The HP Slate is set to hit the market on June 7 of this year. The prices for this unit are now known, starting: $549 for the 32GB model and $599 for the 64GB version. In comparison, the introductory price of an iPad starts at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only 16GB model.
The Slate is touted to be more powerful than a smart phone and close at heels with a PC. It is perfect for reading, surfing the web and taking entertainment on the go. Resembling an Amazon Kindle DX in size, it aims at bridging the gap between laptops and smart phones. HP’s Slate will run on full version of Windows 7, complete with multi-touch capabilities. It comes with 3G connectivity as a standard feature and may cause a lesser pocket-pinch than iPad’s $629.
The 8.9 inch screen will have multi-touch capabilities, which you can flip through and experience a book in full color. The Wi-Fi capabilities allow you to download content. It will focus on content consumption including games, e-books, music, videos and web browsing. It will also be powered by FLASH and will be compatible with all Adobe Programs and Support, such as Shockwave.
The HP Slate will feature a SD card reader (up to 128GB) and a USB 2.0 port, together with a conventional SIM card tray. In addition, the HP Slate features a dock connector used for powering the device, audio, and HDMI out. The leaked specs also show the HP Slate will be powered by a 1.6-GHz Intel Atom processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM memory (non-user upgradable). T
The HP Slate will run on a HP touch-optimized UI, based on Windows 7 Home Premium, though only real-life tests will show if the interface is as fluid as the promotional videos depict it.
Finally the HP Slate will feature two cameras: a VGA front camera for video calling and a 3MP camera on the back .
The HP slate and Microsoft Courier is our lead in story for next months edition of the Good E-Reader Magazine.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
