Pricing out for HP Slate

[Seadog]

We have indoctrinated the general buying public into thinking that XXX is better than YYY. We know that more storage is better, more RAM is better, and 2.8 Ghz is better than 2.4 Ghz. The problem is that it not always true. Why pay for a Tb of storage if you do not download anything. And often a 250GB hard drive in the computer, may be just fine if you have a 4 Tb RAID. Processors have gotten so fast that we rarely use them to their full capacity unless we are in a field that requires heavy numbers crunching, graphics, or do a lot of gaming. The worse part is that we are not putting emphasis on what matters most to the general public, the infrastructure of the internet. Building the next generation of internet should be a government priority. That and controlling the vast amount of resources wasted on scheming crooks, con artists, and trouble makers.

The iPad is a very good attempt to make a device suitable for the daily user. It has to meet a fine line between function and price. Everything costs money and room. The Slate and its brethren have to provide the components to work with whatever OS is best suited for their target. If it requires a powerful processor, they have a much higher cost than its less advanced cousin. More power, usually means more heat, which requires ways to better dissipate. The list goes on. The gamble is deciding not only what suits a person's needs, but who will have the best future solution. For example, most people want or need to print. With USB and software, the Slate will print, but needs to plug in. The iPad is getting wireless printing. For a portable device, wireless printing would be more desired. (The Slate will probably support wireless printing of some sorts, but this is just an example)

 

[mgerbasio]

I've had an ipad pretty much from when they became available. I'm not an Apple fan and have an Android phone and use Windows. That said, the iPad is really a very well designed device and has completely replaced my netbook. The one thing I can't do with my iPad is corporate VPN but booting into Windows was so much of pain on the run, I hardly used it anyway.

For me, Apple is missing on a file system so I don't have to have downloaded documents associate with a specific program, better SD card support and a camera for video chat.

HP is trying to shoehorn a full operating system into a tablet with a smaller screen and lacking keyboard and they wonder why MS was never able to pull off a tablet. Instant On, the GUI and long battery life are a big plus with the ipad.

 

[pallentx]

Different tablets for different people with different needs. HP has been making great touchscreen windows XP, Vista, and windows 7 computers with pretty decent touch support, scrolling, etc. The basic Atom processors are no speed demon, but they work fine on netbooks. The newer dual-core, top-end Atoms are much better. This is great for people that need real office app capabilities and need to be able to run specific windows software. I dont expect them to outsell the iPad, since the iPad is targeted as a cheaper entertainment, consumer device with a mobile OS. I do expect the HP to make HP money, and that is its goal. If it had been out when I bout my iPad, I would have paid the extra for it. I still haven't seen a date when they say it will be for sale...

BTW - I used a full OS on a slate with no keyboard for years on my Compaq TC1000 (2001 model). It worked just fine, though battery life was only 4-5hrs. It had the Wacom pen, no touchscreen which I hope HP has retained as an option in their new slate. I see no reason why a full OS couldn't be done now, some 10 or so years later.

 

[Seadog]

An article out today showed that the Slate can never be a competitor for the iPad. In essense, the Slate is a netbook in tablet form, using software that is designed for standard computers. Even its touch screen is a old school design. It is a final incarnation of the old school, and the iPad is the first incarnation of the new school. There will be those who need the Windows 7 function, but it will never attract the public.