Hands On: HP Slate 7-inch Android tablet with Beats Audio
updated 06:31 pm EST, Sun February 24, 2013
Claimed first tablet with Beats Audio processing
HP has unveiled a new Android tablet aimed at the home market, its first attempt at a consumer tablet after the WebOS-based TouchPad in 2011. The HP Slate resembles a fairly standard seven-inch tablet that uses Android Jelly Bean, but is the first to offer integrated Beats Audio processing. Electronista spent a small amount of hands-on time with the tablet ahead of the opening of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Inside the Slate's stainless steel frame and grey or red backing lies an ARM dual-core Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1.6GHz. On the rear is a 3-megapixel camera, with a VGA counterpart on the front for video conferencing, while the display uses a High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel for wide viewing angles.
Though the Slate does appear to have a decent build quality to it's construction, it adds very little to the established 7-inch tablet equation. Much of what the Slate provides can easily be found elsewhere, and while it offers Beats Audio, the chance to test its quality was not offered by staff. While it may not be anywhere near the iPad in terms of features and quality, the HP brand could provide potential customers some relief.
The HP Slate will be going on sale in the US in April, starting from $170.
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More Evidence...
This is just more evidence that PC makers, HP especially, still don't get it: stop loading up your computers with marketing BS and focus your efforts on providing the best user experience.