Gossip about the BlackBerry PlayBook’s release date has been rife in recent weeks, with RIM’s top execs all pointing to a release in the first quarter of next year.

And while that date hasn’t changed, some new deets have come to light after a RIM earnings call. The BlackBerry maker said it, “...expects the first revenue impact from PlayBook will be in RIM's first quarter.”

Now, RIM’s first financial quarter actually begins in March when, of course, the first calendar quarter ends. So it’s a good bet we’ll be seeing the sleek iPad rival head to shelves, in the States at least, by then.

By then, the iPad 2 will be official and slapped with its own release date. So expect RIM to go hard in promoting its slate when it does finally head into the wild.

Via Engadget