Blackberry Tablet Coming April 19 (RIMM, AAPL, SPLS, BBY, ODP, RSH, T, S, VZ)

The Blackberry PlayBook tablet from Research In Motion Ltd. RIMM will be in stores April 19. RIM is releasing the PlayBook in an attempt to close the gap that Apple AAPL has created with the iPad. Apple has sold over 15 million iPads in the past year. Demand for the PlayBook may give the iPad a run for its money, as many businesses rely on Blackberry service, making a compatible tablet a convenient option. Three versions of the PlayBook will be released for sale. One version will have 16GB of memory and will cost $499. A 32GB model will cost $699. On the high end, a 64GB model will be released, retailing for $699. RIM's PlayBook prices are comparable to that of the iPad, and will be sold in more than double the locations. The PlayBook will be available at retailers, including Staples SPLS, Best Buy BBY, Office Depot ODP and Radioshack RSH. In addition to these retailers, AT&T T, Sprint S: and Verizon VZ will also carry the PlayBook.