HP Releasing Android Tablet for Lowest Price of $169

If you are in the market for a cheap tablet, right now you will pay $200 for the Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7. In April, that will change though.

HP is releasing the Slate 7 for $169, the lowest price for a tablet to date.

The Slate 7 doesn’t look like a $169 tablet. It has a stainless steel frame and soft-touch back that’s available in gray or red. The device measures .42 inches thick (about the same as the Kindle Fire HD’s .41 inches) and weighs 13.05 ounces, making this tablet lighter than the Fire (13.9 ounces) but heavier than the Nexus 7 (12 ounces).

Some of the highlights of this tablet are:

  • Beats Audio sound
  • Wireless printing capabilities
  • microSD card slot and microUSB port
  • 1024 x 600-pixel display
  • High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) technology
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
  • 1.6-GHz ARM A9 dual-core processor
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 8GB of storage on board
  • A VGA camera up front and a fairly low-res 3-MP camera on the back.
  • Up to 5 hours max battery
  • slate7

    If you can spare the extra $30, I would recommend the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD before the Slate 7, but if you are wanting to spend the least amount possible, this is a good tablet for what you are paying.

    Below is the text of the official press release from HP. For more information about the slate 7, you can visit www.hp.com/slate

    HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet

    HP 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.

    Related News

    Laptop Mag and Engadget both like the Slate 7, and it seems the red eye candy is the most outstanding part of the device – as well as the really low price.

    Laptop Mag says the most interesting thing about the Slate 7 is its luxurious soft-touch back, either silver or vibrant red, which they say they prefer, and the matte silver sides make it a premium-looking device. Engadget likes it too – reporting that HP were at Mobile World in Barcelona, releasing the Slate 7 along with phones and other mobile devices.

    HP Slate 7 Hands-On: Premium Design, Pure Android, Low Price

    blog.laptopmag.com2/24/13

    After giving up on WebOS and embracing Windows 8 for business-oriented slates, HP is finally releasing an Android tablet called the HP Slate 7. Here at Mobile World Congress, we had a chance to go hands-on with the budget-minded, $169 slate

    HP Slate 7 Android tablet rocks Beats, $169 price tag; due out in April

    www.engadget.com2/24/13

    The Slate 7’s due out in April. In the meantime, have a read of the press release after the break. Show full PR text. HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet. HP today announced the HP Slate7, an affordable Android Jelly Bean

    Tim Martin is a Technology specialist, who gives us insights into the technology and software that helps us to get through our day. Technology is everywhere, an increasingly pervasive part of our lives. Tim helps us make sense of it in many ways.