HP ElitePad 900 Case

The HP ElitePad 900 case is a thin, light Windows 8 tablet PC built for business. HP makes a Carrying Case (Book Fold) for the ElitePad and it's called the HP ElitePad Case. Here is my short video demonstrating this case:



MFG #H4R88UT

•Carry your HP ElitePad in an executive-style case that doubles as a stand.
•The stylish and sturdy case wraps around the HP ElitePad for easy carrying by hand or storing inside a large bag.
•Fold back the top of the case to create an easel for using the HP ElitePad on its own or with an external keyboard or mouse (sold separately).
•Elastic pen holder stores the pen when not in use.
•Magnetic hall sensor puts unit to sleep when cover is closed to save battery power.

Impressive battery life with Windows 8 tablets by HP, Dell, and Lenovo

I'm currently on a cross-country flight to speak at the HIMSS Southern California Chapter Annual Healthcare IT Conference on the topic of Social Media in Healthcare: Promoting Patient Empowerment and Engagement, Healthcare Value, and Patient Centered Care."

I decided to travel really light, so I packed an HP ElitePad 900 Windows 8 slate tablet PC (and left the Expansion Jacket and extra battery at home). The tablet weighs only 1.5 lbs.

I'm typing this as I'm working on the airplane, using Wi-Fi (Gogo Internet) and a Bluetooth keyboard. Based on my battery usage pattern on this 6-hr flight, it looks like I'll easily get 9 hours of battery life with the brightness setting on the low side.

When it comes to battery life on PCs, critics often say that published battery life figures often don't reflect real-world usage. I've found that newer Windows 8 tablets like the HP ElitePad, the Dell Latitude 10, and the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 all have very impressive battery life because they are powered by a second-generation Intel Atom dual-core processor that does a nice job balancing performance with battery life. I have been testing these 3 tablet PCs and I'll be writing more about my experiences using them.

The Microsoft Surface Pro uses a faster Intel processor, but you end up sacrificing battery life. I suspect that I'd probably only get 3-4 hrs of battery life with the Surface Pro, and that's just not enough for my usage patterns.

Few weeks using the HP ElitePad 900

I've been testing the HP ElitePad 900 for the past few weeks. When I was at the HIMSS conference, I used the ElitePad as my main device. I also carried a portable Bluetooth keyboard so that I could do some fast typing. The ElitePad never ran out of battery life even though I used it all day. This is one of the first Windows devices I have ever owned that delivers impressive battery life all day.

In case you're wondering about performance and speed, the dual core Intel Atom processor is much faster than previous generation Atom processors. If you do a lot of intensive computing, then you'll want to get a device powered by an Intel i5 or i7 processor, but those devices won't have all-day battery life.

After spending a few weeks with the HP ElitePad 900, I've grown very accustomed to computing on the Windows 8 environment. Windows 8 starts up faster, switches between apps faster, and uses power more efficiently than Windows 7.

Windows 8 tablets on display at HIMSS

Here at the HIMSS conference, you'll find a wide assortment of Windows 8 tablet PCs on display at several different booths. So, if you haven't had a chance to play around with Windows 8, here's your opportunity. You can swing by the vendor-specific booths like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Fujitsu, Samsung, and others. Or, you can visit the Microsoft or Intel booths that both have several Windows 8 tablets on display.

Have you tried Windows 8 yet? The experience is different when you're using a touch-screen device.

I'v personally been impressed by the form factors, the build quality, and the long battery life seen on many of these Windows 8 tablets. Plus, several of them are coming out with different options such as: 1) removable keyboards; 2) cases; 3) battery options; 3) and other accessories.

Windows 8 is a new operating system that combines an enterprise OS with a mobile OS in a single device. In some cases, you can run applications side-by-side. The Windows 8 user interface is different, so you'll need to spend a little bit of time swiping up, down, left, and right to see what those finger swipes will do when you're running an application. Give it a few minutes and you'll quickly get the hang of it. Pinch-to-zoom seems to have achieved universal adoption. Soon, we'll see more swipe gestures getting incorporated into all types of mobile operating systems.

At the HP booth, you'll see the ElitePad 900 on display. A few of the HP folks may be carrying their ElitePad in an expansion sleeve that has an extra battery and expansion ports. At the Lenovo booth, you'll see the ThinkPad Tablet 2 sitting on a dock or on a removable keyboard. At the Dell booth, you'll see that the Latitude 10 now comes in several configurations including one a security edition that has a built-in Smart Card and fingerprint reader. Fujitsu and Samsung are showing off their convertible Windows 8 tablets that pop off a keyboard dock. So, as you consider your clinical workflow and how you use mobile computers in the clinical setting, you'll be able to find a device that will meet your needs.

Windows 8 on the HP ElitePad 900

Here's a short little video demonstrating some basic Windows 8 features on the new HP ElitePad 900:

Reviewing the HP ElitePad 900 Tablet PC running Windows 8

I now have my hands on the HP ElitePad 900 and the HP ElitePad Expansion Jacket that includes a removable built-in battery. The ElitePad runs Windows 8, an enterprise-level operating system that will allow you to run all your native EHRs and CPOE applications that you normally run on your standard PC. Windows 8 will also let you run some mobile apps.

Since you can't play around with an ElitePad at Staples or Best Buy, I thought I'd start by posting some photos that show the size of the device compared to the Apple iPad 3.

Here's a photo comparing the sizes of these 2 tablets and you'll see that they have very similar overall dimensions:

The ElitePad is one of the thinnest Windows 8 tablets I've seen. At 9.2 mm, it's actually barely thinner than the iPad (9.4 mm). Here's a photo showing the ElitePad right on top of an iPad 3. I made a sandwich using both devices. The black bar below represents the ElitePad and the iPad is on top:

The iPad has a 9.7" display while the ElitePad has a 10.1" display. Here is a picture showing the  iPad 3 (on the Left) with the widescreen ElitePad (on the Right):

To make sure you're paying attention, I flipped them around this time. So, the next photo shows them in portrait mode (HP on the Left, iPad on the Right):

Initial impressions so far: the ElitePad is fast, but not super-fast. Remember that it uses an Intel Atom-based dual-core processor, and that allows it to have great battery life. It's much faster compared to first generation Windows 7 tablets like the HP Slate 500 or other similar tablet PCs that were powered with earlier Atom processor.

Windows 8 runs very smoothly and it's nice to run standard applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and others. If you're an iPad owner using Remote Desktop or Virtual Desktop apps to access your Windows PC, you'll appreciate the fact that you can have a fully functional Windows machine in the form factor of a thin and light tablet.

I'll be posting additional thoughts as I show how the HP ElitePad Expansion Jacket works, so stay tuned for more.

Watch how ophthalmologist Dr. Matt Oliva uses the HP ElitePad

Here's a great video showing how ophthalmologist Dr. Matt Oliva uses the HP ElitePad tablet PC running Windows 8.

HP ElitePad 900 with Expansion Jacket

Unlike most other tablets, the HP ElitePad 900 expands your business potential with a complete suite of accessories like the HP ElitePad Expansion Jacket (with removable battery), docking station, and more.