HP TouchPad Review

User Ratings

You have to be living under a rock not to know that HP is withdrawing its TouchPad tablet from the competition. Apparently sales of its new HP TouchPad has not rocked tablet enthusiasts world as anticipated. That is kinda the bad news, but the good news is that you can pick up the HP TouchPad for cheap. I have been looking around for a tablet and had decided on the Toshiba Thrive or Galaxy Tab. However, with the rock bottom prices that HP has announced, I may have to pick up the Touch Pad. I mean it has about the same features as the others, the only difference is the tablet is not an Android and does not have the Apple iOS, but the HP TouchPad comes with WebOS. Currently, on Amazon the new Kindle Fire is the most popular selling tablet and then the HP TouchPad has gained in popularity because of it’s earlier announced price break.

Because of the HP TouchPad’s new found popularity and demand is one of the reasons it is featured here. The device does have a lot to offer if your main interest is business productivity, but on the other hand there are some features the TouchPad does not have. It is because of the price break that new has been given to the TouchPad. The rumor now circulating about the Touchpad is that some of the devices were shipped to customers with the Android 2.2 OS on it instead of HP’s Web OS . HP is now investigating how this occurred. There have also been reports that Android 2.3 Gingerbread has been ported on the TouchPad by third party developers. Apparently, since the tablet is being discontinued along with it’s software, owners are attempting to get around these issues. Although, HP has released more TouchPads, the pricing of the devices are left up to the retailers. This means you may not find a HP TouchPad for $99 (16GB) as previously sold before retailers ran out of them.

The HP TouchPad’s OS is described as allowing true multi-tasking and flexible. It is designed to work alone or with numerous Palm and HP applications and accessories. WebOS is based on Linex and was initially developed by Palm. HP purchased Palm and the WebOS which was a nice asset for the TouchPad. On August 18, 2011, HP announced it would discontinue production of all WebOS related hardware which includes the HP TouchPad. Further, on August 30, 2011, HP issued another statement, “Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand.”

The HP TouchPad has a 9.7 capacitive multitouch display with 1024 x 768 screen resolution, virtual keyboard, instant-on access, support for Adobe Flash and access to WebOS applications. The device weighs 1.6 pounds, measures 13.7mm thick and has its own Beats audio sound. One of the most exciting features of the HP TouchPad is the Touch-to-Share which allows users to easily transfer a website, document, song, text or call from the phone to the tablet or vice-versa simply by tapping the two devices together! The TouchPad comes in 16GB and 32 GB internal storage size. There’s also a front-facing 1.3 megapixel webcam which supports video calling. The price is right on this tablet since HP dropped the price on the 16 GB to $99 as a way to move along their last remaining tablets.

There has even been some reports of consumers getting the 32GB for $149. These are good prices when you compare them with the other tablets on the market. The HP TouchPad is now rated the number two selling tablet in the marketplace! The ASUS EeePad Transformer is considered the hottest and best selling tablet because of its versatility. Read the review on the Transformer here.

Keep in mind that the HP TouchPad did not get totally negative reviews on its debut. The reviews for the TouchPad were mostly positive. The main negatives regarding the device like the Android tablets was it’s lack of apps, no rear-facing camera or video-recording capability, almost twice as thick as the iPad and to access the screen you may have to tap it multiple times. Again, you have to consider what you want especially at the price the TouchPad is being offered. If you want a tablet that is portable where you can have access to the Web, do some occasional video chatting, the TouchPad is not a bad deal.

HP TouchPad Product Description

Brilliant 9.7-inch diagonal LED backlit multitouch display (1024 x 768 screen
resolution)
Seamless multitasking with HP webOS 3.0 and essential productivity apps
Exclusive Beats Audio for studio-quality sound
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core APQ8060 processor
Touch-to-Share
Instant-on productivity
Inbuilt gyroscope, accelerometer, compass – No GPS
Front-facing 1.3 megapixel webcam, no rear camera
Support for video calling
802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

Hardware Platform: PC
Processor: 1.2 hertz
Number of Processors: 1
RAM: 1 GB
RAM Type: SDRAM

Hard Drive

Size: 16GB or 32 GB
Type: Serial ATA

Ports and Connectivity

Modem: Modem

Cases and Expandability

Size (LWH):0.54 inches, 7.48 inches, 9.45 inches
Weight: 1.6 pounds

Battery Life

Battery: Rechargeable: 5 hours and 26 minutes

As you can see, the TouchPad is a well designed tablet with a nice operating system and an unusual approach to multi-tasking, plus the TouchPad comes with all its features activated. Reviewers of the TouchPad states the tablet offers a rewarding and enjoyable user experience than any of the current Android tablets, but stop short of saying it compares or surpasses the iPad. The TouchPad is no iPad, but it is considered one of the best non-Apple tablets out there.

HP TouchPad webOS Operating System

The WebOS is a custom mobile operating system that powers all HP products. It also has a multitasking style that allows the TouchPad to swap between apps like swiping between a hand of playing cards. The OS is described as being fast and responsive with a slate of universal gestures that unify how you use all the apps on the tablet. For example users can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to minimize an app and flip between them like cards, and access menus by swiping down from the top of the screen. The HP TouchPad didn’t go the extra mile with developing the OS, but instead chose to operate along the same lines as the iPad.

The TouchPad is designed like the iPad, but runs rather sluggishly. Although, the TouchPad has powerful hardware, but it takes about five seconds to open up apps. Further, the OS seems to lag behind even while typing, the TouchPad failed to pick up a letter or two in each phrase, in other words, the device couldn’t keep up with they typing pace of the user. Although, the OS has its problems it is still seen as being very intuitive and unique.

5 Best Apps For The HP TouchPad

Angry Birds HD for the TouchPad is smooth, free, and plays in full screen.
Dedicated Facebook app. Hp implements this app with several unique features, including a Flipboard-like full screen view of your news feed. A two-pane interface that allows easy flipping between news feeds, messages, events, places, friends and photos, and the places where your friends checked in show up on a map.
Glyder 2 HD a nonviolent 3D flying game where you fly around an animated landscape trying to pick up crystals.
Need for Speed is a mobile driving games and Hot Pursuit is included and you’re able to steer with the accelerometer.
Kindle app syncs with an existing Kindle library which allows searching for text, mark pages, and checking notes via the TouchPad. There also is a link to the Web-based Kindle store.

What users are saying about the HP TouchPad Tablet

From a dedicated apple fan… This IS a good device, July 2, 2011

I’m an admitted MAC guy, I have the iPhone 4, iPad, Macbook Pro, etc. I have to share my support now with the HP TouchPad. The webOS 3.0 is really pretty amazing. I didn’t think it would make much of a difference in the use of a tablet, but it’s outstanding, and here’s why:

Integration of mainstream services used today: Email (Yahoo, Google and Microsoft Exchange), Skype, Dropbox, AIM, Linked and Facebook
Flash plays well
Services missing on the iPad, for example Grooveshark and Amazon’s cloud music all work

A major strength of the TouchPad is the web functionality that won’t work on the iPad. For example, I ran Amazon’s cloud music player and Grooveshark just fine. My only real gripe is not having NetFlix working with it yet. That’s coming I’m sure, but something I use on my iPad a lot, and I miss.

All in all, I’d say if you want something for business, or to have a tablet built around your online presence, or just a good tablet that runs Flash, this might be for you. I still love my iPad, don’t get me wrong, but for a long time I didn’t see why anyone was realistically imagining they could compete with the iPad. Well, now I understand why, WebOS 3.0. Don’t discount this device, it’s got great potential (D. Higgins). Review paraphrased. Read full review here.

A good Option for Tablets, July 31, 2011

I’ve owned an IPAD and ASUS Windows tablet. After trying them out I was still unsatisfied with the products. It wasn’t providing me what I was looking for. I wanted a tablet with good battery life, good apps, experience the ‘real’ web, do some entertainment (videos, games, music), keep myself connected with social media, and finally do some note taking for work and everyday things. Looking at the reviews and the advertisements I gave the HP Touchpad a go. The Breakdown based on a few days experience:

OS: A + HP OS is probably the highest point in this tablet. Synergy makes the whole multitasking a breeze and keeps everything in sync. The whole process gets you connected with your email, Facebook, and calendar. You can just do lots of things out of the box, no need to go hunting for apps (Apps are lacking). No Icons anywhere on the home screen. You can browse the Inernet without having black screens because of “missing a plugin” (Flash).

Hardware: B- This is the weakest thing for me for the HP Touchpad. Every tablet in the market has a front and back camera, expandable memory slot, HDMI output, and USB connections. The TouchPad has a front camera, maximum 32GB memory and one micro USB connection. If your like me that likes options for inputs/outputs this is a low blow. The screen for the HP TP (TouchPad) is great, all the pictures and videos look nice and the resolution is fine. The touch response is good also. Battery is good too for 5-6 hours . If you leave it on all night it will get low on battery, not much standby power.

Conclusion: The HP TouchPad’s OS could just be the seller here for people that are in search of something friendly, capable of real multitasking, people that didn’t like the Android or iOS operating system. Price and Hardware are big negatives. Probably the best thing is get this when the price drops under $450 or wait for a second generation TouchPad. You just got to see what is important to you and what specifically you “need” in a tablet. For me I might keep this (Johnny P). Review paraphrased. Read full review here.

PROs

HP OS is the best feature of this tablet, vastly superior to Android and iOS
Free 50GB of online space with box.net
Synergy makes multitasking a breeze and keeps everything in sync.
Can do a lot of things out of the box, no need to go hunting for apps.
Screen display and resolution on the HP TouchPad is great, all the pictures and videos look nice
Touch response is good
Battery life is good with five to six hours of use. If left on all night, will get low battery. Not much standby power.
Touchpad the iPad2., more than a good business asset, it is enjoyable for: entertainment purposes, great sound quality, watching movies, 3D gaming and YouTube videos directly from YouTube
A major strength of the TouchPad is the web functionality which doesn’t work on the iPad. For example, Amazon’s cloud music player and Grooveshark ran on the HP TP just fine
Integration of many mainstream services used today works good: Email, Skype, Dropbox, AIM, for example
Searching with “Just Type” with WebOS you don’t need to think about what app you need to load to look for a piece. Just Type searches through all content stored on the TouchPad, as well as contacts, calendar events and documents in your accounts such as Google or Exchange and selected search engines.
Homebrew, only WebOS allows you to download apps, patches and system level modifications from alternate sources.
Connect to your corporate VPN. iPads and Android based tablets cannot do this
Touchpad charges very simply; you just slide it it into its dock. You slip it in, it charges. No fussing with wires, jacks and other crude methods.
Notifications. If you get an email in the middle of reading a webpage, for example, The iPad interrupts whatever you are doing, and blares out the notification right in the middle of the screen. The Touchpad notifications come up on the top. If it is an email, it will update in the background, and if the tablet is sleeping, the home button gently glows.

CONs

HP TouchPad apps are lacking
Application support is poor; Majority of the apps are for smaller devices, or don’t work at all on the TouchPad
No rear camera, expandable memory slot, HDMI output or USB connections
NetFlix doesn’t work with the TouchPad yet
Thicker and heavier than an iPad 2 (due to larger processor, more RAM and the audio system/speakers)
TouchPad regularly hangs for no apparent reason; WebOS 3.0 is difficult to use.
OS can be slow at times when rendering web pages, changing from portrait to landscape or having several apps open at once
No decent word processing/editing app
Tablet does not support printing on non-HP printer, but sometimes will not work with HP printers. The OS is suppose to support any HP printer less than 5 years old,
At times, the TouchPad’s WiFi does not work correctly, connect, disconnect. Very limited range when connected.
There is a “Just Type” field in what’s called the Card View (basically like the task switcher in Windows); you’re supposed to type something to either search or launch an app. However, too many options are attached to the field, so you’re forced to go through a list of items to decide what you want to do.
The icons on the home screen (Launcher) are not very attractive, and the virtual keyboard, while it has a row of numeric keys at the top, does not give you good feedback so you’re never sure if you typed the right thing.
The TouchPad often rotates the screen view on its own, which is extremely annoying; the home button (called Center button by HP) is difficult to press, partly because it’s stiff and partly because of its small, elongated shape; difficult to plug device into the micro-USB connector at the bottom.
TouchPad freezes up and have to keep resetting it; freezes up with email and a web browser open (possible software issue).
Help ”requires” Internet access; for example if trying to find help on how to reset the TouchPad (because Internet access suddenly stopped working), you be unable to obtain Help for your problem.
The mail, contacts, and calendar programs supported Exchange, but mail program is terrible (by default, it only syncs/pushes to the inbox, and if you mark everything as a favorite, it loses the folder structure).
Does not display plain text messages – the messages lose all formatting. Maybe Ms Exchange bug.
The TouchPad arrives with no instructions other than how to turn it on, a review of the screen movements and format.
Touch technology is not accurate; device has built-in finger trail target that communicates where you touched. However, touch point is small at only 10px large.
The TouchPad did not come with a camera to take photos or video. There is a front-facing camera, but it is only activated when you are Skyping or doing video conferencing. However, there is paid app available that allows still pictures to be taken with the camera.

Suggested Accessories for The TouchPad

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