As expected, RIM is pushing out the BlackBerry PlayBook through many different retail stores, averaging at about 20,000 locations.  OfficeMax put out their press release today announcing that they will be carrying the BlackBerry PlayBook in all their U.S. stores.  Pricing of course stays the same – $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB.  Continue reading for the full press release from OfficeMax

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″ 1024×600 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.

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