HP is coming back to tablets — and this time it’s going Android. The new HP Slate 7 takes aim at the Google Nexus 7with its 7-inch size and extremely attractive price tag.
With the Slate 7, HP is trying a different tack than the last time it had a crack at the consumer tablet market. Taking on the iPad proved to be too much for the TouchPad, so HP has adopted Android software and aimed for a much lower price with the Slate 7 — a mere $169, in fact.
The Slate 7 is HP’s first Android device. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software, which will be familiar to anyone who’s ever used an Android smartphone, such as an HTC or a Samsung Galaxy device. HP has refrained from making too many changes to the standard Android software, which means the interface is familiar — and it bodes well for the prospect of receiving future software updates, which can be delayed if a manufacturer fills a device with too many extras.
There are some unique features and apps, including printing options. Printing from a tablet can be a pain, but the Slate 7 talks to HP printers over Wi-Fi with the ePrint app.
The Slate also has Beats Audio software onboard to make the most of your tunes.
The Slate is encased in a stainless steel frame, with a “soft-touch” back. There’s a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a second camera on the front for video calling. It’s powered by an ARM dual-core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor.
The Slate 7 will be released in the U.S. in April; it will arrive in Europe and the rest of the world soon after. The U.S. price is around $169, but prices in the rest of the world have yet to be confirmed.
HP does make a tablet, the ElitePad, but that’s a business device for serious business people. It’s powered by Windows 8 rather than Android, but HP hinted that consumer tablets based on Windows could be in the pipeline, too, with more Android tablets and smartphones to eventually follow.
courtesy:cnetnews
Tags: hp slate
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