HP has unveiled its budget 7-inch Android tablet, the HP Slate7, and running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean it looks set to rival the Google Nexus 7.
The HP Slate7 is powered by an 1.6GHz ARM dual-core Cortex A9 and should help HP’s standing in the tablet market, especially after it withdrew its webOS-based HP TouchPad tablet.
“To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors, leveraging an array of operating systems,” said Alberto Torres, Senior Vice President of the Mobility Global Business Unit at HP. “one new HP Slate7 on Android represents a compelling entry point for consumer tablets, while our ground-breaking, business-ready HP ElitePad on Windows 8 is ideal for enterprises and governments. Both deliver the service and support people expect from HP.”
HP Slate7 Features
The HP Slate7 features distinctly pedestrian specs, aimed to enter somewhere around the middle of the tablet market. The stainless steel frame of the HP Slate7 features a 600 x 1024p resolution 7-inch HFFS display panel with multi-touch sensors and weighs 368g.
Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean via an ARM Dual Cortex A9 1.6GHz processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of in-built microSD expandable storage, the HP Slate7 also provides a 3-megapixel camera in the rear and a VGA camera in the front for video calling.
The HP tablet will play host to Beats Audio technology, which HP says will provide the “best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a tablet.” Google services such as Gmail, YouTube and Google all come as standard, as does access to the Google Play store.
HP Slate7 Release Date and Price
UK availability and any official pricing for the HP Slate7 has yet to be announced. HP has said that it will be available in selected European countries, locations in the Middle East and Africa from May with a starting price of €149 (£131).
The HP Slate7 will be available in grey and red back panel options.
Do you think the HP Slate7 will be able to compete in an already strong tablet marketplace? Does the HP Slate7 look like a good mid-market tablet? Give us your thoughts on the Trusted Reviews Facebook and Twitter pages or the comment boxes below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
