HP has just announced the next revision of the Slate tablet called the Slate 2. The biggest change comes in the form a new Intel Atom Oak Trail Z670 processor, a faster 64GB mSATA drive, and a Swype keyboard. The Slate 2 still maintains a 1024 x 600-resolution, 8.9-inch N-Trig panel, an included stylus, and runs Windows 7.
The Slate 2 will be available this month for a starting price of $699 which is $100 less than the original Slate.
“HP is dedicated to the tablet PC category and continues to listen to customers and improve the product in ways that best address their business needs,” said Dan Forlenza, vice president and general manager, Commercial Managed IT Segment, HP
Earlier this year HP killed off its webOS TouchPad after just a few weeks on the market. That raised questions as to whether the company would exit the tablet business entirely. The Slate 2 announcement shows HP is going to stay in the tablet business and has promised many tablets in the future when Windows 8 is introduced.
HP CEO Meg Whitman announced a final decision to keep the company’s PC division today, however, she also shared a bit about HP’s tablet and webOS plans. When asked about HP’s tablet strategy on the analyst call, she said that HP’s continuing to focus on a Microsoft-based tablet and Windows 8 for that category.
