BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Will Be Under $500 in 2011
|
|
CREDIT: RIM |
BlackBerry phone manufacturer RIM will be entering a crowded playing field early next year when it releases its PlayBook tablet. Knowing this, the company wants to price the PlayBook to undercut the current king of the mountain, the Apple iPad.
Bloomberg reports that RIM plans to price the PlayBook at less than $500. The cheapest iPad model is $499 for 32GB of storage and no 3G connectivity. The PlayBook will not have 3G connectivity either at launch, though the company promises that feature in future models.
The BlackBerry PlayBook has a smaller screen than the iPad, 7 inches versus the iPad's 10, but RIM is emphasizing that the smaller screen will be able to handle more than the iPad because the tablet runs Adobe Flash. Flash is the technology behind 75 percent of Web video, not to mention countless browser games and interactive sites. The iPad can't display this content without third party workarounds.
RIM plans to sell the PlayBook through retail stores, such as Target and Best Buy, and through carriers, similar to how the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab are available through networks such as Verizon and AT&T. The company hasn't announced a release date, but it appears the PlayBook is still on track for an early 2011 launch.
