HP’s 9.7-inch TouchPad: webOS 3.0 tablet with 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon

HP has revealed its highly anticipated WebOS tablet, the HP TouchPad on its Wednesday event in San Francisco. The 9.7-inch TouchPad includes a 1,024-by-768 capacitive display. It will run a 1.2-GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and comes with a 1.3-megapixel webcam that supports video calls, Beats Audio technology, and stereo speakers.  The 1.6-pound device is 13.7mm thick and includes Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and comes in 16GB or 32GB versions. It has twice the memory of the Pre 2, and features a gyro, accelerometer, and compass.

HP will pit the TouchPad against the iPad and Android tablets. WebOS was previously seen in the Palm Pre Plus smartphone and will be featured in the new Palm Veer and Palm Pre 3. First impression is that it looks a lot like the iPad, even down to the colors of keys on the virtual keyboard, but especially the very elegant and simple design.

Here’s a full list of specs:

• Operating system: HP webOS 2.1
• Display: 9.7-inch XGA capacitive, multitouch screen with a 1024×768 resolution
• Keyboard: Virtual keyboard
• Email: Microsoft Exchange email with Microsoft Direct Push Technology, POP3/IMAP
• Messaging:vIntegrated IM and SMS
• GPS3: A-GPS (3G models only)
• Digital camera: Front-facing 1.3-megapixel webcam for live video calling
• Sensors: Light sensor, accelerometer, compass (magnetometer), and gyroscope
• Audio formats: Audio formats: DRM-free MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, QCELP, WAV
• Video formats: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264
• Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n with WPA, WPA2, WEP, 802.1X authentication
• Bluetooth wireless technology 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
• Memory: Choose either 16GB or 32GB internal storage
• Connector: Charger/microUSB connector with USB 2.0
• 3.5mm stereo headset/headphone/microphone jack
• Internal stereo speakers and Beats Audio
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-CPU APQ8060 1.2GHz
• Touchstone charging support.
• Dimensions: Width: 9.45 inches, Height: 7.48 inches, Thickness: 0.54 inches
• Weight: 1.6 pounds

The Wi-Fi version of the TouchPad is coming this summer, followed later this year by 3G and 4G versions.