Hewlett-Packard has something in store for small businesses. The company has launched its first Android-based all-in-one (AIO) desktop computer targeted for small businesses, at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas.
The HP Slate21 Pro All-in-One is the commercial version of a consumer Android all-in-one that the company launched last year. It combines a computer and a monitor in one system and features a 21.5-inch 1,920x 1,080 IPS touchscreen, 16GB storage, 2GB RAM, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, 720p webcam, microphone, stereo speakers and an SD card slot.
One of the device's most appealing features is that it can seamlessly integrate Android smartphones and tablets through auto-synchronization and Google cloud services. It also comes pre-installed with Citrix XenMobile and Citrix Receiver, which allow users to run Windows apps in a virtual workspace running on a remote server.
The Android-based system is also stocked with applications created for business, manageability tools and security enhancements, albeit it does not run familiar productivity apps like Microsoft Office. The machine allows users to save documents and store them straight to the cloud as well. It has local and cloud-based apps such as Kingsoft Office Suite, Google Docs, Google Drive and Box with 50GB of cloud storage space that comes at no extra cost. The machine runs on Android 4.3 and is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 processor.
HP is targeting small businesses, hotels, schools, healthcare and retail kiosks for the machine. "HP's multi-OS approach showcases our innovation and allows us to deliver the right product for our customers' needs, giving them all the flexibility and ease of use they need from a business PC," Enrique Lores, senior vice president and general manager of commercial PCs at HP said. "The HP AiO PCs announced today highlight how businesses of any size can increase employee productivity by leveraging the growing Android ecosystem, all while being budget friendly,"
The company is selling the HP Slate21 Pro at a price tag of $399 inclusive of a keyboard and a mouse. It is also launching Microsoft's Windows 8.1-based all-in-one computers, which are more expensive than the Android all-in-one machine.
