BlackBerry Playbook priced below $500

PlayBook -RIM

Research in Motion has been in a bitter battle with rivals, especially Apple, over market share in the mobile phone market. The investors don't seem too distraught, though as RIM's share price has risen by 5.8% this week alone.

The Canadian company has just released a working demo of its iPad rival -- the BlackBerry Playbook -- on Tuesday. Apple's Steve Jobs meanwhile has dismissed the product as 'too small', as if carrying an iPad in your jeans pocket is possible.

The good news for those wishing to purchase a professional tablet from RIM is the PlayBook will debut for under $500, undercutting Apple's strategy.

“The product will be very competitively priced,” co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in Seoul Wednesday.

RIM's CEO says the tablet PC market dominated by Apple right now will change when the PlayBook makes its debut. He went on to say that consumers are “tired” of Apple's controlling strategy -- pointing out the fact iPads are very locked systems.