HP ElitePad 900 Tablet Review
I think many managers were faced with the need to urgently fix something in the commercial offer for a new prospective client, correct the figures in the budget, arrange it all nicely and send it by e-mail.
Or a web developer, who suddenly urgently needs to correct the code in a project being developed in Visual Studio, put it on the hosting and answer the client that everything is already working ...
All this can be done when you are in the office, or with a working laptop. And if nothing is not? Maybe the situation will save the tablet with the usual set of software? Check it out.
')
Today we have on the test a new HP ElitePad 900 tablet running under the Windows 8 operating system.
I note that we are not professionally testing equipment, so this review is more likely from the point of view of the average user of such devices, for which it’s important first of all to be able to work fully outside the office, while using familiar software whenever possible and not wearing a bulky laptop.
Let's start. The first impression of the tablet - it is thin. Full aluminum case. Very high quality assembled. Looks great. The impression of a good, expensive thing. Also, according to the manufacturer, the tablet is not afraid of dust and moisture, and reliably protected from shocks. We will not check :)
In my opinion, even next to the iPad from Apple - HP ElitePad 900 looks more serious and businesslike.
The entire front side is covered with a protective glass Gorilla Glass 2, under which there is a beautiful screen with an IPS matrix, with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels, which is quite enough for a 10 ”diagonal. The screen recognizes up to 5 simultaneous touches. Against the background of some devices of competitors - it may seem that this is not enough, but, I can not imagine the real situation where more is needed. Of course, if you do not touch the games, but here we still have, first of all, a device for work. The sensitivity of the screen is beautiful.
Below are two fairly large speakers with protective nets.
There is also a large single connector at the bottom, which is used to charge and connect various peripherals. Just to this connector, I had the most complaints.
First of all, there is no possibility to charge the tablet from an already standard micro-usb cable, i.e. Without a native charge, somewhere along the way, the tablet may be discharged.
Secondly - because The connector is located at the bottom, then if something is connected to it, it becomes very inconvenient to use the tablet at an angle, putting it on the table. We have to keep it on weight, which is very difficult, hands quickly get tired. The weight of the tablet is 680 grams, this is a good indicator, but still not for long work on weight. In my opinion - the connector is the place on the right side in the corner.
Through this connector can be made to connect various accessories, greatly expanding the capabilities of the device. For example, a docking station for desktop work, by installing a tablet on which we immediately will have a full-fledged hdmi and vga-out, usb-ports, etc.
Also an interesting accessory is a native case containing an additional battery, card reader, usb and hdmi-connectors, but ... noticeably increasing the thickness and weight of the device.
If you do not need all possible connectors for connecting peripherals at once - you can use a wide selection of adapters that provide one or two types of connectors. Here is an example of such an adapter with a single usb port. You can connect to it, for example, a keyboard, or a mouse, or a usb flash drive, or an external hard drive.
On the back there are keys to adjust the volume, they are quite hard, which eliminates accidental pressing. Right there we see the main camera, it has a resolution of 8 megapixels, is equipped with autofocus, and next is a bright LED that acts as a flash or backlight. The front camera has a resolution of 2 megapixels, which is enough for video conferencing. The upper part is made of soft-touch plastic.
Symmetrically to the volume buttons, on the opposite side there is a plug, under which there are hidden connectors for installing a microSDHC memory card and a SIM card. The presence of support for memory cards is very important, because As you know, Windows 8 takes up a lot of disk space even immediately after installation. We have a model with 32Gb on the test, and the disk with the system is free 8Gb, so it’s better to look directly towards the 64Gb model, especially the price difference is not great.
On the upper side of the case are microphones, an on / off button for the screen, a headphone jack, and a separate switch to control the automatic screen rotation. The presence of hardware control of the auto-rotate is a good move: you can quickly turn on the turn, flip the tablet, and fix it again without touching the screen.
On the body, probably, everything. Now for the main accessory, which will often have to carry with you - this is a charger. It is big. Almost like a laptop. This is a serious disadvantage for a mobile device. A positive point is a long wire. But still it would be possible to do more compact charging.
On the other hand, the tablet has a good battery that provides up to 10 hours of battery life, which can be increased by another 6 hours when using a case with an additional battery.
These are the figures stated by the manufacturer, but I tend to agree with them. In standby mode, with WiFi on and periodic power on for small tests and checks, the tablet worked for 6 days. So it is quite capable to work the whole working day with full use.
Now, as for the network capabilities of the tablet - everything is above all praise, everything that is needed to work outside the office is supported. This includes Wi-Fi of all bands (from a to n), the 3G network, as well as the new LTE standard for our country, with support for the frequency range we use. Of course, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC are supported. So, wherever you are, you won't be left without Internet access.
Now we are talking about the operating system that runs the tablet. This is a 32-bit version of Windows 8 in professional edition. Since The hardware tablet is built on the x86-architecture, you can use absolutely any software you are used to. At first it seems that the use of the touch screen greatly limits your work, but, thanks to the excellent sensitivity, as well as the great work Microsoft has done to adapt the Windows interface to work with your fingers, you can work with almost any program without any particular inconvenience.
The first thing you will see when you turn on the tablet is a new start screen, tiles, and other innovations already familiar to us from smartphones based on Windows Phone. Of course, there are no problems when working with metro-applications, they were originally designed to work on touch screens. Therefore, we will focus more on work in our own environment, with familiar business applications that we face every day in the office.
The desktop, My computer, and everything we are used to - remained in place. In addition to the Start button ... this is a sore subject for many, we will not touch on now all the pros and cons of abandoning it. A matter of habit (I would like to ask Microsoft to provide users with a choice of which interface to use by default, whether there will be a start button on the taskbar, or not. This is especially true for desktop desktops, which do not need an interface with tiles in principle).
It is very easy to control your fingers with windows, there is no need to precisely fall into the controls, and it is also convenient that every touch is highlighted. However, in older applications (Computer Management and everything else that MMC uses) that remained in Windows, there are some difficulties, for example, moving the separator is not easy. In adapted applications this is done effortlessly.
The most important thing for which the tablet will be used is an Internet connection. At the moment, the pre-installed browser in the system is Internet Explorer 10, and it is both in the classic interface and in the full-screen metro-style. The second option is more interesting. Its main advantage is the constant work in full-screen mode, does not interfere or distract anything, but it is very easy to open the controls if necessary. I liked the very convenient switching between metro-applications and the desktop, just brushing off from the left edge. Also, from the right edge, we always have access to the panel for controlling the device (volume, screen brightness, connection to networks), launching a search, switching to the start screen. Conveniently.
As for the speed of IE10 ... I noticed an interesting feature - the video on the page in the classic interface works without problems, and it slows down a bit in the metro-style. But soon IE11 is waiting for us, and I hope this problem will be fixed.
Of course, you are not limited to using Internet Explorer, but you can install any other browser you are used to.
There is an opinion that typing text using the on-screen keyboard is very difficult. I partly agree with this, but I was pleasantly surprised that under Windows 8 this problem was largely solved. First of all, you can access several types of keyboards at once, to switch on which you don’t need to change anything in the settings - they are always available, and you can use exactly the right one at any time. It is worth noting the convenient cursor control, typing text is convenient, and you do not need to get into the desired letter with your finger in case of errors, you can simply move the cursor with the arrows. If you have a little two keyboards with different layouts - you can turn on the full-size, where there are F-keys, and all the rest. When entering text, it often happens that the keyboard covers half of the screen and you don’t see what and where we are writing - they are also trying to cope with this, the keyboard can be quickly fixed on the screen, while the system interface quickly adapts to the reduced size of the working area.
Nowhere has the usual Microsoft Office package been used to everyone. The new version of Office 2013 is perfectly adapted for touch input, and you can work with documents almost like on a stationary computer. Yes, text input is a bit slower compared to the hardware keyboard, but in a critical situation, somewhere away, you can edit the document in Word or correct and send the spreadsheet to the client in Excel. And most importantly, you do not always have at your fingertips not minimalist applications that allow you to view and, at best, correct the document a little, but full-fledged programs with all the features.
Complementing this is all Microsoft's pre-installed cloud storage client, SkyDrive, which automatically synchronizes all the documents you work with.
The tablet is equipped with a fairly good camera, examples of which can be viewed on the links:
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
But not a single work ... of course, you can install any entertainment applications, social networking clients, use Skype to communicate with friends and colleagues, and, of course, play various games, the number of which is growing every day in the app store.
Summarizing all the above, HP has released an excellent device, in a stylish slim case, in which there is everything you need that should be at hand with a business person, and in addition to everything, a full-fledged Windows 8 operating system allows you to not give up the usual software .
Specifications: on the manufacturer's website .
This review is available on YouTube: here . Overpowering more than 30 minutes of video is not easy, but suddenly someone will be interested.
Thanks for attention.
Or a web developer, who suddenly urgently needs to correct the code in a project being developed in Visual Studio, put it on the hosting and answer the client that everything is already working ...
All this can be done when you are in the office, or with a working laptop. And if nothing is not? Maybe the situation will save the tablet with the usual set of software? Check it out.
')
Today we have on the test a new HP ElitePad 900 tablet running under the Windows 8 operating system.
I note that we are not professionally testing equipment, so this review is more likely from the point of view of the average user of such devices, for which it’s important first of all to be able to work fully outside the office, while using familiar software whenever possible and not wearing a bulky laptop.
Get acquainted
Let's start. The first impression of the tablet - it is thin. Full aluminum case. Very high quality assembled. Looks great. The impression of a good, expensive thing. Also, according to the manufacturer, the tablet is not afraid of dust and moisture, and reliably protected from shocks. We will not check :)
In my opinion, even next to the iPad from Apple - HP ElitePad 900 looks more serious and businesslike.
The entire front side is covered with a protective glass Gorilla Glass 2, under which there is a beautiful screen with an IPS matrix, with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels, which is quite enough for a 10 ”diagonal. The screen recognizes up to 5 simultaneous touches. Against the background of some devices of competitors - it may seem that this is not enough, but, I can not imagine the real situation where more is needed. Of course, if you do not touch the games, but here we still have, first of all, a device for work. The sensitivity of the screen is beautiful.
Below are two fairly large speakers with protective nets.
There is also a large single connector at the bottom, which is used to charge and connect various peripherals. Just to this connector, I had the most complaints.
First of all, there is no possibility to charge the tablet from an already standard micro-usb cable, i.e. Without a native charge, somewhere along the way, the tablet may be discharged.
Secondly - because The connector is located at the bottom, then if something is connected to it, it becomes very inconvenient to use the tablet at an angle, putting it on the table. We have to keep it on weight, which is very difficult, hands quickly get tired. The weight of the tablet is 680 grams, this is a good indicator, but still not for long work on weight. In my opinion - the connector is the place on the right side in the corner.
Through this connector can be made to connect various accessories, greatly expanding the capabilities of the device. For example, a docking station for desktop work, by installing a tablet on which we immediately will have a full-fledged hdmi and vga-out, usb-ports, etc.
Also an interesting accessory is a native case containing an additional battery, card reader, usb and hdmi-connectors, but ... noticeably increasing the thickness and weight of the device.
If you do not need all possible connectors for connecting peripherals at once - you can use a wide selection of adapters that provide one or two types of connectors. Here is an example of such an adapter with a single usb port. You can connect to it, for example, a keyboard, or a mouse, or a usb flash drive, or an external hard drive.
On the back there are keys to adjust the volume, they are quite hard, which eliminates accidental pressing. Right there we see the main camera, it has a resolution of 8 megapixels, is equipped with autofocus, and next is a bright LED that acts as a flash or backlight. The front camera has a resolution of 2 megapixels, which is enough for video conferencing. The upper part is made of soft-touch plastic.
Symmetrically to the volume buttons, on the opposite side there is a plug, under which there are hidden connectors for installing a microSDHC memory card and a SIM card. The presence of support for memory cards is very important, because As you know, Windows 8 takes up a lot of disk space even immediately after installation. We have a model with 32Gb on the test, and the disk with the system is free 8Gb, so it’s better to look directly towards the 64Gb model, especially the price difference is not great.
On the upper side of the case are microphones, an on / off button for the screen, a headphone jack, and a separate switch to control the automatic screen rotation. The presence of hardware control of the auto-rotate is a good move: you can quickly turn on the turn, flip the tablet, and fix it again without touching the screen.
On the body, probably, everything. Now for the main accessory, which will often have to carry with you - this is a charger. It is big. Almost like a laptop. This is a serious disadvantage for a mobile device. A positive point is a long wire. But still it would be possible to do more compact charging.
On the other hand, the tablet has a good battery that provides up to 10 hours of battery life, which can be increased by another 6 hours when using a case with an additional battery.
These are the figures stated by the manufacturer, but I tend to agree with them. In standby mode, with WiFi on and periodic power on for small tests and checks, the tablet worked for 6 days. So it is quite capable to work the whole working day with full use.
Now, as for the network capabilities of the tablet - everything is above all praise, everything that is needed to work outside the office is supported. This includes Wi-Fi of all bands (from a to n), the 3G network, as well as the new LTE standard for our country, with support for the frequency range we use. Of course, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC are supported. So, wherever you are, you won't be left without Internet access.
Getting Started
Now we are talking about the operating system that runs the tablet. This is a 32-bit version of Windows 8 in professional edition. Since The hardware tablet is built on the x86-architecture, you can use absolutely any software you are used to. At first it seems that the use of the touch screen greatly limits your work, but, thanks to the excellent sensitivity, as well as the great work Microsoft has done to adapt the Windows interface to work with your fingers, you can work with almost any program without any particular inconvenience.
The first thing you will see when you turn on the tablet is a new start screen, tiles, and other innovations already familiar to us from smartphones based on Windows Phone. Of course, there are no problems when working with metro-applications, they were originally designed to work on touch screens. Therefore, we will focus more on work in our own environment, with familiar business applications that we face every day in the office.
The desktop, My computer, and everything we are used to - remained in place. In addition to the Start button ... this is a sore subject for many, we will not touch on now all the pros and cons of abandoning it. A matter of habit (I would like to ask Microsoft to provide users with a choice of which interface to use by default, whether there will be a start button on the taskbar, or not. This is especially true for desktop desktops, which do not need an interface with tiles in principle).
It is very easy to control your fingers with windows, there is no need to precisely fall into the controls, and it is also convenient that every touch is highlighted. However, in older applications (Computer Management and everything else that MMC uses) that remained in Windows, there are some difficulties, for example, moving the separator is not easy. In adapted applications this is done effortlessly.
the Internet
The most important thing for which the tablet will be used is an Internet connection. At the moment, the pre-installed browser in the system is Internet Explorer 10, and it is both in the classic interface and in the full-screen metro-style. The second option is more interesting. Its main advantage is the constant work in full-screen mode, does not interfere or distract anything, but it is very easy to open the controls if necessary. I liked the very convenient switching between metro-applications and the desktop, just brushing off from the left edge. Also, from the right edge, we always have access to the panel for controlling the device (volume, screen brightness, connection to networks), launching a search, switching to the start screen. Conveniently.
As for the speed of IE10 ... I noticed an interesting feature - the video on the page in the classic interface works without problems, and it slows down a bit in the metro-style. But soon IE11 is waiting for us, and I hope this problem will be fixed.
Of course, you are not limited to using Internet Explorer, but you can install any other browser you are used to.
Text input
There is an opinion that typing text using the on-screen keyboard is very difficult. I partly agree with this, but I was pleasantly surprised that under Windows 8 this problem was largely solved. First of all, you can access several types of keyboards at once, to switch on which you don’t need to change anything in the settings - they are always available, and you can use exactly the right one at any time. It is worth noting the convenient cursor control, typing text is convenient, and you do not need to get into the desired letter with your finger in case of errors, you can simply move the cursor with the arrows. If you have a little two keyboards with different layouts - you can turn on the full-size, where there are F-keys, and all the rest. When entering text, it often happens that the keyboard covers half of the screen and you don’t see what and where we are writing - they are also trying to cope with this, the keyboard can be quickly fixed on the screen, while the system interface quickly adapts to the reduced size of the working area.
Nowhere has the usual Microsoft Office package been used to everyone. The new version of Office 2013 is perfectly adapted for touch input, and you can work with documents almost like on a stationary computer. Yes, text input is a bit slower compared to the hardware keyboard, but in a critical situation, somewhere away, you can edit the document in Word or correct and send the spreadsheet to the client in Excel. And most importantly, you do not always have at your fingertips not minimalist applications that allow you to view and, at best, correct the document a little, but full-fledged programs with all the features.
Complementing this is all Microsoft's pre-installed cloud storage client, SkyDrive, which automatically synchronizes all the documents you work with.
Well, how can you photograph?
The tablet is equipped with a fairly good camera, examples of which can be viewed on the links:
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
And play ...?
But not a single work ... of course, you can install any entertainment applications, social networking clients, use Skype to communicate with friends and colleagues, and, of course, play various games, the number of which is growing every day in the app store.
findings
Summarizing all the above, HP has released an excellent device, in a stylish slim case, in which there is everything you need that should be at hand with a business person, and in addition to everything, a full-fledged Windows 8 operating system allows you to not give up the usual software .
Specifications: on the manufacturer's website .
This review is available on YouTube: here . Overpowering more than 30 minutes of video is not easy, but suddenly someone will be interested.
Thanks for attention.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/176121/
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