTablet will be able to set policies controlling what apps can run on the devices, and whether those apps must be wrapped, said IBM Germany spokesman Stefan Hefter. The wrapping process—in which an app is downloaded from a public app store, bundled with additional libraries that encrypt its network traffic and intercept Android 'intents' for actions such as cutting or pasting data, then uploaded to a private app store—ensures that corporate data can be protected at rest, in motion and in use, he said. For instance, it can prevent data from a secure email being copied and pasted into the Facebook app running on the same device—yet allow it to be pasted into a secure collaboration environment, or any other app forming part of the same 'federation,' he said."
OK. I have not yet read the entire article, but one ques4tion xomwea immediately to mind.
Is it still secure after you root it?
I don't think many politicians would bother to use anything this secure as their records would be kept and likely accessible after a court order. Congress doesn't believe it needs to work this hard. They are above the law, exempt really, in many ways. Businesses with valuable trade secrets are a great target market for this technology.
The old *fool and their money* gag works again and again
about fucking time! We desperately need modern cell phones with real keyboards. Death to virtual keyboards.
If I can't fit it in a pocket, it's not portable, I ain't buying.
Give me a 7 to 8 inch tablet, at least those can fit in some pockets.
HAHAHHAHAHAHA ....(gasps for breath)....HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA
I don't think many politicians would bother to use anything this secure as their records would be kept and likely accessible after a court order.
You're selling it all wrong. Better records retention for a politician? Pa-lease, that's like trying to sell a greenie an SUV because it gets great gas mileage. Let me show you how it's done, from TFS: "For instance, it can prevent data from a secure email being copied and pasted into the Facebook app running on the same device—yet allow it to be pasted into a secure collaboration environment, or any other app forming part of the same 'federation,' he said."
Sales pitch: "You see Congressman, the enhanced security framework prevents you from accidentally tweeting pictures of your junk that you were trying to send to a private audience. The iPad can't do that. Neither can your Android phone."
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Ahahahahahaaaa...
"Secure tablet"
Oh wow that was funny.
If you want secure, then maybe Replicant will prove slightly less p0wnable, not sure.
Don't trust Samsung or BlackBerry though.
Until April fools. Seriously, is this a joke? Maybe if they have a juicy gov't contract that'll buy these up. Other than that every company is just going to buy a Windows tablet for a $1000 and put their own security software (which is already certified and tested up the wazoo) on it.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Blackberry: Filling a niche that doesnt exist since 2005!
I wish I had a good sig, but all the good ones are copyrighted
Protected From iPhone Camera shots? Come on.
But I'm not sure the implementation is sound.
However that's all moot - the price point makes this a non-starter. Companies might be willing to pay a few hundred extra for a secure tablet - but not almost two grand.
#DeleteChrome
...already does this. No need for a $2300 tablet, grab an off-the-shelf iPad/iPhone/Android/Windows Phone, install AirWatch, push the required packages and secure as needed/required from the management console. All corporate data is held in a secure container by the software. Remote management? Done. Remote wipe? Done. Remote password reset? Done. Need to locate the device? Done. Need to see what other software is installed on the device? Done.
Too little, too late.
45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
I get that Blackberry has been an industry joke for 6-7 years now, but the opening statement overstates their missteps. Blackberry missed many boats, but not the whole category of smartphones. Touchscreens, app stores, decent browsers...yes. But not smartphones.
It's not a Blackberry tablet. It's a Secusmart/IBM/Samsung tablet. This was in the works before Blackberry bought Secusmart.
But hey, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
Look, if you want to capture data that badly just video capture the screen from a secondary device (smartphone). Even a child could do this. Renders your really expensive security software completely useless instantaneously.
Can it prevent me from taking a picture of the screen with my iPhone and posting it to Facebook?
You slit your own throat when you gave up the keys to encryption and servers to governments.
Want to be relevant again? make secure smartphones that you CANT give government access to or touch the encrypted signals. Build in voice and data encryption that the users can specify the keys, give the phones self wipe and data destruction abilities.
Make them also alert the user to possible intrusion attempts like Cell tower fakes and other attacks.
Problem is your management is too chicken shit to do it. Just like how you bent over and spread your cheeks to gave the worlds governments unfettered access to your servers so they can intercept all communication between users.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
You know its got one... if not several.
People's expectations for low prices are completely unreasonable nowadays. It hasn't been all that long since $2000 was the "normal" price for a decent machine, never mind a portable device. I realize prices have come down a lot, but realistically Blackberry is only a bit more than doubling the price for this custom-configured device compared to the base hardware. That's far from unreasonable in the "preconfigured stack" systems market.
Don't forget, the point of such devices and systems is to have a single supplier you can pin for resolving any issues or problems. You're buying the vendor's services and reputation, not a collection of unconfigured components.
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
the companies behind the SoCs and various chipsets won't release the code. We have no idea what they're doing or might do as a result. The same applies (more so even) to cellular devices like smart phones and GSM enabled computers. Solve this problem first and then maybe you can begin to design a secure device. Don't solve it and your just another snake oil salesmen.
Hopefully it comes in pink to match my $17,000 Applw Edition watch.
Oh I also hope it lasts for two years like my watch to match my device upgrade cycle.
If you remove the blackberry android references it sounds like they are describing a windows tablet, complete with Bitlocker, applocker, MS store and hooked up to active directory. Is android really that far behind in security and flexibility that this requires a such an expensive service?
And in other news, that approach would be called "innovative", "inventive", and "forward looking".
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
lol Blackberry... no US tech (software or hardware) is considered secure in the rest of the world. OMG please wake up...
it's unreasonable, they'll make their money on subscriptions so there is no need to charge an extra for their software.
In App game purchases on the expense account will be forwarded to HR
I don't think businesses will trust this secure tablet to stay secure. Blackberry has a past reputation of giving government back doors to any repressive regime that demands one. Stabbing their corporate customers in the back is probably what killed the market for their smart phones in the first place.
Until a few months ago, I carried a Blackberry for work a physical keyboard. The keyboard was nice and I miss it.
-Dave
I was given a Nexas 4 Android. I am not a cellphone devotee, I use it for phone calls received. I hardly ever make outgoing calls and because my fingers are large, texting is folly. My text stuff, when I do it, is full of errors, even to where I select the word that the software anticipates I want to write. If I am sitting in the car while the wife shops, I play freecell. I have a 6 gig data plan and use about 50megs a month. (Yes, a waste).
With a physical keypad, there is a space between the keytops, and there is tactile feedback, and I can type with many fewer errors. I don't need voice response. Occasionally I will use the cell as a gps to guide me to an address. I own a wristwatch, so I do not need or use the cellphone to tell time.
I turn it off at meal times, or when I am in public (theatre, restaurent) places.
A cellphone is great for teens and pre-teens. Leave me to a phone with tactile feedback.
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
My TV would probably cost $40,000 a decade ago. My iPhone would be a $30,000 workstation in the 90s. The NAS in my living room is $900,000 worth of storage in 1998 dollars. To your contrary, I think people have a perfectly reasonable expectation of low and dropping prices.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
Security isn't really a technological question anymore. It is a legal and political one. Unless your enterprise and blackberry is immune to political interference as well it isn't really all that secure. Perhaps, "more secure" from some bum to picks up your tablet from the train seat or something.
Blackberry being located in Canada is a pretty good plus, as privacy laws are pretty good. However even Canada has gotten dinged about participation with the whole US electronic surveillance thing. Blackberry had a story a few years ago where India require them to "unsecure" their service and hand them the keys.
If they make it truly secure, they might be really limiting the market they will be allowed to sell it or operate in...
what are you talking about?
and could you please stop talking about it, you make very little sense