HP Teaser Shows Off Multi-Touch Slate's Best Attributes
Much like Donkey Kong, "it's on." The tablet wars are now fully in
effect, and with Apple laying down the first blow, HP has followed up
just a few days later with a gorgeous teaser video that makes it
difficult to wait. As we all know by know, the multi-touch tablet will
have a lot of things the iPad doesn't: a USB port, Flash support and a
camera, for starters. It won't have the App Store nor will have Apple's
unique user interface, and despite their best efforts, we sort of doubt
that HP will be able to get people lined up 3 days in advance at the
local Best Buy for an HP Slate.
That said, HP is making a case that their Slate could very well be the Apple iPad killer. There are still a lot of unknowns, but the things we do know make it very appealing. HP realizes that the Slate has to be great at helping users consume media, but it also has to be good at much more to steal Apple's thunder, particularly with iPhone OS 4.0 just around the bend. If you assume that Apple will bring multi-tasking to the iPad in the next few months, having that ability on the Slate becomes a lot less important. We sort of think that's why Apple made the OS 4.0 announcement so soon after the iPad's launch; it basically takes the "well, our tablet can multi-task!" play away from everyone else.
HP clearly states in a new promotional post about the Slate that "media consumption is only half of the ideal mobile experience," noting that Skype chatting, photo viewing and the sharing of digital content is equally important. Unfortunately, no price or release date has been set, but we have heard in the past that a Q3 2010 ship date was probable. Have a look at the video below; does it make it harder to hold off an iPad? Does it make you more sure about your decision to wait for HP's alternative?
That said, HP is making a case that their Slate could very well be the Apple iPad killer. There are still a lot of unknowns, but the things we do know make it very appealing. HP realizes that the Slate has to be great at helping users consume media, but it also has to be good at much more to steal Apple's thunder, particularly with iPhone OS 4.0 just around the bend. If you assume that Apple will bring multi-tasking to the iPad in the next few months, having that ability on the Slate becomes a lot less important. We sort of think that's why Apple made the OS 4.0 announcement so soon after the iPad's launch; it basically takes the "well, our tablet can multi-task!" play away from everyone else.
HP clearly states in a new promotional post about the Slate that "media consumption is only half of the ideal mobile experience," noting that Skype chatting, photo viewing and the sharing of digital content is equally important. Unfortunately, no price or release date has been set, but we have heard in the past that a Q3 2010 ship date was probable. Have a look at the video below; does it make it harder to hold off an iPad? Does it make you more sure about your decision to wait for HP's alternative?
