The HP Touchpad, in its mission to become global, is now all set to hit four Asian Pacific countries this month. By expanding its markets it also wants to broaden its applications collection, the HP webOS App Catalog. The nations which will be welcoming this device are Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
HP is inviting developers to create and submit apps to the App Catalog which may specifically be for these nations. These regions will also gain automatic access to all free apps marked for ‘rest of the world’ in the catalog. When the devices launch, only free apps will be made available for users in these countries. However, the company is planning to release paid apps for them, soon thereafter.
The HP Touchpad comes equipped with a 9.7-inch diagonal flush capacitive multitouch display, virtual keyboard, instant-on access and support for Adobe Flash Player. It provides access to countless webOS applications and runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-CPU. It is integrated with a 1.3MP front-facing webcam and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Its other features include gyroscope, light sensor, accelerometer and compass (magnetometer).
The device, scheduled to arrive first in Singapore, will be available there from August 12. While the 16GB model has been priced at US$499 (Rs. 22,140), the 32GB one is priced at US$599 (Rs. 26,582). The HP Touchstone, an optional wireless charging dock, can be bought for a price of S$109.90 and its wireless keyboard is attached to a price tag of S$79.90. The tablet and accessories will be available from authorized retailers and online at hp.com. Pre-orders can also be placed at this site.
