Even given that version 2.0 of the BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS launched last week, and the first version of the supporting Scoreloop social gaming SDK is now available, RIM is upbeat, surprisingly unbeat.

Of course, there's still the main event - the launch of BlackBerry 10 smartphones, expected sometime in September - on the far horizon.

For whatever reason, its timing is outside of anyone's control. But in the meantime, RIM's circumstance is to stay calm and carry on as normal; albeit an active waiting, putting the pieces in place to make that launch a success.

All about preparation

"The strategy's in place. The foundation has been built," say Martyn Mallick, RIM's VP, global alliances and business development.

His job is to ensure that App World is full of content, now for PlayBook and, more importantly, for the BB10 launch.

"We ship 10 to 15 million devices per quarter, so when BB10 launches, there's going to be a lot of phones," he says, pointing out the opportunity.

Ready for lift off

Getting developers, especially game developers, up to speed now on the PlayBook is the company's way of preloading that ecosystem.

"We see games as a super set of all other app categories," Mallick says.

"If we can build a great gaming platform, we know we'll have a great platform for everyone else."

It's the same thing when it comes to tools.

Previously, not seen as one of RIM's strong points, with PlayBook, it now provides a range of options - from native C/C++ to Adobe AIR and Flex tools, WebWorks, and Cascade UI tools through its The Astonishing Tribe acquisition.

Indeed, while we're talking in the RIM booth, outside TaT is demoing a fluid and collaborative presentation concept. Using a $20 USB camera in the ceiling for device tracking purposes, content is being shared, flicked and bumped between four PlayBooks over wifi. With the right set up, you can even send it - via gesture - to a projector screen.

Great for business meetings, there are also plenty of gaming opportunities, although TaT staff are tight lipped about any real world implementations.

Be my friend

On a similar level, RIM is looking to the potential of hooking up Scoreloop, its cross platform social gaming network acquisition with its BlackBerry Messenger system to drive social gameplay and the virality of game discovery.

The potential can clearly been seen in terms of the uptake of other BBM-enabled apps - their engagement is typically up 10-fold on non-BBM-enabled apps.

"Hardware is being commoditised. It's the experience on the hardware that matters, especially the unique things you can do on your platform," Mallick argues.

The waiting game

So, there's plenty of potential in store. In RIM's view, it doing all the right things for future success, and that of developers who support it

"We want to make our partners as successful as possible," says Mallick; continuing a long running RIM theme that, even now, App World is the best monetising store outside of Apple's App Store.

Four of the top 10 top grossing apps on PlayBook are games, apparently.

So, PlayBook provides the example of the new BlackBerry in action; and the only missing piece is an install base - something that will be the case until the launch of BB10.

Until then, it's a waiting game - an active waiting game.