Hewlett Packard’s taken the wrapping off two new Android tablets, the Pro Slate 8 and Pro Slate 12, both of which are primarily aimed at the business world. However, they’re both powerful enough to be of interest to hardcore tablet users, particularly if you’re looking for one with good stylus support.
Both tablets have HP’s Duet Pen stylus included in the box, which is designed to operate with HP’s own suite of apps pre-installed on each device. There’s also a selection of apps ready for download through the Google Play Store. What makes the stylus special is its ability to digitize what your write on HP’s Paper Folio accessory, straight onto the tablet’s screen. HP hasn’t gone into much detail on the tech yet, so it’s unclear if it’ll only work with the Paper Folio, rather than on any old piece of paper.
On to the tablets. The smaller of the two is the Pro Slate 8. The screen measures 7.9-inches and has an excellent 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, while the processor is a slightly aging Snapdragon 800 with 2GB of RAM. Tough sheets of Gorilla Glass 4 cover the display on this and the larger tablet. There’s also 16GB of internal memory, a MicroSD card slot, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel video call cam, plus a set of DTS-tuned stereo speakers.
The Pro Slate 12 has a whopping 12.3-inch screen, but with a lesser 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution, which sees it lose out to its close challenger, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. The internals are the same as the 8-inch model, including the cameras, but at 850 grams in weight, it’s more than twice as heavy as the smaller device. Finally, Android 4.4 KitKat is installed in each model. Business types may appreciate particular features such as secure Miracast streaming, enhanced security options, remote locking, and compatibility with various Enterprise mobility systems.
HP will put the Pro Slate 8 and Pro Slate 12 on sale soon, but the date has yet to be finalized. The 8-inch model has been given a $450 price, while the 12-inch version is more expensive at $570.
