Apple didn't beat around the bush with its iPad 2 launch; the company announced a March 11 release date the same day it unveiled the next-generation iPad. And the tablet will be available with a variety of wireless connectivity options on March 11, including a Wi-Fi only version; an iPad 2 with both AT&T 3G support and Wi-Fi; and an iPad 2 with Verizon Wireless 3G and Wi-Fi.

That means Apple's iPad 2 has an advantage over the BlackBerry PlayBook in that it should be available a full month before RIM's tablet. However, the iPad 2 only supports 3G CDMA and GSM wireless frequencies, i.e., no 4G for the iPad 2. The lack of 4G support in the iPad 2 seems to suggest Apple will announce either an upgraded version of the iPad 2, or possibly an iPad 3, in the not so distant future.

So the iPad 2 could be a better option for organizations that don't want to wait until next month for a tablet deployment, even though the device only currently supports "last-generation" 3G cellular wireless. Companies for which cellular data-transfer speeds are a priority, or that don't want their tablets to feel outdated six months down the road, may want to skip the iPad 2 and opt for one of the 4G PlayBooks when they're released this summer.

While no official pricing has been announced for any of the known versions of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, rumor suggests the entry-level, 16GB, Wi-Fi only PlayBook will sell for the same price as he 16GB, Wi-Fi only iPad 2: $499.99. The 32GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2 goes for $599 and the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad sells for $699.