HP's forthcoming Slate PC looks formidable, but leaked specs show that it falls short of the iPad in some key areas
Connectivity
The specs for the HP Slate show it having 802.11b/g Wi-Fi support, but not the newer and faster 802.11n capability.
The iPad will be able to achieve much faster Wi-Fi networking speeds with an 802.11n connection.
Interface
When I got my first smartphone, I chose a Windows Mobile device because I wanted consistency of experience from the desktop Windows environment I was already used to.
Now that I have an iPhone instead of a Windows Mobile smartphone, one of the things that impressed me about the iPad is that I appreciate the consistency of experience in reverse.
The HP Slate will have a comfort factor due to using the same operating system business professionals are most familiar with, but the iPad is simple and intuitive - just like the iPhone.
Speed
OK, this one is pure speculation.
According to the specs listed, the Slate actually has a faster processor than the iPad in terms of pure clock speed.
The Slate will reportedly use a 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor, while the iPad uses a 1GHz A4, which is an Apple proprietary processor.
The Apple proprietary part may make all the difference.
In the case of the Slate vs the iPad, the internal working of the processor, and the way it handles instructions and graphics, may be more important than just the clock speed.
I will be interested to see them side by side, but my guess is that Apple's 1GHz will be snappier than Intel's 1.66GHz.
So there you have it. Each tablet is formidable, and each has its pros and cons.
Which device is better for your needs will come down to what you intend to use it for, and simple, subjective, personal preference.
It's hard to argue with the more business-capable features of the Slate such as SD memory card and USB port expandability, and front and rear facing cameras, or even the marginally consumer-oriented features like full 1080p HD playback, and HDMI output.
I have an iPad, and I like it so far, but I am quite anxious to get my hands on an HP Slate in real life and see what it can do.
Regardless of your personal preference, both tablet devices seem quite capable, and the race is on to capture the tablet market.
Comments
JakeB said: Sad to hear that the iPad cant do nothing productive sic Larry Maybe you could stick a grammar program on your netbook and sound like an educated adult
Poit said: Can anyone spot the buzz point that Apples viral marketers are pushing at the moment
MissMulberry said: I have been using the iPad for the past week Its a beautiful device but is definitely bigger and heavier than I expected No it doesnt do Flash video thats a fairly famous Apple v Adobe fact and has no SD card You can though load up anything thats on your iphone and itunes from photos to apps Video looks stunning on it as do graphic novels and games Not tried the HP Slate but can definitely see the appeal of the iPad - and Im a Windows user
Poit said: If Apple made underpants youd be saying how much more comfortable they are than underpants you certainly wont wear when theyre sold in the future because they havent got the Apple logo on them wouldnt youThat article is a waste of good electrons
mister simon said: Im still scanning the page for the wordsArticle from Applecom
larry said: I was at the Apple store to play with the iPad yesterday Its just too big too heavy to hold or turn in my hands If I bought one I would not get any stand to rest it The ad in the store claimed that the iPad surfed the internet the way its meant to be So I went on AOLcom on the iPad clicked on a video to see the message loading flash The iPad choked To view photos the iPad could rotate the photo theres no way to upload a photo from my camera Even if I took out the SD card from the camera theres no connection There were some many other shortcomings that I cant list in here Having said all the above I believe that it is wrong to compare the iPad to any Windows netbook computer because the iPad is only a toy Comparing the iPad to a netbook is like comparing a kid to an adult The kid is immature playful kinda cute but it cant do nothing productive
dave said: the ipad still suffers updatesand if you actually used the ipad youd know that it actually is 15 kg and the hp is just under 1 kgplus resolution 169 hp43 ipadso the hp win flat out there
Jazz said: I am a pc user but appreciate not having to worry about viruses monthly updates and various other aspects of the Windows experience on both the iPhone and iPad IMO those devices show the true beauty of the closed experience
Alan, UK said: More Apple fan boy comments Im sick of these types of comments as no one knows for sure how the HP Slate will perform
Anon said: a fare comparison please as this just read as a bit on the apple fanboy side of an article Maybe point out all the facts and not just the ones that make the ipad sound amazingAs how can 1080p playback be Marginally consumer-oriented when you pointed out how amazing the ipad is for video in another article Fared next time please