HP Slate to undercut Apple iPad on price; MS working on Courier
February 19, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Hewlett Packard has released little detail on its Slate tablet device. Apparently this is for good reason. According to the WSJ, HP was waiting to see what Apple had in store with the iPad, before tweaking features and price-points. Its sources suggest that HP executives will be meeting in the US and Taiwan over the next few weeks to discuss these exact issues.
It sounds like 3G will be one of the Slate’s features as the company is considering selling a version of the Slate that has a similar display size and features as the iPad (including a 3G connection) for a price less than Apple is charging ($629).
Other companies such as Acer, Dell and Sony have also been keeping a close eye on the Apple iPad as they look to rollout their own tablets. The paper’s sources go on to say that Microsoft is continuing to work on its secret Courier project (two-screen tablet), although they have little details on the device itself.
February 19th, 2010 4:35 PM
Even with all of the power behind existing and forthcoming tablets from companies other than Apple and their lower prices, the iPad still has the potential to surpass its competitors.
There’s an emerging boom for these products now that Apple has put its best foot forward with the iPad. But the iPad simply has more potential than its competitors.
After the current issues are resolved, you’ll see the iPad move ahead from the rest of the pack and stay there. It’s got unique qualities other products just don’t have, real or perceived.
iPad news and updates:
http://iPadLot.com
February 19th, 2010 8:45 PM
I’d be very surprised if the iPad pulls ahead and stays there. Not surprised that someone spamming an iPad site would say that though! 🙂
Apple looks to have done a fantastic job on the user experience side as always, but their monoculture, locked ecosystem, and closed platform will limit them as it always does.
With a flood of much cheaper Windows and Android based slates hitting the market, and competitors in distribution (Amazon and Barnes and Noble in particular) looking for a hedge against Apple (not to mention long established players like Zinio who will now have a new market), I expect that the pure weight of the competing ecosystem will limit the iPads potential.
It is most likely that the market will fall out 80/20 with 80 going to the Windows/Android mix and 20 sitting with Apple.
That said, the form factor itself is almost certain to remain a niche. These devices have been tried before and are still just not that convenient or appealing to most. They remain a luxury. Ubiquitous connectivity, increased availability of content, and interest in eBooks has helped, but these devices, IMO, will not scale to the hundreds of millions the way laptops, desktops or smartphones do. Its a 3rd category (or “Nth” category if you want to count GPS devices, media players, MIDs, cameras, etc) and as such is self limiting.
February 19th, 2010 8:47 PM
Simple, the Iphone was/is all about the APPS, IPAD will have all those apps to start with, Huge advantage, what will HP/Acer/Sony offer….. MS Office?
February 19th, 2010 9:48 PM
http://www.200linx.com
im voting for the iPad, whatever market or segment that apple go into, at the end they end up rulling the catagory.
and so there is one more thing that can help the success of the iPad…
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all of the most used links set in one neet page, with all the internet you need.
and the best way to use this site, is to make it your next Home Page.
check it out…
February 19th, 2010 10:09 PM
“Simple, the Iphone was/is all about the APPS, IPAD will have all those apps to start with, Huge advantage, what will HP/Acer/Sony offer….. MS Office?”
Um, yeah? Plus tons of other applications that run on Windows. You know, the ones that people use for actual work.
February 20th, 2010 1:45 AM
Death to the HP Slate! Only the iPad shall be used for all others are UNCLEAN!!! iPad, oh Holy iPad! Now I shall be able to worship the image of Steve Jobs’ face upon it in a near life size proportions!
February 20th, 2010 6:39 AM
Yeah i was just wondering if anyone has heard if the courier will also be a multimedia platform or if its just gonna be a journal type thing? Will it play movies and music and such. Thanks for the help
February 21st, 2010 9:26 PM
Why is everyone so sure that these tablets will take off?
I understand that they are new gadgets in a sense this is the way I look at it
Ipad: Your paying for the apple name…I understand that there is no flash support…You can bet your pocket that there will be seperate data plans for the product too!
HP Slate: Everything is still very hush hush on it
Here’s a question..what happens if the screen breaks or the crystal inside shatters?…Your screwed because all the tablet is in essence is a screen.
I still can’t see the logic of these tablets now, Not unless they were specific for something like graphic design, Then fair enough..But what makes it so special from a Netbook?
March 6th, 2010 5:23 AM
So is it mean that HP Slate is going to be cheap but run windows 7 and be supported by no apps. The iPad will cost more, run OS X, and have a massive app store to back it up. For that you can say if you go for cheap option you will get cheap things. You know what do I mean!!
March 8th, 2010 11:09 AM
The Apple iPad may be getting most of the attention, but there are a range of other tablet devices already in the works.The HP Slate will run a full version of Windows 7, come with 3G as standard, and have similar specs to an iPad.