My Cellphone My Terms

Will the BlackBerry Playbook take a bite out of Apple?

With BlackBerry set to launch its first tablet computer in early 2011, they are a number of positives for RIM with this device, so what are they.

1. Dimensions – The device is slightly bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Tab and about 33% lighter than Apple’s iPad.
2. Online Capability – It can be tethered to your BlackBerry and no separate data plan is required.  This is huge, as we all know how efficient BlackBerry is on data bandwidth and therefore your pocketbook.
3. Flash Friendly – The Playbook will be Flash ready so this is another major bonus in terms of being able to view richer content when browsing online.

4. Perhaps most importantly the Playbook will allow RIM to leverage it’s industry leading network security and provide business and enterprise clients with another alternative to equipping their staff with tablet computers.

5. While the price is yet to be confirmed we believe the Playbook will be priced very competitively and certainly cheaper than the iPad.

So let’s check out a side-by-side comparison of the upcoming BlackBerry Playbook alongside Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet.

	Apple iPad	BlackBerry Playbook	Samsung Galaxy Tab
Weight	680g (Wi-Fi), 730g (Wi-Fi+3G)	400g	380g
Screen Size	9.7-inch diagonal multi-touch	7-inch diagonal, multi-touch	7-inch diagonal, multi-touch
Resolution	1024×768 – pixel resolution	1024×600 – pixel resolution	1024×600 – pixel resolution
OS	iOS3.2	BlackBerry Tablet OS	Android 2.2 (Froyo)
Processor	Single-core 1 Ghz Chip	Dual-core 1 Ghz chip	Single-core 1 Ghz Chip
RAM	256MB	1GB	512MB
Internet	Safari browser – No Flash Support	Flash enabled web browser	Flash enabled Android browser
Storage	16GB, 32GB or 64GB flash drive	Not Specified	16GB, 32GB with optional SD card expansion
Battery Life	10hrs	Not Specified	7hrs
Camera	None	3MP front, 5MP back	1.3MP front, 3MP back
Connectivity	Bluetooth 2.1 Wi-Fi b/g/n, 3G (for 3G models)	Bluetooth 2.1 Wi-Fi b/g/n, pairs with Bluetooth with a BlackBerry device for 3G connectivity	Bluetooth 2.1 Wi-Fi b/g/n, 3G
Pricing	$499 – $829	8GB: $399, 16GB: $499, 32GB: $599*	$599

While pricing is yet to be confirmed, as originally reported by BlackBerry Cool, we also believe the BlackBerry Playbook will be priced from $399 to $599 for the varying models.

If your decision will be made based on performance, RIM just released this video demonstration comparing the BlackBerry Playbook and Apple’s iPad on browser speed, Adobe Flash support and HTML5 performance.

Do you plan to buy a tablet PC anytime soon? If so, which one and why? Let us know what your decision will be, we look forward to chatting with you.