With touchscreen tablets being the new a la mode product releases for many a tech company, it was only a matter of time before personal computer heavyweight HP would release their own. Banking on the popularity of the entries from other companies, it seems as though HP has done a fairly decent job responding to some of the pitfalls of their competitors’ products.
The HP TouchPad will give users the ability to move back and forth between apps seamlessly without losing your position in your multiple open apps. It also boasts the ability to open and play rich Flash, a bonus over some of the other tablets on the market.
Speaking of apps, the HP TouchPad will have its own MovieStore, powered by RoxioNow, so movies and TV shows can be downloaded and played on the go, and Beats Audio will provide crisp and clear sound quality so you’ll hear every little nuanced background noise. The HP webOS App Catalog has apparently been built out as well, which essentially means finding an app will be slightly easier.
The next generation of HP Touchstone technology means that HP devices will work together in a user-friendly way – not surprisingly, HP is hoping this means the purchase of a Pre smartphone might lead to the purchase of a TouchPad and vice versa. You’ll apparently be able to share info and websites back and forth between these products by simply touching them together, and the TouchPad allows you to receive your texts and calls if synced with your Pre smartphone. If you start reading a website on the TouchPad, touch it with the Pre and continue reading as you go.
The TouchPad has a 9.7 inch multitouch screen, a front facing 1.3 megapixel webcam for live video calling, and weighs a light 1.6 pounds. The functionality of this device is more than decent, but it’s difficult to predict whether or not the TouchPad will make any sort of huge splash on the tablet market. But kudos to HP for making a device that is more a proactive response to than a reactive one…at least, that’s how they’re making it appear. The HP TouchPad will available in Canada starting July 15th.