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Early HP slate hands-on: just a netbook without a keyboard

updated 05:35 pm EDT, Mon April 19, 2010

HP slate already seen as fundamentally mediocre


The HP slate was panned today in a test by a Spanish blogger who had early access. He described the system as "meh" and ultimately just a netbook with a touchscreen in place of a keyboard. The system doesn't really compete against the iPad at all but other netbooks, Conecti.ca said.

As it just runs a regular Atom and desktop Windows 7, the slate still has the long boot times and slow performance of a cheaper netbook. Its chief advantages revolve around expansion, as it has a camera, USB and a dock with extra ports and HDMI output. However, its RAM can't be expanded, and its Broadcom HD accelerator can only apply to certain kinds of video rather than 3D or other tasks.

HP is due to ship its tablet in June and may price it at $549 for a 32GB version, although the size of Windows 7 may leave it with the same free space as a 16GB iPad. It will also get half as much battery life at five hours versus 10 or more for the Apple device.


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By Electronista Staff

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Intel, computers, gadgets, HP, tablet, Broadcom, Atom, Windows 7, Apple, iPad

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Previous Comments

  1. The Vicar

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2009

    +9
    04/19, 05:54pm | report spam | reply

    Also, grass is green and the sky is blue.

    Anyone who finds this surprising in any way must be a dolt.


  1. barryjaylevine

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 2003

    +7
    04/19, 05:57pm | report spam | reply

    It's the OS, stupid!

    ...to paraphrase others.

    As long as the Windoze fanboys scream for a tablet running anything by Microsoft, this is what they'll get.

    Windoze isn't designed for tablet use. I did own an HP tablet notebook but, frankly, it was just Windoze with the ability to use a stylus in place of a mouse. BFD.

    Can't wait until December when we'll see these HP tablets being bombed out at Woot or Geeks. Even at half the price of an iPad, it's still a POS.

    Don't know yet about Android. It will be nice to see what one of those tablets can do.


  1. lysolman

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2005

    +11
    04/19, 05:58pm | report spam | reply

    By the By

    That interface looks like a clusterfuck.

    I would be beating myself in the head within minutes in frustration.


  1. socritic

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2010

    +6
    04/19, 05:59pm | report spam | reply

    The real scoop

    is anyone really looking forward to this? and why?
    Here's a preview of the slate:

    "loading...loading...loading...loading... welcome to Windows!
    please insert disk 1

    and in other actually up with the times news...
    i hear the iphone HD will have a front facing camera


  1. slapppy

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2008

    +6
    04/19, 05:59pm | report spam | reply

    FAIL!

    Yeah that "demo" looked really good. Heck I can make a cow p*** on video and make a demo on how that happened look good. It's a demo. The real thing is crappy, as expected.


  1. tsmelker

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

    +5
    04/19, 06:08pm | report spam | reply

    Any minute now...

    ... testudo will make a comment on how "it's an early test bed", or "well, the blogger isn't really get to see all the real features", or, "the blogger is obviously a Mac fanatic, so his 'review' can't be valid", blah blah blah. Heard it all before. NEXT!

    As the Vicar has already pointed out, this shouldn't come as any surprise.


    Comment buried. Show
  1. facebook_Anthony

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Apr 2010

    -16
    04/19, 06:40pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Looking forward to this device.

    h*** yeah I'm looking forward to this HP Slate more than anything right now. It runs Windows 7, it has a camera for video chats, multi-touch screen great for web browsing and photos, a digitizer for pen input for drawing and note taking, an SD card slot for expandable memory and cameras, USB and HDMI connections so that I can use it as a desktop computer when it's in the dock. This device is exactly what I want.

    I've used HP tablets in the past and I was a big fan. This device is much smaller and only weighs 1.5 pounds. Windows 7 on a device in this form factor is incredible.


  1. qazwart

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2001

    +5
    04/19, 08:39pm | report spam | reply

    This Machine will Fail for One Reason

    People are convinced it's an "iPad Killer" and it won't be. That's not saying it won't be a decent machine, but when you compare it to an iPad, it doesn't stack up quite the same. It'll be slower and not as smooth. Windows 7 won't work as effortlessly. And, people will look at the price as being $50 more than the iPad. And with that, people will simply assume that since this isn't an iPad killer, it probably won't even make a good door stop.

    A message to all manufacturers: Don't out iPad the iPad. The iPad is competitively priced. The OS has been well honed for over four years. Apple has used its clout to get a lot of content on the device. You can't build a better iPad.

    You never try to compete on your competitor's terms. You'll lose every time. It's like what happened when discount department stores like Bradleys, Caldor, and Jamesway tried to out Walmart Walmart. You've heard of them? They've gone bye-bye.

    HP should aim the Slate as a netbook that can run the full power of Windows. It can build content and not merely consume it like the iPad. It is smaller and lighter than other similar netbooks and might be worth the $200 premium in the price.


  1. rtamesis

    Dedicated MacNNer

    Joined: Jan 2000

    +4
    04/19, 08:48pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Geek toy

    This is strictly a toy for complete nerds who love to tinker and cry out for more features, whether they are practical or not for the device. Apple need not worry about the competition if this is the best they can come up with.


    Comment buried. Show
  1. wrenchy

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2009

    -17
    04/19, 09:30pm | report spam | reply

    Re:Early HP slate hands-on: just a netbook without


    Oh yeah, kinda like: iPad - Just a big iPhone without the phone.
    WTF do you think a slate computer is??

    The thing is, this "POS" runs windows applications so that puts it miles ahead of any Apple product.


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