A Peek Into the Upcoming HP Slate

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://conecti.ca/2010/04/15/mini-review™-hp-slate-pc-ipad-no-tiembla-ni-de-frio/comment-page-1/' target='_blank'>http://conecti.ca/2010/04/15/mini-r...comment-page-1/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Each develops a gadget that Apple does not spare those who come after announcing that they have a replacement. Just as there are a lot of iPod Killers (still waiting) and iPhone Killers (Hello?), now has been the range of IPAD Killers. Case to light, the HP Slate. We had a short in our hands."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1271719978.usr20447.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>The review, in Spanish (translation through Google <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=es&amp;tl=en&amp;u=http://conecti.ca/2010/04/15/mini-review%E2%84%A2-hp-slate-pc-ipad-no-tiembla-ni-de-frio/comment-page-1/" target="_blank">here</a>), looks at a pre-production HP Slate, so I would take some of the comments with a grain of salt.&nbsp; The one thing I do take away from it is that HP seems to have considered the Slate a netbook sans keyboard, which I believe to be a mistake.&nbsp; It seems that after years of tablets, both convertibles and slates, manufacturers should be aware that a different interface is what is needed, and this is where competition against the iPad needs to be made.&nbsp; I am reminded of the lesson that Microsoft learned with Windows CE and then the PocketPC OS/Windows Mobile.&nbsp; When Microsoft first came out with Windows CE, they mirrored the Windows 95 interface which failed horribly.&nbsp; Then they tried what is seen up to Windows Mobile 6 which still has its limitations.&nbsp; The form factor dictates a different interface.&nbsp; As it stands, it looks like the HP Slate will be a disappointment.&nbsp; Anyone still interested in getting one?</p>

[ptyork]

Nope. I really am left shaking my head at this every time I see an update. Perhaps if forced, I'd buy this over the DooDoo tablet, but this is definitely not going to make me want a fourth screen.

[crimsonsky]

Hee hee. I love how Google Translate can mangle Spanish sometimes, although it didn't do too bad a job this time. I read the article in Spanish & based on their description, "meh" seems to be the appropriate response.

[Jason Dunn]

Might be too early to judge, but it seems like my worst fears have come true: Windows 7 is too heavy to be on a device that needs to be fast and responsive. Courier, you may be our only hope...

[Hooch Tan]

I agree that it is early, and this is supposedly a prototype, but if that's the direction they want to take it, it sounds like a big mistake. I do think that Windows 7 could be a decent foundation, but it just does not seem elegant. Maybe if they came from it from the angle of beefing up Windows Phone 7 instead, it'd be slicker.

[Jason Dunn]

Maybe if they came from it from the angle of beefing up Windows Phone 7 instead, it'd be slicker.

Yeah, that's pretty much the angle it has to come from, unless Intel comes out with a massively faster Atom that still sips power.