Mobile Computing News

Photo: HP

Remember the HP Slate tablet we were down on since day one because it was, erm, slated to be powered by Windows 7? Well, it is possible someone influential at HP read our post and realised we were right. Or they realised it was a bad move of their own accord. Either way, rumour has it that project is being canned.

Windows 7, you bugger

According to TechCrunch, the well-received Windows 7 OS is a large contributing factor to the tablets abandonment, with HP engineers believing it is ill-suited for the tablet. Remember we said so ages ago?

In addition to the Windows 7 problem, word is HP wants to abandon using Intel processors for the HP Slate and any other tablet device the company makes due to those processers being far too power hungry, adversely affecting form factor requirements and battery life. This, in turn, reaffirms cutting Windows 7 out of the mix, because mobile processors wouldn’t be capable of handling Windows 7 requirements.

What now?

Photo: HP

Even if this HP Slate rumour is true, HP will not abandon all of its tablet computer projects. That’s a certainty. What is likely to happen is it will build them on either a proprietary operating system, or license a third-party mobile OS like Chrome OS or Android OS. In addition, a powerful Snapdragon, or any number of ARM processors are likely to power the device, instead.

Mobile OS to rule them all?

So the immediate mobile OS options that spring to mind are Chrome OS and Android OS, with MeeGo being ruled out since that is partly an Intel initiative. Or, if HP does ‘double down on WebOS’ as promised, their newly acquired mobile OS via the Palm purchase could see a tablet variation developed rather speedily.

We think it will be a combination of these outcomes. Getting WebOS up to tablet speed could take some time, so the short-term alternative is to use Chrome OS or Android OS. Once WebOS becomes that which HP believes it can, the company could adopt an in-house software & hardware strategy the way Apple does with its iPad and iPhone mobile products. And, in case you’ve been taking notice, it’s worked out quite well for them.