Windows 7-based HP Slate referenced at WPC 2010, Ballmer says 'hardcore' tablet push coming
By Darren Murph 
posted July 12th 2010 9:51AM
posted July 12th 2010 9:51AM
Update: During the event's opening keynote, which was headed by none other than Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, the bigwig confirmed some of what's pictured above: Windows 7 slates will be arriving this year. Interestingly, he never mentioned HP by name (despite teasing us gently at CES with an apparent mystery device), but he did note that devices would be available at various price points and in a variety of form factors -- "with keyboards, touch only, dockable, able to handle digital ink, etc." We already knew as much from being overwhelmed by prototypes at Computex, but it's good to get the word straight from Ballmer himself. Now, to see if anyone's actually interested in buying a desktop OS on a mobile form factor...
Update 2: Seems Ballmer's drinking his own Kool-Aid in a serious way, and not just on the tablet front. He noted that Microsoft will be giving consumers "a set of Windows-based devices that people will be proud to carry at home and will fit the kinds of scenarios enterprise IT's trying to make happen with the phone form factor," and that Microsoft would be "working vigorously" to "drive enterprise IT and consumers." Furthermore, Steve affirmed that the tablet sector is "terribly important" for his company, and that it's "hardcore about this." He didn't shy away from calling the range of Windows 7-based tablets coming out "over the next several months" ones that would be "quite impressive," but honestly -- what else would you expect him to say?
ASUS > HP.
@Rick Astley
WHERE THE HELL IS MY HP SLATE HUH HP?!
@Rick Astley XO PC > HP
lol
@Rick Astley
I don't care if it's Windows 7, as long as the have a competent skin over it, I'll give it a serious look.
If HP somehow manages to mess this iteration of it's tablet up too, I have little hope for Palm going forward.
HP squandering WebOS > Pearl Harbor
@Revolutionary Asus' offerings look better than what the slate was slated to be, likely cheaper too. Can't wait for the EP121.
@Rick Astley
Ya that's what I was thinking, why the focus on HP? If I was forced to run a desktop OS on a tablet I'd rather buy it from just about any of the other companies listed than HP.
@Evster88
EXOPC>HP INDEED!
http://www.exopc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=153&p=1459#p1459
@John Stathakis
Windows 7 IS a competent multitouch skin.
@Graham J
Why? HP and Lenovo are currently the big dogs in the tablet arena, and the TM2(t) look pretty badass.
Seriously - who the fk cares! Balmer is a clownfish and MSFT will not even make a dent in this market. This is a pathetic dysfunctional company that even though it spends BILLIONS each year in R&D has a hard time making their core products right, let alone redefining themselves in a new market. They have been nothing but fail in tablet PCs, then we had the Zune and Vista, and the wonderful Kin phones. Steve, you need to be fired along with your entire management team!
"Now, to see if anyone's actually interested in buying a desktop OS on a mobile form factor..."
What, like a netbook? Or an ultraportable? Someone needs to think before regurgitating propaganda.
@jakem
Whats a netbook? Is that like an iPad?
@Ducman69
only for the desktop/laptop... not for a tablet/slate
@Rick Astley I smell a courier here. Please microsoft, give(reincarnate) it to us already :(
@Rick Astley
NOTICE THEY ARE ALL UNDER "SLATES" CATEGORY.
They will all be called slates?
@John Stathakis
Look into the ExoPC Slate it is (in my opinion) far better and shows greater determination and interest.
Also, didn't anyone notice HP is no longer listed as a WP7 OEM? I'm pretty certain HP was listed as an OEM at MIX10.
@Revolutionary
"It's dead, Jim. The HP Slate is dead." It's been determined that nobody wants a Windows 7 desktop tablet so it's been shelved indefinitely.
@Rick Astley
Kool-aid! I LOVE Kool-aid!
@Ducman69
If you mean tablet as in convertible, sure (though I would say Fujistu is a major as well) but again I'd take Lenovo or any of the others over HP. HP has a lot of sales but that's mainly due to enterprise accounts, certainly not quality.
courier! lets go!
@tricheboars
The courier's not coming this year, so stop dreaming about it.
Microsoft broke me heart.
@tricheboars
I think all companies should start creating renderings of vapor products. What easier way to get fans excited than to create something that's not real, something that didn't even make it pass the incubation stage.
@tricheboars
courier would be nice but i'd take a windows slate with a PixelQi screen in a heartbeat
Does that say garmin on the phone side?
@Nn4458, first thing I noticed also, that will definitely be overshadowed by these other large name companies.
@Nn4458: Prolly a NuviPhone with WinP7 on it
@216
ZunePass on a phone with the best GPS app that doesn't require a data connection Sign me up!
Considering how long they've made us wait at this point, this had better be production ready as they're showing it off on stage.
I'm pretty sure they made this sometime ago and didn't bother to have the designer change it. It's called laziness.
And now the over-saturation of the Slate/tablet market will begin
@216 Better oversaturation than limited competition... *cough* iPad *cough*
@216
HP already has a great offering in the tablet market with the TM2 and TM2T, but a W7 slate is a fresh untapped market that currently doesn't have any competition (e-readers and iPads obviously don't count).
I bet somebody at HP is ticked off. That, or feeling subtly threatened.
Here we go again.
@One Love
Yup, deja vu
mmmmm. a sony win7 slate I'm sure would be slick.
Windows 7 tablet... Where is the webOS tablet? I've been waiting for a decent piece of hardware that runs webOS for what seems like forever now.
@Nonok I think webos users have learned, as will the rest of us, that webos's problems are not limited to it's current hardware. It's got some basic implementation flaws that are going to keep it uncompetitive.
@Nonok
HP rumored that it would release two slates.
1) A slate computer, using netbook grade components and running full Windows7 with capabilities similar to compact laptops. Its the HP Slate.
2) A pocketable mini-slate, using the lighter but more limited functionality WebOS. Its the HP Hurricane and would compete w/ iPads and Dell Streaks.
@dogma
Would you care to share what you think the software side limitations are?
I've been using a Pre since release. The only problems I have ever found are hardware based (slower processor being the main problem).
The only software issue I could have seen would be no touchscreen keyboard, but I know that has at least been proven to be possible (and available) thanks to the open source community.
@Pacey
I recently upgraded to the HTC Evo because my Pre just wasn't cutting it in terms of hardware anymore. Palm should have sold webOS licensing deals. Imagine a HTC device running webOS. /drool
@Pacey Webos is a great idea in theory and may still prove to be a great OS for "connecting mobile devices" but for a PHONE, I think there are too many memory leaks and battery inefficiencies in a web/browser based device than will be acceptable in a smart phone that is supposed to respond rapidly.
My own opinion is - and it's yet to be proven - that I don't think you can get hardware big enough to run webos on a phone, in a small enough package to be desirable to consumers in a phone.
for industry specific applications? Enterprise units where people aren't expecting to shove it in their pocket for a day? Perhaps.
But in a personal smart phone? I am not seeing it.
Everyone says the flaws in Webos is the hardware; I think its how the OS USES the hardware.
@dogma
WebOS runs fine on the hardware of the regular pre. Evo-like hardware with the webOS software would be SICK. You dont need a superphone to run the webOS...
2 points - batt life + clanky UI = fail
@Delirium Trigah The Exo PC has a nice GUI layer on Windows 7.
@Evster88
Yeah so it claims. Unless a proper review of an off-the-shelf unit has been made for this, I'm still a skeptic.
I would like to see someone make a Windows 7 slate/tablet out of carbon fiber.
The iPad is just too heavy and tedious to hold for long periods of time.
@Steve Jobs Jr
Three reasons why Carbon Fiber would be useless.
1. The weight difference would be negligible.
2. It will considerably raise cost.
3. Plastic would be a much cheaper and more practical solution.
@Steve Jobs Jr
Lenovo are listed as being onboard... If they make a ThinkPad branded slate, it may have the carbon fibre chassis.
@Cobra4455
Carbon fiber is actually pretty cheap now, but magnesium would be just as light for a given strength, cheap to cast, and far more durable against dings/scratches.
Regular soft plastic chassis likely they use on cheap computers and base Macbooks perform poorly and are insulators. Not ideal IMO.