Well, well -- what's this? We just got our hands on what looks like an internal
HP Slate presentation given to cool down some of the iPad hype amongst HP employees, and it just happens to have specs and pricing details on the elusive Windows 7 tablet. As we'd heard, the Slate will run $549 in its base configuration, which has a 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive multitouch display, a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor with UMA graphics and an accelerator for 1080p video playback (we're assuming it's a
Broadcom Crystal HD chip), 32GB of flash storage and 1GB of non-upgradeable RAM. There's also a $599 version with 64GB of storage, and both models will have a five-hour battery, an SDHC slot, two camera, a USB port, a SIM card slot for the optional 3G modem, and a dock connector for power, audio, and HDMI out. Of course, what this spec list doesn't cover is software, and we still haven't seen much of how HP plans to make Windows 7 on a full slate device with netbook-class internals perform as smoothly or as intuitively as its
demo videos. That's not a small challenge, especially since the iPad is out now and setting some pretty high expectations for how this new breed of tablets should work. We've got our fingers crossed -- show us something good, HP.
posted April 5th 2010 5:59PM
Come On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Battery...............................I need more..
I would love 8 hrs if possible and 1 more gig of ram, but it's still a day one purchase.
@Mofetti
Agreed...
Cant wait to see custom Linux OS, or possibly even an iPhone OS equivilant on the HP Slate.
Definitely getting it
@uHorndog yup and thats the great thing about the Window's tablet, you an install any OS of your choice later on.
it's better to had an ipad than any other tablet. :-)
Well, so much for Apple's iPad.. aka a waste and FAIL of a product!
TAKE THAT APPLE! HP has released the first iPad killer.. What you gonna do now Steve Jobs? sue them?? Oh lets see, maybe you have a patent for a touchscreen rectangular shaped device? LOL.. eat HP's dust Apple..
(btw, I am a proud iPhone owner, but the iPad is such a waste of a product, that I just had to put that out there..)
@deepen03
Given the processor and RAM on this device I am not sure how this product improves upon current Netbooks in any way? It was battery life on the lower end of the scale, RAM and Processor in the lower end of the spectrum....what about anti virus? Will you need to install and run one? update anti virus definitions and perform the scans and install windows updates....those are all pains that on the go devices should not have to deal with. Will it be instant on OS?
Why will anyone buy this over a netbook?
@jaffreywali
v. Netbook, form factor, period.
v. iPad... openness and versatility:
You can install Rainmeter or Moblin or Linux if you want a lightweight OS, epic battery life, and touch experience... or you can take advantage of that really cheap Win7 license (you're getting a full blown desktop OS with all its corresponding reps, warranties, updates, etc. practically for free considering the hardware costs) and run OneNote, MAME, Flash, and any broswer you like.
1) Disclaimer: I'll be buying an iPad
2) I can see big advantages for serious uses by using Windows 7, obviously.
3) If I'm going to run Windows 7, I'll do it on a Netbook thank-you-very-much. Windows 7 with no real keyboard and trackpad just gives me the horrors. I use keyboard shortcuts constantly in windows.
4) No mic and speakers? But two cameras? *facepalm*
@darwiniandude
*facepalm* it has both. You have to be over 70 to think otherwise.
And people were complaining about the HP Slate only having 1 GB of RAM when the iPad has only 256 MBs, although I agree that the HP Slate will have to have an optimized OS.
can we get like a bigger picture, maybe something i can click and it brings up something that's like 2500xwhatever.
Whatever, as long as it's bigger.
@provoko
If your'e on Windows, press Ctrl and + to increase the size of the webpage. If your'e on a mac, you're on your own. ;)
So what is the release date again?
Have we learnt nothing? The iPhone did well because all the other manufacturers were busy with the "tech race" trying to add 1000 features into a phone that nobody needed and neglected the basics, the UI. Phone manufacturers were so caught up in their own little race that they failed to realise what the market actually needed. The major reason the iphone was successful was that it had a UI that was easy for almost any idiot to use - I've seen 60 year olds using it that battled to find settings in a nokia. You have to remember that the iphone was successful when it didn't even have MMS, copy and paste and a lot of key features.
The major problem with the HP is the following:
1. Its a laptop replacement, the iPad was never designed to be a full laptop replacement. The way I see it, its a mobile device for most people who a) have a work laptop already or b) have a desktop at home and want something for mobile use. You can carry an ipad in your work laptop bag and play with it in your own hours but you can't do that with a personal laptop or netbook.
2. The app store. The major reason that Apple is doing so much better than Android is they have the App store. The ipad has the app store with books, apps, movies and music. HP will need to compete with that and with a company that has more than a billion app downloads, thats pretty damn hard.
3. The name. Like it or not, Apple is now a name that people buy because its synonymous with an easy to use device for everyone. While Windows are battling to force people to migrate to Windows 7, Apple are gaining market share through the extension of people's experiences with the iphone. As someone previously pointed out, Microsoft need to develop a cut down OS from the ground up, then they can compete.
4. Most people buying this device don't want or need a full device with a full operating system and a full version of office. Office is slow enough on a full desktop, could you imagine running office professional with outlook on a tablet? It'll run but it won't be nearly as quick. Most people here are tech heads, but the average joe isn't and the average joe is the one Apple are competing for.
5. The HP is a better device based on pure specs, but the reality here is most non-tech heads don't need a better device. The average joe out there doesn't have to hack their iphone because they don't need all the extra functionality offered by the hacks which in turn means they don't need what the HP offers. If they did, they'd be buying a netbook or a laptop.
The biggest failure in the market is people's failure to comprehend what people actually want vs what people actually need.
@MissionMan Haven't YOU learned anything? Anyone willing to drop $500+ on a tertiary computing device is computer competent. The US has the highest computer literacy rate in the world- higher even than high-tech countries like Japan or South Korea. Moreover the fiction of a low competency device you present is completely unsupported by the FACT that iPads are tethered to a PC, nevermind supported by a home wifi router, cloud computing, and all the related sophistication. The iPad isn't any easier for Grandma. As for your absurd points:
1. If this is true you've completely negated your entire competency argument already... the person using the device is already computer literate, duh.
2. Remember applications? You know those incredible full featured robust and often free programs we had before getting dumbed down truncated and hobbled things called "apps" reliant entirely on a lack of impulse control and inability to calculate costs. OPEN hardware can run anything... linux, Moblin, Rainmeter, Win7, Flash, any browser you like, any media player you like, any file format you like... with emulation on the side and backwards compatibility in your pocket. Moreover, the market dictates the cream rather than closed garden acceptance policies or paid-for iTunes reviews.
3. Hilarious... you do realize that HP (until just recently passed by Samsung) is the world's biggest tech company right? Talk about Apple blindness. Though as far as branding, I'm sure you're right as it's clearly got you under its spell with respect to ease of use and fashionability. What's the universal gesture for "Back"? For all it's controls, Apple's completely failed to standardize gestures... which means memorizing arcane and unintuitive gestures or excessive interface layers... ease of use my ass.
4. Again, "average joe" doesn't waste $500 on a tertiary computing device from Apple or anyone else. Maybe for an Apple fan with poor impulse control, $500 sounds like something you buy on a whim, but for 97% of Americans (according to NPD), that's when people do research and know what they're getting into. Hey, a koolaid drinker might not understand that, but most folks worry not about hype but value, features, and functionality.
5. Sad circular argument.
The biggest failures in Apple's marketing is compelling people to want rather than what people actually need... they thought they could pull it off with the Mac Air ("Com'on! It's so sexy, who cares about basic hardware features?!") but even then their spell couldn't sell the insanely expensive thing. Now it's priced competitively and is more than fine if you want a web browser, movie player, heavy reader, or luxury toy... but it's pretty much an infantilize computing experience which we're better than by far.
This vision of computing is suitable only for fat giggling toddlers doing not much else but consuming and titillating oneself that is a loathsome aspiration. By contrast, HP's inclusion of a full desktop OS and stylus support recommends competency, creativity, versatility, and productivity (with a strong undercurrent of self-reliance and hacking), whilst having all the same capabilities of the oversized PMP competition... perhaps lacking style and spoon-fed efficiency (you can still get to both with effort), but these qualities are more admirable as ethic than the lowest common denominator nonsense you keep touting as the iPad's strength.
@MissionMan
I agree with you on the iPhone part how it made things easy, however this is perfrect for those always wanting the a slim PC on the go (no matter the hardware). Yes a netbook is small and portable but for me I don't want to deal with the hassle of the tiny we little keyboard. On the fly I can edit documents, find some calculus 2 help, watch a movie, take a picture, chat on skype. For me it is perfect PC form factor, bigger than a phone, smaller than a laptop (which is what they were going for)
Lets be honest if they had an iPad with OSX I would have bought that.
and a keyboard isn't a problem when at home you can plug one into the usb port.
-Charlie
@PaladinX13
On point 1, its nothing to do with computer literacy, its to do with a power user vs an every day user. You're a power user, the average person isn't. You don't have to be a power user to spend $500 on a netbook, my mom bought one and she only uses it for email and web.
On point 2, a couple of issues. Firstly, Windows 7 on its own isn't bad. Add anti-virus and the rest of the crap and it slows down to half its speed. The problem is that firstly, its an OS designed for a fully functional machine, and secondly, the apps are designed for full functional machines. Remember how your machine slows to a crawl after adding 20 different windows programs? I'll put money on it that the iPad doesn't. Outlook with a 2GB pst on an atom? Go fetch a coffee.
On point 3, HP is well known in business but how many people do you know who buy them for personal use? I'm willing to bet 90% of buyers will be education institutes (who don't buy HP much) or individuals purchasing their own)
On point 4, you'd be surprised to hear that most people don't do much research. They buy a name or they buy without research. Kids walk into shops and buy $200 ipods without even doing feature comparisons with opposition products.
On your final comments, you obviously missed the point. Most people who buy netbooks buy them for the following, email, web and office documents. The iPad can handle all 3, but tell you what, lets wait and see, I'll diarise to come back here in 6 months time and we can see who has more market share, the ipad or the slate and I'll accept your apology then.
@dahui9
The iPad is not a laptop replacement and perhaps thats what you're missing. It was never designed to do that. I think people think this is a laptop replacement, but even a netbook will do a poor job of replacing a laptop if thats what you need.
@MissionMan If your mom spend $500 for just email and the web she's pretty dumb. Frankly, if you buy and iPad for those functions you are too given lighter, cheaper, internet connected PMPs that do exactly the same for half the price. Brand name can only excuse some of that gap, what you're left with is function... the very thing the "App store" touts.
The biggest "app store" is an open platform for maximum function. It boils down to you trying to excuse lack of functionality as a feature... but that would never bear out as you DIDN'T buy a cheaper PMP, you opted for the iPad FOR its function... the very thing that Slate provides more of in spades.
@PaladinX13
It has nothing to do with specs or features. Have you learnt nothing from the iphone? It has to do with delivering content and thats what apple does better! There have been how many iphone "killers" that have failed miserably since its release?
As for the $500 comment, the reality is people paid more than that for their iphones when there were higher spec alternatives out there. Again, apple delivered the content (apps, music etc) better than the opposition.
@MissionMan Hilarious, you've changed your tune from function to content delivery and market share all while ignoring the fact that iTunes runs on Windows, Windows has dominant desktop market share, and iPhone OS getting crushed in sales by market share (see: Gigaom "iPhone v. Others"; and hemorrhaging usage AdMob "Mobile OS traffic").
AppleHeads lose sight of this because they can only count one device line on one hand, whereas all the other OSes have multiple hardware implementations.
A phone != a tablet... that's Jobs' own position from his keynote. If your expectations- including limitations- are the same, then that's plain foolish. And again, on content delivery, iTunes runs on Win7 just fine- not to mention Amazon, Hulu, Firefox, Chrome, etc.
@PaladinX13 I never changed my tune about function. I said its not about function.
As I said to the other hater, wait 6 months and then comment. I'll make a note to come back and comment so you receive the email notification.
Have any of you actually looked at the benchmarks for the 1.6 atom menlow? Its actually slower than a 1ghz p3. The iPad's A4 is based around the Cortex A9 just like the Nvidia Tegra and absolutely kills the atom performance wise. I currently still use an HP TC1100, it looks almost identical, has 2 gigs of ram, a 1.2 centrino, 160gig hard drive, 802.11g, bluetooth, an sd slot, pc card slot, 2 usb, vga out, and ethernet....oh and its 6 years old. How in the hell did HP manage to take 6 years to come out with a successor and make it worse? Yet folks here are calling it an iPad killer??
@grapeape You do realize that PC hardware iterates MUCH faster than Apple hardware, right? Once form factor is locked down it becomes entirely about price. Price controls everything else. That means you do what you can when entering a new market, but once established, with steady enough volume and predictability to gain further pricing advantages, THEN you start to iterate your hardware like crazy. More RAM, more ROM, faster processor, more megapixels, different screen tech, etc.
Compare how many variations HP released of their netbook alone (nevermind all their other product lines) versus how many versions of the iPhone Apple's released in twice as many years.
This is why MOST consumers are sensitive to early implementation, but Apple gets around it with marketing magic and intentionally slowing feature creep. PCs, however, do whatever the market will bear which is why they've consistently had better hardware at better prices across the board. When you consider you're getting a full Win7 license with superior hardware at- realistically- a lower price than the iPad (because man are you going to pay for apps)... it's an insane value (again, for the form factor, not compared to a netbook which is a different category) by comparison which is only going to get cheaper and faster more aggressively than Apple ever will.
@grapeape
Links to benchmarks plz.
@grapeape you realize that you're getting more full featured hardware, a full Windows 7 license, and a digitizer for that price right? Once the form factor is locked, it's all about price. Even if the processor is arguably slow, the price is right. And PC hardware iterates far faster than Apple. Look at how many iterations HP has done on JUST its netbook in half the time Apple's had its iPhone!
You don't have to be first to implement, but- of course- the first in a new category is going to have compromises. HP compromised on the processor whereas Apple compromised on the OS. The only difference is that HP can and will iterate, rapidly and quickly in that area- offering more RAM, faster processors, more megapixels, different screen technologies, etc... whereas Apple will, mostly, be stuck for quite a while.
@PaladinX13
I've made this point earlier. Point is Microsoft hasn't learned their lesson and so is HP for backing Microsoft with the Slate.
Windows CE, Windows XP Tablet Edition, Windows Vista and Window 7 all share a common pit fall. There were designed for a desktop, laptop and netbooks.
I agree that Windows 7 will offer you a great expandability that the iPhone OS will not. You are not limited by the close platform rules Apple is applying.
However at the same time, you are also opening your HP slate to virus, ad/spyware, and everything else in between. You protect yourself by installing a anti-virus/ad/spyware.
Next thing you know you have a machine that not only takes 3 minutes to boot, next time you want to clean up your slate PC let me know when you're done. Since It will take me mere fraction to do the same on an iPad. Last I remember my Quad-Core PC take around 10-15min just to intall Windows 7. Add all the programs to that. You're slate will be out of commission for at least 4 hours give or take?
Specs argument is also irrelevant, when the software running on the system was designed to run well on that hardware. Intel Atom vs Apple A4, it doesn't take a PhD to tell me this is how Apple is getting away with smaller battery yet a longer battery life.
We already know Apple will eventually add missing features to the iPad 2nd, and 3rd Gen and so forth. Maybe then I will buy one.
"Look at how many iterations HP has done on JUST its netbook in half the time Apple's had its iPhone!"
-- So you would take quantity over quality? Just because a company release a lot of iterations, doesn't mean they are all good.
My question is... since its a WIN7 platform am I able to install any windows based applications? I want the freedom to install applications that will suit my needs instead having to buy applications. I do own an iPhone and I love it, but jailbroke it to make it do more of what I wanted.
WIN7 doesnt need much to run either. I have a 10yr old desktop that has only 1.5ghz processor and 512megs of RAM and it runs fairly smooth.(much smoother then XP) The biggest thing for me is that if I can install windows based applications (simplfy media, VLC etc) then I am sold for the slate. Not an apple hater as I would not give my iPhone, but it appears that the slate will give me much more for my money for a tablet PC. Like everyone else...we'll see what HP releases in the upcoming months. Peace :)
Odd, the HP has a smaller screen, a larger battery... yet half the battery life??
@dicklacara
x86 is a poor choice for portable devices, case and point.
Did I miss something in the specs? WiFi or not?
I am starting an official motion to stop referring to the iPad/iPod/iPhone as "computers." The OS and hardware is locked down and crippled (no Flash = crippled). All software needs to be cleared by the parent company (who takes a cut of the money). This is also mostly true for overpriced peripherals, which are using proprietary interfaces. So, we should start calling these Apple products "consoles." Yes, consoles. Like PS3, XBox, Nintendo. They're all playing by the same rules and I don't like those rules.
OK, so now that we know the iPad is a console, not a computer, I can't wait to get my hands on the HP Slate c-o-m-p-u-t-e-r! You know, installing programs I already own. Using the USB keyboard I already own. This is why the HP Slate is appealing to me and Apple's consoles are not.
Oh, and 5-hours battery life for a full OS is A-OK with me too.
@publicimage
Consoles have a significantly more locked down model than the iPhone OS.
Plus this thing has a Z530. Good luck installing "any program you want" or using "any peripheral you want". It'll be fun, at least in between complete lagouts and BSODs from GMA500 crashes.
That ten seconds you had playing Diablo II with a regular keyboard was fun, huh? Go sort of openness, a little!
Shaping up to be another JooJoo.
I can't believe there are people still waiting on this thing. Now that the specs have been announced, it's just a Viliv X70EX. If you really want this thing, be aware you can get a X70EX with better specs for cheaper, right now.
You guys just solidify yourselves as nothing but haters when you make comments like this.
Oooh, another underpowered Z5XX + GMA500 tablet! That's WAYYY better than the iPad.
Just because you have used an Atom netbook doesn't give you a shred of experience or evidence regarding the experience of an Atom Z5XX + GMA500 device. It's a whole different ballgame.
This thing is going to bomb, hard. The upside is that it might finally push Intel to write a proper GMA500 driver! If that happens then all is forgiven. As of right now, your average consumer is going to be pissed at the level of performance this thing can deliver.
Plus, I've never seen a device where the pack in player (a necessity for a computer that relies on hardware acceleration for HD video playback) works well out of the box. If HP does it, I will be impressed. If not, your average consumer isn't going to like the fact that they have to configure MPC-HC or KMP just to playback video without it stuttering constantly.
This is still a great option for light web browsing, and video playback, preferably local. The iPad still dominates it in every other category, except for raw specs, and even that is debatable.
For the record those categories are productivity & gaming. 99% of games crash hard on the GMA500, and the Office suite runs painfully slow.
1.6 x faster and only half the battery life. Hmnnn...
Several big problems that will make the slate tank and unusable:
1/ The super lame Intel UMA graphics will struggle to fill the screen, chug-city here we come. On the other hand, the footage of the ipad games already show it has a lot more horse power. HP Slate dead in the water before it is out.
2/ HP should have paired the atom with ion to stand a chance, right now it's a keyboardless netbook unable to run win apps decently (apps which are designed for a full fat pc). This is not really a problem with the ipad, since their apps are designed specifically to run well on it.
3/ Yeah, good luck with running full screen flash with the atom and intel graphics.
With the atom and intel graphics the user experience will suck big time especially when compared to the Ipad. Suspect the Windows Mobile 7 devices will beat the Slate.
Will HP be able to negotiate the sweet 3G deals that Apple has with AT&T?
I hope so. I suspect not.
I could care less about a Windows 7 Slate... BUT... I would buy a Palm WebOS HP Slate tomorrow if it was available!
Eric