BlackBerry PlayBook gets officially priced and dated

RIM has finally confirmed pricing and availability for the BlackBerry PlayBook, which is set to go on sale in the US and Canada on April 19. Three versions of the 7-inch PlayBook tablet will be available – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB – with prices starting from $499.

That, unsurprisingly, matches the iPad 2, and indeed the $599 32GB version and $699 $64GB version are also in line with Apple's slate. What there won't be, at least initially, are 3G/4G-enabled models, which will follow on later in 2011.

The PlayBook has a 1024 x 600 touchscreen, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1080p HD output. It runs the QNX OS. Full list of stockists in the press release below.

Press Release:

RIM Announces Retail Channels for BlackBerry PlayBook

BlackBerry PlayBook to be available in over 20,000 Retail Outlets in the U.S. and Canada

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to make the highly-anticipated BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet available in more than 20,000 retail outlets in the U.S. and Canada.

"The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet that is already being widely praised as a multi-tasking powerhouse with an uncompromised web experience and an ultra-portable design," said Mike Lazaridis, President & Co-CEO, Research In Motion. "Given the high level of customer interest in the BlackBerry PlayBook, we are particularly pleased to be working with such an amazing lineup of retail partners."

The BlackBerry PlayBook delivers professional-grade, consumer-friendly experiences that redefine the possibilities of mobile computing. This ultra-portable tablet looks and feels great, measuring less than half an inch thick and weighing less than a pound. It features a vivid 7-inch high-resolution display that is highly-responsive with a fluid touch screen experience. It also offers industry leading performance, uncompromised web browsing with support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, true multitasking, HD multimedia, advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a robust development environment.

The BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi will be available in three models and will feature a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $499 in the United States and Canada. The lineup of retailers and wireless carriers currently expected to carry the BlackBerry PlayBook in the United States and Canada includes the following companies*:

United States

AT&T

Best Buy

Cbeyond

Cellular South

Cincinnati Bell

Office Depot

RadioShack

ShopBlackBerry.com

Staples

Sprint

Verizon

BlackBerry from Wireless Giant

Canada

Bell

Best Buy

Chapters / Indigo

Costco

Future Shop

Mobilicity

MTS Allstream

Rogers

Sasktel

Sears

ShopBlackBerry.com

Staples

Telus

Tbooth Wireless

The Source

Videotron

Walmart

WIND Mobile

WIRELESS etc.

WIRELESSWAVE

BlackBerry PlayBook Specifications

7" 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen

Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1" x 7.6" x 0.4" (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)

1 GHz dual-core processor

BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing

MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback

Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)

1080p HDMI output

Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)

1 GB RAM memory

Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)

GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)

Stereo speakers and stereo microphones

Wi-Fi® (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity

Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR support