14 DAY TRIAL // Information leaked last week from office supply chain Staples pointed to a possible release of the Wi-Fi only Motorola XOOM sometime in April, along with RIM's Blackberry PlayBook tablet.
However, it seems that the XOOM will be available at Staples much earlier and for a higher price than it was initially expected.
According to the guys over at DroidLife, who got their hands on a flyer ad of the product, the Wi-Fi only Motorola XOOM is slated for a March 27th release for $599.98.
The Android 3.0 tablet launched by Stables is the same as the one currently on sale with the exception of the removed 3G connectivity.
As a reminder, the 3G version of the tablet is currently available for purchase from Verizon for $799.99 unlocked or $599.99 with a new two-year contract.
Apparently, the price mentioned by Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha during the 2011 Mobile Worlds Congress in Barcelona is the same for which the device will be retailed by Staples.
However, rumors say that customers could purchase the tablet much cheaper from Sam's Club, at only $539.
Staples is also preparing to launch the Blackberry PlayBook tablet, which is expected to hit the shelves in mid-April for $499.
Both XOOM and PlayBook will be the first tablets offered by Staples, as the retailer will debut a new “Tablets” component for its computing section.
It seems that more tablets will be available in the coming months, as the company also plans to launch Toshiba's 10-inch tablet.
As rumors suggest, other major retailers such as Amazon and Office Depot are expected to debut the Motorola XOOM tablet during March-April, which will make prices differ a lot.
As a side note, Office Depot has already confirmed that it will carry the 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook model for $499, starting in late March / early April.
