BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Release Dates & Pricing Details

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By now you must surely know that RIM announced a serious iPad contender today at the Developer Conference 2010, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. We have just gone through the specs and features of the device while also showing you the tablet in action in RIM’s official video.

The tablet seems to be a powerful machine and it might just be the “professional” tablet you’re looking for. The tablet is officially official today but it will only reach stores at some point in early 2011. That means the PlayBook won’t be in stores for Santa to pick up this Christmas. In fact, non-U.S. markets might get the PlayBook even later, in Q2 2011, so until then you’ll have to find a different device to quench your tablet thirst.

The obvious drawback here is that Apple will have plenty of time to respond with a better iPad by the time the PlayBook comes out. It’s no secret that the PlayBook has better specs and features than the current iPad model, but Apple will probably not waste any time and it will surely make significant changes to its tablet.

RIM failed to commit to actual launch dates and it didn’t specify pricing details at this point either. The Galaxy Tab, the Android tablet launched by Samsung less than a month ago at IFA 2010, is already expected to cost more than the iPad although official prices aren’t available at this time for the Tab either. Considering that the PlayBook, just like the Tab, has some extra features when compared with the iPad, should we assume that the BlackBerry tablet would also be a little more expensive? And while the Tab can be purchased for less when bundled with new 2-year data plans, the PlayBook only comes with Wi-Fi support for now. Does that mean that the BlackBerry tablet will not be available for subsidized prices?

We’ll be back with all the answers to these questions later on, once we find out more about the PlayBook ourselves.