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HP replaces the Slate 500 with the Slate 2, adds Swype and cuts the starting price to $699
Until Microsoft gives Win8 the final seal of approval, the Windows tablet show must go on, right? Right. HP just refreshed its enterprise-friendly, Windows 7-flavored Slate 500 with the Slate 2, and took the opportunity to knock the starting price down a hundred bucks to $699. In terms of design, there's nothing much to see here -- it has the same 8.9-inch tablet and N-Trig DuoSense digitizer that allows for pen input. Only this time, HP added Swype, refreshed the CPU with Intel's Atom Z670 and proffered a smaller 32GB SSD option to appease the IT guys who are going to heavily lock these down anyway. Speaking of security, it also packs TPM circuitry and Computrace Pro for tracking lost or stolen laptops and then deleting the data remotely. It'll be available worldwide this month -- just in time for corporate to buy you a lil' somethin' for the holidays. %Gallery-137812%
HTC Flyer stylus on sale at Best Buy for $80, because matching gadgets should cost more (updated)
If you ordered the HTC Flyer because you're keen on scribbling notes and doodling over screenshots, well, today's your lucky day -- the stylus is now on sale by itself for a cool $80. That's fairly outrageous, given that you can buy the HP Slate 500's for well under that tally, and the Fujitsu LifeBook T580's for roughly $22... that is, if you lose the one included in the box. Plus, although these battery-powered pens won't complement your Flyer's aluminum chassis, they should still work with it, as all of these tablets use N-Trig's DuoSense pen / capacitive touch technology. And particularly with a dearth in apps that can take advantage of pen input, you'd better be the next J.K. Rowling if you're looking to get your money's worth. Update: We've gotten some incredulous comments and emails from folks who can't believe the Flyer doesn't come with a stylus. Well, just to settle that debate once and for all, we reached out to HTC's PR team who confirmed that the stylus is, indeed, sold separately. Sorry to be the bearer repeater of bad news! Update 2: HTC adds that the Flyer will only come without a pen if you get it at Best Buy.
HP Slate orders still delayed, still blaming 'high volume of orders'
Oh sure, it looks like some glorious Palm / HP Web OS tablets are headed our way (even if we are hearing it won't be until late summer / early fall), but you know what has been supposedly headed our way for over two months now? The HP Slate 500. Yep, HP's seemingly-abandoned Windows 7 tablet is still suffering from major delays, and according to our sources and an HP customer support rep, a "material shortage" combined with a "high volume of orders" are causing these tablets to be held up. We don't have any real details on the numbers -- although, last month we had heard they received about 9,000 orders thus far -- but we do know that our very own HP Slate, which we ordered back on November 9th, still hasn't shipped and is now slated to ship out on January 22nd. And we're definitely not the only ones still patiently waiting -- a look through the TabletPC Review forums reveals that a number of irate customers are still longing for their 8.9-inch, Atom-powered tablets -- although, many of them were offered a $100 discount in exchange for not having their tablets in time for the holidays. We've reached out to HP for further comment on this, but in the meantime, we'll be refreshing our account page and hoping our Slate finally ships out before the end of the month or, you know, at least before HP starts announcing new ones in early February.
HP Slate 500 sees 'extraordinary demand,' experiences six-week shipping delay (update)
Yes, the HP Slate 500 is officially backordered, less than a month after its enterprising debut, and Hewlett-Packard claims it's because of "extraordinary demand," a phrase that's presently not quantifiable. The long and short of it, though, is that you're not getting one by Yuletide if you purchase the pricey portable today, as you'll have to wait six weeks until they're ready to ship out. Still, if your budding business bought in on day one, there's still a chance it might arrive in time -- ours is due to our door in early December, if that gives you any idea. We've pinged HP for comment, and hope to hear back soon. We'll be sure to let you know just how "extraordinary" those sales numbers might be. Update: We've yet to hear back from HP proper, but a trusted tipster with a contact inside HP spun us a very interesting tale -- HP reportedly only ever planned a limited production run of 5,000 units, and received orders for 9,000 instead. When demand outstripped supply, HP apparently had to re-hire production workers just to get the presses printing out tablets again, and are presently placating angry customers by offering them over $100 off their $800 purchase as apology. [Thanks, Dan]
Engadget Podcast 206 - 07.24.2010
This is an incredibly well-rounded and insightful double podcast. It is so well-rounded and insightful that it looks like it might turn into a triple podcast and is, quite frankly, the best podcast the Engadget Podcasters have ever seen. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Double Rainbow 00:02:33 - Panasonic's new Lumix lineup: LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700, and TS10 all official00:06:52 - Canon developing smaller DSLRs to compete with mirrorless cameras?00:07:00 - Nikon planning "new concept" mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras with enhanced video modes00:21:12 - New Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199, Kinect standalone priced at $149, bundle coming this holiday for $29900:30:48 - webOS 2.0 coming 'later this year,' says HP's Rubinstein00:30:58 - HP Slate no longer a consumer product, will arrive for enterprise this fall00:31:24 - HP files for 'PalmPad' trademark -- a webOS tablet, perhaps?00:31:35 - HP Slate 500 with Windows 7 surfaces on HP's site00:31:54 - HP confirms that Slate is still kicking, 'next steps' being determined00:41:52 - HP CEO: Palm could end up a 'sub-brand' of the company00:46:41 - Samsung Galaxy S review shootout: Captivate for AT&T and Vibrant for T-Mobile00:48:14 - Dell Streak review redux: thoughts from the New World00:48:41 - Nexus One is sold out in Google's store -- forever00:56:32 - Motorola mini Droid slider caught by Mr. Blurrycam00:59:07 - Droid 2 being prepared for launch, set to arrive August 23rd?01:00:29 - Apple posts record $3.25b profit in first full quarter of iPad sales, says more 'amazing products' coming this year01:00:48 - Apple begins iPhone 4 Case Program: apply for your free case or Bumper now01:01:26 - Apple delays white iPhone a second time, won't ship until 'later this year'01:03:08 - Apple starts refunding Bumper purchases automagically01:07:45 - AT&T announces 26 percent earnings growth for Q2, $4b profit01:16:28 - Droid X users gobbling up 5x the data of other Verizon smartphones01:18:00 - Microsoft reports $4.5b in profit, a record $16.04b in revenue01:18:30 - Steve Ballmer feeling pressure at Microsoft for stagnating share price?01:18:48 - Kin listed as at least $240 million writeoff in Microsoft earnings report01:21:44 - Microsoft to employees: 'everybody gets a Windows Phone 7!'01:21:50 - Microsoft wants employees to code Windows Phone 7 apps 'in their spare time'Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
HP Slate no longer a consumer product, will arrive for enterprise this fall
We've sensed that something's been up with the HP Slate for a while now, and it looks like we've finally gotten the first solid confirmation that the Windows 7 tablet as unveiled by Steve Ballmer at CES in January won't hit the consumer market as planned -- speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference, HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley just said that the Slate will be "more customer-specific than broadly deployed," and that it would launch the Microsoft-based tablet "for the enterprise" in the fall. That fits right in with HP telling us the other day that it was in "customer evaluations" as it prepared for the "next steps," and based on followup comments from Bradley and Palm head Jon Rubinstein, it certainly sounded like the company will focus Windows tablets at the enterprise and develop a variety of webOS devices for the consumer market. Of course, there's no official announcement yet, so we'll see what happens -- the only thing that we can confidently say is that the HP Slate has definitely succeeded the iPad as the tech industry's favorite vaporware tablet.
HP confirms that Slate is still kicking, 'next steps' being determined
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.
