RIM to increase BlackBerry PlayBook production, 4G models coming in Q2 2011

So far, reviews of the BlackBerry PlayBook have been far from flattering to the average user – the hardware is polished and refined, but the other equally important component which is the software, still has a long, long way to go before people would actually want to queue up for such a tablet. Still, Research In Motion (RIM) is not going to let all the negative early reviews dampen their spirits, as they managed to sell 50,000 units of the PlayBook on the opening day (far from the iPad 2’s 300,000 units sold at worst according to the Economic Times).

RIM has just announced that they will be rolling out 4G models later this June, with both LTE and WiMAX models coming your way, alongside HSPA+. Not only that, the Canadian outfit intends to ramp up production of PlayBook tablets to hit anywhere from 1.2 to 1.5 million units by the time the second quarter of the year is over. Will all of that effort and optimism pay off? We won’t really know, but we do hope that the software side of things for the PlayBook starts to look up.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Tablets
Tags: blackberry playbook, playbook, research in motion, RIM