After seven months of waiting can it live up to the hype?
By MARK JONES
Published: 19 April, 2011
READ MORE: US | Research In Motion | Tablet
After months of waiting faithful BlackBerry fans and anyone looking for a reasonably priced and competitively spec'd tablet in the US can now get their hands on RIM's PlayBook as it has been released today. The tablet can be purchased directly from RIM or from a number of highstreet retailers who are offering the Wi-Fi only device with prices which start at $499. Like Apple's iPad and unlike many of the other tablets out there the PlayBook will be available with three different amounts of storage raging from 16GB to 64GB.
The critical reception of the tablet has been decidedly mild with many reviewers keen to point out that the PlayBook is lacking in apps as well as a native email client. It's hardly likely this temporary lack of functionality will make or break the tablet as the tablet will soon be able to run Android apps and a future update will deliver the email client. In the meantime BlackBerry owners can pair the tablet with their handset in order to access email and cellular connectivity.
These disadvantages don't change the fact that in terms of its hardware the PlayBook is a solid tablet boasting a dual-core processor, 1GB RAM and ample storage. Running BlackBerry's QNX custom OS it's lack of apps may have been more debilitating but in a surprise move RIM announced last year that it would be able to run Android apps. The model on offer at the moment is Wi-Fi only but a 3G cellular version will be released later in the year.
For anyone waiting for the tablet in the UK it has been announced today that the Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy will be stocking it though a release date for the other side of the Atlantic hasn't been named.
After a seven month wait the PlayBook has a lot of hype to live up though has a better chance of success with its lower price tag than Motorola's Xoom.
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