HP Targets Schools, Businesses With New Tablet And 2-in-1 Range

HP has extended its enterprise device portfolio with the launch of a new range of tablets targeting businesses, consumers and specific markets such as education and heavy industries.

The company has released eight new tablet and 2-in-1 devices as it looks to help a variety of workplace environments embrace the possibilities enabled by increased mobility.

On the go

The new devices include two new Android tablets, the eight-inch HP Pro Slate 8 (pictured left) and 12 inch HP Pro Slate 12, both of which sport a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and super-thin 8mm body. Packing all-day battery life and super-tough Gorilla Glass 4 screens, the devices are targeted at workers in the field, sold with an HP Duet Pen stylus which is able to write both on the device’s screen and paper.

HP says both the Pro Slate 8 and Pro Slate 12 should go on sale in Europe later this month, starting at €379 (£291) and €529 (£405) respectively.

Alongside these is the HP Elite x2 1011 G1, (pictured right) a lightweight, 11.6 inch 2-in-1 Windows device which can operate as either a tablet to a laptop, with Ultrabook configurations also available.

Costing from €999 (£766), the Elite x2 runs Windows 8.1 and features military-grade approved durability. It can be outfitted with a range of accessories and comes with a WiGig enterprise wireless dock which HP has developed with Intel, and a lightweight travel keyboard which also comes with its own built-in battery to ensure a long life when out and about.

Lastly, the HP Pro Tablet 408 G1 is a 9mm-thin lightweight business-focused eight inch tablet. Running off an Intel Atom quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and Windows 8.1, the device also includes micro-HDMI support, up to 64GB of storage and an eight megapixel rear camera. It will be available later this month costing from €249 (£191).

Durable

There are also two education-focused devices, the Intel Atom-based HP Pro Tablet 10 EE running Windows and the HP Pro Slate 10 EE Android tablet. Both are sturdily built for students, featuring a durable design that has passed heavy-duty testing for dust and moisture. Both devices include an option to connect to a detachable keyboard, and stylus to allow convenient and secure 1:1 learning, and will cost from €289 (£222) for the Pro Slate 10 EE and €319 (£245) for the Pro Tablet 10 EE.

Continuing the tablet-fest, HP also announced two ruggedised ElitePad 1000 G2 tablets specifically targeting the healthcare and heavy industry markets.

The healthcare-focused device, (pictured right) designed alongside hospital professionals, is geared for use in medical centres thanks to its light build and sturdy body, which comes with a built-in hand strap for easy reference.

Costing from €1,369 (£1,049) on release later this month, it features a built-in barcode reader to scan patient records and medicines quickly, an antimicrobial, treatment and can be cleaned easily to minimise the risk of cross-patient infection.

Targeting industries such as construction and oil & gas, the ElitePad 1000 G2 Rugged tablet also features up to 20 hours of battery life and a 2D barcode reader to quickly access information. It is IP65 tested against water and dust, and also features antimicrobial protection. It will cost from €1,469 (£1,126) when it goes on sale in EMEA later this month.

Mobile workforce

“Mobile devices are changing how we live and work, and they also pose significant challenges to IT departments who have to support their now mobile workforces while keeping corporate data managed and secure,” said Frank Brassart, director, Mobility Business Unit, Printing & Personal Systems, HP EMEA.

“HP is the world’s largest computing provider to the world’s largest companies.  No other company is better suited to address commercial mobility than HP. Our devices feature built-in security, manageability, and durability. When paired with our ISVs’ robust solutions, HP has created an ecosystem that helps companies powerfully and securely harness the promise of mobility.”

The new devices come as many companies still appear to be having difficult deciding how to implement an effective Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.

Research released by HP found that many organisations are still mistrustful of BYOD, especially when it comes to the security of such initiatives.

Half of respondents contacted by the company admitted to being concerned that such a policy would compromise their organisation’s security. Of those companies surveyed that had a BYOD policy in place, 20 percent reported that they had been hit by at least one security breach in the last year, with two percent suffering more than five BYOD-related breaches in the same period.

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