HP Slate 7 Tablet Runs Android, Sports ARM Processor: MWC

BARCELONA, Spain — Hewlett-Packard unveiled its latest entry into the tablet market with the Slate 7, which runs Google’s Android Jelly Bean operating system, features a 7-in. touch-screen display and starts at $169.

Available in April, the tablet is powered by an ARM dual-core Cortex-A9 1.6GHz processor, offers integrated wireless capabilities, and allows users to access email, the Web and applications. The tablet’s high-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel offers wide viewing angles that provide viewing of content and video, even in bright outdoor lighting.

The Slate 7, which is the first tablet to offer embedded Beats Audio for enhanced sound quality, includes a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA camera on the front. The device features a stainless-steel frame, and it has a micro USB port, which allows users to transfer files.

In addition, a suite of applications from HP spans the gamut from games to productivity tools, and the tablet offers services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts for multi-person video chat as well as access to apps and digital content through Google’s online store, Play.

The HP ePrint application allows users to print while at home or on the go, and the native printing capability enables customers to print directly from most applications. However, ePrint requires an Internet connection to an HP Web-enabled printer and an ePrint account registration. The tablet comes with 8GB of storage and includes a micro SD slot for storage expansion.

In addition to phone and online support offerings included with the Slate 7, HP is also offering customers the opportunity to add to the standard product limited warranty with its HP Care Pack services. Slate customers will have the option of a two-year HP Care Pack for $29 or a two-year Care Pack with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) for $49, according to a company release.

“To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors and leverage an array of operating systems,” Alberto Torres, senior vice president of HP’s mobility global business unit, said in a statement. “Our new HP Slate 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’s tablet offerings reside in the company’s newly formed Mobility Global Business Unit, established in September 2012 with Torres’ hiring. Torres joined HP from Nokia, where he was executive vice president and oversaw the MeeGo products and platform. The Slate joins the recently introduced HP Chromebook as part of the company’s push to offer access to the Google experience.