Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › Computers and HTPC › HP releases new Slate tablet after retaining PC unit. Can you keep it straight on what HP is doing?!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

HP releases new Slate tablet after retaining PC unit. Can you keep it straight on what HP is...

post #1 of 10
11/3/11 at 9:47pm
Thread Starter 

Can you keep this stuff straight?  Back on 8/18/11 HP announced that they would ditch their slate and their PC unit.  Léo Apotheker was the CEO, then.  Now that Meg Whitman is CEO, things dramatically change.  HP announces they will keep their PC unit and today announce a 2nd generation slate based off of Windows 7?!

 

What happened to the rumored 2nd run of the original slate to be sold at Best Buy?  Oh yeah, that was for consumers, the Slate 2 is for businesses.  I guess everyone knows that v1 means consumers and v2 means businesses.  Seems like a branding problem...

 

HPSlate2.jpg

 

At any rate, the new slate, which I have the hardest time imaging will be compelling with limited touch support with Windows 7, has the following specs:

 

The Slate 2 tablet has an 8.9-inch capacitive touch display and is an update to the company's first tablet, the Slate 500, which was released last year. Targeted at businesses, the Slate 2 includes faster hardware including Intel's Atom Z670 processor.

 

HP was able to drop the tablet's starting price to US$699 by making a configuration available with just 32GB storage. That version also includes Wi-Fi and Windows 7 Home Premium. The Slate 2 will become available worldwide in November.

 

I don't know, I am underwhelmed.  What about you?

Reply
post #2 of 10
11/4/11 at 2:10pm

I agree Kevin - extremely underwhelming. I think HP has been utterly foolish (including the appointment of the awful Meg Whitman) and this announcement does nothing to change that view I have.

Reply
post #3 of 10
11/4/11 at 3:54pm
Anyone who buys ANY non bargain basement HP product these days is crazy
Reply
post #4 of 10
11/5/11 at 5:58am
HP is in danger of becoming the next 3Com -- a company that changes it's strategic direction as often as the wind shifts. When that happens, customers lose faith that the company will continue to be in a particular market and support their products, so customers look elsewhere for solutions. I've been in the data communications / networking field for 27 years, and refused to look at 3Com products because of this.
Reply
post #5 of 10
11/5/11 at 6:10am

Didn't HP buy 3COM or something a while back?  I think that turned into their switching division.. after 3COM bought USR (which was ridiculous at the end of the modem era).   But who knows.    Actually, HP does servers and big printers fairly well.   Everything else.. SUCK...

Reply
post #6 of 10
11/5/11 at 9:07am

I think this was the strategy all along to release a windows slate. It was announced then canceled way before the WebOS purchase even happened. MS and HP have always had a strong relationship so this makes since. As far as flip flopping this is now becoming the norm. :)

Reply
post #7 of 10
11/5/11 at 3:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Collins View Post

Back on 8/18/11 HP announced that they would ditch their slate and their PC unit.  Léo Apotheker was the CEO, then.  Now that Meg Whitman is CEO, things dramatically change.  HP announces they will keep their PC unit and today announce a 2nd generation slate based off of Windows 7?!

There are two separate things: the slate the tablet. As I recall, it went like this:
  1. At CES, just before the iPad announcement, Ballmer makes a big deal about the HP Slate, based on Windows.
  2. iPad is a hit
  3. HP buys Palm, who are working on the TouchPad tablet based on WebOS
  4. Slate flops, "goes enterprise"
  5. TouchPad flops
  6. HP ditches consumer PCs and WebOS devices including TouchPad
  7. TouchPad fire-sale, sells well
  8. HP ditches Apotheker
  9. HP keeps consumer PCs (had always kept enterprise)
  10. 2nd gen of HP Slate

Having said all that, it is confusing trying to keep it all straight.
Reply
post #8 of 10
11/7/11 at 7:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Collins View Post

HP was able to drop the tablet's starting price to US$699 by making a configuration available with just 32GB storage. That version also includes Wi-Fi and Windows 7 Home Premium. The Slate 2 will become available worldwide in November.

 

It costs $100 more than an iPad? That's DOA.

 

Reply
post #9 of 10
11/12/11 at 2:59pm
Best buy is "selling" a HP tablet, Model: FB359UA#ABA| SKU: 2842092, for $150 if you also buy an HP laptop.

My stepson bought the laptop and the HP tablet. I'm trying to convince them to cancel the tablet and just buy the Fire next week. Not sure if successful.

Anyway what is this tablet being offered? Is it an older one they are trying to get rid of?
Reply
post #10 of 10
11/12/11 at 4:23pm

Looks like final clearance stock on the TouchPad. I'm surprised they have any left after the firesale.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Computers and HTPC
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Other Diversions › Computers and HTPC › HP releases new Slate tablet after retaining PC unit. Can you keep it straight on what HP is doing?!