Best Buy wants the BlackBerry PlayBook

Research In Motion dropped a grenade this week with the announcement of the BlackBerr PlayBook, a tablet device that boasts specs that would make an iPad hide in shame. The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Best Buy is in talks with RIM to sell their business tablet to the masses.

Since the PlayBook will not be paired up with cellular providers when it is released, it’s been a bit hazy how RIM will end up selling the device. Now that Best Buy has expressed interest in selling them in store, that gets one question out of the way.

Best Buy plans to open as many as 50 new Best Buy mobile stores by Thanksgiving, Mr. Dunn said, as the company moves to capitalize on a shift in consumer demand in favor of powerful portable devices.

Mr. Dunn said he expects strong holiday sales of the iPad tablet and that the category will be “interesting” even beyond that hit device.

Consumers generally remain price sensitive, and the holiday season will be “hard fought,” Mr. Dunn said. Best Buy plans to hire 29,000 seasonal workers this year, the same number as last year, he said.

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