The HP Touchpad comes in two hard drive sizes: 16GB and 32GB. It has a 9.7″ LED backlit display that provides lush graphics. It uses HP’s own webOS 3.0 operating system which makes it a striking contrast to the typical Android or Apple operating systems. webOS 3.0 focuses on multitasking and being able to switch between different applications intuitively and smoothly. The HP Touchpad uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor APQ8060 that clocks in at 1.2GHz. A Qualcomm Adreno Core graphics system is what makes the best out of the LED backlit display to provide a high definition viewing experience. Weighing in at 1.65 pounds it is a shade heavier than the Motorola XOOM and a decent amount heavier than other competitors. While it is one of the heaviest tablets on the market, being significantly less than 2 pounds means it is still very light. It is .5″ thick, so in this respect it comes in pretty close to the competition. The HP Touchpad is one of the industry leaders with a 9 hour battery life.
There is a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera so you can video chat with your friends and family. A USB 2.0 port is an excellent way to transfer data from your computer, smartphone, or external hard drive quickly and easily. If you have any Bluetooth devices, sync them up with the HP Touchpad using the Bluetooth 2.1 support which comes pre-installed. This Bluetooth also has EDR with ASDP stereo support so if you have a stereo system which can connect to devices via Bluetooth, your HP Touchpad will be able to communicate with it. This tablet also supports Adobe Flash, which is pretty much a must if it is going to be a serious competitor.
As a tablet there is a seemingly limitless number of things that you can do with the HP Touchpad. Sync contacts, calendars, messages, photos, and e-mail automatically from Facebook, Google, and Microsoft Exchange. Not only can you do this, but you can have multiple accounts active simultaneously so you can pull together information from multiple sources without having to log in then log out, log in then log out. The Just Type feature lets you search the web without opening a browser or app. Simply tap the search bar located in the top right and search away. Watch movies and television shows, play games, listen to music, read books and magazines, whatever your heart desires. All of this content can be found either online or through HP’s content store. Whatever it is you choose to do, feel confident that you will have superior sound. This is because the HP Touchpad has Beats Audio built in. That’s right, Beats Audio. Do you want to print wirelessly? Well if you have a compatible HP networked printer you can easily print wirelessly.
When it comes to accessories you have plenty of options. The HP Touchstone is a stand which wirelessly charges the HP Touchpad while still letting you operate it. If you don’t need a charging function with your stand then there is a protective case which doubles as a stand. A wireless keyboard is available if you don’t like typing on the screen or just need to get some serious work done. Lastly, power adapters are available for home usage and travel.
Prices
The 16GB model is $399.99 and the 32GB model is $499.99
Sources
http://h41112.www4.hp.com/promo/webos/us/en/tablet/touchpad.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/hp-touchpad-16gb/4505-3126_7-34499289.html
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