Gizmo Ground

RIM on Wednesday confirmed that it would have a 4G-aware version of the BlackBerry PlayBook through Sprint. A version of the seven-inch tablet will ship with built-in WiMAX to improve the download speeds of the dual-core tablet. The upgraded slate wouldn't ship until the summer, however.



The delay is a potential hit to RIM's competitiveness in the tablet space. Most of its competitors, including Apple's iPad, and Android tablets like the Motorola Xoom, already have 3G built-in to at least some models. Despite the lower price of Wi-Fi only versions, 3G tablets have often been the most popular with a mix for iPads rumored to be as high as two thirds in favor of the 3G edition.


In its current form, the PlayBook is partly dependent on a BlackBerry, both to get a cellular Internet connection and to have complete access to contacts and e-mail.