Will RIM's PlayBook Be Delayed Until March?

Earlier this year, RIM got some good attention when it announced its upcoming PlayBook tablet computer, but despite the high hopes the company has for the device, it's looking like the PlayBook won't be available for sale until the end of the first quarter. Originally, RIM planned to launch the PlayBook tablet in the U.S. in the first calendar quarter of 2011.

According to comments from executives during RIM's earnings call earlier this week, the company doesn't expect to record revenue from the tablet until the first quarter of the company's fiscal year, which starts in March. Officially, no date has been announced for the launch of the PlayBook.

RIM is still getting a lot of interest in the PlayBook from its customers, according to RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie. Balsillie believes the PlayBook will have an edge over other tablets on the market because it will easily run existing Web apps.

The first PlayBook that will hit the market is expected to have Wi-Fi connectivity but no built-in cellular connection. Future versions of the tablet are likely to offer mobile broadband connections.