HP to undercut iPad price, iPad to undercut Amazon e-books prices, Courier to rule them all?
By Thomas Ricker 
posted February 18th 2010 2:05AM
posted February 18th 2010 2:05AM
Today's Apple rumor roundup is brought to you by the word "money." First up is a piece carried by the New York Times citing no less than three people familiar with provisions that would require publishers to discount best seller e-book prices sold on Apple's iPad. In other words, below the $12.99 to $14.99 price dictated by the new agency model -- prices Amazon is being strong-armed into accepting. Apple's prices could be as low as Amazon's previously magical $9.99 price point for some titles just as soon as they hit the New York Times best-seller lists. Discounted hardcover editions could be priced at $12.99 even if they do not hit the best-seller list.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, has a pair of sources saying that HP will be meeting with its US and Taiwanese partners to "tweak prices and features" on its upcoming Slate. The move is meant to capitalize on a recent uptick in tablet interest with hopes of undercutting the $629 price of the similarly spec'd 3G-enabled iPad. Although it was introduced before the iPad, HP deliberatly held back on announcing a ship date or pricing so that it could tweak the Slate accordingly.
Also noteworthy is renewed attention given to Microsoft's Courier. The WSJ says that Microsoft continues work on its two-screen Courier tablet at its Alchemy Ventures incubation laboratory in Seattle. However, it's still unclear whether Microsoft will launch the device.
If the Courier utilizes a version of Microsoft's 'Metro' it's a serious WIN!
@DaHarder
If they put a 7 on it, it would be the best thing ever. Guaranteed.
@Jacinth
For device such as the Courier, it might be wise to use a powerful/streamlined, yet flexible, mobile operating system, and with Microsoft's WinPho 7s/Metro fresh out of the oven, it could make for a rather 'tasty' combination.
@DaHarder Metro on Courier ? That's some intense gadget porn right there.
@bluemajik
Isn't It!
I feel all dirty (in a good way) just thinking about the possibilities.
@DaHarder
PC-like functionality (multitasking, flash etc. without overstepping its boundaries) combined with "Metro" and including elements of the videos we have seen of the Courier, is the iPad we all want
@Howell
I would be happy if they released a version as close as possible to the one in the videos. An interactive notebook nothing more, nothing less. This would also help to keep the price down.
@Fero agreed.
@DaHarder
Prototype examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmIgNfp-MdI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFQWc79TYcU
Looks awesome! MS are really getting back!
@Almo
Aesthetically, it sure looks to be a part of the Metro/WinPho7s family (unsurprisingly).
Additionally: Wow! Every time I see that video, I get all happy inside.
@DaHarder
How many Ap...er... "Experience Stations" does it have
LMFAO
@DaHarder I find hard to believe The Courier exist more than the demo video.
@Ridgecity
That's what many said about Apple's 'New Creation' and BAM! There It Was.
Question: Why is it that Apple can effectively conceal such a thing, and Microsoft not?
It's obvious that the Microsoft team is fully capable of keeping pretty big secrets these days, especially given that Windows Phone 7 Series seemed to take every major media circle/industry insider by complete surprise.
We'll See Soon Enough...
@Jacinth Haha, definitely yes! Competition is good on the end of the users.. Hopefully, it'll still be the case for the ebook wars.. Opinions: http://bit.ly/apple-ipad-under-scrutiny
@Wesscoast asked, "How many Ap...er... "Experience Stations" does it have"
I'd venture that it'll have at least enough to provide the end-user a most complete media experience that will (at least) include FM/HD? radio reception, an 'all-you-can download' music download subscription service for only US 15.00 that includes the users permanently owning 10 tracks per month, as well as much wider codec support than its Cupertino competition.
So you say you like Apple? Tell Me How You Like 'Them' Apples? LOL!
@DaHarder
I wouldn't exactly say "Bam, there it was". More like, there it wasn't. Almost none of the features that people were interested in made it into the mythical iPad. It's called a pad, and they didn't even demo the ability to write on the thing. Can it do that?
*** Droid doe--. ****
Oh, shut up, Droid. Go lose your keyboard and Gold Michael Keaton trim and then get back with me.
@steel asked, "It's called a pad, and they didn't even demo the ability to write on the thing. Can it do that?"
Well... No, No It Can't (at least not at this stage), though I'm sure that's just Apple's way of 'providing the very best user experience', as they don't feel you (the user) need handwriting ability/recognition until they feel see fit to provide said feature. (You know like they did with color displays, video playback, and FM radio - LOL!)
Sadly, the Apple-blind will accept this glaring absence (common on every Windows-based slate/tablet/convertible PC ever made) based solely on the aforementioned ridiculous declaration.
Oh Well... They'll add it in a couple of years, and proclaim it the most 'Magical' feature ever. :-p
@DaHarder
Because this thing only exist in the minds of wishful thinkers. And why is HP's iSlate running MS software? I guess we'll see come March.
@DaHarder
You MSFT fan boys are too out of control. Seriously?
@Almo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=049_U-0C9qU&feature=related microsot tablet prototype "codex"
courier in labs
@DaHarder I think the answer to your question is this: Microsoft wasn't trying to conceal the Courier project. Quite the opposite. They released the concept video on purpose, to try and steal some of Apple's thunder just before they introduced the iPad.
This is a well known tactic from MS when they are caught flatfooted (again and again) and don't have any real products to match Apples.
It is also known as vaporware.
HP Bastards! I will never buy your computer Garbage again after my TX 1000 died and you refused to repair it. You are GAWRBAGE!
@latin trident
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=define%3A+garbage
Hmmm, apparently google disagrees with you
@glenskey
hahaha....
@glenskey that was pretty cool. you cyber slapped him in the face.
@Rick how is it that i have never heard of a 'cyber slap' before? anyway, thanks for the term
:)
@glenskey Haha, although ironically, the fourth bullet point is pretty close to what hes saying..
You still cyber slapped him good though :P
@latin trident
Despite the fact that I don't like you being so obnoxious, I will agree with you that HP pretty much messed up their slate line abandoning the wining TC1000/TC1100 format and jumping on the convertible bandwagon. The fact that a product a decade ahead of its time is not an excuse to abandon. Some of have recognized its value, and have been apreciating it since launch. Now iApple has stolen HP's thunder making them look like a looser.
HP can undercut Apple, but Apple already announced they are going to be flexible on price if they cant move the units. It sounds like no matter if you wanted the Slate or the iPad, HPs entrance and late announcement are good for you.
@juanvaldez.more to the point. when is the HP Slate releasing. cause the ipad will have both versions out in the next 60 days or so. i find not even a month for the Slate at this point, just 'later this year'.
so by the time the Slate makes an appearance it could be too late, regardless of the price of the ipad. because folks could see the ipad, touch it, play with it, buy it
@Charlik
Maybe, but most consumers don't see US 500.00 to 829.00 gadgets as impulse buys, so they actually do a bit of research.
As it stands, they don't need to {click} on very many Google search links to discover that even the experts are approaching the iPad with a degree of trepidation as it appears pretty feature-deficient/half-baked at this point.
We'll See Soon Enough...
@DaHarder So which one do you think most people will prefer when it comes down to a buying decision, the iPad or the HP Slate?
@Garion I find this comment funny coming a almost month after the article, but I'll respond anyway. Most people will prefer buying the slate when it comes to a buying decision. What I mean by that is, people who shop around will prefer the slate, everyone else will only know and see the iPad and buy. I do find the app store both a compelling and disgusting case though.
Are there that many people eager to read a book on an iPad? Personally I wouldn't like to read more than a few articles off my monitor, let alone a novel.
@Dew
These days, lots of people spend all day reading text from a monitor.
@Stanley
and we'll all be blind withing the next 25 years!
@Dew How do read engadget?
@Stanley You didn't even address his point. "Are there that many people eager to read a book on an iPad?" Just because people read text on an LCD doesn't mean anything, he said "eager" the answer from John Q Public is "no". They aren't, though JQP isn't eager to read either, but we don't have many text alternatives. Books, we have E-Ink and paper. We read text on monitor because that's what employers force us into and the way we access information on a daily basis through the internet. For books, there are better alternatives at cheaper or comparable prices, including not even buying an iPad and sticking with your current monitor.
@Dew
I like having books on my HD2 (the latest Sense upgrade includes an eBook reader tab which links to Borders. It good because whenever you have two minutes spare to read, you have your phone with you - very handy. I could never be bothered carrying a physical novel around.
That said, I wouldn't spend $10 (£7) on an electronic book. I can buy the latest popular paperback novels in the supermarket two for £7 so why would I pay £7 for one ebook? There is no material costs and the file sizes are tiny. Just seems like a rip-off to me. Its like mp3s - digital albums are usually cheaper since there is a saving on packaging and physical distribution etc.
@Stanley
Reading a computer screen "for work" is a very different experience. Even when I'm using the computer for leisure, I am usually multitasking and doing a variety of things during one sitting.
Recently, I haven't been able to surf the web at large during work time, so I've been reading books on PDF during down time (lunch, breaks). It's a very different experience when you're focused on one thing for an extended period of time. It's not that comfortable at all.
@Dew
I think that you have to bare in mind that the iPad is not just an eBook Reader and that this changes the answer. If all the iPad did was present eBooks on its LED display then, no, I would not be very interested in the product. What makes it work for me is that it does a lot of other things, such as browsing the World Wide Web. That feature alone when combined with the hardware makes this device very desirable to me since it will make browsing the web both more comfortable and convenient.
@Kelmon
...except you don't really browse the world wide web on the thing. You use 80s style "apps" to use websites that you would otherwise view in a generic browser on a regular Mac.
A largish media player with a browser that's not really that useful? Some of us already have such one of those. Except mine has a whole lot more room for video.
Where Apple leads, HP follows, poorly.
@Stanley
Really? I'm pretty sure that I bought my Hp/Compaq TC1000 back in February of 2003, and it had USB, a media card reader, and several other 'features' not present on Apple's (as yet unreleased) 'New Creation'.
http://www.thevooner.com/feature/2003/01/09/tc1000/tc1000.htm
So who followed whom?
@Stanley You are so right. I can't wait for HP to offer Bluray... man, Apple has had it since... oh wait.
@Stanley you people actually believe that Apple invented absolutely everything don't you?
@Stanley Actually, with all of the backlash iPad got I think it was very very wise from HP to wait for it and see what happens...
They can build on the top of all criticism of the iPad like: lack of multitasking, lack of camera, flash support(well duh!) and other things. They get to read all of those analysis and bashing and build on top of that.
Dunno if they did this on purpose or not but it was a very lucky move since could have been that the iPad could well be worth something instead of just an iPod on steroids.
@DaHarder
"So who followed whom?"
let's see...
The iPad is a multitouch device, that is stylus driven.
Also, Apple has patent applications going back a few years that forecast the release of an iPad device. It isn't like they suddenly decided one night to make a tablet and then slapped one together in a half-hour.
The HP slate was a slap-dash attempt to beat Apple to the multitouch tablet market. The CES keynote message was loud and clear:
"See? We have multitouch tablets and we're announcing them BEFORE a certain company that shall not be mentioned here! What's that? you want to see what features it has? Ok, Let me show it jerkily flip through some pages... See? That's pretty much something exactly what App- I mean that other company would do... well... kinda... HEY, Get your credit cards ready for this folks!"
The reason why they need to take time is because the slate is not done. What was shown, was barely a prototype. Apple already announced their specs and price. WHY hasn't HP?
If they want to undercut and are capable of doing so, it won't be that hard to put the word out. Apple put their cards on the table already and yelled CALL.
@Liquidmark
wait... the slate isnt finished?
have you actually seen the ipad, the thing is a piece of crap.
has barely any of the functionality of the slate or other tablet PC's
youre also gonna have a lot of eye problems reading long novels off of the ipads screen, its why e-ink screens are so popular, because people like their eyes, theyre useful, you should like them too, you can gawp at steve jobs' 'brand new and never done before' product
Oh, and MS courier with winpho7s would be amazing, cant wait to see what it has on it :D
@Stanley
"The HP slate was a slap-dash attempt to beat Apple to the multitouch tablet market. The CES keynote message was loud and clear:"
The same idiotic "Apple invented everything, and everyone else is copying Apple and doing a poor job" meme. As the years go by, the sadder it becomes.
#1 The iPad is a thin slate running the iPhone OS. What exactly did they do that was so out of this world?
It is a "duh" device. Take an existing OS developed for a phone and then just tack it onto a device with a larger screen.....poorly as the homescreen illustrates. Give it a hook of being able to read books, and call it a day.
Most of the people who aren't just gushing at the chance to buy an Apple device, cant really give you a honest reason as to what this is supposed to be the primary motivation of buying one.
""See? We have multitouch tablets and we're announcing them BEFORE a certain company that shall not be mentioned here! What's that? you want to see what features it has? Ok, Let me show it jerkily flip through some pages... See? That's pretty much something exactly what App- I mean that other company would do... well... kinda... HEY, Get your credit cards ready for this folks!""
There have been slates and tablets...some with multi-touch long before Apple said (dare I say?) "me too". but of course they were ALL just reacting to a device that existed as a rumor for years, right?
"The reason why they need to take time is because the slate is not done. What was shown, was barely a prototype. Apple already announced their specs and price. WHY hasn't HP?"
Apple announced a device that is missing a list full of stuff people were expecting. It's obvious that those thing will be dumped in in later releases. So in essence it an "unfinished product" in the worst way. Congrats for them for announcing some specs and a price for a device that really should have been refined much more before they announced it.
Seriously though. It almost seem like Apple just kept hearing so many chants for a tablet device, they just thought to quickly get one out, with the least amount of effort, because they were sure it would make a splash, guaranteed. And the "iPad" kind a screams that.