While waiting for an official BlackBerry PlayBook release date we had found bits of info from both Office Depot and Staples, but not OfficeMax. Today the office supply retailer announced they as well will be carrying the BlackBerry PlayBook at launch. On April 19th they will have all 3 Wifi models including the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions.
"We are excited to expand our tablet computer selection by adding the much-anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook to the mix," said Ryan Vero, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer for OfficeMax. "The BlackBerry brand is synonymous with ingenuity and world-class innovation and the BlackBerry PlayBook is no exception. The new BlackBerry tablet is being lauded by critics for its ultra-portable design, enterprise friendly set-up, and uncompromised Web experience. We believe customers who are in the market for a tablet computer will be happy to know that they can test drive and buy a new BlackBerry PlayBook at any OfficeMax retail location."
While there is no word if they'll have any type of pre-order we'd like to think they wouldn't want to miss out on some early sales. The tablet isn't yet showing on their site and there is no landing page, so check back as it should pop up in the coming weeks. Keep reading for the full press release.
Read more on BlackBerry PlayBook pricing and availability
OfficeMax to Offer the New BlackBerry PlayBook In All U.S. Stores
-- New Tablet with Wi-Fi Available In Stores and Online on April 19, 2011 --
NAPERVILLE, Ill., March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- OfficeMax® Incorporated (NYSE: OMX), a leader in office supplies and services, today announced it will offer the new BlackBerry® PlayBook(TM) tablet in all of its 1,000 retail locations nationwide and through www.officemax.com. The new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will be available for purchase on April 19, 2011. The BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi® will be available in three models, costing $499 (16GB), $599 (32GB) and $699 (64GB).
"We are excited to expand our tablet computer selection by adding the much-anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook to the mix," said Ryan Vero, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer for OfficeMax. "The BlackBerry brand is synonymous with ingenuity and world-class innovation and the BlackBerry PlayBook is no exception. The new BlackBerry tablet is being lauded by critics for its ultra-portable design, enterprise friendly set-up, and uncompromised Web experience. We believe customers who are in the market for a tablet computer will be happy to know that they can test drive and buy a new BlackBerry PlayBook at any OfficeMax retail location."
Positioned as the world's first professional-grade tablet, BlackBerry PlayBook 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
For more information about the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, please visit www.blackberry.com/playbook.
