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AFP: HP dabbling with Windows 7 tablet computer

July 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday said it is gauging the promise of a tablet computer that runs on Windows 7 software from Microsoft.

The word from the US-based computer giant came as speculation mounted that HP had abandoned a Windows 7 “slate” in favor of a tablet computer based on an operating system from freshly-acquired Palm.

“In reference to a Windows 7-based slate, we are in customer evaluations now and will make a determination soon on the next step,” HP spokeswoman Marlene Somsak told AFP.

Customer evaluations could involve providing a prototype HP slate to businesses to get feedback and learn how they might use it.

via AFP: HP dabbling with Windows 7 tablet computer.

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Privacy worries inspire a new wave of startups | SFGate

June 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Amid the recent public backlash to the way some of the titans of the Internet handle users' personal data, a slate of ambitious online startups are aiming to squeeze into the fields of social networking and search by touting a stronger focus on privacy.

Four New York University students, for instance, set out in April to create Diaspora, an “anti-Facebook” of sorts. Their platform will aim to provide the same functionality as the popular social network, but will run on open-source software and won’t depend on centralized servers, effectively giving users control of their information.

The four friends used fundraising Web site Kickstarter with the purpose of collecting $10,000 to cover their summer expenses while they program and prepare Diaspora for a fall release. To their surprise, not only did they gather the amount in less than two weeks, but also the money kept pouring in. They have now collected close to $190,000 from several thousand donors (including Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg).

Other privacy-oriented projects like Appleseed and OneSocialWeb also have been working on alternatives to Facebook since the king of social networking angered many of its users with recent changes to its privacy policies.

Many criticized Facebook's myriad privacy settings as a maze of screens that actually made it more difficult for users to control their data. As a result, many discontented users pledged to quit the social networking service.

via Privacy worries inspire a new wave of startups.

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Apple iPad, other tablets seen driving SaaS, cloud storage – Computerworld

April 12, 2010 By
Cloud storage for iPad (dropbox)
Image by ChrisDag via Flickr

The rapid spread of tablet devices like the Apple iPad and HP Slate could prove to be a boon to providers of online storage services as users seek ubiquitous data access and synchronization across multiple mobile platforms for devices that don’t have much internal storage capacity.

The flexibility that comes with cloud storage “is not just a nice thing to have but a necessity when you’re dealing with storage-limited devices,” said Avi Greengart, a consumer devices analyst at research firm Current Analysis in Sterling, Va. “If you have a device based on flash memory, you don’t want to sync everything.”

Most of the mobile tablet devices today use NAND flash technology to offer limited memory capacity, typically 64GB or less.

For example, iPads are available with 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drives. And Hewlett-Packard Co. this week disclosed that its upcoming Slate tablet computers will be available later this year with either 32GB or 64GB flash drives.

Greengart said that he expects that future tablet computers are also unlikely to offer the high storage capacities available in netbook and desktop computers, since they will be built more to consume data than to create it.

Tablet users can choose from several providers of cloud-based storage, including Box.net, Live Mesh, JungleDisk, DropBox and SkyDrive. In addition to offering online storage services, some of those vendors let users synchronize folders and files between multiple devices.

Adam Couture, an analyst at Gartner Inc., agreed that growing use of tablet devices could lead to significant growth of the storage services market.

via Apple iPad, other tablets seen driving SaaS, cloud storage – Computerworld.

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HP’s Slate Device Delivers a Holistic Mobile Exper… – The Next Bench

April 6, 2010 By

Up to now, we’ve given you only tiny glimpses of the HP slate device coming out later this year. You saw it first in a video we released during CES and most recently in videos demoing its Web experience and Adobe Flash and Air support. We’ve also blogged about the evolution of the slate category and our history in the space.

So far, almost everything we’ve shared showcases how you’ll consume media with the device. And by media we mean all types of digital content, whether it’s a story from a major news outlet or videos and photos you’ve shot. But we also believe that media consumption is only half of the ideal mobile experience.

Think about the last time you chatted with friends over Skype on your notebook. Or uploaded a picture from your mobile phone to Facebook or Flickr. How about the last time you viewed images or video from an SD card or a USB device. We know that you expect to be able to capture and share digital content on your mobile devices. And the HP slate device excels there.

Take a look at our newest video. As you’ll see, we’re putting a lot of thought into the design to make sure we deliver an optimal mobile experience.

via HP’s Slate Device Delivers a Holistic Mobile Exper… – The Next Bench.

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Slate Wars: 15 Tablets That Could Rival Apple’s iPad – PCWorld

April 5, 2010 By

Slate Wars: 15 Tablets That Could Rival Apple's iPad

The iPad has captured many hearts and minds, but a fleet of rival tablets led by a separatist Android army is about to attack, armed with HD Flash video, multitouch screens, front-facing cameras, multitasking…even Windows 7. Let’s take a look.

via Slate Wars: 15 Tablets That Could Rival Apple’s iPad – PCWorld.

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HP Slate vs. iPad: Focus on Flash – PCWorld Business Center

March 10, 2010 By

With the iPad presale beginning in just a few days, and the clock ticking down to the much-anticipated Apple tablet finally hitting the streets, HP launched a renewed campaign for its Slate tablet PC debuted at the 2010 CES by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Each platform has pros and cons, but so far the debate seems to center entirely around support for Adobe Flash.

The HP Slate–almost by default–stands out as a more business-oriented platform, if for no other reason than its ties to the Windows 7 operating system. The iPad, which comes across more like an iPod Touch with a thyroid disorder, can certainly be used in some ways within a business context, but it is clearly designed for delivering entertainment media and information to consumers.

Comparing the HP Slate against the Apple iPad based on Flash support is like comparing a Jeep Cherokee to a Chevy Camaro based on which one supports Sirius satellite radio. In both cases the comparison is between objects with completely different audiences, based on a proprietary technology that doesn’t fundamentally impact the function of the object itself.

via HP Slate vs. iPad: Focus on Flash – PCWorld Business Center.

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HP Skewers Apple’s iPad With Slate Demo Videos – Hardware – IT Channel News by CRN

March 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hewlett Packard (NYSE:HPQ) is poised to challenge Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) and its hot new iPad with the HP Slate. Slate won't be available in time for iPad’s planned April 3 launch, but HP is wasting no time taking aim at Apple with a pair of subtle, but unmistakable jabs at Apple’s personality and the iPad’s lack of support for Adobe Flash.

A pair of videos, since shared and re-posted all over the blogosphere, surfaced on HP’s Voodoo Blog just a few hours after Apple aired a surprise TV commercial for iPad in primetime during Sunday’s Oscar presentation.

HP debuted Slate, a Windows 7-based tablet, at CES in January.

“With this Slate product, you’re getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand,” wrote Phil McKinney, vice president and CTO for HP’s personal systems group (PSG). “No watered-down Internet, no sacrifices.

via HP Skewers Apple’s iPad With Slate Demo Videos – Hardware – IT Channel News by CRN.

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