There is a new tablet that is going to be entering the crowded Australian market, the HP TouchPad. HP announced today that the tablet will go on sale August 15th and will launch both the 16 GB and 32 GB models. The HP TouchPad is going to more expensive with the 16 GB model costing $599, while the 32 GB edition will run you $699.
The tablet market in Australia is growing increasingly competitive with not only the Apple iPad 2 launching this year, but also new entrants from Acer, Samsung, Toshiba, Motorola, Lenovo, and Asus. It seems Australia is dominated by Android and iOS, and we are wondering if there is room for another operating system.
Recently we reviewed the HP TouchPad and it remains a vibrant breath of fresh air in the segment populated by Android Tablets. The webOS operating system has undergone refinement since HP purchased Palm last year.
The operating system underneath the hood of the TouchPad serves to offer innovative features not found in other devices. A new feature called HP Synergy brings information access your device and accross the web in an easy to use interface. The software syncs email from Microsoft Exchange, Google, and Yahoo in one easy to use window, and even contacts. It will update calenders and your address bar. It also employs social media aspects.
The one thing I liked about the TouchPad is the sheer amount of functionality right out of the box! You have a myriad of cloud storage options such as Dropbox, Google Docs, and Amazon Cloud storage coming in the next month. It also comes bundled with Skype in order to make phone and video calls. If you have a webOS phone you can sync it up and receive SMS right on your device. Another big selling point is the “Just Type” software it functions like a universal search that allows users to scour emails, tweets, web history, contacts, and other areas on the device for certain words or phrases.
Not only is the TouchPad setup to enter the Australian market but so is other webOS products. Phones, printers, and desktops should be available by the end of the year.
The HP Touchpad is set for an upward climb against Apple, which currently dominates %79.5 of the entire market.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
