Toronto, Jul 16 (IANS): BlackBerry company Research In Motion (RIM) is rumoured to be toying with the idea of entering the home entertainment business.

If it is true, this will be the second major departure for the Waterloo-based RIM from its core business of smart phones where it ruled the market till last year. Last April, RIM unveiled its PlayBook tablet - the first non-BlackBerry product - to challenge Apple's iPad.

Now it is rumoured to be working on a media box to match Apple TV.

"We have confirmed with one of our source's RIM is working on just that a media hub. The media hub's code-name is 'BlackBerry Cyclone','' Nerdberry web site has reported.

According to the report, the 'BlackBerry Cyclone' will be Wi-Fi-enabled and connect to your home TV via HDMI. It will also have Netflix, YouTube and access to media devices on the WiFi network.

"We are hearing the release of the 'BlackBerry Cyclone' will be later this fall. We are waiting for more info to come in at this time. This is going to be a great product for streaming media,'' the web site has said.

Apple has not only beaten the BlackBerry company in the smart phone market but also become the undisputed leader in mobile computing with its iPad.

RIM's efforts to take on the iPhone with its BlackBerry Storm and the iPad with its PlayBook tablet have failed to make any dent on Apple's supremacy in the mobile computing market.

It remains to be seen how much of a challenge the rumoured 'BlackBerry Cyclone' will pose to Apple TV.

At its annual shareholder meeting this week, RIM also announced to unveil seven new models of BlackBerry in the coming months to replace its aging handset line-up.

Bu the announcement failed to revive RIM stock which - at $27 - has fallen more than 50 percent this year, reducing its market worth to just $14 billion.