March 20th, 2010 Watch out iPad, The HP Slate is coming.

Recently, with the announcement of the iPad, people were really looking at Apple technology and being amazed. My comrades and I at Anthem defintley see some great potential for apps and games that would work perfectly for the iPad. Honestly, being iPhone/Android and emerging technology nuts we wanted to jump right in.  For the most part I had set my radar to ignore all the posers or copycat type products that were bound to come out to oppose the iPad. Until I saw the HP Slate and a somewhat revolutionary marketing decision on HP’s part.  Let’s watch.

As a developer and a branding strategist, I have always been in love with idea of AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime).  AIR is a fantastic opportunity to deliver high-octane  branded user experiences on the desktop. For desktop computer this has been generally not worth the investment for many smaller companies. The HP Slate’s support of Flash and AIR means that powerful, brand faithful, and effective user software applications are within reach for many companies who cannot afford to develop such approaches with traditional software methods.  Tools  such as the Slate or the iPad are poised to make some heavy marks on the internet culture and the industry of web development. The Slate’s support of Adobe technologies is highlights to me a more forward thinking approach than Apple. While Apple products are user friendly, attractive and useful,  as a developer many of Apple’s policies and restrictions are starting to weigh heavily on the business of developing for their technology.

I am in support of HP completely in this move and further of Adobe, however I believe the real importance here is not that there is now a hand-held computer that support fantastic technology like Flash, but that it will continue to put pressure on all the front-runners to push their technology and pave the way for better and more outstanding developments.