HP’s on again-off again love affair with tablet computers is back on again, this time with the Slate 2. This tablet, however, turns its back on HP’s one-time OS sweetheart, webOS, to shack up with Microsoft’s Windows 7.
The Slate 2 Tablet PC includes an 8.9-inch capacitive multi-touch display, Intel’s Atom Z670 processor, 32GB storage, a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera, and a VGA front-facing camera for video chats, and up to six hours of battery life. It also includes what HP is calling it’s Swype on-screen keyboard.
HP’s Slate 2 with Windows 7
Choosing Windows 7 over webOS may be a disappointment, but isn’t much of a surprise since the original Slate was Windows 7-based, too. HP is targeting “business and vertical markets, such as education, government, healthcare and retail,” which may have played into the decision to leave webOS on the sidelines.
With the Slate 2 hitting store shelves, the future of webOS looks even more grim. The operating system ended up on its deathbed along with the TouchPad tablet after less than 50 days on the market, apparently ending HP’s short-lived competition with Apple’s iPad.
Unfortunately, with the launch of the Slate 2, it looks like HP would rather continue forward with its same-old-same tablet strategy instead of potentially shaking up the market and giving Apple a run for its money.