HP Release a Perfect TouchPad July 1st

After announcing the July 1st availability of the Touchpad tablet, HP released today a bunch of videos that demo the main features of their upcoming WebOS tablet. As you can see, HP’s strategy puts an accent on intercommunication between WebOS devices, making it easier to sync your devices (iCloud style) while adding proximity transfers for incoming calls, currently browsed web pages and notifications.

HP hopes that the TouchPad will be very competitive on the market because of its feature-set and flexibility. "What makes HP TouchPad a compelling alternative to competing products is webOS. HP TouchPad with Wi-Fi will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP with the option of either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage for $499.99 and $599.99, respectively. HP also announced it will be partnering with AT&T to introduce a connected version of HP TouchPad later this summer.

HP promises that webOS-based TouchPad will have a next-level multitasking, access to the web, premium audio playback with stereo speakers, the ability to find information on the device or in the cloud using the Just Type feature, integrated access to their information with HP Synergy, and HP's exclusive Touch to Share capability for sharing web addresses between HP TouchPad and compatible webOS phones.

HP chief executive Leo Apotheker has one simple rule for his company's forthcoming TouchPad: be perfect. The long-anticipated HP tablet arrives this summer and Apotheker, who watched the RIM PlayBook rollout debacle from the sidelines has one, simple rule: Be perfect.

However Apotheker's comments highlight the problem all tablet competitors face: establishing themselves early with distinction while the Apple iPad, the App Store, and iTunes cruise along as the only truly successful tablet platform in the marketplace. The TouchPad will be HP's second major go-around in the tablet space (leaving aside early Windows-based tablet PCs). The Windows 7-based HP Slate was far from a perfect release. Not a word was spoken about it or when HP would ship another Windows-based tablet. "The PC business is changing dramatically," said Apotheker.

Apotheker said he sees two PC worlds: consumer and the non-consumer. According to Apotheker, HP recently posted a stellar non-consumer PC sales quarter with 13 percent growth. "The consumer business is in a bit of a valley," Apotheker said. "There are big secular trends affecting the business beyond the tablet.

Wireless charging – details on the no-wires technology for charging. HP fails to mention you’ll still need cables from the power plug to the charging base, but it’s still a step forward

WebOS notifications – learn how the HP TouchPad notification menu works. I have to say it’s one of the best implementation of the concept, at least on paper

Multitasking – It’s a mix of borrowing concepts from other mobile OSes and bringing HP’s own ideas. If it works as advertised I’m getting a TouchPad myself

Typing – You’ll recognize here the universal search once you start typing (iOS style), but with the option to select an action for the text you’ve just started writing (New Note, New Doc, New Email and so on). Also the keyboard layout is different from other tablets as it includes a numbers row, so you don’t have to switch layouts so often, and finally, you have the option to select a size for the virtual keyboard. Having options is great in this case, but no word about a split keyboard, like the one in iOS 5.

HP Synergy – Everything in one place: multiple email accounts together in the Mail app, same for calendars, all your photos from Flickr, Picasa, Facebook and the onboard storage are accessible in one place. Same for contacts and social media integration, all in sync via cloud.

Entertainment – There’s nothing missing here: 3D games, Flash in browser, HD video playback and recording, eBook reading and listening to music. Oh, and one more thing, Angry Birds is coming to HP Touchpad!

Working – Even if a tablet is not meant for work, the HP TouchPad is able to connect to VPN servers, use Citrix for running apps remotely, print wirelessly, type long messages (the keyboard gets detailed again) and you can video-conference via the front facing camera.