BlackBerry PlayBook on April 19; pricing starts at $499

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced a release date and pricing for their very own tablet. The BlackBerry PlayBook will launch on April 19, 2011 in both Canada and the United States with a starting price of $499. The BlackBerry PlayBook will be available in three models: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, with a suggested retail price (MSRP) of $499, $599, and $699. To many consumers surprise, the PlayBook will actually undercut the Apple iPad 2 in Canada, which will be offered for the exact same price as its United States counterpart. Starting Friday March 25, the iPad 2 will be available for $519, a $20 difference between Canada and the United States. Consumers can pre-order the PlayBook through BestBuy and FutureShop (in Canada) now to be amongst the first people to receive the device. 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

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