BlackBerry PlayBook 3G + Released In UK

RIM has released the BlackBerry PlayBook 3G+ tablet in the UK, more than 18 months after the tablet was first released in the US.

The PlayBook 3G+ enters an increasingly competitive seven-inch tablet market which includes the Google Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD, Barnes & Noble Nook HD and the slightly larger iPad Mini.

However its £349.99 price point may prove a disadvantage against its rivals, many of whom are available for under £200, while the Wi-Fi only version of the tablet is also significantly cheaper.

BlackBerry PlayBook 3G+ arrives

For the extra money you receive a faster 1.5GHz dual-core processor and, rather unsurprisingly, support for 3G networks. The seven inch display is capable of a 1024 x 600 resolution, while 3 megapixel front facing and 5 megapixel rear facing cameras are included.

The tablet has 32GB of storage, micro USB and Micro HDMI ports along with native support for Flash 11.2 and HTML5 browsing. It runs BlackBerry PlayBook OS, which features a number of encryption options and administration tools as well as connectivity options with BlackBerry smartphones.

The PlayBook has struggled since its launch last year, with a number of UK and US retailers slashing prices in an effort to win over consumers. RIM went one step further and took a $485m write-off against the stock of PlayBooks in its warehouses in December, meaning that (technically) it profits if it sells them at any price.

This has exacerbated financial problems at the company, which has seen its share of the smartphone market plummet in recent times. RIM”s hopes for a revival are firmly invested in devices running the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which has been repeatedly delayed, but is expected to launch in the first quarter of next year.

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