HP TouchPad: what you need to know

Of all the supposed iPad killers, the HP Slate was the most interesting - or at least, it was until HP apparently killed it off last Spring.

The Slate wasn't dead, though: HP had simply gone back to the drawing board for a bit. And now the HP TouchPad has been announced.

All rumours were suggesting that PalmPad was going to be the name of HP's iPad rival, so it's interesting to see that HP has done away with the Palm brand altogether.

There are now two kinds of HP tablet: the consumer-oriented, webOS-based TouchPad - originally thought to be called the PalmPad - and the business-focused, Windows 7 HP Slate 500. Here's what you need to know about HP's plans for its HP TouchPads.

The HP TouchPad tablet has a 9.7 inch touchscreen

The device has a 9.7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen (XGA, 1024 x 768), weighs in at 1.5lbs (740g) and is just 13mm thick. Sound familiar? That's because they're the pretty close to the Apple iPad. The screen is Gorilla Glass, like the Dell Streak.

Previously,leaked internal HP renders to Engadgetshowed two HP PalmPads: a nine-inch model called Topaz (which we presume is the version that's been launched), and a seven-inch model called Opal.

The HP TouchPad is dual-core

The unit also includes a nifty Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, while it'll come in 16GB and 32GB models. TheHP TouchPad also has rounded edges and due to the 6300 mAh battery boasts eight hours of battery life according to HP.

There's a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video calling inside a rather thick bezel as well as A-GPS, stereo speakers, gyroscope and an accelerometer.

The HP TouchPad also features Beats By Dre audio to boost low bitrate CD rips.

The HP TouchPad software will be HP's own webOS

Since it acquired Palm last year, HP owns the finger-friendly webOS that delighted everyone who played with the Palm Pre. The HP PalmPad software will be webOS 3.0. Rumours suggest that it could appear on other tablets, too.

The HP TouchPad has only one button

Sound familiar?

The HP TouchPad will come in multiple configurations

In terms of connectivity, is has 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a SIM-card slot for on mobile broadband and can be charged through Palm's wireless touchstone technology as well as through the now-standard micro USB port.

3G models will follow, though US customers will get another option, 4G LTE wireless connectivity, from 2012. Rumours also suggest that the smaller, education-focused PalmPad will be unveiled later in the year.

The HP TouchPad UK release date is September 2011

Back in September, HP boss Todd Bradley told analysts "we'll have a webOS-powered PalmPad that will be set for release in early 2011", but it seems that "early" isn't so early: Engadget reports that "units will start to arrive at Palm HQ in June as production ramps up for launch later this year", and has published a marketing slide showing a planned September 2011 launch in the US and UK.

The HP TouchPad has plenty of apps

Some of the top line applications that will be available for the tablet include Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, Angry Birds and Facebook as well as a webOS Amazon Kindle reader app. The device also has Adobe Flash 10.1.

However, the bad news is that legacy apps can't run in fullscreen mode. And there are only 8,000 apps in the store at the moment.

The HP TouchPad syncs with the Pre

The new TouchPad syncs perfectly with the new Palm Pre 3 phone allowing users to receive text messages and answer phonecalls using the tablet. It'll also print wirelessly from the gallery app, using a HP printer.

HP's internal marketing blurb says that the smaller Opal model is "the perfect complement to your smartphone and notebook PC. A better web, media and productivity experience than your phone; a better, touch-oriented eReading companion with longer battery life than your notebook PC".

The HP TouchPad range could include a netbook

According to intomobile.com, leaked training materials suggest a PalmPad netbook is in development, too.

The HP TouchPad UK price hasn't been announced yet

The HP PalmPad price hasn't been announced, and that's one of our reservations about the device.