It's no brainer now when we say that HP is fishing in troubled waters. But CEO Meg Whitman is determined to steer the company out of it as she puts in place a strategy to transform the behemoth into something nimble, adaptive, innovative and a trendsetter. It looks like she is into it literally and the ground up innovation is what she is attempting, by doing so she is brutally honest. Sample this, in an interview to NBC News recently Whitman said, "When I joined the company a year ago, I was given a HP laptop, it looked like a brick."
What makes Meg Whitman's efforts all the more achievable is her reputation to take risks. For instance she transformed eBay into an $ 8bn entity from a start-up. But she did bungle with the Skype acquisition that never made synergies with eBay's core operations. And her failed electoral tryst - on a Republican ticket she ran for California Governorship and pumped in close to $ 140 mn of her own money and lost. What it proves is - win or lose Whitman takes really big decisions.
Cut to the 2012, critics and followers of Whitman hope she gets things right at HP and does not go like her predecessors- created big hype, exited on a sour note. As we look at HP's latest tablet- called ElitePad 900, is primarily meant for enterprise consumers. Does HP trying to become a Blackberry in tablet space? In some ways yes. All these years' tablets have been pitched as a consumer device. But HP like in the past ( Slate 2) , with ElitePad is focusing on the enterprise segment - a tab purely for business and that sounds little out-of-the box for sure.
A tab for business?
Todd Bradley, HP's VP for Printing and Personal Systems (PPS) defends the company's focus on business. He says, "Businesses used to face a tough purchase decision: How to find a product that will delight employees and help them be more productive, while also making sure IT can secure and manage it. The ElitePad meets all those tests. It combines the great style and user experience consumers demand with the features IT requires."
HP sources say that, "Form factor wise the ElitePad is an ultrathin, lightweight tablet designed for Windows 8 that delivers features to keep IT managers happy and sports a design that employees will crave. HP claims that it offers the full serviceability, enhanced security and manageability found in its Elite PCs, and military-grade durability for drops, vibration, dust, temperature extremes and high altitude."
But with Apple's iPad now its third generation and Samsung Galaxy pad's newest version on Android - all these features does not look anything new. So where lies HPs sweet spot? First, it is one of first of the few tabs on Windows 8 and based on a full-fledged PC operating system, unlike Android. And with big bets placed on Windows 8, the ElitePad as of now looks like one solid option for Windows users. But HP has had a chequered past with tabs. Its WebOS based TouchPad fizzled out early last year and in the end given for sub $100 for stock clearance and its Slate 2 later last year - targeted on business- did not get any major inroads in the tablet market share as well.
Under the hood
So what is HP betting on to in ElitePad? Its confidence comes from the plethora of enterprise centric features this device manages to cram into the slim chassis. As we look at the tech specs, the tablet does have some glitter. A Corning Gorilla glass display, latest Intel mobile processor, extended battery life and weights just about 1.5 pounds.
