Hewlett-Packard has confirmed that their eStation printer will be available in stores early next year. This printer, at a price of $399, comes with a special feature--a removable tablet. This tablet, which is essentially free (with the purchase of the printer), will be competing with Apple's recent product the iPad.
This detachable tablet comes with many features including printer control (even when the tablet is not attached to the printer), the internet, music, weather application, Facebook, Yahoo!, Email, eBook (through Barnes and Noble), and more. One can even fax information without the usage of a phone. Also, when the tablet is attached to the printer, it acts as a digital frame. However, one con is that the tablet doesn't allow for one to get third party applications.
HP has even entered the green economy by making this product an ENERGY STAR qualified product. The product can save consumers money and energy through it's small usage of energy. It also allows automatic two-sided printing to save up paper.
The tablet market is booming and is predicted to grow immensely in coming years. Although Apple is a leader in this industry with their iPad, other companies, such as Dell, HP, and Samsung are also competing hard for this product. It will be very interesting to see who will become the leader in this market. Will Apple continue to take the lead or will HP's cheaper product (WITH a printer) take over?
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_40/b4197040487856.htm
I think this is good in terms of market competition and increasing the quality of products. With Apple realizing that other companies are on its tail, it will need to constantly innovate and get better. HP's tablet may not be the iPad, but for many people who can not afford the iPad this could be a cheaper alternative. It has many of the same qualities so consumers will still get the feel of the tablet as though it were an iPad. As Joanna says, it is difficult to determine who will be the leader in tablets. Apple has started strong out of the gate, but in the longrun its cheaper competition might outrun it.
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