HP Slate Shows Off Its Ability To Run Flash

[Jon Childs]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/08/hp-slate-makes-an-appearance-to-show-off-flash-stays-for-a-rock/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/08/...ays-for-a-rock/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"It shouldn't be any surprise that the HP Slate supports Flash, since it runs Windows 7, but we've seen so little of the device since Steve Ballmer first waved it around at CES that we're still totally intrigued by this video from Adobe showing it in action. Yep, there it is, playing video, running casual Flash games, and using AIR applications."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1268197036.usr486.jpg" style="border: #d2d2bb 1px solid;" /></p><p>HP just released another video of their forthcoming Slate device, demonstrating its ability to use Flash. This looks like a serious competitor to the iPad in the slate form factor market. HP says that the Flash support will&nbsp;use hardware acceleration so it should be able to handle streaming HD from Youtube and Hulu.&nbsp; It runs Windows 7 so it should support multitasking.&nbsp; It was demoed running the Kindle application so you will have access to the largest ebook marketplace.&nbsp;&nbsp;Only time will tell if it can be a serious competitor to the iPad, but it certainly has a lot of the features that the iPad will&nbsp;lack.&nbsp;</p>

[Dyvim]

Let's see:
1. runs Flash - check
2. multi-tasks - check
3. runs vast array of PC software - check
...
4. needs antivirus - check
5. comes with HP bloatware - check
6. installing apps puts in weird toolbars and startup processes to check when to update to latest version - check
7. system gets slower and slower over time until you need to reinstall Windows - check

I guess the market will decide how consumer feels about these devices. But for me, if I wanted another Windows PC, I'd just get myself another laptop. I'll be getting an iPad because I want a worry-free, trouble-free device for light surfing, email, media consumption, and games. I've never watched any online video aside from the occasional YouTube video, so won't miss Flash (don't play Farmville either). I suspect a lot of consumers won't necessarily want Windows on these devices, but that of course remains to be seen.

[Jason Dunn]

Thought it pains me to admit this, Dyvim is right. Windows 7 is better on low-powered devices, but it's still Windows. Running Windows update, installing patches, etc. takes a fair amount of CPU/hard drive power. I think a slate-style device is an appliance that you don't want to feel like you have to maintain...you just want to pick it up and use it. I think Windows 7 is the wrong OS for this. Zune HD/Windows phone 7/Courier on the other hand...something in that realm would be better.

[ptyork]

As much as it pains me to say it, I feel that Dyvim is right, at least partially. Windows 7 is just too heavy an OS for this, and it (and most especially most of the apps) is not optimized for finger input and the small tablet format. While a device with more power than the crippled iPad is desirable, a device like this will be even more crippling. So here's my list of needs:

I:
1) do want flash -- at least for the foreseeable future. It is useful for most folks. Maybe Dyvim can somehow avoid it entirely, but I sure can't. Nor can my wife or daughter or most anyone I know.

2) do want multitasking -- forever. The workflow on the iPhone/iPod/iPad is just too awkward for my taste. I don't mean that I necessarily want graphical stuff running in the background, but it should be possible to run a certain subset of the API's in the background and the apps should be allowed to stay resident in memory even if inactive. You also need a more finger friendly metaphor for switching between apps. The taskbar is great on the desktop. Not great in the hand.

3) don't want to deal with windows -- not the product, but the concept. The device is too small and my fingers too big to force me to deal with resizing, moving, minimizing, etc. Every app should be full screen or at least docked like widgets (in certain cases) or something.

4) don't want to run desktop apps -- the thing should require at least some degree of UI work to run. I'm cool with .Net, Silverlight, and Flash/AIR apps, but they should be optimized for the device (i.e., MS or whomever needs to provide an SDK for these tools that supplies specialized widgets, etc).

5) don't want a desktop processor -- this should be based on Windows CE (or a mobile linux kernel like WebOS or Android) and utilize a much more efficient processor. I've a feeling that this HP slate will be a bit brick-like and have a battery life of 3-4 hours max. That isn't even close to acceptable.

6) do want full 3-D acceleration and hardware HD support -- for games, movies, and other media stuff. Kinda goes without saying these days, and isn't difficult to provide in an efficient manner anymore.

7) do not want a backlit, LCD screen -- Yeah, e-ink ain't the answer, but a standard LCD panel (even a high quality IPS one like the iPad's) isn't it, either. It is just too power hungry and is terrible for long-term reading. There are some really interesting options coming out this year.

8) do want it to come from a major player -- Significant market segmentation here is very undesirable. I want to be able to develop apps that work across the largest number of devices possible. Having a separate UI concept, SDK, etc. from HP and Dell and Acer and etc. is not acceptable. It will kill application development.

9) do want limited customization -- but not to the point of making third-party apps have to conform to my customizations. Minimally, I want to be able to have a "home" screen that isn't a freaking screen full of icons. You know, maybe show me something useful like the time, weather, emails, news headlines, etc. Here is where widgets might be nice.

I think I've said it before, but a slightly modified WebOS on a full tablet would be amazing. I sure wish someone with more vision and resources would acquire them. Short of this, perhaps a blown up/beefed up Windows Phone. However, I just don't see this happening since the "other Steve" has said that Windows 7 is their only tablet OS. Sigh...

[ptyork]

Thought it pains me to admit this, Dyvim is right.

As much as it pains me to say it, I feel that Dyvim is right, at least partially.

I wonder if Dyvim knew he was inflicting such pain. :)

[Jason Dunn]

As much as it pains me to say it, I feel that Dyvim is right, at least partially.

Haha. It's pretty funny we both are in pain. :D

do want it to come from a major player -- Significant market segmentation here is very undesirable. I want to be able to develop apps that work across the largest number of devices possible. Having a separate UI concept, SDK, etc. from HP and Dell and Acer and etc. is not acceptable. It will kill application development.

Yeah, here's where I think Microsoft needs to step up and do what they did with Windows phone 7 - come up with a chassis design, a specific resolution, CPU, GPU, etc., and license it to companies that want to make the product. This is where Apple has a *huge* advantage with the iPad; they'll have no trouble attracting developers who want to code for a platform that has a bunch of known elements to it. Predictability in a platform is a great thing for developers. Microsoft needs to bring predictability to the tablet/slate realm.

[doogald]

Yeah, here's where I think Microsoft needs to step up and do what they did with Windows phone 7 - come up with a chassis design, a specific resolution, CPU, GPU, etc., and license it to companies that want to make the product. This is where Apple has a *huge* advantage with the iPad; they'll have no trouble attracting developers who want to code for a platform that has a bunch of known elements to it. Predictability in a platform is a great thing for developers. Microsoft needs to bring predictability to the tablet/slate realm.

Honestly? I think that WP7S is a good start for this. Apple will have a head start, but they have established a good model and at least Microsoft is heading in the right direction. Lots of competition will be a good thing.

To add to ptyork's list, I'd want instant-on. Waiting for a boot on an internet appliance would just be unfortunate. Sure, it'll take some time to reflash with the occasional OS updates and what-not, but for most everyday use, you hit the power button and, boom, the thing is ready to go.

[Jon Childs]

1) do want flash -- at least for the foreseeable future. It is useful for most folks. Maybe Dyvim can somehow avoid it entirely, but I sure can't. Nor can my wife or daughter or most anyone I know.

2) do want multitasking -- forever. The workflow on the iPhone/iPod/iPad is just too awkward for my taste. I don't mean that I necessarily want graphical stuff running in the background, but it should be possible to run a certain subset of the API's in the background and the apps should be allowed to stay resident in memory even if inactive. You also need a more finger friendly metaphor for switching between apps. The taskbar is great on the desktop. Not great in the hand.


The marketing stuff from HP states the something like 85 or the top 100 websites use flash. It really hard to imagine doing real websurfing excluding that many sites. I am not fan of flash. When my kids leave farmville running on their accounts I often find them using 100% of my CPU and have to go and kill all their internet explorers, but everyone uses it all the time whether they want to or not.

The multitasking is a giant pet peeve of mine on my iphone. Mostly because I use it for a GPS. It will let me talk and use the speakerphone at the same time, but I can't seem to answer the phone while keeping the GPS app running. A bunch of times I have had to answer a call and missed a turn while I had to put the phone call in the background and the the GPS app up again.

For this reason I instantly get turned off by anything that doesn't support it.

[Sven Johannsen]

Only time will tell if it can be a serious competitor to the iPad, but it certainly has a lot of the features that the iPad will lack.

Bet you can't tether it to an iPhone either....but that wouldn't be the Slate's fault now would it?

Half a mind to geta slate and run it tethered to my Verizon Mifi, just to tic off Steve and AT&T ;)