Apple rivals gear up to share success of iPad

IT may be just nine months since iPad was unleashed on the world amid huge fanfare, but already Apple’s revolutionary product is facing stiff competition from its rivals.

Samsung, Motorola and Toshiba are all unveiling their versions of the tablet computer and now, with the unveiling of the somewhat childishly named Playbook, BlackBerry is adding fuel to the already fiery competition between itself and Apple.

In advance of this week’s launch at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, experts were giving the Playbook the edge on portability, its camera specification, and processing capabilities.