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Good move from Blackberry, I think.
It's a 7-incher, so avoids direct comparison with iPad, and it doesn't use Android, so avoids direct comparison with Samsung Galaxy Tab etc… It tethers to your existing Blackberry if you want on-the-go access (with presumably all the benefits that Blackberry users will be used to e.g. super-secure email etc…) whilst simultaneously quietening-down the 'but I don't want a separate data-plan…' crowd. Or (presumably) it could be bought as WiFi-only for folks who just want it for home or office use.
RIM have show (at least here in the UK) that they can be price-competitive, and with a compelling feature set (e.g. BIM) very successful outside of the corporate marketplace - Blackberry Curve is hugely popular amongst teenagers in the UK right now.
Personally I don't think the 'Playbook' name sits very well for the corporate markets (but then I don't really 'get' "Kindle" as a product name either <shrug>) though as mentioned above, the sporting metaphor makes some sense, at least in the US, and if RIM have their sights set outside the corporate zone elsewhere in the world then it's a pretty decent name - better than the rumoured 'BlackPad', that's for sure!
I find it a little strange that they're announcing all the specs so far in advance of it actually shipping (my money's on availability at the end of Q1 2010 i.e. March) but presumably that's in order to get developers on board - I'm assuming that there'll be some kind of App Store or Marketplace for third-party Apps??
So, pretty good for existing Blackberry users, and if they price it right it should also appeal to individuals; but March is a long time away - I'd expect the iPad 2 to be announced around about the same time this is actually shipping.
We'll see.
Pete.
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