Hewlett-Packard's first foray in the tablet market flopped with the webOS-running TouchPad, which ended up being sold in $99 liquidation sales. HP, the world's largest PC maker, needs to carve out a niche in the mobile devices market, as smartphones and tablets are outselling traditional computing devices. In its bid to stay relevant in what analysts call a post-PC era, HP is adopting Google's Android operating system. Soon to be released by HP is a high-end Android tablet that's powered by the latest NVIDIA Tegra 4 mobile chip. HP is also exploring Android smartphones but a launch this year is not imminent.
What Else You Need To Know
- HP paid $1.2 billion buyout for Palm's webOS in 2010 as part of its plans to penetrate mobile devices market.
- HP regained the top spot from Lenovo in the PC market in the fourth quarter, according to Canalys, but falls to second with just 15 million PCs, lagging behind Apple's 27 million when tablets are included in the equation.
- HP won't be unveiling the new Android devices at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, later this month, but will instead be holding "private meetings" at the show.
- It won't be easy for HP to break into the Android space as it would have to contend with the likes of Samsung, which has built a massive smartphone business, Amazon, which sells digital content to users of its Android devices, and even Google, which has its own Nexus and Motorola-branded tablets and smartphones.
Other sources
The move to Android could help HP regain ground in mobile computing, where so far it has lagged behind Apple, Samsung, HTC, Motorola and many others.- Taylor Wimberly , ReadWrite
I’m not too skeptical of HP actually re-entering the tablet market. After all, the PC business is giving way to fast-growing sales of tablets and smartphones.- Kevin C. Tofel, GigaOM
- ReadWrite
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HP To Adopt Android For Upcoming Mobile Devices
The move to Android could help HP regain ground in mobile computing, where so far it has lagged behind Apple, Samsung, HTC, Motorola and many others.
- GigaOM
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HP planning a new Android tablet? Good luck with that
I’m more skeptical that HP can be successful in this market. The problem as I see it is that HP has no other choice but to use Android at this point. And assuming it does, it’s now competing against Samsung, the top seller of smartphones and the only company that’s figured out how to make a profit by using Android.
- Other
- HP is building Android tablets, and maybe a smartphone
- Mobile Crunch
- HP Reportedly Working On Android Smartphones And Tablets, Despite webOS Failures
- Other
- HP moving to Android for tablets and smartphones
- Android Community
- Upcoming HP devices tipped to run Android
- PhoneDog
- HP reportedly prepping an Android tablet, also said to be considering a smartphone
- SlashGear
- HP Android tablet tipped with Tegra 4
- BGR
- HP will reportedly turn to Android for next-generation mobile devices
- Other
- HP releasing tablet and smartphone based on Android, ditching its own WebOS?
- More...