HP Re-Enters Tablet Space

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by HP

We are excited to announce that we now have 16GB models in both Silver and Red colors, in stock and ready to ship. If you missed the initial launch the HP Slate 7 is the HP's first consumer Android powered tablet that offers easy access to Google Mobile services.

Only $139

[Graham]

Looked pretty good until I saw that the screen resolution was only 1024x600.

Graham

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Graham

Looked pretty good until I saw that the screen resolution was only 1024x600.

Just like the new Galaxy Tab 3. These guys are going the wrong direction.

[HarryT]

You don't think there's a market for low-end devices? Not everyone needs an ultra-high-spec tablet. For under a hundred quid this sounds like a good buy to me.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You don't think there's a market for low-end devices? Not everyone needs an ultra-high-spec tablet. For under a hundred quid this sounds like a good buy to me.

Sure there is, but I don't consider a 720p HD display to be ultra-high-speced.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You don't think there's a market for low-end devices? Not everyone needs an ultra-high-spec tablet. For under a hundred quid this sounds like a good buy to me.

I hope it sells and sells well. But having enjoyed 1200x800 on the Nexus 7 it would be nice to see that ripple down to the low end.

Graham

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You don't think there's a market for low-end devices? Not everyone needs an ultra-high-spec tablet. For under a hundred quid this sounds like a good buy to me.

There's definitely a market, but when compared to something like the Hisense Sero 7 Pro for $10 more the HP doesn't look so great.

[DKazzed]

I don't have an issue with the screen resolution, the iPad Mini is only 1024x768. The contrast and colours are terrible though. I haven't looked at other tablets in this price range but the Kobo Arc the next price range up has a nicer screen. Nexus 7 is ok, but when they're trying to put in GPS, 4G etc. at the same price point, something had to go.

I wanted to consider the HP Slate because of Beats Audio built in, but no point in having nice sound when the video looks crummy.

[jocampo]

I am a former HP employee and I was also part of IT department. So let me tell you this ... HP is just "too late" to start selling tablets like this.

They rushed the 1st tablet and made a horrendous mistake. They did not hear what IT people were saying about the hardware and tried to push a product that was not ready, killing a fantastic Os like it was webOs.

With people still thinking about that horrible decision where some paid 300+ just to know later that price was drop to 90 bucks? ... I doubt this will have any impact on current market.

Compared to some tablets like the Nook HD, which is 129 (full Android access) or the Nexus 7, even the Fire, I do not see why someone else would prefer the HP one.

Like someone else said, HP is going to the wrong direction. They need to innovate instead of trying to play the catch up game with others.

HP used to be awesome on innovation but cost reduction and sales numbers are now their only motto. It's so big and so many departments and business divisions that they are struggling to control themselves.

[pl001]

Really a disappointing time in tablets right now. Most progress in the past year has been cheaper prices and not better devices. But if anybody can succeed in the race to the bottom, I guess it would be a company of HP's size.

Originally Posted by jocampo

I am a former HP employee and I was also part of IT department. So let me tell you this ... HP is just "too late" to start selling tablets like this.

They rushed the 1st tablet and made a horrendous mistake. They did not hear what IT people were saying about the hardware and tried to push a product that was not ready, killing a fantastic Os like it was webOs.

With people still thinking about that horrible decision where some paid 300+ just to know later that price was drop to 90 bucks? ... I doubt this will have any impact on current market.

Compared to some tablets like the Nook HD, which is 129 (full Android access) or the Nexus 7, even the Fire, I do not see why someone else would prefer the HP one.

Like someone else said, HP is going to the wrong direction. They need to innovate instead of trying to play the catch up game with others.

HP used to be awesome on innovation but cost reduction and sales numbers are now their only motto. It's so big and so many departments and business divisions that they are struggling to control themselves.

Yep, I'm still using an HP DM3-3012NR laptop. Old but still good and it runs Windows 7. My HP Pavillion desktop finally died after many years of constant use so I now have a Mac Mini as my primary computer.

As far as the HP WebOS tablet fiasco, most people have probably forgotten already. Consumers seem to have a very short memory! I'm still amazed that HP bought WebOS in the first place. Palm took way too long to develop it, so long they lost the small device OS war. Then HP just sat on it for a long time. By the time they offered their tablet it was too late. Consumers let them know that they were not interested in breaking in any new OSes. BB found that out too, but they were still stupid enough to introduce BB10!

[Kumabjorn]

I find it baffling. My Envy x2 is really a very innovative hybrid Ultrabook/Tablet. So I don't understand why they can't do that with the Slate. Google is about to announce the new generation Nexus 7, I'm betting it will be at the same price point as the old Nexus 7, and we'll see a 30% price drop on the old model as it is faced out.

[pl001]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I find it baffling. My Envy x2 is really a very innovative hybrid Ultrabook/Tablet. So I don't understand why they can't do that with the Slate. Google is about to announce the new generation Nexus 7, I'm betting it will be at the same price point as the old Nexus 7, and we'll see a 30% price drop on the old model as it is faced out.

Because few people want to pay a premium for Android. This is Android's biggest issue right now. There are little to no profits to be had manufacturing Android devices and Google has not helped matters by undercutting their OEM partners. But it's a market that can't be ignored so HP had to throw something out there.

[Kumabjorn]

Samsung's Note devices are quite expensive, but they sell well. Isn't the HTC One and new Sony also up there in iPhone numbers?

[pl001]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Samsung's Note devices are quite expensive, but they sell well. Isn't the HTC One and new Sony also up there in iPhone numbers?

Samsung is the only company doing well with Android and that's because of sheer volume. HTC and Sony make nice devices and some sell decent (not iPhone numbers), but they are in poor financial shape. And even Google has not been able to turn Motorola into a serious competitor again.