HP said to be working on Tegra 4 based Android tablet and phones

HP could be eyeing up the tablet market again with an Nvidia Tegra 4 based Android slate

HP may be looking to step back into the dedicated tablet game with a new device said to be powered by an Nvidia Tegra 4 chip and based on Google’s Android operating system.

According to readwrite.com, two anonymous sources ‘familiar with the matter’ revealed the information, but other than pointing towards HP, Android and Nvidia’s latest quad-core chip they didn’t go into much detail.

The report did, however, also suggest the device would be ‘announced soon’ and pointed out the Tegra 4 is expected to debut in 2013’s second quarter.

While there is, as always, the case for this being wild speculation and salty rumours of questionable authenticity, there are a few reasons why it might be real.

In recent months HP has produced a few hybrid Windows 8 tablet-come-laptop devices, but has previously declared outright it wouldn’t make any dedicated tablets based on Microsoft’s Windows RT platform (the one which works with ARM processors such as the Tegra 4).

Of course, the last time HP made a dedicated tablet it was the ill-fated TouchPad running the widely acclaimed Web OS. But, if HP wants to get a dedicated tablet out sooner rather than later then avoiding a ‘ground-up’ software build and instead opting for an established platform does have an air of good business sense about it.

Similarly, as Slashgear points out, it wouldn’t be out of character for HP to quickly seize upon a new chipset like the Tegra 4 well before many other companies have given it much thought.

Another point is that HP has just revealed it will release a Chromebook based on Google’s Chrome platform, suggesting there is a working relationship with Google which may well expand into Android cooperation.

It also wouldn’t be the first time HP has messed around with Android software.

The tipsters for HP’s Android tablet also said an Android smartphone might be in the works, although the company’s CEO Meg Whitman has stated there will be no HP phone in 2013.



by via Know Your Mobile