HP Slate 500 8.9" Black

by HP

• Windows 7 Professional, Intel Atom Z540
• 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM
• 8.9"
• WiFi IEEE 802.11n
• 1.50 lb

Product Description

HP Slate 500 XT962UA 8.9" LED Net-tablet PC - Atom Z540 1.86GHz XT962UA#ABA Tablet PCs. Package Contents are : - HP Slate 500 XT962UA Net-tablet PC , Lithium Polymer Battery ,AC Adapter , HP Slate Folio, HP Slate Digital Pen , HP Slate Cradle Dock.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 123 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Slate, Replaces my Convertible Tablet April 8, 2011

By Mobillegadgeteer

August 2011 Update
1.Great news Microsoft appears to be hearing the cry's of the people to create an amazing tablet user interface. Check out the youtube titled "Building "Windows 8" - Video #1." The rumor is that Microsoft will try to make windows 8 compatible with machines running windows 7. The key issue with this HP Tablet is the screen resolution. From Wikipedia "The new interface is primarily designed for 16:9 screen resolutions, with 1366×768 and larger screens able to display two Windows 8 applications. 1024×768 screens can display one Windows 8 application in full-screen, and 1024×600 screens can only use the traditional Windows desktop." The HP slate runs 1024 x 600 as its native resolution but it can run 1024 x768. So the hope is that the HP Slate will be able to run windows 8 and the future software that will be written for windows 8.
2. Increase the scroll bars (making them fatter) can help improve the windows 7 user interface. Sometimes the scroll bar is covered by the leather case but by making the scroll bar fatter you can move up and down web pages a little easier.
Right-click on desktop, select Personalize.Click on "Window Color" and then "Advanced appearance settings." In he drop-down list choose scrollbar (or click on the scrollbar in the picture) and finally change the size. Check the entire drop-down list for the items you wish customize by size and fonts.
3. Swiftpoint SM300 Laptop Mouse works well with the tablet. It is small, comfortable and portable. The rollerball allows for better scrolling with large documents and more intense work. Again, just plug and play usb device.
4.Rotating your screen 180: You can switch horizontal sides so that the AC Plug is on the top of the device instead of the bottom when charging. Right-click on the desktop,click "Graphic Options" then "Rotation" and choose your side. 180 flips it. You can also change this in the control panel, "Display" "Change Display Settings" "Orientation"
5. HP Slate continues to be stable: Noticed other new windows slate devices were having trouble with their operating system with bugs and shutting down. My HP may freeze up just as typical as windows 7 laptops. Otherwise it is very stable. Pressing the CTRL Alt Delete (all-in-one) button on the side of the slate seems to break up any frozen screens.

So would I continue to buy HP 500 (August 2011)?
Still to this date. IPADS are not standalone computer, don't have flash video capabilities, needs lots of apps to fill in for office, and no plug-n-play with devices (only those built for IPAD), missing drivers to many printers. Android may be better than IPAD as it does have Flash video, the ability to store documents (file system) and sd/micro sd expansion. HP 500 is a windows 7 computer with a slower "not snazzy" tablet user interface but now with the hope for windows 8 if the device can be upgraded. But what does Apple have for IPAD3 and when will it be released, October or now 2012? Presently, when I travel, I don't want two devices, I would buy the HP 500 still, with the potential delay of IPAD 3 and Windows 8 without a release date, the HP remains the travel companion that allows for relaxation (music, movies)play, intense work (stand alone office (no cloud connection needed) and security (known/free virus protection).
Happy tableting!

Start of old review.

I have had my tablet for the past month plus. I am a heavy tablet user and have had tablets for the past 5 years. (Motion Computing, Lenovo convertible). I thought hard about buying the IPAD, I held back and I was so happy that I did. Everyone, I talk to that has an IPAD says that it does not do what a computer does. I am tired of getting an item and finding out that I have to find all of the work arounds (extra apps) to do what my slate does for me. I am a heavy pc user and have found that this tablet has replaced my Lenovo Convertible tablet. I use my HP to get my work done, surface the web, enjoy movies, listen to music and then get out and ENJOY LIFE by moving around and socializing with real people!
PROS:
1.WEIGHT: HP Slate weighs 1.5 lbs with the pen and nice case 1 lb 10oz. Any item that gets to 2 lbs is too heavy to carry. The screen is big enough to do work. I think the power cable is 9oz?? Most newer tablets are pushing 3lbs which is the SAME as a LAPTOP. A Laptop, that lasting 2hrs forces you to carry the power cable 1lb, too heavy to carry in your bag.
2.Your Software works: NO finding work arounds and converting file formats from Android/IPAD
3.No DVD drive: I have a portable DVD drive so I plugged it in, the driver installed. But for software, you can download the trial versions off the web and then use your key to unlock your programs
3.Windows 7 Professional: Quick, seems as fast as my Lenovo Convertible Tablet. But I have not done heavy work such as video editing on this machine. I have had 7 programs opened and have not had any problems in speed.
4. Office 2010: Word works great, PowerPoint awesome, OneNote wonderful. Excel as usual. But I haven't pushed EXCEL or the other software in the bundle yet.
5.Other Favorites: Snippingtool: Lets you take a picture of anything on your screen; Cutepdf: Free pdfprinter on line; Freemind Mindmap, Stickies, Picasa to alter photos
5. Free AVG or AVAST Antivirus
6. Printer: Set up your PC printer as usual. Lexmark 901 wireless. Downloaded the driver from the website and installed. I suspect my other printers will install as this is windows.
7. Web Browsing: Explorer or Mozilla. All my web programs work, gotomeeting, toodledo.com.
8. FLASH YES, Youtube, HULU, watch my favorite shows online.
9. SD Memory Card: Can upload your photos from you camera. Have a 32GB ($50). Increases memory from built-in 60GB to 92GB. So much can be stored in the cloud which frees up space on the tablet.
10.USB slot: Plug and play my CURRENT Windows items. Drivers are there. USB Mouse, microphones, storage drives, phone charger. No searching the web looking for a work around with my existing tech gadgets. Many items running android and IPAD do not have the drivers for accessories
11.Wireless: I have no problems connecting at work, starbucks, coffee shops, home.
Bluetooth: Connected my old Foldout Stowaway keyboard (didn't have to spend another $100). Figured out how connect my jawbone but the sound quality is not great to listen to music. Probably ok for Skype calls.
12.MIC/Headset/Speakers: The Speakers are loud enough to listen for personal use in a room similar to a hotel room. They don't have base but they are not as tinty as some can sound. When you plug in a good speaker or headset the sound is great. The internal MIC is fine for Skype calls or recording such as on ONENOTE.
13.SKYPE: Works fine. It was hard for the Skype to detect the camera. I got frustrated and tried to install my Logitech external webcam. When I did this, Skype then saw the HP cameras. In the Skype settings, video you can select the camera because you have a front and back. If you use a Bluetooth headset, first connect the headset using the windows Bluetooth icon, "Add a Device." If you wish to only listen and speak using your Bluetooth, you have to "disable" your default speakers, open the "horn" icon, right click on the "playback", select the speakers, right click, select disable. This will force the sound into your headset only. Then go into the Skype audio settings and choose the Bluetooth mic and speaker. The video camera works but you will need high speed to really get good video quality.
14.Battery Life: Last for 5 hrs. I can go to meetings and sit in coffee shops for hours until I need to plug in. Before with a laptop, I could only last 1-2 hrs.
15.Camera quality is fair. It doesn't get moving people as well. If it is a stationary item it does ok. The video works also. I get better quality on my SPRINT EVO. The camera is nice to capture something quick to add into a document.
So, this is how I use my tablet.
I go to 3 hr meetings, record information using the stylus or type using my foldout keyboard. I go to a preschool sites (evaluate safety and nutrition). Hook into their wireless or Tether to SPRINTEVO (haven't needed to yet), get reports, take photos of what I see if necessary, write notes on my ONENOTE, printpdf the report, send it to the teacher by email. She prints the document if necessary. Other instances, I can complete a surveymonkey as a report gathering tool and submit it. I have training video, I can show a teacher on the spot. I go to a coffee shop with free wireless, plug in my headset (Pandora), plug in my wireless mouse, pull out the Bluetooth keyboard and use office and answer emails. I could also make SKYPE Calls if needed. Go back to the office, plug into my screen (see below) and it becomes a regular computer. For movies, I use to copy my DVDs that I purchased with software and loaded them on to my portable hard drives and download the movies that I want to see. But I just watch online (remember flash).

Why buy this device if I have to pull out all of the extra gadget (keyboard, mouse). It's because of the weight. I can walk around with just the slate comfortably when I want or need to which you can't do with a netbook or laptop.

Workarounds
No VGA port: There is HDMI on the docking station. HP please find a spot on the device, then I don't need to carry the dock and preferably on the short side. I bought the HP HDMI to VGA converter for $39 in the HP Home section. It works with old VGA ports. You need the converter for VGA as you are going from digital back to analogue. But many projectors and TVs are HDMI or DVI (HDMI without the sound). You can get an adapter for HDMI to DVI for projectors too. You might need a 3. Read more ›

36 of 42 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Product! Does Everything! March 14, 2011

By eight8

We originally wanted to get an iPad -- we wanted portable internet browsing and an e-book reader (ie, Kindle), the kids wanted to play touch screen games, and we wanted to be able to stream YouTube videos. However, we also wanted to be able to video chat (using Skype). My wife also wanted to be able to manage her photos (from camera's SD memory card). We also wanted to be able to access web sites with Flash content. And I wanted to be able to print to any printer (not just the very few iPad AirPrint-enabled printers, which we don't own). And it would be nice to be able to install the full Office suite.

This is the only device that meets all of our needs! It's also nice to have the USB connectivity (for DVD drive, direct printers, 3g/4g card, etc.). And we have the "power" button set to put the computer to "sleep" (as opposed to turning off the device), which gives us the "instant on" capability. And we love the included dock's HDMI port, for streaming any video content to our TV!

We did note that the iPad has a smoother pinch-zoom effect than the Slate, and the iPad has a cool flip-animation when turning from portrait to landscape (the Slate just switches the view without any nifty animation). But these are mainly cosmetic and totally worth giving up for all the extra capabilities of the Slate!

One thing that would be nice is if the Slate had a longer battery life. Seems like it's about half the life of the iPad, but it's not bad -- over twice as long as any laptop that we've ever owned. Based on our casual use profile, it gets us through the day (possibly 2) - no problem as long as one is accustomed to popping it in the dock to charge (before bedtime).

Again, it's the best tablet on the market if you need to do more!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a toy, but a full windows PC. Great for business/office use August 6, 2011

By S. Oliver

Amazon Verified Purchase

If you like games, ipads and androids, don't buy this. If you are a professional who uses windows and microsoft office solutions, this is incredible. A full fledged PC. Earlier models had poor battery life, however now that the harddrive is solid state flash drive and not one with moving parts, the battery lasts for considerable use. My primary desire was to have a slate that would do great with handwriting recognition. This is amazing, my handwriting is so bad that I can not even read it some days - this slate figures it out extemely well. I could not be more satisfied. PLEASE READ ON FOR UPDATE

1/6/13 Update - I have been using this for some time. I still love it. However, there has been one major frustration and it has to do with the internal digitizer and the pen. The digitizer is inside and it is made by N-trig. The only pen I have and only one I have found to be compatible is the manufacturer supplied pen. I have replaced my original pen with another factory pen, I have been certain to keep all drivers updated, and I have optimized all settings and still the problem continues. I will try to describe it but it is a little difficult to describe. Quite often the slate and pen think you are trying to input when you are not. Say you are hovering over the screen with the tip of the pen 2-3 inches away, the slate starts receiving signals from the pen and you can easily click an icon, drag and drop something, highlight something, etc when you do not want to. It is so bad that I don't even use the pen anymore which means I do not have the handwriting capability that I bought it for. I have yet to find any other pen that works because it has to be a capacitive pen compatible with the N-trig digitizer. It is still an awesome full powered PC and I use it all day 5 days a week for work. I still recommend it, but on the basis of overall and not for the pen or for handwriting recognition. Changing rating from 5 stars to 3.