Research in Motion’s PlayBook is the latest entrant in the crowded tablet market. We have a comparision for you how the latest tablet fares in comparison of two of the premier Android tablets and Apple iPad.

RIM PlayBook:

Display/Weight: Seven-inch screen, weighs less than a pound

Technicals: Runs on a 1 GHz dual-core processor and the new BlackBerry Tablet operating system

Memory: 1 GB RAM

Network: Will initially need a BlackBerry smart phone to access a cellular network; no need for separate data plan.

Camera: Two cameras to support video-conferencing

Media: Supports Adobe Flash player

Price: Not announced but RIM said it would be in the lower range of prices.

On sale: in stores early 2011

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Seven-inch screen, weighs under a pound

Technicals: 1 GHz Hummingbird processor and Google’s Android 2.2 software

Memory: 16 Gb and 32 Gb models; has a memory card slot that can add another 32 Gb of storage

Network: Runs on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless

Camera: Two cameras to support video-conferencing

Media: Supports Adobe Flash player. Galaxy Tab users can stream, but not download, content from MediaHub service, which allows users to watch movies and TV shows from an online store similar to iTunes. Samsung has signed content deals with MTV Networks, NBC Universal and Paramount. It has access to the more than 100,000 applications on the Android Market.

Price: Not announced yet but mobile carriers will set different prices. The Galaxy Tab was selling for more than the iPad in Finland.

On sale: U.S. date yet to be announced; Samsung said it would be in stores in time for holidays.

Apple iPad

9.5-inch screen, weighs up to 1.6 pounds

Technicals: 1GHz Apple A4 processor with Mac OS

Memory: Comes in 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB models

Network: Exclusively compatible with AT&T

Camera: None

Media: iTunes store offers millions of songs, thousands of movies and TV shows available for download. Apple also has 250,000 mobile applications in its apps store, which dwarfs its competitor, the Android Market.

On sale: already in stores

Price: 16 GB version with 3G retails for $629, 32 GB retails for $729 and the 64 GB version is $829.

Dell Inc Streak

Five-inch screen, the smallest of its rivals

Technicals: uses a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and runs on Google’s Android system

Network: Can be used as a smartphone on AT&T only

Memory: 16 MB installed but memory cards allow more

Camera: Comes with two cameras

Price: $549.99, or $299.99 with a two-year contract from AT&T in the United States.

Media: Can browse websites to stream movies, music and TV shows as well as applications on the Android market

On sale: five-inch model in stores now but Dell has said it has a new tablet with a larger screen in the works.