On Wednesday, April 23, Microsoft and HP made a major bet on India. The two companies, in a move targeting technical and management students, “announced an HP tablet with Windows 8.1 with embedded Pearson educational content.”¹ The HP Omni¹⁰ Tablet comes loaded with Windows 8.1, and a whole host of Pearson educational content. Further, the new tablet contains a ton of Microsoft products:

The Microsoft offerings include a preloaded set of 10 e-books on developer tools, access to various Microsoft developer tools and servers through the DreamSpark student site, single sign-on student mail IDs as well as a 50 GB mail box and 25 GB OneDrivePro. The bundle also includes a Microsoft Certification MTA voucher for students to walk in to any Certi-Port authorized center and take the Microsoft Certification Exam.²

The hardware makes the Omni¹⁰ Tablet just about the best Windows tablet out there. The device is loaded with:

• Intel Atom Z3770 Quad Core processor
• Multi touch HD display – 1,920 x 1,000 pixels resolution with a Corning Gorilla 3 screen
• 2GB RAM and 32 GB storage expandable to 64 GB
• Micro USB port and an HDMI display port.
• 8 megapixel rear and 2 MP front camera
• Microsoft Office 365 suite for education

Arun Rajamani, Microsoft India’s Head of Public Sector & Education, made a statement about the new initiative:

The launch of these customized tablets is a part of our continuous efforts to make education more inclusive through technology. We believe that this is a game changing devices and services approach toward the Indian education sector that will make learning more interactive and immersive…This device packs in the best of HP, Pearson and our offerings, and has been specifically designed to provide students with an engaging learning experience. What truly differentiates these tablets is the experience that spans creation and consumption, making it an ideal device for students.³

Although this is strictly an Indian initiative, this could be a sign of things to come from Microsoft. The Omni¹⁰ Tablet is set to retail for 29999 Indian Rupees, or around $491 USD.