HP Announces Android 4.1, JellyBean Powered Slate 7
HP announced its first ever Android-based tablet this week with the new Slate 7.
The device will come with Android 4.1, JellyBean pre-installed instead of webOS, which the company used for its TouchPad that failed to make its mark on the industry two years ago.
The Slate 7 is competitively priced at $169 and packs a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor that clocks in at 1.6GHz with 1GB RAM. It also features 8GB of internal memory and a microSD slot for expandable storage along with front and rear cameras and audio powered by Beats.
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The device has a lower resolution than the Google Nexus 7, but makes up for the weaker specs with the cheaper price.
HP is also working on an Android tablet that will feature Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor.
ReadWrite.com is reporting that its sources have confirmed that HP will introduce this new high-end tablet before November of this year. The Nvidia Tegra 4 features some impressive specs, but has not shown up on that many devices.
Sources also recently revealed that HP is planning to release a smartphone that runs Android OS. However, the company's CEO Meg Whitman stated that HP will not be releasing one this year. Rumors first circulated in 2011 point to HP releasing devices running Android. HP's last semi-successful smartphone was the Palm Pre 2.
Nvidia is also expected to launch Project Shield, which will be the company's first gaming system in the second quarter of 2013. It will powered by the Tegra 4 chip. Toshiba and Vizio will launch tablets using the Tegra 4 chip in the near future as well.
HP has recently been concentrating on getting its PC and Ultrabook line-ups on track following the release of Windows 8. The company has been somewhat successful in this area and recently became the world's lead PC manufacturer.
