Though BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) is keeping mum, the Canadian company is expected to unveil its BlackPad tablet computer to rival Apple`s iPad Monday, according to media reports in North America.

The announcement is likely to be made at its developer`s conference in San Francisco.

Quoting people familiar with RIM`s plans, the Wall Street Journal also confirmed Tuesday that the BlackPad is being launched Monday. The tablet will feature a seven-inch touch screen and one or two built-in cameras, the paper said.

It will also have Bluetooth and broadband connections but will only be able to connect to cellular networks through a BlackBerry smartphone. The tablet won`t be sold with a cellular service, leaving unclear which carriers or retailers will sell the device, the journal reported, quoting people familiar with RIM`s plans.

As reported earlier, the BlackPad will not operate on the newly launched BlackBerry 6 operating system launched in August, but on a new platform built by QNX Software Systems.

BDST: 1815 HRS, 22 September 2010