It was announced on Friday May 21 that the HP Slate, HP’s answer to Apple’s iPad, will be launched in October sporting Palm’s WebOS instead of Microsoft’s Windows 7. This move comes as no surprise to many, as it has long been rumored that HP would adopt the Palm WebOS for its Slate tablet device after acquiring Palm. (Source: HP: WebOS Slate On The Way)
My personal take on this is that HP is making a GREAT move in using WebOS instead of Windows 7. As stated in my review of Apple’s iPad, a full blown desktop operating system seems to be overkill for these devices, and in my opinion is not necessary for the new touchscreen tablet form factor. Windows 7 has always felt clunky and too “heavy” when running on Netbook devices, and I think the success that Apple has seen with the iPad will convince other vendors that consumers are not looking for a desktop or laptop replacement when they pick up a tablet. They are looking for something that will let them browse the web, check email, and watch movies; and they want to be able to do these things instantly without waiting for Windows to boot up.
My belief is that this form factor running operating systems such as iPhone OS, WebOS, and Android will be far more successful than if manufacturers were to stick with Windows 7. Windows 7 most definitely has its place in the realm of computing, but that place is on full desktops and laptops, not on touchscreen tablets. The success that Apple has seen with the iPad has been due to its extreme ease of use coupled with an AppStore loaded with any application you can dream of. If competitors want to have a legitimate chance at catching up to the iPad, WebOS and Android are definitely the way to go, not Windows 7, and HP will fare far better for realizing this BEFORE the Slate was launched.
As of yet, Microsoft has announced no plans to port its upcoming Windows Phone operating system to tablet style devices, but they may find themselves on the outside looking in at a booming product category if they only offer Windows 7 to manufacturers for their touchscreen tablets.
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