Can't find one of those much coveted, discontinued Touchpads? Well, HP's got a new tablet coming out -- but it's going to cost you a little more than $99.
HP has announced the Slate 2, a followup to the Slate 500 and the company's tablet offering for business users. The Slate 2 will run Windows 7 mobile OS (the much-anticipated, touch-friendly Windows 8 comes out in 2012) and packs an 8.9-inch display with the zigzagging Swype keyboard and a special capability for stylus input. The Slate 2 weighs 1.5 pounds, features an Intel Atom Z670 processor and, at $699, costs $100 less than its predecessor.
HP says the Slate 2 will be available in late November.
Hewlett-Packard will try to turn around its luck in the tablet market with the Slate 2 (and, more likely, with a slate of slates to be released next year in conjunction with the more touchable Windows 8). The company ended production on its consumer-facing TouchPad tablet in mid-August, which led to incredibly high demand when the tablet's price was dramatically slashed to $99. Otherwise, demand for HP slates (and Slates) has been low.
First unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show of 2010 by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, the HP Slate has not been an iPad rival as of yet, either in the consumer market or the enterprise, though Hewlett-Packard is hoping otherwise with its cheaper, safer second-generation Slate.
For photos and pre-orders of the Slate 2, head over to the HP website, where the newest HP tablet already has its own page.
