In a move that shocked the entire technological world, HP decided to discontinue the production and sale of its Touchpad only a few weeks after it was released, no thanks to its dismal performance in Best Buy.
What is ironic, however, is the fact it actually received not only a good amount of publicity but a very high satisfaction rating from its users. True, it is no iPad and definitely it is not going to beat some of the best Android tablets, but it certainly offered something fresh to mobile device users who are looking for potential alternatives to sometimes-overhyped tablets.
Because of that, we still feel it deserves a decent review from us:
Design
The HP Touchpad sure doesn’t look as neat and sleek as the iPad, but it’s decent looking. It sports a dimension of 9.45 inches in height,7.48 inches in width, and 54 inches in depth. It also has a weight of around 740 grams. The curved edges make it very comfortable to hold.
It also features a Gorilla glass screen, which makes it tough and smudge resistant. Moreover, the capacitive touch screen boasts of a 1024 x 768 screen resolution, resulting in stunning presentation of images and videos.
It comes with a virtual QWERTY keyboard, which you can adjust according to your preferred size. This is especially necessary since fingers do vary in size. Further, this is one of the very few tablets that have tactile feedback when you press on the keys.
The important buttons are very easy to access. For example, the sleep/wake button is on top while the home is down below.
Connectivity
It doesn’t connect via 3G, which could have given it more stability in terms of connectivity. Nevertheless, the WIFI is already good enough, plus it’s usually available for free. There are also many sites that now offer WIFI. To easily connect to other devices, you can use its Bluetooth technology.
Its browser is fast and responsive and can handle multitasking effectively, which is evidently absent in iPads. You can also set up pop mails so you’ll be able to receive e-mails while on the road, as well as sync your device to several of your important apps such as calendars. You can view all these business-related programs in one view through HP Synergy.
Features
It has a 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat. This isn’t the highest resolution out there, but it’s already good enough.
The battery life is long at more than 8 hours (unless of course you consume a lot through video streaming and multitasking). It runs on a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with a speed of 1.2GHz. You have the option to choose your preferred storage: 16GB or 32GB. It has an internal memory of 1GB.
Accessories and Apps
Another thing we love about HP Touchpad is its series of highly functional accessories such as the HP Touchstone, which works like a dock. It doesn’t just charge the device but it also immediately launches Facebook photos as well as your calendar.
If you’re always on the road, you can use the HP Case, which also functions as a stand. The wireless keyboard provides a no-hassle easy-to-type experience with the tablet.
However, while there are a couple of helpful accessories available, there are only a few apps in HP Touchpad, which was surely a bane since a lot of mobile device users are greatly dependent on apps to further improve their experience. It sure pales in comparison with Google Play or Apple Store.
Operating System
One of the strongest selling points of HP Touchpad is actually its operating system known as the WebOS. This allows the table to provide excellent video chat, a feature even the good popular tablets out there are struggling to execute. You can also read e-books as well as edit documents while on the go.
Most of all, so you can maximize your other HP products, you can print documents wirelessly by connecting to an available HP printer. It also sends you notifications without crowding the screen. You simply need to bring your attention to the top right-hand side of your screen. Moreover, unlike Apple products, HP Touchpad plays and integrates Flash. You can also avoid clutter through a process known as stacking.
But HP Touchpad is dead. Now what? Fortunately, HP has transformed WebOS into an open-source code, so you can look forward to great potential developments from genius minds out there. So far, you can now run HP Touchpad with Android Ice Cream Sandwich.