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Palm TouchPad to weigh 1.5 pounds and is 13mm thick

5332 Views 39 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  NeilN, 
J
from press release

HP today enlarged the HP webOS world with the first webOS slate ¬– the HP TouchPad – the breakthrough webOS user interface fully realized in the tablet experience.(1)
With its vibrant 9.7-inch diagonal flush capacitive multitouch display, virtual keyboard, instant-on access, support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 beta in the browser and access to thousands of webOS applications,(2) TouchPad works the way you do and is designed not just for fun but for mobile productivity. It’s ideal for anyone who wants the benefits of the amazing webOS platform on a much bigger scale.
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and

HP TouchPad features and specs
— HP webOS
— High-speed connectivity(1)
— Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-CPU APQ8060 1.2-GHz processor
— 9.7-inch diagonal XGA capacitive, multitouch screen with a vibrant, 18-bit color, 1,024 x 768 resolution display
— The option of either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage(14)
— High-performance browser with full access to the web, including support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta for access to rich, Flash-based web content(1)
— Wireless connectivity:
— Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n with WPA, WPA2, WEP, 802.1X authentication(1)
— A-GPS (3G only)(10)
— Bluetooth® wireless technology 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
— Multimedia options, including music, photos, video recording and playback, and a 3.5 mm headset/headphone/microphone jack
— Internal stereo speakers and Beats Audio
— Front-facing 1.3-megapixel webcam for live video calling(11)
— Email, including EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers) and personal email support (Google Gmail push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP)(6)
— Robust messaging support(4)
— Light sensor, accelerometer, compass (magnetometer) and gyroscope
— Rechargeable 6,300 mAh (typical) battery
— Micro-USB (Charging and PC Connect) with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
— Built-in HP Touchstone technology for easy charging (HP Touchstone for TouchPad sold separately) and HP touch-to-share to share web addresses between TouchPad and compatible webOS phones(5)
— Dimensions: 190 mm x 242 mm x 13.7 mm (7.48 inches x 9.53 inches x .54 inches)
— Weight: approximately 740 g (1.6 pounds)
Click to expand...
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R
i almost bought a palm pre when i renewed my contract a year an a half ago. the OS was great but teh build quality was sub par.

if it wasn't for the build quality i prob would of bought the phone.

hopefully HP can remedy that problem.

the preview videos hands on make the phone look soooo snappy. cant wait.
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R
I'll most likely be buying one. I think (hope?) that HP will come through on their promises, and I see big things on the horizon for WebOS.

I see two areas where HP can move WebOS:

- the enterprise. This is where Apple has failed a bit with the iPhone/iPad, they aren't getting a lot of penetration into the office/enterprise at least from what I've seen. HP already has a HUGE footprint in the enterprise, so they have a bit of an advantage getting Touchpads into that environment. I find it telling that they have already said that Citrix will have a receiver from day one, which is the first step. Also having WebOS on their printers will provide another stepping stone. What office doesn't have an HP printer in it?
- the desktop. I don't know how much HP pays Microsoft in licensing fees for all of the laptops and desktops they sell, if they can NOT pay those fees by loading WebOS on those devices, they can sell their systems cheaper (or make more profit per unit). Not sure how this would pan out, but I can see it happening.

As for apps, as was mentioned, what are people looking for? Web browser? check. Facebook app? check. Twitter client? check. Angry Birds? check. Email? check. Calendar? check. Office suite? check. Games? lots. Fart app? tons. GPS? check.
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G
WebOS was never Palm's problem it was the build quality of the phones. They had a very high return rate and once word got out that the hardware was cheap people stayed away and lost faith in Palm's ability to see it through. We all know what happened next. They were bought out by HP.

The advantage with being part of HP is that they have deeper pockets but if they don't come through with better build quality then people will continue to stay away as it will be a sign that HP is hedging its bets.

If consumers stay away so will developers and, although all the basic apps will be there like browser, email, calendar etc., it's the standout apps by third parties that make a platform.

HP's position in the enterprise has no advantage here. As a matter of fact Apple, being the first mover in this space, has the advantage because of the sheer commitment of the developer community Apple has been able to attract and the very mature developer environment Apple provides.

@rpr,

I don't know where you got your information from but next to Blackberry, Apple has the highest penetration in the enterprise for smart phones. As for tablets, Apple has THE highest penetration with 80% of Fortune 100 companies testing or deploying iPad (Financial Post). And Citrix Receiver is already on the iPad. Apple also has enterprise deployment tools. They still need to mature but compared to HP who has none I think Apple has the advantage here also.

WebOS is not a desktop replacement. 5–10 years down the road as a thin client maybe, who knows, but no advantage or savings here for HP.
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R
I was only going by what I've heard from people in some large companies, and they weren't really considering the iPad seriously, I definitely hadn't looked at any statistics, it was mopre of a gut feel. I'm not surprised about the iPhone, but I do think that HP could certainly get a foothold there, especially if they start bundling.

As for apps, again, what standout apps are you looking for?

Just as an FYI, I've had a Pre since launch day in Canada, my wife also has one, and I've been using homebrew since it became publicly available. I've also been a Palm user since the Palm Pilot 1000 and many variations since then, so I guess I'm a fanboy. :)
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G
First, there's nothing wrong with being a fanboy. It just means that the platform works for you any your enthusiasm about it shows. And there's nothing wrong with spreading that enthusiasm. If somebody doesn't like it that's their loss. Of course, if you become really obnoxious about it then that can be a turn off.

As for standout apps, what I meant was that out of sometimes over a hundred apps that claim to do the same thing only maybe 2–4 actually do what they claim elegantly or accurately. Common sense dictates that the most successful apps will find their way on to every platform but if there are half a dozen platforms vying for attention, the developer may only choose to target 2 or 3 of the most successful.
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R
Understood. I can't imagine why there would be a need for more than one fart app... :)

For WebOs there are ports or original apps for almost anything you can imagine, I certainly am not lacking for anything. The really amazing thing that people don't seem to get until you show them is the multi-tasking. That is, *real* multi-tasking. I can have the calendar, email, web, phone, music player, solitaire, angry birds, etc all running at the same time, and flip between them instantly. Plus, it comes with copy and paste out of the box! :p
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H
Apparently the Touchpad is with the FCC for vetting. Not sure what that is all about but apparently suggests the release is near.

All I can say is HP better hurry up.
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Dr.Dave
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, Equipment Authorization Branch authorizes all devices using the electromagnetic spectrum from 9 kHz to 300 GHz and maintains a public database of certified equipment. Every device has to be approved by the FCC before it can be sold in the U.S.
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J
This is usually a sign that it's about to be released in the near future.

Perhaps HP would have been better off buying RIM instead of Palm but that's another discussion.
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J
HP TouchPad hits US July 1 from $500

HP has confirmed that its TouchPad webOS tablet will launch in the US on July 1 2011, priced from $499.99 for the 16GB WiFi-only model. The 32GB version of the 9.7-inch slate will be priced at $599.99. Meanwhile, UK, Ireland, France and German availability will follow on “a few days later”, before Canada gets the TouchPad in mid-July.
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Dr.Dave
Future Shop is now taking pre-orders for July 15 delivery. Canadian prices are identical to the iPad 2 - 16GB with Wi-Fi for $519.99, 32GB with Wi-Fi for $619.99.
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H
Random Thoughts:

It seems to me that July 15th is a pretty dumb time to release this product. Why not wait until August 15th during back to school or when consumers aren't on holidays?

The $20 CDN premium is really annoying. There is no justification for having Canadians pay so much more.

Now that we have $399 tablets transformer devices, the $520 price tag looks really high. Once again, I think new tablets need to be cheaper than the iPad to have any chance of success.

Now that there is the iPad, the Playbook and nine million Android devices on the market, you really have to wonder if this will go the way of the Slate.
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B
Out of all the tablet manufacturers, I think HP is the one that needs to be most careful in terms of pricing. WebOS devices have the lowest adoption rate compared to Apple, RIM, and Android, and by pricing their tablet at the same as the iPad 2 ($20 more than the Galaxy Tab 10.1 & Playbook, and $120 more than the ASUS eeePad Transformer), I don't see this changing anytime soon.

WebOS is a great OS, but in the end I don't see many people taking advantage of it on the TouchPad.
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H
On timing, I think if HP had this device out in January or February, I think they could have made a dent. Now it just seems like, "oh another tablet, ho hum!"
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A
I concur with Hugh's sentiments RE: pricing.

HP is entering the market at a HUGE disadvantage with App selection.

I am a die hard WebOS fan but 2 years have passed since it first launched and it still hasn't really taken off. And with WebOS 2+ changing the development framework, it is effectively forcing pre-existing developers to learn webos development again.

HP needs to enter the market with a big incentive for perspective customers.
The best way to do this IMO is PRICE. Look at the Asus Transformer for example. Specs wise, it matches or better's the iPAD (screen size, HDMI output out of the box, Micro SD card slot) and it's $120 less ($399 CDN).

The Android App store isn't nearly as good as the iPADs but given the significant price difference, it's been enough to keep that bad boy flying off the shelves as quickly as it can be stocked.

That's what HP needs to do to get this into consumer's hands.

I think they are relying heavily on the HP brand and assuming that people will perceive the device to equal to the iPAD given the price being equal. I think this is going to backfire on them in a big way.
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A
I dunno, I think HP can differentiate themselves from Apple in a couple important ways:

- Provide a better multitasking system.
- Deliver a better browser than iOS

In these two areas iOS sets the bar really low. I think HP has the multitasking thing nailed. I just hope their browser is excellent. The key failings of the iOS browser is: no tabs, crappy on-screen keyboard, poor execution of remembering credentials, bookmark/password synchronization with your PC.

Text entry in general on a iPad leaves a lot to be desired. I hope tablet software makers figure out ways to make it better.
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H
DWL, people are buying the iPad because of the apps. For the vast majority of apps, I never touch the virtual keypad. Entertainment and information apps including Book reading apps, video apps, gaming apps, news apps, pdf readers and so on don't use a keyboard. I agree the browser leaves much to be desired but with so many sites having mobile apps, I seldom open the browser.

If HP is trying to position its tablet as a laptop replacement then I agree the keyboard aspect is important, however, if a keyboard is really important to a user then I would argue the Asus Transformer is the way to go.

From a business perspective, I think HP is competing with the Blackberry Playbook, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Tab, and Asus Transformer.
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F
New browser coming with iOS 5. It has tabs but I'm not sure about the other stuff you mentioned. I've never had any bookmark synchronization problems with my Mac....maybe that's a PC-only problem. Don't really know what else you want from a keyboard other than all letters/numbers/symbols. If it's the very fact that it's onscreen, well that ain't ever going to change.
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A
faston said:
I've never had any bookmark synchronization problems with my Mac....maybe that's a PC-only problem. Don't really know what else you want from a keyboard other than all letters/numbers/symbols. If it's the very fact that it's onscreen, well that ain't ever going to change.
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I have a Mac which is the iTunes instance my iPad syncs with. How do you setup bookmark/password sync between your iPad and your Mac browsers?
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N
1) Connect the iPad to your Mac and open iTunes

2) In iTunes select the iPad and then select the Info tab

3) Scroll down to the Other section and check the box “Sync Safari Bookmarks"
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