HP’s first WebOS tablet is coming to the US at the beginning of next month. July 1, the US will get the HP TouchPad with other countries to follow according to an announcement on The Official HP Palm Blog. The tablet will retail for $499.99 for a 16GB model or $599.99 for a 32GB model. It is currently WiFi only but HP is working with AT&T to get a “connected” version (3G?) later this summer.
“What makes HP TouchPad a compelling alternative to competing products is webOS,” said Jon Rubinstein, senior vice president and general manager, Palm Global Business Unit, HP. “The platform’s unmatched features and flexibility will continue to differentiate HP products from the rest of the market for both personal and professional use. This is only the beginning of what HP’s scale can do with webOS.”
With webOS, HP TouchPad users have a next-level multitasking experience, access to the web, premium audio playback with stereo speakers and Beats Audio™ technology, 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.
The Wi-Fi version of HP’s first webOS tablet will be available in the U.S. on July 1, followed by the UK, Ireland, France and Germany a few days later and Canada in mid-July. And continuing HP’s phased rollout, webOS fans in Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain can expect to see HP TouchPad later this year.
HP TouchPad will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP for $499.99 (16GB) or $599.99 (32GB). If you just can’t wait for July, preorders in North America and Europe will begin June 19.
Pre-orders start June 19th on the HP TouchPad site where you’ll also find more pictures and specifications for the hardware. You can read the full press release for full details.