The latest version of the first webOS tablet has surfaced on Amazon. The HP TouchPad 4G is now available for pre-order, touting a faster 1.5 GHz processor, 32GB of storage, the latest build of webOS (3.0.2) and support for 4G data speeds. It appears HP has beat its roadmap estimates which suggested the 4G slate would debut in late summer or early fall. Can the TouchPad 4G turn webOS into the tablet contender HP had hoped?
Tagged ‘HP TouchPad’
Early adopters rejoice! The HP TouchPad is getting “hundreds of improvements”. HP has kicked out an OTA update for the tablet bringing webOS 3.0.2 to the party and a huge list of performance and reliability enhancements. That’s good news as our HP TouchPad review, like so many others, flagged up sluggishness as a major flaw.
The HP TouchPad update includes major changes to the Email, Calendar and Music apps (including rather worryingly “reduced audio skipping”) and a solution to a bug that cause oversensitive screen rotation. There are also some welcome little additions like the ability to set the device wallpaper from the Photos app and autocorrect that understands contractions.
You can see the full list of changes after the break. If you’re running the HP TouchPad update let us know how you’re finding it in the comments.
Unlike the world of smartphones where Android quickly became the dominant force, the tablet market remains a notch under Apple’s belt. HP and RIM have attempted to capture a share of this market, but have yet to be considered serious threats to Cupertino’s slate. After seeing a Windows 8 tablet concept during the Worldwide Partner Conference 2011 presentation yesterday, Microsoft might be in the best position to challenge Apple. Are Windows 8 tablets the sleeping giant in the tablet wars?
A faster version of the HP TouchPad has been announced in the states, dubbed the HP TouchPad 4G. As the name implies, this version of the TouchPad comes equipped with HSPA+ radios, helping the slate earn the 4G suffix. The standard 16GB of memory has been axed in favor of 32GB and the processor has been bumped from 1.2 GHz to 1.5GHz. A launch is planned for later this year, but will it be enough to save webOS?
We still believe the launch of the HP Pre 3 is on track for late August. In breaking news this weekend it was revealed that Sprint, the exclusive carrier of the original Palm Pre in the US, would not be releasing the Pre 3 and that HP has no plans of offering any future devices on the Now Network. While the news was undoubtedly a major disappointment for Sprint webOS users, this might be the first sign that Palm finally understands the recipe for smartphone success.
Outside the tech world a delay of a few weeks for a product launch is nothing to write home about. Unfortunately when it comes to smartphones and tablets, weeks carry the weight of months and months age like years. This is particularly true in a crowded space such as the world of Android Honeycomb tablets where even the smallest manufacturer has come out of the woodwork to offer a tablet. Are supply constraints or the fierce competition from the crowded Honeycomb market to blame for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 delay?
The HP TouchPad has only just arrived and already the webOS bandwagon is moving on. An internal HP briefing document has slipped out onto the web and reveals that a new white HP TouchPad with 64GB of storage is due for an August launch.
Aside from its glossy white shell and extra storage, the new HP TouchPad model is also set to get an upgraded processor (most likely a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chip). That would go along way to dealing with the sluggish performance we decried in our HP TouchPad review.
With the original HP TouchPad not due to drop in the UK until the middle of this month, when or if we’ll get the upgraded white model isn’t clear.
Out TBC | £TBC | HP (via PreCentral)
It seems like ages since HP announced the TouchPad alongside the Veer and Pre 3 in February. Over the past five months we’ve seen RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook, Apple’s iPad 2 and a full-scale Android Honeycomb assault. Faced with fierce competition can the HP TouchPad carve out a niche in the crowded tablet market?