MWC 2013: HP unveils $169 Slate 7 Android tablet for April release
Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 hasn't even warmed up yet, and the tablet news is already impressive. Following Samsung's official announcement of the Galaxy Note 8.0, HP is making a big return to the space with a new Android-based model.
Dubbed the Slate 7, the 7-inch tablet will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and be priced at a very affordable $169. HP's press release says the Slate 7 will be available in April, though its product page on the company website is stating a May release date.
The 13-ounce Slate 7 will be powered by a 1.6GHz ARM Cortez A9 dual-core processor, though it will only come with a pedestrian 1,024x600-resolution display and 8GB of internal storage. (It does include a microSD card slot for additional capacity, however.) In addition to the usual gray casing, the new HP tablet will offer a red option. It also includes the usual specs like front- and rear-facing cameras and micro-USB port, though it will be the first tablet to feature built-in Beats Audio technology. Also being promoted is HP's ePrint technology, which makes it easy to wirelessly print from most applications on the Slate 7.
HP spectacularly flamed out with its previous tablet forays, including the Slate 500 and Slate 2 Windows-based models, and the much-hyped TouchPad, which was based on the webOS platform it purchased from Palm. The company hopes to fare much better in 2013 with a full lineup of tablets, which HP Mobility senior vice president Alberto Torres told The Verge will include pricier models and Windows versions as well.
Check back as ZDNet will have more coverage of HP's return to the tablet market, along with additional news from MWC 2013.