A competitor is readying a direct challenge to Apple’s iPad that will debut April 19 in the U.S., reports Bloomberg. The challenge comes from Research in Motion, which is rolling out its BlackBerry PlayBook.
Retailers will include more than 20,000 stores operated by Best Buy Co., Staples, RadioShack and others, as well as carriers such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless, the story says. That’s more than double the distribution of the iPad, which is sold in about 10,000 stores, the piece adds.
The PlayBook has a 7-inch screen, which RIM says makes it easier to tote around than the iPad, which has a 9.7-inch screen. A version with 15 gigabytes of memory will cost $499, while a 64-gigabyte model will retail for $699.
But does it have a wi-fi only version? That’s what many of us want.
The Playbook is an interesting idea and has a lot going for it on a spec sheet, but in the end, the sheer sexiness and the eco-system of the iPad will keep it on top. I think that the Playbook will probably be picked up in companies where they are still issuing Blackberries to all their staff, which will help their sales, but as all the trends are showing, Blackberry’s years of dominance as the business Smartphone of choice are waning.
Apple has a cult following for a reason, the same reason that RIM does not. As for me I am very happy with my iPad 2, I’ll pass on this one RIM.