Skip to main content

Never say never: HP returns to the tablet world, this time with a $170 Android tablet

hp slate 7
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s hard to mention the words ‘tablet’ and ‘HP’ without remembering the colossal failure of the HP Touchpad. Starting with the ElitePad, HP has made an effort to try once more to win back consumers in the tablet world, and with the Slate 7, it’s gone back to the drawing board. The Slate is a dirt-cheap 7-inch tablet running Android Jelly Bean instead of WebOS, and costing just $170.

The HP Slate 7 brings new meaning to the word bare-bones, and is a stark contrast from the top-of-the-line hardware HP invests into both its Tablet PCs and HP Touchpad back in 2011. The most we know about the Slate 7 is that it will have a 1.6GHZ dual-core processor, 3-megapixel rear camera and VGA front camera, 8GB of internal storage, Beats Audio, and a 1024×600 pixel sunlight-readable 7-inch display. Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, HP has made clear that it won’t repeat the mistake of reinventing the wheel with WebOS, and at most will offer some HP software with the device, such as e-print. HP’s official blog wrote a highlight on the device, and notes that its a consumer-oriented device, meant for the average joe with color choices and a budget in mind. At just $170, the most interesting thing you’ll notice with the Slate 7 is its price.

The HP Slate 7, set for an April launch, is running 2011 hardware in a 2013 world. HP dumped all of its TouchPads in a big firesale in August of 2011, marking the death of WebOS and consumer tablets for the company. The Slate 7 is the start of HP’s new Slate series, and it looks like the new series has consumers in mind with one big variable: price. In the end, if you’re looking for a dirt-cheap tablet, and you’re willing to take another chance with HP, then the Slate 7 may be something to look at come April. 

Joshua Sherman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joshua Sherman is a contributor for Digital Trends who writes about all things mobile from Apple to Zynga. Josh pulls his…
How to master your equalizer settings for the perfect sound
An equalizer from eqMac.

While most people will simply flip on the radio or load up Spotify to listen to music, audiophiles like to dig a bit deeper and customize their experience. This often comes in the form of adjustments to the equalizer, which offers the freedom to tweak every aspect of the sound booming out of headphones or speakers. Even some streaming services now have built-in EQs, giving you more ways than ever to play with your music and find something that best fits your ears.

Tinkering with the equalizer can be daunting to newcomers, as there are tons of cryptic settings you can manipulate. And if you mess with the wrong one, your sound quality might take a nasty hit. Thankfully, learning the basics isn't too difficult.

Read more
How to change your iPhone’s notification sound in iOS 17
how to change iphone default notification sound ios 17 sounds screenshot

Apple made a change to the default notification sound when it launched iOS 17, replacing “Tri-tone” with “Rebound.”Users have been unable to switch back to the original sound or select a different one as the default, and not everyone is a fan of the new tune. As you'd imagine, that's left some folks rather annoyed.

Read more
5 things I want to see in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and S Pen stylus on its screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is definitely one of the best smartphones on the market right now, no doubt about that. You get incredible performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, plenty of RAM and storage, a whopping 200MP camera, two telephoto lenses for 3x and 5x optical zoom, S Pen integration, and more. It’s certainly an impressive package.

But it’s not perfect. In fact, some weaknesses could be improved in the next version, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here’s what I hope to see next year.
A new design
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Galaxy S23 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more