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BlackBerry PlayBook still available for $199

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Now that Research in Motion has rolled out BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 to make the 7 inch tablet more useful, you might think the company would end the sale it’s been running that lets you pick up a PlayBook for as little as $199.

But you’d be wrong.

BlackBerry PlayBook for $199

BlackBerry Store

On February 21st, RIM released PlayBook OS 2.0. And up until recently, the PlayBook page at the BlackBerry Store has said its sale pricing for the tablet would end on February 20th.

But as of February 22nd, you can still get PlayBooks for as much as $300 off the list price. When the company launched the tablet last year, the cheapest model cost $499. Now you can pick one up for much less:

  • 16GB PlayBook for $199
  • 32GB PlayBook for $249
  • 64GB PlayBook for $299

The PlayBook has a 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel IPS display, a 1 GHz TI OMAP 4 dual core processor, and 1GB of RAM.

Initially the tablet was hampered by its lack of native email, contact, and calendar apps and the limited number of third party apps available from the BlackBerry App World. But PlayBook OS 2.0 addresses the first problem with new native apps and the latter by adding support for some Android applications.

The new software also includes the ability to pair your tablet with a BlackBerry Smartphone and use the phone to remote control the tablet.

If you’re not worried about voiding your warranty, you can also also root the tablet and install the Android Market in order to access even more third party apps.

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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook

  • 4G LTE
Buy from$264

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  • key specs
  • reviews • 44
  • prices
  • Form factorTablet
  • Operating systemOther
  • Screen size7 inches
  • Storage typeInternal storage (16 GB, Flash)
  • Maximum battery lifeUp to 10 hours
  • Dimensions7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 in
  • Weight0.9 lb
  • Released04/01/2011
see all specs →
8.6 average user rating
  • Features7.4
  • Display9.4
  • Battery life8.2
  • Ease of use8.9
  • Storage capacity8.6
  • Design and form factor8.9
  • Portability (size / weight)9.4
  • Durability9.0

Get better reviews from people who actually have this product!

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  1. $264.98 + tax & shippingbuy now
Posted on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012, 10:30 am by Brad Linder




  • http://www.amazeline.com/512 Liz R.

    Even if it is worth $199, I still wouldn’t get my hands on any Blackberry product. I have nothing against them but I just find Blackberry useless – except for their BBM, which is a great feature. 

  • Anonymous

     To each their own, the Playbook is actually a pretty good tablet and actually worth more.  16GB cost about $273 just to make it, but RIM has made a lot of bad marketing decisions and no one really has given the PB a chance.

    Those who have used it usually find it great despite its limitations, most can be worked around, and it has some features that are still better than the competition but there is a question of what future it’ll have with all the problems RIM has been having the last two years.

  • Anonymous

    Does any tablet under $300 have the features of the Playbook?

    hardware
    – 1 GHz dual core processor
    – 1 GB RAM and 16 GB flash memory
    – a micro SD slot for memory expansion
    – a very nice IPS color touchscreen
    – GPS that works without internet connection
    – USB port
    – HDMI output port
    – Bluetooth support for wireless keyboard, mouse, headset

    software
    – true multi-tasking OS, that allows one app to appear on an HD TV via HDMI, while another app displays on the tablet screen
    (e.g., presentation slides on tv, notes about presentation on tablet)
    – ability to run some Android apps alongside the Blackberry ones

    To be sure, Android and iOS are far, far ahead in the app department.  But if you primarily need a web browser, email client, calendar, and a note taking app, the Playbook looks like a big bargain.

  • Anonymous

     Correction, the Playbook doesn’t have a micro SD slot, though you can connect one from a Blackberry phone over the bridge app.  So usually only 16/32/64 GB internal storage. 

    Btw, you forgot the bezel swipe gesture controls and stereo front facing speakers…

    Answer… No, there isn’t any tablet that offers all those features at that price range yet.  Even the more expensive models often only have a mono speaker and usually need adapters for full range of port options.

    Though keep in mind RIM is selling the Playbook at a loss right now as even the 16GB model cost them about $273 to make.  So they’re rather desperate right now and it doesn’t help that most people have a unrealistic idea of what to expect at this price range.

    The upcoming Asus MeMo 370T might be a good alternative though with Tegra 3 and coming in at presumably $249, but it has yet to be released and final price may be higher.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for the correction about the SD slot.

    There’s a software hack that allows the USB port to be used in Host mode, allowing the use of external thumb drives. Not as portable as an SD card, but workable.

    Alost a year ago, RIM told its long-suffering community that USB Host mode was coming to the Playbook. I don’t think it’s part of the 2.0 software, which is odd since the hack shows it’s a minor change.

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