HP Announces Android-Based Slate 7

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HP is getting into the Android tablet game. It unveiled a new 7-inch device it calls the Slate 7. Early reviews indicate the Slate 7’s most attractive feature may be its low price.

PCMag’s Chloe Albanesius reported, “HP today formally entered the Android tablet space with the introduction of the HP Slate at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. HP said the 7-inch HP Slate will be available in the U.S. in April (though the Slate website currently says May), starting at $169, which is less than Google’s own 7-inch Nexus 7, which starts at $199.”

Computerworld’s Matt Hamblen noted, “Many Android tablets today sell new for $200 and above, making the HP Android 4.1 device a potential deal for consumers. The low-end $169 model offers 8 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot for expansion–a feature not generally available on other tablets. By comparison, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD with 16 GB of internal storage sells for $199 without a microSD expansion slot.”

CNET’s Vincent Chang added, “Unlike the 1,280 x 800-pixel IPS panel found on the Nexus 7, the HP Slate 7 uses an HFFS (High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching) display with a 1,024 x 600-pixel resolution. According to HP, this screen ‘offers wide viewing angles,’ even in ‘outdoor lighting conditions.’ The Slate 7 also has a pair of cameras–a 3-megapixel rear shooter and a VGA camera at the front.”

CNNMoney’s Adrian Covert opined, “HP’s bid to rejuvenate its flagging business is the Slate 7 — which is not a premium-grade tablet, nor a remarkably cheap device. Instead, the $169 Slate 7 packs a 7-inch screen, 1024×600 resolution, a 1.6 GHz dual-core processor, and 8 gigabytes of storage. While it’s not obnoxiously cumbersome, it is bigger and heavier than many of the notable 7-inch tablets, like Google’s Nexus 7. Those specs are fine, but hardly phenomenal by 2013 standards.”