At The 2013 Mobile World Congress, HP has just announced the Slate 7. With this announcement they are joining the ever-growing Android tablet market! The HP Slate 7 is expected to be available for the US in April 2013 for the starting price of $169. It will deliver the Google Experience with Android JellyBean and it features Google Now, YouTube, Google Drive, Google +, and more! Powering the Slate 7 is the ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor. This will give you a fast and responsive experience on the Slate 7. It has a 7-inch touch screen display that features High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel, which will give you some nice viewing angles. On the back of the device it has a 3 megapixel camera, while on the front you get a VGA camera that is great for video chatting and taking selfies. It will be the first tablet to have Beats Audio and it will also feature HP ePrint. This way you can print directly from the Slate 7 to certain HP printers. From the photos it appears that Slate 7 will be available in both silver and red. However, HP has not said which colors it will be available in just yet. Overall, the HP Slate 7 seems like an affordable Android tablet that has some nice features. For more information please see the gallery and press release below.

Gallery

Press Release

HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet

HP Slate7 Expands Company’s Tablet Portfolio

BARCELONA, SPAIN–(Marketwire – Feb 24, 2013) – HP (NYSE: HPQ) today announced the HP Slate⁷, an affordable Android Jelly Bean consumer tablet that provides customers with easy access to Google Mobile services.

With a 7-inch diagonal screen and weighing 13 ounces, the HP Slate⁷ is an ideal trusted personal companion, featuring a stainless-steel frame and soft black paint in gray or red on the back. It also is the industry’s first tablet to offer embedded Beats Audio, for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a tablet.

The HP Slate⁷ delivers the Google experience with services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts for multiperson video chat as well as access to apps and digital content through Google Play.⁽¹⁾

“To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors and leverage an array of operating systems,” said Alberto Torres, senior vice president, Mobility Global Business Unit, HP. “Our new HP Slate⁷ on Android represents a compelling entry point for consumer tablets, while our ground-breaking, business-ready HP ElitePad on Windows® 8 is ideal for enterprises and governments. Both deliver the service and support people expect from HP.”

The HP Slate⁷ joins the recently introduced HP Chromebook as part of HP’s push to offer access to the Google experience.

HP’s tablet offerings reside in the company’s newly formed Mobility Global Business Unit, established in September 2012 with the hiring of Torres. Torres joined HP from Nokia, where he was executive vice president and oversaw the MeeGo products and platform.

HP Slate⁷ makes computing easy while on the go
Powered by an ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor, the HP Slate⁷ is fast and responsive. Integrated wireless allows customers to access email, the internet and key applications, while the High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel offers wide viewing angles that provide easy viewing of documents, games, photos and videos — even in outdoor lighting conditions.

The HP Slate⁷ includes a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA camera on the front for chatting, videos and photos.

With the HP ePrint ⁽²⁾ application, customers can easily print while at home or on the go, and the exclusive native printing capability enables customers to print directly from most applications. A micro USB port allows customers to easily transfer files, and a suite of applications from HP spans exclusive games to productivity tools.

HP will provide an array of simple and easy-to-access support tools and resources to help customers take full advantage of all of the features the HP Slate⁷ has to offer. In addition to extensive phone and online support offerings included with the HP Slate⁷, HP is offering customers the opportunity to add to the standard product limited warranty with its HP Care Pack services. HP Slate⁷ customers will have the option to protect their investment with a two-year HP Care Pack for $29 or a two-year HP Care Pack with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) for $49.⁽³⁾

Pricing and availability⁽³⁾
The HP Slate⁷ is expected to be available in the United States in April with a starting price of $169.

Additional information about the HP Slate⁷ is available at www.hp.com/slate and The Next Bench.