Two separate and reliable sources confirmed today that the HP Slate will not be released this summer as previously expected. Instead, the company is in a rush to get Palm’s WebOS onto a slate device that will be named the HP Hurricane. The sources, who are about as close to the project as you can get, say that HP sees the device as a competitor to the iPad
via GottaBeMobile.
Het was al zo goed als zeker dat de HP Slate niet kwam en na de overname van Palm door HP ging men op zoek naar bevestiging dat HP nu een tablet gaat uitbrengen met WebOS er op.
Ik heb nog geen ervaring met WebOS. Belangrijk probleem dat het besturingssysteem heeft/zal hebben is dat er (vergeleken met iPhone OS en Android) relatief weinig applicaties voor beschikbaar zullen zijn. Het is niet open source zoals Android is, het is volledig op touch georiënteerd en heeft Flash ondersteuning (niet happen!)
We zullen zien. Zoals eerder gezegd: dit is nog vaporware en nog ver van beschikbaar.
There are a few things to look at here:
(1) HP (in my opinion) will still come out with the SLATE running Windows 7. Up until 3 weeks ago they were still coming out with reports and updates about the SLATE. They have lots of money and time invested in the SLATE and probably will try to recoup some of that.
(2) There is rumor that HP is also making a smaller version (6 inch) of the SLATE nick named the HALF-PINT. This is rumored to be running Android OS. It’s possible that it could be swapped to run WebOS.
(3) We have the rumor of the HP HURRICANE to be released in Q3. This is rumored to be running WebOS instead of the Windows 7.
I think that HP will decide to do all 3. The reasons being are that they have lots of money and time invested in the SLATE and they realize they need something on the market as soon as possible. This will help them recoup some of the money invested. It will also help bring in some of the people out there who want a FULL OPPERATING SYSTEM and not a phone based OS.
They probably see a need to bring a smaller more portable version to the market (but not to be mistaken for a phone…. hence the HP HALF-PINT). If this is running WebOS, this will be two fold. (1) it will bring a phone operating system to market for HP and more importantly (2) this will give WebOS a few months to have the APPs developed before the HP HURRICANE is released onto the market.
At that time HP will have a full version, fully integrated SLATE type device on market that will be able to compete with the iPad for market share.
As of now, iPad is ahead of the game with the iPhone OS only in the APPs department. HP needs some time to develop and test the HURRICANE. HP also needs to get something on the market as soon as possible at the same time trying to recoup some of the money that was invested in the SLATE.
This is why I think that HP will do all three.
HP SLATE
HP HALF-PINT
HP HURRICANE