HP attacks Apple iPad over Flash, ARM expects 50 new tablets in 2010
HP pushes Flash for its slate PC
HP this week began touting the ability of its forthcoming "slate" device to run content made in Adobe Flash — something the iPad will not do. Though HP did not mention the iPad specifically by name, its choice of words and the specific promotion of Flash make it clear that the company is looking to take away some buzz from Apple's forthcoming device, due to launch April 3.
HP boasted that its slate PC, running Windows 7, can access the "complete Internet — including Flash." Another note said "Access the full web and not just a part of it!"
"With this slate product, you're getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand," the company said. "No watered-down Internet, no sacrifices."
HP included a new 30-second video highlighting the ability of its slate to run both Flash and Air content from Adobe. The video shows a multi-touch interface and has a similar feel to Apple's own iPad advertisement, which debuted Sunday during the Oscars.
In addition, the company released a video on YouTube with a live demonstration of the slate's Flash capabilities. Alan Tam, senior product marketing manager at Adobe, showed off Flash-based Web content on the device, including video from MTV.com and an interactive Spongebob Squarepants game.
HP's embrace of Flash is a stark contrast from Apple, which has not allowed the Web standard onto its iPhone or iPad mobile devices. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is even alleged to have made disparaging remarks about Flash and Adobe on numerous occasions.
ARM expects 50 new tablets in 2010
Beyond Apple and HP, the tablet market is expected to get much more crowded by the end of 2010. Roy Chen, ARM's worldwide mobile computing ODM manager, said he expects more than 50 devices to debut in 2010.
According to Computerworld, most of the hardware will be introduced in China, but new tablet-style devices will be released in all markets.
"Like many chip makers, ARM often gains an inside view of products its chips are being used in, sometimes when asked for additional engineering support and other times due to partnership programs," author Dan Nystedt noted.
Chen's comments came during a press meeting in Taipei, where ARM showed off two tablets running the Google Android mobile operating system — one from Compal Electronics with a 7-inch screen and Nvidia Tegra 2 chips, and a smaller device called the Armadillo. Both rely on ARM cores in their chips, like Apple's iPad.
The iPad sports a custom processor known as the Apple A4. One report alleged that the CPU is a stripped-down ARM Cortex-A8 system-on-a-chip running at 1GHz. It has been predicted that Apple spent $1 billion to design its own silicon. The Cupertino, Calif., Company purchased fabless chip designer P.A. Semi in 2008 for $278 million.
262 Comments
All this competition is good as it will force Apple to continue to innovate. The flip side is that I wonder how many of these companies that are introducing their slate devices will be around in 2 years?
sadly, HP is right. from a pure web surfing experience, the HP is indisputably superior. Can't even use the Windows vs. OS X argument here. The kicker will be the battery lives. Steve claims adding flash woudl knock down the battery life from 10 to 2 hours. Something tells my the HP slate is going to have more than 2 hour battery life.
YES! Give me a full OS made for a keyboard, no matter what 'touch' controls they have it's still made to be used with a keyboard, and throw flash on it, that will be an awesome experience for oh say 2 hours till the battery is toast.
"HP attacks Apple iPad" "Though HP did not mention the iPad specifically by name"
Get over yourselves AI stop trying to over-ride the situation with these tabloid style articles to generate traffic. Stick to the legitimate content such as "ARM expects 50 new tablets in 2010".
Image and ad blocking of AI is my personal boycott.
There'll be the iPad and 49 fragmented tablets. We'll see how long many of those 49 last, given their individual uptake (and hence scale).
And, if there's touch involved, careful with the IP, HP!