Since the HP/Palm deal occured, a bit of speculation about HP launching a webOS based tablet has been happening. We heard a couple of weeks back that the new webOS tablet could be called the HP Hurricane although no official information has been provided about this being the case.
Yesterday a HP representative confirmed that the company would be working on a HP webOS based tablet that will be made available in October. As well as tablets using webOS, we also hear that smartphones will continue to use it although surprisingly, netbooks and smartbooks have been ruled out.
It isn’t clear at the moment if the new HP webOS tablet is going to be called the HP Hurricane. With a launch date of August though, it shouldn’t be too long before we get official details about the device.
As soon as we get more details of the new tablet, we’ll write up about them here. If any company has the ability to tackle Apple [AAPL], I think HP and webOS could have a chance. Of course there are other tablet makers bringing out various OS’s such as Android, but so far none have sold as many as Apple. Lets hope HP can come up with something decent.
Via: Liliputing
Hurricane is good name.
I have thought about the pros and cons of a tablet/slate. What I have decided is that, if you had a tablet with a reliable fast internet connection and a sufficiently potent home computer that you left on. Then I could see the a tablet/slate being more convenient to use for certain instances. I mean I probably surf the web on my smart phone at least half the time I am not tied to a desk, i.e. at work. I don’t see myself every lugging a tablet/slate around most of the time. Much as I have stopped lugging my laptop around. But just lazying on the couch or in bed, the bigger touchscreen of a tablet would better then my smart phone and lighter then my laptop. As long as you could run a quality remote desktop program, or in some instances server software, on your home computer; whatever OS is running on the tablet/slate would matter little. Screen quality, input/output ports, and network connectivity abilities are going to be the important part. Though this depends on the premise that the Web OS, iphone OS, and Android OS all support robust multitouch.
There continues to be rumors that circulate around HP and whether or not they will bring out the Slate.
This is only fueled by HP’s withdrawal from the Slate topic. We are getting bits and pieces of information (2nd hand and maybe even 3rd hand) and most of the time the information clashes with other sources.
HP’s apparent lack of making an official statement may just be a BRILLIANT PLOY!
There is no doubt that Apples iPad has a serious lead in the tablet/slate device area and it seems that HP is not ready to bring a device to market yet. However, it appears to us that HP may be letting the blogosphere take the lead on the Slate to keep the buzz alive and kicking. By not coming out with a stance, HP may be speaking volumes. There has been rumors seeded by HP’s decision to purchase Palm. Granted that decision has caught some of us by surprise however, it may make perfect sense.
HP has committed years (as they claim) in the development of the Slate. They have also gone on record as stating that the Slate is an actual product and not just a concept. We believe that HP understands that in order to be competitive in this market they have to bring a product unlike and better then the product that already exists today (namely the iPad). It is our belief that HP plans on doing just that in a variety of ways.
As the iPad has soared in sales there have been some noted drawbacks. The lack of a USB port for starters, the lack of a camera, and even the OS its self only being able to run 1 window at a time can be a huge drawback. HP has weighed and calculated the flaws and drawbacks of Apples iPad and have developed a theory.
Why only offer 1 that may or may NOT meet the needs of every person when you can offer a variety of Slates. One size does NOT always fit all. With that in mind, we feel that HP will be bringing out 2 maybe 3 versions of the Slate.
(1) HP SLATE: Featuring the Windows 7. It may have limited battery power, but will still appeal to those people who desire a full OS. It also will fly in the face of Apple (since there is a contention of Mac’s vs. PC’s **aka. Microsoft**).
HP is already on the rec rd as stating that the Slate is an actual device not a concept. HP has also commented that they have spent years (which factors into large sums of money) in the development of the Slate. We very much doubt that HP will allow that kind of loss without at least trying to recoup some of it back in sales of the Slate. Even if it tanked, they would recoup something.
(2) HP HURRICANE: Featuring WebOS. This could be the real competitor to the iPad. Both would be using the same type of OS (unlike the slate which would be using a full OS). Now HP could be doing direct battle with Apple in the tablet/slate market. WebOS has some perks, like the ability to have more then one window open at a time. The Hurricane will also feature the crucial items that the iPad seems to be missing. A USB port and a camera (two of the biggest criticisms that the iPad has going against it now). However there are some drawbacks as well. WebOS does NOT have the APPs that iPhone and Android boast. Apps are a major appeal to many consumers. Hence the add “there’s an app for that” was born but much of the leg work is gone from the APP field. Many companies have apps, many more companies can develop apps, and most importantly, all the crazy apps that have no real point have already been taken out of the system. People now know what they want from an app, so getting WebOS up to the status of Android or iPhone OS will not be very consuming.
(3) HP HALF-PINT: A 6 inch version of the Slate featuring either Android or WebOS (most likely WebOS) A rumor that has been quite for some time now. This will appeal to those people (and there are many) who want something that is a little more portable. A 6 inch screen keeps it in the realm of an entertainment device (and out of the whole cell phone) but makes it that much more portable then what the iPad and Slate can be. Supposedly having the same capability as the Hurricane just in a smaller form. This could be another way that HP will bring variety to the market and maybe out perform the iPad for this market.
This is why we think that HP may be one brilliant company and also why we feel that there is possibly going to be several versions of the Slate on the market before the holiday season. Lets keep our ears to the track and our eyes forward and wait to see what HP will surprise us with in the months to come.