HP Slate 7 is a $169 seven-inch tablet pitched for glory

Well done HP, a seven-inch Android tablet for US$169. Now this is innovation. It’s got Beats audio, Jellybean, access to Google Play, a 1.6Ghz CPU and loads to prove. HP even calls it a “compelling entry point” for those desperate to get into the tablet action.

Eyes on the Nexus 7

The cheapest, and best sub-US$200 Android tablet before HP’s Slate 7 was the Nexus 7. But the Slate 7 is “fast and responsive” says the HP press garbage, this remains to be seen until a hands-on occurs. What it does offer with its 7-inch screen is a “High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel” that “offers wide viewing angles that provide easy viewing of documents, games, photos and videos-even in outdoor lighting conditions.” Also, it only weighs under 386g, which is a paltry number, but heavier that the 340g Nexus 7, yet lighter than the 412g Kindle Fire HD.

What else, how about 3-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera for video chats? And can we deal with a US launch date of April? Sure we can. This is a tablet for the everyman, the consumer dying to get their hands on a slice of the future. Remember the Touchpad, the WebOS-running monstrosity? Us neither. With the Slate 7 though, we’ll get our money’s worth.