The acquisition of smartphone maker Palm could have an impact on HP's plans for its "Slate" tablet.
The Slate could be re-branded "Hurricane" and released with a new operating system based on Palm's WebOS, according to a blog post on the Examiner.com web site. The Hurricane could be released in the third quarter of the year.
For tablet enthusiasts who want a device that’s not created by Apple, the HP Slate – a tablet with iPad-like styling – seems like a promising alternative. But the Slate's development has been slow and rocky. Apple has already sold more than 1 million iPads while HP has been trying to finish its product.
HP introduced the Slate to gadget enthusiasts through a video in March. The company didn't announce technical specifications for the device, but it released two short video clips that indicated the device would run Windows 7.
The Slate would also have a built-in camera, video-recording capability, USB port, an SD card reader and support for Adobe Flash – features pointedly aimed at the iPad, which lacks all five. A leaked company document suggested the Slate would cost $550 or $600 for the 32-GB and 64-GB models, respectively.
But late last month, HP said it was acquiring smartphone maker Palm. Jack Gold, an analyst with J. Gold associates says Palm's new operating system, WebOS, created for its Palm Pre and Pixi phones could be a good fit for the HP tablet. Later, TechCrunch reported that HP could kill its Windows 7 tablet and instead find a way to launch a product that would use WebOS.
The latest suggestion that HP might re-brand the Slate as Hurricane seems to bear out the rumors of a WebOS-based tablet.
A HP spokesperson declined to comment, saying the company does not talk about "rumors and speculation." The HP and Palm acquisition closes in July, and till then, the two companies are expected to continue to act independently, according to government rules.
Examiner.com doesn't have a track record when it comes to gadget rumors but, if you take into account the buzz from different sources, it is likely that HP is re-evaluating its plans for the Slate. The question is, how long can the company afford to wait with Apple already charging ahead with the iPad?
See Also:
- HP's Windows 7 Slate Strikes at the iPad
- Leaked HP Slate Fails to Impress in Early Peek
- HP Offers Another Peek at Its Tablet, Specs Leaked?
- Gallery: 8 Tablets That Aren't Made by Apple
Photo: HP
