HP Continuing To Flee Windows Reservation With Android Tablet

Nerval's Lobster writes "Hewlett-Packard seems more determined than ever to flee the Windows reservation, unveiling a $170 Android tablet, the HP Slate 7. It runs Google Android 4.1, the first version of the 'Jelly Bean' build, which has been ever so slightly outdated by the recent release of Android 4.2. This isn't the first time in recent memory that HP's opted for a Google product over one offered by longtime partner Microsoft. As it helpfully pointed out in a press release, HP has produced a Chromebook running Google's Chrome OS, a largely cloud-dependent operating system for laptops and notebooks. Built around Google services such as Gmail, Chrome OS also offers access to the Chrome Web Store, an online storefront for apps. If HP and other manufacturers increasingly adopt Google's offerings over Windows, it could cause some consternation among Microsoft executives. Microsoft, of course, is pushing Windows 8, which is meant to run on tablets and traditional PCs with equal facility. If it wants the Windows division to continue as a cash cow, it needs manufacturers to adopt that operating system in massive numbers. Android and Chrome OS could make that strategy a lot more difficult."

Nice Google ad

[PickyH3D]

The summary even went as far as breaking down what it means to be a Chrome OS-running device while attacking Microsoft at both the start and end of it.

Not surprised.

[tom229]

My girlfriend recently decided to trade in her old boat anchor of a laptop for a new device. Her budget wasn't high (around $500). She came to me for advice and I had an extraordinarily difficult time finding an affordable, light, and fast x86 device. She also wanted a keyboard and trackpad so we ended up settling on an Asus Transformer TF300T. She couldn't be happier. It can do all the things she's interested in doing (facebook, email, pinterest, skype, etc), its fast, easy to use, and fits in her purse.

I think this is going to be the story going forward for the casual home user. Why buy a bulky laptop or expensive ultrabook? A tablet transformer has a more convenient form factor at all times, and content consumption operating systems like Android are more friendly to the end user.

I don't see high end gaming or content creation devices going this way any time soon, but the days of the casual home use desktop are coming to an end.