“Research In Motion Ltd. said its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer will go on sale in the U.S. on April 19 through retailers including Best Buy Co., as it seeks to compete with Apple Inc.’s iPad,” Hugo Miller reports for Bloomberg. “A version with 16 gigabytes of memory will cost $499, a 32- gigabyte model will retail for $599 and a version with 64 gigabytes will cost $699, RIM and Best Buy said today in a statement.”
MacDailyNews Take: In a journalistic dereliction of duty, nowhere in Miller’s story does he report that RIM PlayBook’s screen is just 45% as large as iPad’s 10-inch screen. Let’s ask him and his so-called editor why:
Miller continues, “The prices for the three different PlayBook models, which come with Wi-Fi connectivity, are exactly the same as for comparable iPad models, making them ‘very competitive,’ said Mike Abramsky, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets in Toronto. He has a ‘top pick’ rating on RIM.”
MacDailyNews Take: Mike Abramsky is obviously a crap analyst. Here are some actual facts as to why the PlayBook is a “top pick” for depositing into landfills:
RIM PlayBook will ship without email, calendar; not a fully standalone device, requires BlackBerry – January 17, 2011
Miller continues, “RIM has shown the PlayBook to a ‘significant’ portion of Fortune 100 companies and interest in the device is ‘very high,’ Jim Tobin, senior vice-president, software and business services, said in an interview last week.”
MacDailyNews Take: More likely, Jim meant that you have to be “very high” to be interested in RIM’s tiny-screened, overpriced, pretend iPad.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Curiously, but predictably, RIM’s PlayBook spec sheet completely omits battery life! This whole thing is Palm-esque. RIM ought to just erect billboards that blare “Somebody, please buy us out!” and be done with it.
Related articles:
Analyst: RIM’s expensive, flawed PlayBook tablet will be poorly received – February 1, 2011
RIM PlayBook will ship without email, calendar; not a fully standalone device, requires BlackBerry – January 17, 2011
Analyst: RIM’s ‘PlayBook’ tablet battery woes due to QNX OS, Adobe’s piggish Flash, poor power mgmt – January 04, 2011
RIM claims to be on track with its schedule to optimize BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s battery life – December 30, 2010
Analyst: RIM may be forced to delay BlackBerry Playbook tablet due to poor battery life – December 28, 2010
RIM half-CEO Jim Balsillie: ‘PlayBook redefines what a tablet should do’ – December 17, 2010
Analyst: RIM’s ‘PlayBook’ tablet expectations may be too optimistic – November 30, 2010
RIM ‘PlayBook’ to sell for less than $500; 7-inch screen only 45% as large as Apple iPad’s – November 10, 2010
RIM shares fall on ‘PlayBook’ tablet reaction – September 28, 2010
RIM unveils 7-inch PlayBook tablet, plans ‘early 2011’ launch – September 27, 2010
