PlayBooks see UK launch, Chromebooks to follow

Enterprises will have new gadgets to support in coming weeks

BlackBerry manufacturer RIM's first tablet offering, the PlayBook, goes on sale in the UK today. The device is expected to be a strong competitor to Apple's popular iPad 2, particularly in the enterprise space.

It is on sale in Selfridges exclusively today and will be available from other UK retailers tomorrow.

Computing took a First Look at the 7-inch tablet earlier this year. It has a dual-core 1GB processor, runs on the QNX operating system, and 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions of the device are available. The tablet has a micro-HDMI output as well as micro-USB connectivity, and it supports Flash.

However, there have been issues with Adobe Flash Player performance on the device.

Meanwhile, Google's new Chromebooks went on sale in the US today. It will be available in the UK in the coming weeks.

Pre-orders on Amazon for the Samsung Series 5, which run on Google's new Chrome OS, are priced at £349 for the Wi-Fi version and £399 for the 3G version.

The Wi-Fi version of Samsung's Chromebook will begin shipping on 1 July, whereas the 3G version will wait until 1 August. Acer's Cromia Chromebook is currently only available for pre-order in the US, priced at $379 (£231).