HpTouchpad
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HP messes with our brains, files six new TouchPad trademarks
HP has filed a bunch of TouchPad-related trademarks all in one go, and they must mean something, right? The USPTO database shows a TouchPad7, TouchPadGo, TouchPadFlex, TouchPadTwin, TouchPadGeo and TouchPadPro; unfortunately though, the descriptions provided with each trademark are so broad as to be useless, so we're not going to indulge HP by speculating as to what each moniker might mean. Who knows? Maybe it's all bluff, designed to spook other tablet manufacturers into taking up trout fishing instead, or maybe Jon actually did convince Leo to approve a webOS tablet for every day of the week. In the world of trademarks, stranger things have happened. [Thanks, Brum]
HP reportedly in talks with major labels over cloud-based service
We've already seen some rumors of a cloud-syncing music store for the HP TouchPad, not to mention talk of "Music Synergy," and it now looks like there could be some more movement on that front. According to Billboard.biz, HP's discussions with the major record labels about a cloud-based service of some sort are now "heating up," although that apparently doesn't mean an actual launch is imminent. One major label exec told Billboard that the service could be "something like Qriocity for a variety of media, which can be delivered on any HP device," but added that "we don't know how serious they are," which isn't exactly an encouraging thing to hear. That uncertainty was echoed by other unnamed sources, who were reportedly unsure about how quickly HP could launch such a service (at least six months away, according to some), while one other said that HP is still "trying to narrow down what their service will look like."
HP rolls out the YouTube carpet for TouchPad slate, prices accessories (video)
Now that HP's TouchPad has a confirmed July 1st release date, the company's going to do its darnedest to make sure you're excited for the slate, and the company's starting off rather well if you ask us -- instead of attempting to find a new anthem, it's simply showing off what the dual-core tablet actually does. The nine YouTube videos after the break may not be the most exciting things you'll watch all day, but they certainly do show off the multitasking magic of HP's card-based operating system. If that's not nearly enough TouchPad information, though, Geekazine also taped a 37-minute conversation with HP product manager Tim Pettitt, where he reveals that the final TouchPad won't have a traditional gesture area, but it will recognize the traditional swipe up for opening and closing apps. By the by, all the TouchPad's accessories have now been priced: you'll drop $30 for a charger, $50 for the official folding case, $70 for the Bluetooth keyboard, and $80 for the new Touchstone dock. Pricey.
Official: HP TouchPad ships July 1st in US, 3G model coming to AT&T 'this summer'
Amazon may not be shipping HP's first webOS tablet until July 17th, but why wait? The outfit itself just affirmed that the long-awaited TouchPad will go on sale to eager Americans on July 1st, with the UK, Ireland, France and Germany a few days later (and Canada in mid-July). Following that, a phased rollout will take it to Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain "later this year." It'll be on sale pretty much everywhere for $499.99 (16GB) / $599.99 (32GB) -- or £399 / £479 across the pond -- with pre-orders starting at your favorite e-tailer just ten days from today. For those looking for a highly connected version HP also made clear that it'll be partnering with AT&T for a 3G (or will it be "4G?") edition later in the summer. Head on past the break for a look at the full retail partner list, and yeah, yesterday would be a great time to start saving up. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HP TouchPad to be available June 22nd, starting at $500 for 16GB?
We've learned to take possible TouchPad release dates with a grain of salt at this point, but enterprise vendor Synnex has now provided yet another possible one, as well some additional confirmation of earlier leaks. According to a pair of listings on its website, the HP TouchPad (curiously also sporting the Pavilion moniker here) is estimated to be available on June 22nd in both 16GB and 32GB capacities for $499.99 and $599.99, respectively (the latter of which matches the price already spotted at Walmart). For those looking to accessorize, an HP-branded TouchPad case is also listed. Of course, an ETA doesn't necessarily indicate an actual release date, but this particular one is at least closer to the last official word out of HP than recent rumors have suggested. Head on past the break for a shot of the listing for the 32GB model.
Walmart clearing off shelf space for $599 HP TouchPad?
Hey now, what's this? Looks like Walmart has made some space on its crowded shelves for the HP TouchPad. An eagle-eyed tipster sent in a shot from his local Wally World of a tag and some room just waiting to be filled up with the planet's first webOS slate. It's always possible that someone's just throwing out their latest Photoshop masterpiece, but the $599 mark certainly has an air of legitimacy (and matches what we saw, back in May). So why not swing by for a better look? And maybe pick up a few dozen iPhones while you're at it. [Thanks, Mitch]
HP TouchPad available at OfficeMax on July 17th?
Here's something to add to your long list of webOS-related rumors: OfficeMax may be getting the HP TouchPad this July. If the above document is to be believed, HP's new 9.7-inch tablet will be available at the retailer on July 17th in both 3G and 4G versions -- which is a bit puzzling, considering the company hasn't made any mention of WiMAX or LTE compatibility. As for that earlier Walmart gossip, another tipster provided PreCentral with a screenshot of the big box's database (after the break), which corroborates the $600 price tag we've been hearing about for the 32GB model. If this proves true, it'll be another month before we find out whether the slate truly lives up to HP's exceedingly high expectations. Update: We received a note from a reliable source inside Office Max that not all details in the above sheet are correct -- specifically the talk of 3G / 4G versions are a little unreliable, given the sheet currently lists a 4G version of the PlayBook that OfficeMax does not have. Our source expects the OfficeMax TouchPad to be WiFi-only, but at least that July 17th date is looking accurate.
HP thinks the TouchPad will be 'better than number one,' if that's even possible
HP's expectations for its new TouchPad tablet are running pretty high -- so high, in fact, that they can only be expressed with a make-believe number. During a recent press conference in Cannes, HP's Eric Cador boldly declared that his company's new slate won't just be the best on the market, it'll be the bestest. Cador explained: "In the PC world, with fewer ways of differentiating HP's products from our competitors, we became number one; in the tablet world we're going to become better than number one. We call it number one plus." A spokesman later confirmed that the device will launch in the UK with apps from the Guardian, Sky and Last.fm, but promised that "thousands" of other apps are on the way. The metrics might sound a bit optimistic, but the message is clear: HP thinks the TouchPad will annihilate the iPad and blow our minds to smithereens. We'll just have to wait and see whether it's as explosive as advertised.
Walmart prices HP TouchPad 32GB at $599?
PlayBoy Magazine might not have had the HP TouchPad's price dead to rights, but it also might not have been far off the mark -- if this allegedly leaked Walmart database entry is correct, the 32GB version of the webOS slate will cost $599. PreCentral nabbed the above image, as well as supplementary documentation suggesting an $80 sticker price for the Touchstone Dock, $50 for a first-party case, $30 for a spare AC adapter and $70 for the official Bluetooth keyboard. Of course, that $599 price tag puts the 9.7-inch tablet squarely in the sights of Apple's 32GB iPad 2. We can't wait to see if it's worth the cash to pick up this underdog.
HP Touchpad and Pre 3 pricing revealed... by Playboy Magazine (update: just estimates)
Hey, we're growing kind of close to that "summer" release window for HP's marquee mobile devices, aren't we? Playboy Magazine sure thinks so, as its latest issue (June) comes with pricing for the Pre 3 and Touchpad, information we haven't yet heard from anywhere else. The 3.6-inch smartphone with a sliding keyboard is expected to land at the industry-standard $200 on contract, while its 9.7-inch tablet brandmate should make itself available for $500 without any subsidies. These numbers are stated authoritatively, as if already known, though we'd still urge a note of caution until HP itself blurts the prices out. Skip past the break to see evidence of the Touchpad pricing as well. Update: False alarm, people. The author of the Playboy article -- yes, Playboy reads Engadget, apparently -- got in touch with us to say that the numbers quoted were just price estimates rather than concrete insider intel. Oh darn.
Time Inc., Apple to offer free iPad downloads to print magazine subscribers
After months of speculation, Time Inc. has finally inked a deal with Apple that will allow print magazine subscribers to access the company's iPad editions for free. Beginning this week, subscribers to print versions of Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and Time will be able to download the iPad counterparts at no cost, directly within the magazines' apps. Today's deal comes just a few months after the company struck a similar arrangement with HP, but iPad users, unlike TouchPad readers, still won't be able to purchase exclusively digital subscriptions to Time Inc.'s stable of publications. It's no secret that Time Inc. wants to incorporate digital subscriptions to its iPad model, but negotiations have hit some roadblocks, largely thanks to disputes over how Apple shares subscriber data. Publishers say they need that data to apply the TV Everywhere model to magazines, but Apple thinks subscriber information should only be shared on an opt-in basis. We don't really expect Apple to budge any time soon, but execs at Time Inc. seem optimistic, telling the Wall Street Journal that today's deal proves that the two parties are "moving closer" on the issue -- apparently not close enough, however, for Apple to comment.
HP's Pre 3 gets an emissions test at the FCC, likely destined for AT&T
The FCC has seen a decent share of WebOS devices this year, having first tested the Veer in February, and most recently HP's Touchpad (which we reported earlier today). Now, it appears the regulator is examining the forthcoming Pre 3, and while none of the documents specifically name the device, based on the size and proportion of the label, we think it'll pair nicely with a certain 3.6-inch display. We've also noted the diagram mentions a battery compartment, suggesting it's not the Veer, which is rumored to have a sealed battery. Whatever the device may be, it's packing WebOS 2.3 -- and judging from the 1900 / 850MHz 3G bands, it seems destined for AT&T, Rogers, Bell, or Telus in North America. Follow the break for a peek at the FCC label.
HP TouchPad hits the FCC
Much of the report expectedly remains confidential, but HP was at least kind enough to repeatedly mention "TouchPad" in its latest FCC filing, which saves us a bit of digging, and presumably means that the webOS tablet remains on track for a US launch fairly soon -- sometime in June, last we heard. Might it also get a few more cloud-based additions before then? Perhaps HP will have more to say at its Veer-focused event that's already scheduled for May 2nd.
HP planning Veer launch party for May 2nd, AT&T brings cake for webOS 3.0 devs
We still don't have a solid release date for HP's tiny Veer -- we've been told it's "coming around the corner" and will be here "soon" -- but if we were the guessing type, we'd say that the pint-sized webOS 2.2 smartphone will hit the market on or about the 2nd of May. That's because a PreCentral reader stumbled across what looks like an official invitation to an "HP Veer Launch Party Event" in Los Angeles on that very date, and it's typically fairly difficult to launch a handset without a handset to launch, if you know what we mean. Still, this looks like a business-to-business event, so we wouldn't circle your calendar quite yet -- but if you've already got that red marker out, you might want to put a X over May 12th instead. That's the day that AT&T is hosting a webOS 3.0 developer webcast -- which might be worth attending in and of itself -- but is particularly noteworthy given that HP hasn't announced carriers for the Veer or SIM-slot packing HP TouchPad just yet. [Thanks, Brian L.]
Staples' slate of slates leaks out, corroborates Samsung 8.9-incher and the HP Opal?
For over a month, we've held onto a document -- allegedly a Staples tablet guide -- that's been looking increasingly wrong as the days fly by. Tablet release dates were too soon, and prices were far too high, which made us think it was either a forgery or sorely out of date. (Curious? See our copy after the break.) This week, however, Droid-Life published a far more likely looking copy of the very same thing, which appears to be both quite recent and fairly interesting. You'll see that Samsung's 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab makes a cameo, as does the 7-inch HP Opal we told you about early this year, and both the BlackBerry PlayBook and Dell Streak 7's appearances align with recent rumors we've seen. The only outlier is an April release date for the Motorola Xoom WiFi, which ads peg for March 27th. The rest is practically a who's who of upcoming tablets, so we'll spare you the full churn of the rumor mill. If you want to know what we know about the lot, simply refer to our coverage below. Update: Oh, and that HTC tablet is listed as a 10-inch one -- could it be the EVO View we've been waiting for? [Thanks, Morgan] Read - Dell Streak 10 Read - Acer Iconia Tab Read - Toshiba's unnamed Tegra 2 / Honeycomb tablet Read - HP TouchPad [Thanks, Billy F.]
HP TouchPad coming June, webOS for PC beta by year's end
We may have to wait until summer to purchase a webOS slate, but it won't be summer's end -- PreCentral reports that the company has confirmed a June release date for the HP TouchPad. At the enterprise-oriented HP Summit in San Francisco, CEO Leo Apotheker finally offered the month of release, and also reportedly said that the company's full-force webOS on PC initiative will begin in a humble way -- the beta will run in a web browser, and we'll see it by the end of the year.
iPad 2 success will burst the bubble for competing tablet manufacturers
Analyst Mark Moskowitz of J.P. Morgan Research predicts the success of the iPad 2 will cause oversupply problems for competing tablet manufacturers. Moskowitz claims manufacturers looking to compete with the iPad 2 have extremely ambitious build plans that will hurt them in the long run. According to his analysis, tablet makers could build up to 65.1 million tablets in 2011, a number which greatly exceeds his estimate of 47.9 million in unit sales. This enthusiasm to duplicate the iPad's success could lead to an oversupply in tablets and components used to build these tablets. In a worst case scenario, tablet makers may have an oversupply of 51%. Moskowitz claims the iPad 2 will continue to lead the tablet market in 2011, a sentiment echoed in other reports. The J.P. Morgan analyst views the Motorola Xoom and the upcoming HP Touchpad as potential competitors to the iPad, but claims consumers may be "underwhelmed" by the remaining tablet products slated to hit the shelves in 2011.
HP TouchPad emerges from the Vietnamese wilds, sporting SIM slot (video)
We've seen the HP TouchPad up close and personal, but only under strict supervision -- and now that we find Tinhte has been playing with a prototype for hours on end, you can only imagine our jealousy. Anyways, without those meddlesome PR representatives to keep them from prying at ports, the Vietnamese gadget hounds discovered that the slate has a slot for a SIM card. While we can't attest to the vintage of this particular prototype -- and thus say whether the TouchPad will still have a SIM when it ships -- it's safe to assume that HP was at least considering GSM frequencies at some point during its development. Video after the break. [Thanks, Nguyen The Bach]
HP TouchPad shoots down planes, shows off next-gen Snapdragon's GPU (video)
We're willing to bet Qualcomm's Adreno 220 GPU is an abstract concept to most readers, but we can put it into perspective real quick -- here it is in the HP TouchPad, pumping pixels and mapping textures to a seriously stunning little air combat game. We got our hands on the webOS 3.0 tablet and gave Polarbit's Armageddon Squadron II a whirl at GDC 2011, and the experience felt pretty solid overall, framerate only dipping significantly when unleashing a hefty barrage of rockets upon your foes. What's more, the tablet easily -- and automatically -- paused our game when flexing webOS's multitasking muscle to check a text message that had just come in. What's that you say? You're wondering how the HP TouchPad does text messages? Well, it doesn't quite -- it requires a webOS smartphone paired via Bluetooth to share the cellular modem for texts and calls. But you knew that already, right? Armageddon Squadron wasn't the only title Qualcomm had handy to show off the power of the Adreno 220, though, as SouthEnd Interactive's Desert Winds seems to be the feather in the company's cap. It's a 3D action-adventure title starring some very fancy lighting effects for a mobile game -- not to mention a buxom female swordslinger who dredges up memories of ATI's Ruby. See that after the break! Update: Adreno 220 is actually a single-core GPU, part of the dual-core Snapdragon 8x60 system-on-a-chip.
iPad 2 vs. Motorola Xoom vs. HP TouchPad vs. BlackBerry PlayBook: the tale of the tape
You might recall we ran this comparison about a month back when HP's TouchPad was announced, but now we're back with a full set of 2011 devices as Apple's brand new iPad 2 has joined the fray. There's no need for excessive introductions, really, just leap past the break to get swalloped up by an avalanche of next-generation tablet specs.
