HP to pitch Windows Slate at Big Biz
WebOS tablets, netbooks for consumers
HP has confirmed that its Windows 7-based Slate 500 tablet hasn't been canned and will be pitched at big biz customers this coming autumn.
HP's plan, mentioned to Engadget, is no great surprise. As we noted earlier this week, HP's acquisition of Palm led many observers to assume that the Slate 500 might be replaced, before its release, by a WebOS version. But enterprise buyers are a notoriously conservative lot and far more likely to accept a Windows-based machine than something running an OS as outré - to them - as Palm's offering.
Consumers, on the other hand, are far more likely to be swayed by WebOS' slick graphics than notions of PC compatibility, especially when its offerings are likely to sit alongside the Apple iPad, so we can see HP offering them Palm-based tablets.
And quite possibly netbooks too. According to Jon Rubinstein, one-time Palm CEO and now a cog in the HP juggernaut, "we're working a wide variety [of devices]... smartphones definitely, slates, netbooks, working with the guys in the printer group".
Yes, folks, WebOS-based inkjets and lasers are on their way. Tweet while you print, anyone?
Rubinstein was speaking at Fortune magazine's Brainstorm Tech event. ®
COMMENTS
Keep faking the tablets
So, the slate's late but still slated to be on the slate later - when it will be slated.
Tweet while you print
Tweet just in from HP660C :
W00ters jst prted pg 1 of 1549 in color OMG sos cool. Pls see my scan of pg http://bit.ly/w00t
(Six hours later and 1549 auto tweets later...)
W00ters jst prted pg 1549 of 1549 in color OMG so cool. Pls...Oh fuck it no one cares about what I've printed or ate for breakfast...
I want a Windows Slate, dammit!!!
This doesn't constitute any criticism of WebOS - I'm simply not interested in such a product.
You'd almost think that Carly is back running things.
Can't wait
I'll be first in line for the WebOS version, it's a great little OS, easily hackable too.
Sounds ok to me.
I looked into getting an iPad for work purposes but it's simply not flexible enough to fit into other workflows.
