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HP TouchPad review

7/10 AVG.
RATING
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HP TouchPad
HP TouchPad
HP TouchPad
HP TouchPad
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7/10
Informr score
The HP TouchPad currently has an Informr score of 7 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 25 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The HP TouchPad is a 9.7 inch tablet priced at a level that's on par with the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab.

The TouchPad weighs around 1.65 pounds, which is heavier than the iPad 2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Motorola Xoom as well. The tablet has a 9.7 inch screen and a 1024 x 768 screen resolution. It does not disappoint at all in terms of viewing, as the screen is beautiful and the display is excellent. It has terrific brightness, minimal glare and great viewing angles. This tablet is easy to use both inside and outside, and the great viewing angles mean that typing on the TouchPad is also fairly easy and straightforward.

In terms of performance, the 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor and 1 GB of RAM means that it is very efficient and quick for loading applications, playing games, watching videos and browsing the internet. However, there are certain aspects to the tablet that are slow, such as the initial startup that takes around a minute, which is a lot compared to the 30 seconds that the iPad and Galaxy Tab take.

The one difference between the TouchPad and other tablets is the webOS system that is unique to HP. This device runs webOS 3.0, which is a tablet friendly version designed specifically for this device. It is fast, efficient, and has multi tasking capability as well. There are dedicated mail, calendar, music, web, video and gaming applications for this device. webOS also has unique Facebook and Twitter applications, and they are a step up on the generic smartphone and tablet applications for social networking found on most devices.

Overall, this tablet is a great alternative to the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab, with webOS's unique features making it a tempting device to own.

Need to Know: HP TouchPad

1. webOS version designed exclusively for tablets (The Good)

2. Fast application and internet performance (The Good)

3. Slow boot up (The Bad)

4. webOS lacks the rich App catalogs of its competitors (The Bad)


Custom
Operating system
Operating system
Custom
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
9.7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
9.7"
Yes
Camera
Camera
Yes
6300 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


148Apps
148Apps

Overall, Trivia Crack‘s aim to collapse those stigmas by striving to operate around an engaging and approachable community that perpetually grows from its user-generated content and expanded participation is poised to reinvigorate the nuanced past time of picking your brain. Along with a consu...

- George Fagundes, 148Apps
Mobile Syrup
Mobile Syrup

As it is, the TouchPad, even with the 3.0.2 update, is a mess of beautiful contradictions: its operating system is one of the finest examples of touchscreen modality we have on the market, an artist’s rendition of a bright future in which we swipe, type and scroll our way to content consumptio...

- Daniel Bader , Mobile Syrup
Digital Trends
Digital Trends

If HP can speed up the TouchPad and build the app library up more, we think there is a future for the platform, but for now, we'd still opt for an iPad or Android tablet.

- Jeffrey Van Camp, Digital Trends
Know Your Mobile
Know Your Mobile

The HP TouchPad is a difficult device to categorise. It's remarkably easy to use and for the most part a pain-free experience, which lends itself to somebody who just wants to browse the web or read work documents at home, but we get the feeling it has the corporate user in mind. After all, a stron...

- Ben Griffin, Know Your Mobile
Techradar
Techradar

The HP TouchPad is less polished than the iPad, with a smaller range of impressive third-party apps. Yes, it's got features that the iPad lacks, but so do the Android tablets, and they have a bigger app selection, too. The interface appears more polished than many Android tablets, but in operation t...

- Matthew Bolton, Techradar


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Quick view

Screen Size
9.7"

The HP TouchPad's screen size is 9.7 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Snapdragon dual-CPU APQ8060 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
Yes
There is a front-facing camera with 1+ megapixels resolution.
Storage
16/32 GB

Internal memory is 16/32 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
6300mAh

The tablet is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 6300 mAh battery. HP's performance ratings are 8 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

HP TouchPad Specs

Overview
Release Date July 1, 2011
Regions Available USA, Canada
Operating System No

Compare Custom Smartphones

Processor Snapdragon dual-CPU APQ8060 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 16/32 GB
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Data Cable, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB No
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot No
Expansion Slot Info
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Zoom
Yes
Flash
No
Additional Main Camera Info
No
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
1+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 262k
Resolution x pixels
Pixel density Unknown
Size 9.7 inches
Sensors Ambient Light, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive Touchscreen, Gorilla Glass Display
Power & Battery
Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 6300 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 3 hours
Video Playback Time Up to 9 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 8 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 19.0 x 24.0 x 1.4 cm (7.5 x 9.5 x 0.6 in)
Weight 740 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Stereo
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key Yes
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech No
Screen Reader No
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Graphics: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
Audio Formats: MP3, eAAC+, AAC+, AAC, AMR, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Wi-fi Encryption: WPA/WPA2
Viewable document types: BMP, DOC, DOCX, GIF, JPG, PPT, PPTX, TXT, XLS
Games: Yes
Apps: Yes
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, Maps, NotePad

Other Names (AKA): HP Topaz, Palm Topaz
Related Links Manual (PDF)
HP TouchPad Reviews
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