We've only ever seen the
HP Slate in
extremely controlled demonstrations and
cheesy videos until now, but it looks like the Windows 7 tablet just spent a little bit of time in the wild --
Conecti.ca's posted up a full hands-on and mini-review. Their conclusion? "The official verdict is meh." Yeah, ouch. Apparently the Slate's biggest strength is also its greatest weakness -- it's essentially a touchscreen netbook, and that means that while it can run everything including Flash, it can be "slow and annoying." Unfortunately there's not a lot of info on how well HP's TouchSmart Windows 7 skin works, so we'll wait till we play with one before we make a decision, but man -- we definitely weren't expecting this thing to look so chunky in the photos. No wonder
the press pics and other demos are so carefully arranged -- it really does look like a chopped up netbook. At least the HDMI dock is somewhat sexy, we suppose. Couple more pics after the break.
[Thanks, WikiWarrior]
posted April 19th 2010 3:14PM
I bet you that if you use flashfire and strip out the HP software you don't need (the same with any netbook or laptop), it will be quite speedy and sufficient. I can't say I've ever been happy with a laptop right out of the box, until I get rid of the crapware on it.
The reason this is going to fail is because it is just a Windows 7 netbook in tablet form. I suspect this is the mistake many PC manufacturers are going to make.
Why do I want another Windows 7 machine when I already have two? The touch screen is the only thing that is different. I was going to wait for the Slate, but after reading the specs, I realized I already OWNED a slate...I just didn't have a touch screen...and what makes a touch screen worth spending $525 more for something with the functionality I already own and for the exact same experience?
That is the reason I changed my mind and decided to buy an iPad. My iPad is a nice escape from my laptop and the apps often provide a nicer experience in the way I read RSS feeds, or watch video or read news or books. Sure, I'm still reading news and such but it FEELS different.
What Apple did with the iPad did was give the consumer an entirely different experience in Tablet form. Not only is it a touch screen, it's not an O/S you can get in a netbook or a laptop or a desktop. It's a fun device that you can run simple apps on, play games with and doesn't feel redundant. When you pick it up, it doesn't feel like using a laptop....and while it's similar to an iPod touch, the size of the screen makes it much more useful. It's almost a "Console Like" experience to be honest.
No, I'm not an Apple fanboy (I build my own computers), but I can definitely see their strategy with the iPad. I think this is the same strategy other companies need to use to sell Tablets. Think outside the box and stop thinking that consumers want the same ol' thing in tablet form.
With that said, if anyone has a chance at succeeding with a tablet, it will be Google with their Android platform...because again, you cannot get an Android Netbook or Laptop or Desktop and it will fall into a similar business model as the iPad. In fact, if Google succeeds, I might even sell my iPad for a Google Pad.
@Hanover
So you, in all seriousness, spent your $500+ on a better "feeling" device? Our devices are not human beings, as much as old Steve would make you believe. For power users, this form factor with full OS software is incredible! Granted the Slate is not an "easy-to-use", "fun-living" device, but it wasn't made entirely for people who enjoy tap-games or drm-crippled software/hardware, it was made for network admins, Linux gurus, businessmen (with Powerpoint, Word, Windows Journal, Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Skype, list goes on). The HP Slate is going to be quite successful over prior Windows tablets in these areas. I, once again, reiterate that this tablet has a digitizer/stylus, putting it in a category of its own not the iPad's, making it a sandbox powerhouse, rather than a toy.
@Hanover
And the iPad is just a big iPod Touch in Tablet form... whats your point? Netbooks ARE popular. The iPod Touch IS popular. Why would you want another iPod Touch when you already have one or an iPhone? Where do you get this "entirely different experience" from?
@furquanatique
Exactly. I'm a developer and I don't need another work machine.
I'm glad the Slate will be useful to professionals and doctors, etc. Awesome! Thats just not what I want in a tablet. I want something FUN to go along with the fun form factor.
I already have plenty of PC's for doing work including an ASUS netbook. I don't need another one.
People who call things "dumbed down technology" must not be gamers because consoles are essentially dumbed down computers. When was the last time you hacked your 360 and loaded your own O/S on it? :)
Are iPads necessary? No, absolutely not. Are they nice to have? Sure, if that's what you like.
I like my iPad. I like the Comixology app. I like the app that lets me stream video (and transcode on the fly) from my PC at home over the internet so I can watch last nights bit-torrented Lost anywhere I want and (yay BitTorrent). I like the fact that the iPad as a lot of German-style board games available in the app store.
Is it replacing my netbook? Nope, not at all. I would definitely not use it for my schoolwork or try to write dissertations on it...but as a journaling device to sketch out ideas, its perfect...for me.
If I want to tinker, I have other machines for that.
I'm going to install Linux on the HP Slate.
Well, I for one won't decide to love it or hate it based on such a lacking "mini-review" - I am anxiously awaiting this device and see nothing here to discourage me. For all those who claim it will be such a dog, I run Win7 Ult on a 4 yr old HP slate right now - the TC1100 - and it runs great! Sure it isn't as fast as my Alienware notebook, but so what? I don't want a stripped down phone os device, I want OneNote, ArtRage and a pressure sensitive digitizer and multitouch display. As for the size.. it is a whopping 1.3mm thicker than the iPad, which hardly makes it chunky!!
That being said, I don't see a pen anywhere! The HP specs claims a real digitizer, but so far there is no sign of one. That is the key feature for me - without it the Slate truly would be pointless. I hope that is not the case. My other concern is the 1GB non-upgradeable RAM. Hopefully that winds up not being true either, as even my TC1100 has 2GB.
@TheWolfen Your TC1100 actually has better specs (clock speed alone is misleading) than the Slate, so don't expect the Slate to be as fast as your tablet. For what you want in a tablet, the TC1100 actually fits a lot better than the Slate. The Slate does not have a digitizer, so pen support won't be as good as the TC1100. The TC1100 also has a better video card. The only advantage the Slate has is multitouch and better battery life (5 hours with wifi off).
@Narutogrey
"The Slate does not have a digitizer, so pen support won't be as good as the TC1100."
Have you not seen the graphic Engadget posted about an internal HP presentation clearly mentioning that the Slate has a digitizer?
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/hp-slate-to-cost-549-have-1-6ghz-atom-z530-5-hour-battery/
@Narutogrey
The HP TC1100 has a 1 GHz Pentium M processor. Its a single-core, single threaded Pentium 4 variant, which has everything to do with clock speeds (have you overclocked much?). The Atom Z530 on the Slate is a dual-treaded chip and is based on a unified memory architecture (UMA) reducing the time required to interface between the RAM and the Intel processor (Unlike Pentium M). The Atom Z530 is a system on a chip, technically. Furthermore, the Intel Z530 processor of the slate is also interfaced with an HD-Video H.264 accelerator, making it the ONLY Atom tablet that can run 1080p video, (versus the iPad max of 720p).
Please do your homework before posting next time.
@Narutogrey
It clearly states in green wording (as a HP Slate advantage over the iPad) "Pen/Digitizer support". And, no, the TC1100 does NOT have better specs than the Slate. The CPU, RAM, GPU (1080p out), SSD, battery life, cameras and weight are all better on the Slate.
All I can say is ...Dang! We were hoping for a little travel device like this that (maybe?) wouldn't have just one source for apps. Maybe, someday.
This is all HPs fault. They should not leak the device into reviewers, specially one thats either biased or weak. Nobody even knew for sure Apple would release the iPad until they actually announced. HP should learn from them how to keep things under wraps.
Slate is (should be) a companion device. Is not for you do video editing (as someone mentioned) or playing Crysis on it and complain about FPS. The reviewer was comparing how slow it is multitasking a lot of different heavy softwares. Of course its going to be slow, its not meant for that (neither were netbooks btw, now they are a little better). I bet Slate is going to be fast enough on comparable applications with the iPad (web browsing, emailing, and simple applications) and better on business (doing a Powerpoint presentation without carrying a notebook). But the main usage for it is to go to a cofee shop and browse the web, read an e-book or watch a video. Thats what it is meant to be (like the iPad is), the difference is it allows you to do more if you want to (and pay the price in performance).
The reviewer should be comparing iPad vs Slate with only the HP front-end running. Not iPad vs Multitasking 6 programs. Its a lame comparison.
Boot time? This device is not meant to be booting everytime, it should be sleeping and coming out of sleep. iPad also takes more time to reboot and turn on/off.
It doesnt really matter if its Windows under the hood or not. It matters how the end-user experience will be. If the experience is made of a HP frontend thats good enough and performs well, that will be good. If the experience is a Windows experience without keyboard, its going to be bad. But the reviewer did not even talked about the HP interface.
I can see clearly it being a device that complements the computing experience in a way the netbooks cant. Why does anyone buy the iPad and not go get a Macbook to read ebooks and browse the web from the couch? Because the form factor and the usability is better for the casual use. The same is going to be true with Slate (and any other pads for that matter) and the netbooks.
My point being, hammering a device that was poorly reviewed doesnt do any good to anyone (HP or the people waiting for the device).
Fat.
Unpack device, format, Win 7 pro, Office 2010, BT keyboard/mouse for docking mode (+ external monitor, ready for business and meetings and endless mobility. Don't try this with your iPad folks...
This is where they both differ... The IT-world isn't all fun and games like engadget likes to make it seem I'm afraid.
How many times have YOU brought a device like your iPod touch on a travel? packed with movies? me? once? maybe twice?
Everyone is saying its just a Netbook with out a keyboard, thats true, but come one, i WANT a OS on it, if mac was on the ipad i would not be waiting for this. but still i can do anything i want.. i don't need to pay for apps because there is so much Freeware out there... Stop complaining its just a netbook. I Still wish windows came out with a new OS called like windows Touch or something and give full use of a pc just with a touch interface.. im waiting to test the slate myself till i judge... oh and that site was forced to take that article down. so i don't trust it anymore
ipad plugs into hp slate.. in a way the slate is the ipads father lol.. they are in totaly different markets
They took down the original article on the Spanish site:
"By a direct request of Hewlett Packard Mexico this post has-been removed. The product show in this post will be reviewed Later in the official presentation.
Thank you for your understanding.
If you want more information about HP products Visit our previous publications ."
I love how so many people have written off the device that was given a meh 'review' by people that barely looked at an unfinished prototype for 10 minutes and never had permission from HP to post such a piece in the first place.
@Wubby I completely agree, you can tell just from looking at it;'s buttons and connections that it's an old prototype model.
This piece of junk even dreamed of competing with the iPad? Where's the SD card reader, multiple USB ports and other awesome specs we saw on the unofficial spec sheet a while back? If HP made that, the iPad would be no more. As of now, Microsoft and HP both have given blank checks. The iPad is kicking ass.