It was rumored that HP would deliver some Windows-based ChromeOS alternatives eventually, so when HP released its last round of laptops, most thought the company had reneged on the promise. Cheaper laptops and tablets were promised, but the public only received more of the same. However, we now know that the company simply wasn't ready yet.
Announced yesterday and available in November, HP will deliver 2 new laptops and 2 new tablets, built in the Windows 8.x ecosystem.
The HP Stream 7 and Stream 8 tablets (why do we need two mini-tablets just an inch apart?) are Intel-powered devices. Each comes with a 1-year subscription of Microsoft Office 365, 1TB of OneDrive storage, and 60 minutes of Skype calls per month. Besides the one-inch variance, the Stream 8 also comes with an optional 200MB of free 4G data per month with no annual contract.
HP Stream 7 tablet = $99.99
HP Stream 8 tablet = $149.99
The HP Stream laptops are also separated only by a couple inches in size. The Stream 11 houses a 11.6-inch HD display, while the Stream 13 comes with a 13.3-inch HD optional touch display. Both have a fanless design, run on Intel Celeron processors, and have internal flash memory of 32GB. Additionally, both laptops come with a 1-year subscription of Microsoft Office 365 Personal which includes 1TB of OneDrive online storage. When released in November, a $25 gift card to the Windows Store will be supplied in the box.
HP Stream 11 (laptop) = $199.99
HP Stream 13 (laptop) = $229.99
The HP offerings are clearly designed to be popular, consumer options for a holiday release. But, consider that each laptop also comes with USB 3.0 ports, allowing businesses to acquire inexpensive solutions that work perfectly with Windows to Go devices. I reviewed the Imation IronKey Workspace W500 here: Product Review: Imation IronKey Workspace W500
Just a thought.
