RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT MAY BAN iPAD IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES

The Russian government is considering disallowing the use of Apple’s iPad tablet within government agencies due to security concerns, Russian-language business news site RBC Daily reports. Instead, it is investigating various alternative tablet options including RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook, Android-powered tablets or even a new device created by a Russian agency.

Government security experts are reportedly looking for more “cryptographically secure tablet PCs” than Apple’s iPad tablet, and if the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology’s recent certification is any indication, the BlackBerry PlayBook could fit the bill. RIM announced last week that its PlayBook tablet received FIPS 140-2 certification, thus allowing it to be used by U.S. government officials. No other tablet has received FIPS certification to date.

RUSSIANS LAUNCHING NEW SPACESTATION....FOR TOURISTS!

RSC Energia, the company that designs and builds the Russian ISS modules, has announced they will begin designing and building a new spacestation for tourism.  They expect to begin construction in 2012.  No ticket pricing has been announced, but RSC is designing the spacestation to accept any type of space vehicle leading us to believe they will allow other companies to bring tourists up. [Gizmodo]