BlackBerry PlayBook vs. iPad vs. Galaxy Tab vs. Streak: the tale of the tape
What a day -- yesterday, that is. Research in Motion finally announced its long-awaited BlackBerry tablet, the 7-inch PlayBook (thankfully not named the BlackPad). While there's still quite a few missing details, and nary an unit in site for us to try first-hand, we've still got a sampling of specs for this little guy to go tête-à-tête on the quantitative field of proverbial battle, at least as it can be seen so far (that early 2011 release date is still a ways off). Looks very promising so far, lined up against Apple's iPad, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, and the Dell Streak, but our known unknowns -- i.e. price, app support, and overall feel of using the QNX-built operating system -- are what will really make or break the slate. Until that time, enjoy our number-crunching below:
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Screen size | 7 inches | 9.7 inches | 7 inches | 5 inches |
Resolution | 1024 x 600 | 1024 x 768 | 1024 x 600 | 800 x 480 |
Pixel density (approx.) | 170 | 133 | 170 | 187 |
Platform | BB Tablet OS | iOS 3.2.2 (4.2 in November) | Android 2.2 | |
Adobe Flash support | 10.1 | Not Supported | 10.1 | Not supported |
Processor | 1GHz dual-core Cortex A9 | 1GHz Apple A4 (ARMv7) | 1GHz Cortex A8 | 1GHz Snapdragon |
Graphics | Unknown | PowerVR SGX 535 | PowerVR SGX 540 | Adreno 200 |
RAM | 1GB | 256MB | 512MB | 512MB |
Internal Storage | 16GB / 32GB (unconfirmed) | 16GB / 32GB / 64GB | 16GB / 32GB | 2GB |
Expansion | Unknown | None | microSD | microSD |
Connectivity | 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR | 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR | 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 | 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
Cellular data | 3G and 4G promised for future | 3G optional (GSM) | 3G (all carriers) | 3G (sold via AT&T) |
GPS | None | 3G models only | Yes | Yes |
Camera | 3MP front, | None | 1.3MP front, | VGA front, |
Weight | 0.9 lbs | 1.5 - 1.6 lbs | 0.84 lbs | 0.49 lbs |
