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HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

Summary: Although HP announced that the PC unit is staying put, Windows 8 tablets might have been the saving grace.

Rachel King

By for Between the Lines |

Now that Hewlett-Packard has announced that it will be keeping its personal computer unit, tablets are back in the spotlight.

Specifically, those powered by Windows 8, which might have had an affect on HP's decision to keep the PC group.

See also: HP: We're keeping the PC unit

Newly-instated CEO Meg Whitman has evidently brought a new (and perhaps sorely-needed) perspective to HP, as evident during a conference call on Thursday.

"HP tries to do a lot of things. I’m a big believer in doing a small number of things and doing them really well," said Whitman, adding that she and her team are deciding on "what are the real bets we’re going to make in 2012."

Tablets, especially those for both consumers and enterprise customers, present a major opportunity. HP has a chance to take advantage of the growing "consumerization of IT" trend while it's still in its infancy.

"Over time, companies are going to want employees to bring their own devices," Whitman explained. "How do you control personal devices and security? We want to have products highly desirable by consumers and the CIO."

Todd Bradley, executive vice president of HP's Personal Systems Group, added that we're in the "beginning stages in a new segment in personal computing" with tablets. Acknowledging that the tablet space is a competitive business that is moving very quickly, Bradley remained optimistic about the direction that HP is taking with this strategy.

"I think the work we’re doing with Microsoft is extraordinarily compelling," Bradley asserted.

Besides mentioning more work with Windows 8 and trying to meet the challenge of bringing personal devices to the workplace, HP executives weren't any more specific as to what products we will see. Nor are we likely to hear any major announcements before HP reveals fourth quarter earnings on Monday, November 21.

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  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    Now how will anyone feel confident about spending around say 500$ for another HP tablet, when they know that few months down the line probably HP would once again take a decision to discontinue the product ?
    mKind
    Reply Vote

    • Wouldnt matter because once you have the W8 tablet youre not

      dependent on HP to keep the ecosystem alive. The W8 app ecosystem will be huge and dynamic and youll be able to leverage it for the life of the tablet.
      Johnny Vegas
      Reply Vote

      • Exactly right! Because, with a PC, and Windows inside,

        all of the parts are easily obtained, and the whole structure is supported, and maintainable, and, most importantly, won't be "orphaned", like what happened with the webOS tablets.
        adornoe
        Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    I support Microsoft's efforts to put Windows on a tablet. That said, I don't think it will sell as well as the iPad. The iPad is a media consumption device. What will the Windows 8 Tablet be? Microsoft will charge device makers a royalty for the software, say $100. On top of the minimum price for 10" hardware at $300, that is already $400. If targeted at a certain segment of business users, it will sell well even if more expensive than the iPad. But I don't think the consumer will bite.
    mstrsfty
    Reply Vote

    • Not everyone wants a media consumption device

      @mstrsfty
      I, for one, would like a tablet that can do more that just media alone.
      And where did you derive the cost at 100 dollars from?

      Microsoft does not charge OEM's 100 dollars for Windows 7, so why choose that amount?
      :|
      Tim Cook
      Reply Vote

    • Wow thats some serious FUD. Probably closer to $15-$20

      I remember when everyone predicted the great price hike when MS switched netbook oems from XP to W7. It was all about how they got xp for $15 and W7 was going to cost them so much more that the W7 netbook market would implode. Never happened. Netbooks with W7 didnt cost more.
      Johnny Vegas
      Reply Vote

    • bad bet!

      @mstrsfty windoze takes HP nowhere! it's a dud.
      Linux and android are the future.
      LlNUX Geek
      Reply Vote

      • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

        @Linux Guru Advocate

        At the risk of suggesting time is directional. you are looking into the past ,not the future. Most of us have other things to do than downloading distros and UIs. I'd also prefer some applications, even games and some assurance that I will get an upgrade to the OS.

        Just turn around, the future is the other way ;-)
        tonymcs@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

        @Linux Guru Advocate
        Is this comedy hour?
        kstap
        Reply Vote

    • Your numbers are a little off

      @mstrsfty <br>I'd be extremely surprised if the cost of a license was $100.<br><br>Regardless, you are going with the assumption that iOS is free for Apple. It isn't. There is a cost associated with iOS that is a part of every iOS device sold. How much? I don't know but it is certainly more than $0.00.

      Where Apple is really far ahead is that they've forced suppliers to give them preferential prices for the supplies that go into making their devices.
      toddybottom
      Reply Vote

    • Tablets will need connectivity, and plans, which means that,

      there will be "subsidies" involved in order to get people to buy into the ecosystem of Windows 8 tablets, and so, the prices will be very affordable and lower than iPads.
      adornoe
      Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    my roomate's half-sister makes $76 an hour on the laptop. She has been fired for 9 months but last month her paycheck was $8478 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Go to this site NuttyRich.c0m
    levy1986
    Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    HP should make the tablet an alternate input to the desktop in the corporate environment. The tablet and desktop keep common file structure (hard disks or cloud) and the operator has the choice of desktop keyboard and mouse and touch on the tablet (alternating between inputs) with the work showing on both screens. The desktop or tablet are capable of performing the corporate tasks alone and update the other unit automatically. This allows the more portable tablet to integrate with the corporate software requirements that is lacking with other tablets. The tablet could also serve as a full size keyboard to the desk top unit and alternate between Keyboard/mouse and touch screen input. Let the customer have their cake and eat it too. Windows 8 would be required to make the transition for corporate use.
    a.boldt@...
    Reply Vote

  • I would love to see an HP W8 tablet. I would also love to see an HP W8

    ultrabook. In fact I'd love to see an ultrabook with a 360 degree hinge that I could open into a tablet. :-)

    The keyboard could just disable when it hinged around. Just dont rely on venting out though it.
    Johnny Vegas
    Reply Vote

    • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

      @Johnny Vegas
      +1
      ArnavM
      Reply Vote

    • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

      @Johnny Vegas

      I've got an Acer convertible. Just hanging out until I can get a Win 8 beta.
      tonymcs@...
      Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    [ SOS ] Complaint about Human Rights Violations by IBM China on Centennial

    Please Google:

    IBM detained mother of ex-employee on the day of centennial
    or
    How Much IBM Can Get Away with is the Responsibility of the Media
    or
    Tragedy of Labor Rights Repression in IBM China
    larkforsure
    Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    Complaint about Human Rights Violations by IBM China on Centennial

    Please Google:

    IBM detained mother of ex-employee on the day of centennial
    or
    How Much IBM Can Get Away with is the Responsibility of the Media
    or
    Tragedy of Labor Rights Repression in IBM China
    larkforsure
    Reply Vote

  • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

    I wonder if MS have given HP cash to help with "development costs" ?
    Alan Smithie
    Reply Vote

    • RE: HP making another run at tablets with Windows 8

      @Alan Smithie <br><br>I would suspect so. Cash to also put WebOS on the back burner which is a shame.
      dave95.
      Reply Vote
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