HP Slate 500 Tablet PC Gets Official

Rumors of the demise of HP's Windows 7 tablet PC project, it seems, were seriously premature.  The company has officially announced the HP Slate 500, a 1.5lb 8.9-inch WSVGA tablet PC running Windows 7 with a hybrid capacitive multitouch display capable of recognizing finger control or HP's "Digital Pen" stylus for handwriting and sketches.Our hands-on will be up shortly.

As previously confirmed, the HP Slate 500 runs an Intel Atom processor – in this case the 1.86GHz Z540 – paired with 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD and GMA 500 graphics with a Broadcom Crystal HD enhanced video accelerator chip.  Connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, a USB 2.0 port, SD card reader and a combined audio in/out jack, while the bundled cradle adds two further USB 2.0, audio in/out and an HDMI port.

There are also two cameras, one front-facing VGA camera for video calls, and a 3-megapixel camera on the back.  The whole thing measures 5.91 x 9.21 x 0.58 inches and weighs 1.5lb with its 2-cell, 30WHr battery.  No battery runtime estimates, however.

No exact release date, but the HP Slate 500 will be $799 including the dock and a portfolio case.  HP will also be offering a USB 2.0 docking station and a Essential USB 2.0 port replicator.  Full specs in the gallery below.

HP Statement:

The new HP Slate 500 Tablet PC is designed specifically for business, enterprise and vertical customers looking for the mobility of a tablet, the familiarity of Microsoft Windows 7 and the ability to run custom or corporate applications.

With a starting weight of only 1.5 lb (0.68 kg), the HP Slate 500 Tablet PC sets a new standard for mobile productivity with a an ultra-thin, sleek form-factor that enables businesses such as retail, healthcare, insurance, education and hospitality to be more intuitive and work efficiently while on the go. The ability to easily incorporate custom business applications differentiates this product and ultimately enhances the user experience and saves time for HP's business and enterprise customers.

The 8.9-inch capacitive multi-touch display of the HP Slate 500 Tablet PC allows users to navigate on the screen with the touch of a finger or with the HP Slate Digital Pen and Evernote® software to handwrite e-mail messages and take notes easily.

The integrated VGA webcam on the front of the HP Slate 500 Tablet PC enables video conferencing, while the 3MP camera on the back can be used for still-image and video capture. With Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WLAN, users can send and receive e-mails or access the internet at work, at home, and favorite hotspots.

The HP Slate 500 Tablet PC will be available first in the U.S. and then evaluated for further market expansion.

Pricing for the HP Slate 500 Tablet PC is $799, and includes the HP Slate Digital Pen, HP Slate Dock, and HP Slate Portfolio.

To learn more about the HP Slate 500 Tablet PC and ways it will enable mobile professionals to increase efficiency, please visit: www.hp.com/go/slate/