Rumors of a BlackBerry tablet are heating up by the day, with Bloomberg now claiming that the BlackPad — yes, the BlackPad — will arrive in November, complete with an iPad-size screen and the ability to connect to the Internet via either Wi-Fi or your Bluetooth-connected BlackBerry.

Citing a pair of anonymous sources “familiar with the company’s plans,” Bloomberg says the tablet will indeed be called the BlackPad (which would presumably explain BlackBerry-maker RIM’s recent acquisition of “BlackPad.com”) and would boast a display that’s “roughly” the same size as the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen.

Rather than having its own, embedded 3G radio, the BlackPad would rely on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth tethering to your BlackBerry to connect to the Internet, Bloomberg’s tipsters claim — a nifty trick. I sure wish I could tether the iPad to my iPhone for 3G data.

The article doesn’t go into detail about what kind of processor would power the rumored BlackPad, or whether it would run on the revamped BlackBerry OS 6 (which seems likely). It did note, however, that the BlackPad’s pricing would be “in line” with that of the iPad, which starts at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only version.

Several details of the Bloomberg story are at odds with what we heard from one wireless analyst earlier this month, who predicted that the BlackBerry tablet would come with built-in Wi-Fi and a smaller, 7-inch display.

Rodman & Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar (who, it must be said, has thrown some wild pitches lately when it comes to tech predictions) also thinks the BlackBerry slate will arrive with a 1GHz processor and dual cameras, including a front-facing lens for video chat.

The Bloomberg story caps months of rumors and speculation about a BlackBerry tablet, which stretch backas early as April and gained traction in June after the Wall Street Journal threw its own anonymously sourced log on the fire.

The latest rumors also come just days before BlackBerry’s planned press event next week. Expected among the surprises: a new touchscreen QWERTY slider powered by the revamped, touch-friendly BlackBerry OS 6.

I admit to being pretty skeptical about the BlackBerry tablet rumors in the early months, but based on the steady buzz, it’s starting to look like the BlackPad — or whatever it ends up being called — could indeed be for real, although RIM still refuses to confirm or deny its existance. If the tablet is real, though, the ability to tether with a BlackBerry for 3G data would be a major selling point.

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BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is testing a tablet that could act as a “companion” to its BlackBerry phone, says the Wall Street Journal.

The BlackBerry tablet is reportedly in the early stage of development and will tether to the the phone. Last month, the Boy Genius Report web site said the BlackBerry tablet is likely to have an 8.9-inch screen and include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Since Apple introduced the iPad in April, other PC and smartphone makers have announced that they are working on tablets of their own. In less than 60 days since the iPad was launched, Apple said it sold more than 2 million of them.

Earlier this month, Dell announced it will introduce a tablet called ‘Streak’ that will have a 5-inch display and run Google’s Android operating system. The Streak also has a SIM card so users can make calls with it. The device is currently available in the U.K. now and is expected to launch in the U.S. next month for $500. HP is also working on a tablet computer called the HP Slate.

RIM hopes to introduce its tablet to complement its BlackBerry phones. The move evokes Palm’s failed experiment with the Foleo. In 2007, Palm announced the Foleo as a companion device to its Treo phone. The Foleo priced at $500 would sync wirelessly to Treo phones. But, after much criticism, Palm cancelled the device even before it could make it to retail shelves.

RIM’s tablet might be better received. A tablet could help RIM compete better with the latest generation of smartphones. Except for the BlackBerry Storm, RIM hasn’t released any smartphones with touchscreens. A tablet could help bridge the gap between its keyboard-focused phones and the fast growing market for touchscreen devices.

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