BlackBerry PlayBook Hits Various Retail Channels in US and Canada

Today, Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion announced the official availability of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PC through over 20,000 retail outlets in the U.S. and Canada.

The BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi is expected to hit the shelves in three different flavors (16, 32 and 64 GB models), featuring a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $499 in both markets.

In the United States, the new device should become available for purchase through wireless carriers like AT&T, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell, Sprint and Verizon.

Moreover, it would also be put on sale via Best Buy, Cbeyond, Office Depot, RadioShack and Staples, as well as through ShopBlackBerry.com and BlackBerry from Wireless Giant.

In Canada, users would be able to purchase it via: 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., and WIRELESSWAVE.

The new tablet PC comes to the market with a professional-grade, consumer-friendly experience on its 7" 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen, courtesy of hardware specifications that include a 1 GHz dual-core processor, or 1 GB RAM and Up to 64 GB internal storage.

“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 tablet PC would arrive on the market with support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1, true multitasking, HD multimedia, advanced security features, a robust development environment, and more.

Its specifications list would also include 1080p HDMI output, dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear), Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support, or built-in GPS.