RIM may have revealed the BlackBerry PlayBook back in September of last year, but up until now they've remained quiet on the launch and pricing information on the device. Thanks to a fresh new press release, we now know that the WiFi-only PlayBook will be arriving in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB varieties on April 19th for $499.99, $599.99, and $699.99, respectively. If you absolutely need to be the first on your block with RIM's QNX-powered slate, you can pre-order your very own PlayBook from Best Buy right here.

It may have taken (much) longer than any of us would've liked, but it's great that we've finally got solid launch details for the PlayBook. It's coming a bit later than previous rumors claimed, but good on RIM for being aggressive with its pricing for the tablet, matching Apple's pricing model for the iPad. Will the PlayBook be able to stand up against the iPad and the plethora of Android tablets that are coming? Feel free to share your opinion on the impending retail battle below.

Best Buy Begins Accepting Orders For BlackBerry PlayBook today

Minneapolis, MN and Waterloo, ON - Customers eagerly awaiting the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet can begin placing their orders today. Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) and Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), a preferred retailer for the BlackBerry PlayBook, today announced the pricing and launch date for the highly anticipated tablet in the U.S. and Canada.

The BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi will come in three models, featuring 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage at $499, $599 and $699 respectively. It is scheduled to be available from all Best Buy stores and Best Buy Mobile stores in the US, as well as Best Buy and Future Shop* stores in Canada, on April 19. Customers in the US and Canada can place their orders beginning today by visiting their local Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile or Future Shop store or by ordering on-line (after 8am ET) at:

U.S. – www.bestbuy.com/playbook

Canada - www.bestbuy.ca/blackberry or www.futureshop.ca/blackberry

"Previews of the BlackBerry PlayBook have generated tremendous excitement and we know that customers are eager to get their hands on one," said Craig McLennan, Regional Managing Director, North America, Research In Motion. "We share that excitement and we are very pleased to announce that customers can begin placing their orders with Best Buy today."

"Tablets are becoming a bigger part of our business everyday and the launch of the BlackBerry PlayBook will heighten the level of excitement in this category," said Scott Anderson, head of merchandising for Best Buy Mobile. "RIM has a tremendous history of producing great mobility products for our customers and we are excited to help launch the BlackBerry PlayBook."

BlackBerry PlayBook is the world's first professional-grade tablet. It features an ultra-portable design and delivers industry leading performance, uncompromised web browsing with support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, true multitasking, HD multimedia, advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a robust development environment.

BlackBerry PlayBook specifications:

7" 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen
Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1" x 7.6" x 0.4" (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)
1 GHz dual-core processor
BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback
Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)
1080p HDMI output
Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)
1 GB RAM memory
Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)
GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)
Stereo speakers and stereo microphones
Wi-Fi® (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity
Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR support

Via Engadget