HP has launched three new Android devices into the Australian market with a focus on business and education use. The Pro Slate 8 and 12 come with unique handwriting recognition capabilities, while the Pro Slate 10 convertible can be loaded with either Android and Windows for students. All devices are now available for purchase in Australia.
The company also made an entry into the device management space with its Touchpoint Manager software, a cloud-based service designed to help small and medium-sized businesses manage Android, Windows and iOS devices.
Pro Slate 8 and 12
The new tablet devices, available in 8- and 12-inch denominations, are thin and light head-turners with metal bodies, front-facing speakers and HP’s Duet Pen. They’ve both got 4:3 aspect ratios on their screens, at 7.9 and 12.3 inches on the diagonal, respectively.
Inside, they’re running Android KitKat with ties into HP’s device management systems and Touchpoint Manager software. They can also be used with other device management software, in case your company’s already selected another provider. They’re also compatible with Google’s Android For Work initiative.
The Duet Pen is a particular highlight of these tablets – it lets you write with ink on a normal pad and copies the movements and pressure of the pen into images on your tablet’s screen. The case for the tablet contains dots that pick up the sound waves from the pen, allowing the software to tell very accurately where on the page your pen is. It sounds insane, but it actually works quite well in practice.
Pro Slate 8
- 7.9 inch 4:3 screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB/32GB Storage, microSD (32GB)
- 8MP rear, 2MP front
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC
- Nano SIM
- HP Duet Pen and related software
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 136.95 x 7.99 x 206.99 mm, 350 g
Pro Slate 12
- 12.3 inch 4:3 screen, Corning CT-40 FIT
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
- 2GB RAM
- 32GB Storage, microSD (32GB)
- 8MP rear, 2MP front
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC
- Nano SIM
- HP Duet Pen and related software
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 300.3 x 7.99 x 221.95 mm, 850 g
The Pro Slate 8 and Pro Slate 12 are both availbale now. Pricing starts at $649 for the 8, and $899 for the 12.
Pro Slate 10
The Pro Slate 10 meanwhile is designed for education, health care and manufacturing markets. It’s an Intel-powered tablet that can be detached from its keyboard base, and it’s available now starting at $499.
The Pro Slate 10 really intended for bulk orders – a school ordering computers for a classroom or a business ordering for a whole department or group. Some configuration items will vary, like storage space, RAM, cameras and cellular connectivity.
- 10.1 inch WXGA IPS, LED backlight
- Intel Atom Z3735G (Quad Core, 1.33 GHz)
- 1GB/2GB RAM
- 16GB/32GB storage, microSD (32GB)
- Micro SIM
- 5MP/2MP rear, 2MP/1.2MP front
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC
- GPS
- Android 4.4.4 KitKat
- 300.3 x 7.99 x 221.95 mm, 850 g
Touchpoint Manager
Finally, HP announced its Touchpoint Manager mobile device management system. It’s a cloud-based service allowing businesses to manage their devices through a web interface, and lets you manage Android, Windows and iOS devices to track location, view alerts (eg, out of date virus protection), sound alerms, perform remote wipes and more.
Touchpoint Manager costs as little as a few dollars per user per month, and presents a low barrier to entry for small businesses that only need to manage a few devices. You can find out more at hp.com/touchpoint.
