HP Slate Is Official (Really!) and Priced at $800 (Really?)
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CREDIT: HP |
After a long saga of being in development and then canceled, then back in development and canceled again, etc., the Hewlett-Packard Slate has finally become official and is priced at $800.
The HP Slate is a tablet that runs Windows 7, which is a cumbersome interface for touchscreens . It also doesn't have hardware that would seem worth $800 at first: 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 processor, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 8.9-inch capacitive touchscreen, front-facing webcam and rear-facing 3 megapixel camera. It does come with a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator built-in, which will help with media consumption, especially 1080p high definition video.
There are a few physical attributes that also make the HP Slate an unusual entry in the tablet market. Because the device runs Windows 7, it has a dedicated CTRL+ALT+DELETE key on the edge, along with a slide out panel which has no other use than to give Windows licensing information. But it's relatively light (1.5 lbs.) and has an acceptable 1024 x 600 pixel resolution in the display.
However, the price may still be the most difficult thing for people to understand. It's only slightly cheaper than the most expensive Apple iPad, and yet it lacks the 3G connectivity and fully stocked app store of the iPad. The price does include a stylus, dock and cover, though.
HP has smartly decided to market the Slate to businesses as it's clear the price may be too much for the average consumer. HP will help businesses get the appropriate software on the tablet, which will be able to integrate with many corporate systems because it runs Windows.
