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BlackBerry PlayBook on April 19; pricing starts at $499

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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

Don't forget to check out Neowin's hands-on photos and video of the BlackBerry PlayBook from CES2011.

Thanks to V-Tech for pointing this out in the forums!

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