Is HP developing Android tablets?

2/15/2013 1:54 AM EST

Totally pointless for HP to do this. Android tablet ASP has been lowered to a point(thanks to google nexus/Kindle), where a company like HP, cant make any money just by doing hardware alone. To make any money from a tablet, you need the entire eco system or atleast scale. Only Apple/Google/Amazon/Samsung has it.

What HP could do is to make their Win 8 tablets, dual boot to Android. Which gives it some interesting value proposition. ie play tablet, that can be converted to a serious work tablet when needed.

2/15/2013 9:12 AM EST

I think that HP could probably sell Android tablets to some of their enterprise customers. Contrary to popular belief on this forum there are applications for tablets "to do real work" that don't require Microsoft Office. HP could sell custom "Apps" and services (like cloud storage) for Android tablets. And there could be spillover into the consumer space as well. HP is still a recognized brand that is readily availble at many retail outlets. So all in all, if they come up with the right mix of hardware and services they could make some money. Execution would be key of course. But HP has to do something, take some risk, if they plan to remain a viable presence in the computing world.

2/15/2013 10:33 AM EST

Get me a tablet that I could do some work on! (not just watch movies and read my email)

2/16/2013 2:11 PM EST

I was sorry HP cancelled their WebOS product. Disgraced former CEO Mark Hurd had announced plans to put WebOS on *everything* HP made, which would have been a potential disruptive game changer. Hurd's departure removed the driver behind it and HP has been floundering.

I can see why HP would be interested. Android has name recognition, and consumers will buy *because* something runs Android. HP's challenge is targeting the high end of the market. There are too many noname products from Chinese vendors you've never heard of flooding the lower end of the tablet marketplace. There's no way HP will be able to make money there, as they *can't* be the lowest cost producer.

The question is what HP *can* make that will let them charge a high enough price to actually make money.

2/17/2013 7:54 PM EST

I haven't seen a PC maker have any success in the tablet market yet. Apple doesn't count since their progression was from the iPhone. Same for Samsung.

2/19/2013 8:46 AM EST

Is EE Times going to cover the mysterious death of Dr. Shane Todd in Singapore last year ? He worked on GaN HEMTs at UCSB and went to IME Singapore on contract. IME led by a Chinese American asked him to trasfer GaN process technology from the US. IME was working with Huawei, China. After a while Shane resigned but was found dead in his apt. 2 days before returning to the US. His parents do not agree with the investigation carried out by Singapore police. The Govt. of Singapore won't let the local office of the FBI into the case. The US ambassador to Singapore is uncooperative.

2/19/2013 6:12 PM EST

There might be really low margin from manufacturing any kind of tablet. Yet, to make money from tablet, you need a eco system. To build the eco system, the company needs a tablet. It sounds a bit like a chicken and egg problem. IMO, for HP to make any tablet is a good move. How they can make money is wait to be seen. I'm pretty sure with their channels to various big corporations. They will be able to make some sales. Whether the profit is high enough to justify the business development is whole another story. The announcement might already indicate a careful calculation from the executive office. ;)

2/20/2013 11:19 AM EST

Just to do something a bit different, they should use the new Ubuntu for Tablets.
http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/tablet
They would have at least one point of difference from every other Android tablet on the market.