The iPad equivalent by Research In Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry PlayBook, will go on sale in the US and Canada on 19 April this year.
RIM has said that the Wi-Fi-enabled PlayBook will sell through 20,000 retailers and wireless carriers including Best Buy, AT&T, Verizon, Radioshack, Sears Canada and Wal-Mart.
The Blackberry maker’s first tablet computer will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions priced at $499, $599 and $699 respectively, thereby matching the pricing for the iPad.
Apple’s low pricing was believed to be a strong advantage of its product. To provide music like iTunes, RIM has teamed up with London-based 7digital. The 7digital Music Store will come pre-installed on the device.
RIM had first announced plans to launch the device in September 2010.
RIM is banking on corporate customers for sales of its PlayBook. Software and business services senior vice-president Jim Tobin had said recently that the interest of a "significant" portion of Fortune 100 companies in the PlayBook is "very high."
Earlier, RIM boss Jim Balsillie had said that moving into larger devices such as tablets was a big challenge for the company.
The company has also said that it would be launching a 4G Playbook in the second half of the year.
