HP confirms that Slate is still kicking, 'next steps' being determined
By Joanna Stern 
posted July 21st 2010 12:28PM
posted July 21st 2010 12:28PM
We were quite surprised (to say the least!) to see the original Windows 7 HP Slate 500 appear yesterday on the company's site, and HP officially confirmed this morning that the product is still very much in the works. The outfit's not sharing much, but a spokesperson from its Personal Systems group did tell us that they're "in customer evaluations now and will make a determination soon on the next steps." It all seems very vague and mysterious at this point, but the evidence is surely mounting that we'll be seeing HP join Microsoft's "hardcore" tablet push.
Nice! Now take away the black border and expand the screen!
@Juggernaut408
You need the black border on tablets to be able to hold it without pressing things or moving the screen.
Sent from my iPad
@QuidProQuo
Although we know that black borders are necessary, was it necessary that you mention you sent it from your ipad? It's not like you should be too proud, since you can't even view the whole internetz.
@QuidProQuo
An iPad is not a computer.
A HP Slate with Windows 7 is a full featured computer.
Remember that.
@Juggernaut408
As stated previously, the bezel is definitely needed to hold the device. BUT I usually hold my iPad like a waiter (no fingers on the edges, just my hand on the back), so the bezel is not needed if you use it that way.
My Dream: An OLED screen that covers the entire front of the screen, but the edges can be shut off to form a pseudo-bezel.
I don't care if this is on a phone, tablet, or whatever.... somebody needs to get creative with the uses of OLED screens.
If it has anything remotely to do with Windows 7 HP should just kill it now. Work on a webOS tablet and release that.
@Juggernaut408 If you take away the black border, you won't be able to hold the device without inadvertantly touching the screen.
@Revolutionary
Whether you like it or not, the iPad IS a computer. Limited/restricted as it is, it's still technically a computer.
@Revolutionary And if you want to change your background or watch a DVD (if it has a slot loading drive), you'll need better specs than a slate might be able to provide right now to run W7 Home Premium. Unless they have some sort of slate edition. Starter edition just annoys the hell out of me.
@Revolutionary What?? Any electronic device which can compute is a "computer". Even my Casio calculator is a computer. My car has a trip computer. Etc.
So what makes the iPad NOT a computer?
@Almo
A REAL computer will be able to run Adobe Flash flawlessly, won't be tied to iTunes, and doesn't require a REAL COMPUTER to be synced at when you first purchase it.
An iPad, is an oversized iPod Touch. Face it.
@Revolutionary
1. The HP Slate is vaporware.
2. Windows 7 on a tablet is a piece of shyte.
3. iPad, 3.3 million; HP Slate, Zero
@brockorr
My dream is like your's, but have the bezel be an inactive touchscreen portion, and just display part of the background/video in full screen. It would need software and UI tweaks though.
@Revolutionary
What your definition of a computer is, will always vary between people. What you listed are things you personally want, which is irrelevant.
Matter of fact, any device with a processing unit that can compute data is a computer.
@Revolutionary
Well TECHNICALLY... the classical definition a computer is something with input, output and a processing unit that does calculations.
So yes, the iPad is a computer, abeit a not very useful one beyond being a toy. A very expensive toy that is.
@Almo Agreed. I love my iPad and use it all the time, but if I can load eve on there with settings at minimum and still have it run, I'd almost consider dishing out the cash for this... Though it has to not suck in terms of content availability (I'm talking content designed for a slate, not content designed for a mouse and keyboard)
Also a lot of flash stuff and other things work better with rollovers, it may have flash, but kind of useless if you can't do contextual clicking and rollovers for a lot of it... Fix that problem on any slate and then flash will be a valid argument in my opinion.
I think they should just add rubber grips to the side and make the rest of the casing out of stainless steel and rubber. It would give it a rugged look and a good feel instead of being so delicate. Also, it wouldn't be all that hard to program the slate to ignore the input from the palm of a hand on the side of a screen if it were just a big screen.
@Revolutionary
Great, someone contact Wikipedia since someone just redefine the world Computer here.
@deliteguy
Yeah, that dude's a total jerk!
Sent from my G1
@1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CA STHU Apple fanboy
@MrBigStuff Nothing ventured, nothing gained
@Almo And it is one that is selling so fast that stores are having issues meeting demand.
Which makes NOW the time these other tablets should be out. Not 'later this year' (particularly with no actual date). If they were in stores right now then those that are on the fence about going Apple would be able to play with all the options and might decide that yeah, having Flash is THAT important, or the apps are better on an Android tablet etc. And skip the ipad. But on the flip, the ipad is what is out there and no options in site, a lot of the fence will just dive in with Apple because they can't stand not having something.
@Revolutionary "An iPad, is an oversized iPod Touch"
The thing is that for a huge number of folks an oversized ipod touch is exactly what they need. Not a full on tablet computer that can do Final Cut etc.
So that dig actually becomes a reason to get the ipad.
@Revolutionary
Which is why if this gets released, it will be an insignificant player in the market. Very few people want or were asking for a Window 7 tablet. There are already dozens out there.
HP's best chance of success is an Android based tablet the 8-10" range. It's a product people would buy in order to use Android apps instead of a small phone screen.
@beheybirder A Windows 7 tablet that I can use to stream off of my homegroup would be effing amazing... Thats all I have to say.
@MrBigStuff It hasn't been released yet, idiot. How would you buy it?
@Revolutionary
whatever you want to call the iPad, it's kicking the shit out of "real" tablet computers.
@deliteguy
I tagged it because I was giving my credentials as a tablet user. I could of said it anyway that was just the easiest.
@revolutionary
I only said that as a tablet, it needs the border. I'll be happy to discuss that with you elsewhere.
@brockorr I hold mine like that often too but it's nice to be able to hold it in anyway unlike a certain phone.
@Revolutionary bulls#%@
@1 Infinite Loop Cupertino CA
If people didn't try doing things different ways, most people wouldn't be accessing the internet. And many of those who were, would think AOL is the internet.
Apple is doing the same thing, trying to shape the net how they want it, and virtually erasing everything at Archive.org
@Revolutionary
you make no damn sense. You and so many people believe that b/c there isn't a full featured OS on the ipad that it isn't a computer? You're brain dead dude.
The ipad, my g shock are all computers.
@Almo
The iPad is quite literally iPod touch hardware fixed to the left side of the device, inside a larger chassis to house a big screen and two large batteries.
If an iPod is a computer, then my phone and pocket calculator are computers.
Get real! =p
@pspitts
If someone calls IT support and asks for a loaner computer, and you hand them a G-shock watch, you deserve to be slapped upside the head.
@Ducman69 They are computers. Limited purpose computers, but computers none the less.
@Revolutionary
Whether a device is a computer or not has nothing to to with Flash support, iTunes, multitasking, copy/paste, keyboard, screen, RAM, tethering or even support for MMS.
It doesn't take much to be a computer but it has to do with Turing machines, universal Turing machines, Turing completeness, algorithms, grammars, instruction languages, Church-Turing theory, recursive function theory, lamda calculus, processing units, storage, memory and the like.
The modern electronic computer was invented in the 1940ies. Don't make a fool of yourself by claiming that computers = machines running Windows.
@Hans
Don't be obtuse.
You people act like there is no common use term for computer. No, it doesn't have to be running Windows, but it should be running Ubuntu or OSX or Redhat and have hardware specifications common to standard expectations.
Yes, we get it, by the technical definition my old Casio watch was a computer since it has the ability to compute calculations. But if someone asks you what kind of computer you have, you'd be a jackass if you describe your iPod, wrist watch, or cellphone.
@Revolutionary its actually "An HP" instead of "A HP" Sorry that bugs me more than Your and Youre issue online.
@brockorr
While OLED is definitely a cool technology, it's one of the most expensive to implement atm on your "mainstream" kind of product. I believe the cost for OLED is more than 3x that of LCD.
Just release it already !
@techlord
Make sure the Slate is light and easy to pickup as well!
I'm buying it fa shao
@FrmrPSPCoderTOPAppStoreDev
it'll come out, and you'll change ur mind. Probably
I thought this was cancelled?
@JesusRuelas92 Thats what SHE said!
@JesusRuelas92 Microsoft probably begged them or threatened them to make it. HP probably threatened back but decided to run it through customer trials
@JesusRuelas92
I'm sure they spent a lot on R&D to work on it. I never understood why people were thinking it would be cancelled with it so close to being ready.
@darkninja962 Because people assumed that after HP got their hands on an iPad that they realized that it was really far, far from ready.
@rbgaynor
The iPad? Yeah, I agree.
@darkninja962 The reason people think it's canceled is because HP had always tried to show off the slate or give hints about it's features whenever it was asked about. They would always respond excitedly about what it can do and they would invite press members to give inputs on how to make it better. Then all of a sudden, it shut it's doors and did not allow any mention of a tablet. Every question was replied with a no comment. All of a sudden, their contract (although we don't know the contents) with their chinese manufacturer was canceled. They were about to ramp up production on some type of product (and we assumed it was the HP slate). All these clues point to it being canceled. The launch date was supposed to be in June...so it's already past that.
I will be waiting for HP to release the WebOS version
I plan on getting one just to say it is not an iPad. I love Apple but I am sick of them a little- need something fresh and new- then I'll switch back when this crap fails.
Strange logic.