RIM has slashed the official prices for its BlackBerry PlayBook range, with the company keen to sell remaining inventory to avoid unsold devices hitting profit margins.

The company is now offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions of the QNX-based PlayBook for the same price of US$299.99, according to the company’s product website. Tech Radar reports that the 16GB version of the device is available for as little as US$199 from some retailers.

The original prices for the device were US$499 for the 16GB version, US$599 for the 32GB version and US$699 for the range-topping 64GB model. The lower prices will be available until 4 February. India’s Economic Times reports that the PlayBook sold out in the country following the price cut.

HP slashed the price of its webOS-powered TouchPad in August last year and instantly saw a surge in sales that prompted the company to ramp up an additional final production run.