HP talks up slate launch

Not a product I want

Look, if the think is as thick as a notebook, runs Windows (and has to be maintained like it), and has not much more than netbook performance (maybe low end notebook performance), with some HD flare sprinkled on it, yet you take away my keyboard, a form factor I can use on a lap, and the optical drive and charge me a $500+ premium?

Why would I want this? If I'm lugging around a 3lb PC "slate" that I have to maintain like a PC, for the same price or less I could have a much nicer PC (better yet a Mac with Windows on it too)...

A "Tablet" is one thing, a slate is another. A slate must be sleek, light, and provide simple functions, as an EXTENTION of my PC, not simply a second, lower class PC, that I also have to maintain.

Though we don't have formal specs or pricing on Apple's tablet yet, if rumors are true (they're usually not far off this close to release, we're looking at an $800-900 machine that can do 1080p HD (likely wirelessly), play 3D games in much higher resolution than any current portable system other than a full blown notebook, has a beautiful multi-touch OS (designed for it, not hacked on top of Win 7), it can edit documents on the run and sync with the cloud, you can get apps for it for a couple dollars each (and it runs all the ones you already have for your iPhone, and shares it's licenses with up to 5 devices in a household), it weighs about a pound and is less than Half an inch thick, and it has an OS I don't have to muck around with. It's a natural multimedia extension of my PCs and Macs in the house, usable by the whole family, and great for quick tasks like checking mail or syncing some photos or controlling the home theater. Why would I pay more for something less powerful that weighs more and has less unique functionality?

Tee Hee

inch thick?

</Tee Hee>

What's all the fuss?

I have had (for some 5 years) a tablet PC (not a slate admittedly), made by HP. Cost under £600, has a decent touch screen and stylus, handwriting recognition that (mostly) works, and a removable DVD RW drive.

Apart from the battery (which I have killed, although kindly it came with a spare!) it still works well, and has since been updated to Win7. There is no way I'd be interested in paying more, for (what is essentially) less.

Did you even watch the video?

The HP CTO said that IF they had released is a few years ago it WOULD have cost the now extremely high cost of $1500. But PH didn't want to release it as a niche product like most of the swivel screen "tablet" PCs. Instead, when it releases later this year it will be priced at "mainstream" levels.

To me that means if it has an atom processor and a 10.1" or less screen it will come in between $300-500. Over $500 with an atom processor would make it a impractical for most use cases. At this price point there would be almost no reason to ever consider a netbook.

However, if it comes with one of the new CULV Core 2 duo procs, I could see it selling for $600-800.

With AMD procs they could potentially provide additional power at the same price or the same power at lower prices - like the Acer Ferrari 1810. The most critical things for me are Price, Processor Power (not speed), and Battery Life. A six cell battery would be imperative for 6-10 hours of real use.

I will definitely be buying one if either of these price points is met with their respective procs (or equivalent) and battery life.

Did Fujitsu Siemens not do this?

A few years back Fujitsu Siemens launched a "slate" tablet. Looked cool but was not very useful as you had to do all input via the screen or carry a seperate keyboard/mouse/stand.....

And who says History doesn't repeat itself?