HP Topaz Tablet Specs Leaked

Another week has brought yet another massive leak on HP's upcoming WebOS-powered tablets. This time around, Precentral has received the anonymous tip, with a new document that reveals nearly every nitty-gritty technical detail of the device. At this rate, HP may have very little information left unturned for their February 9th event.

Internally, the document nicely confirms every single spec previously rumored: 512mb of DDR2 memory is mated to a Qualcomm MSM8660 1.2ghz dual-core CPU. Commonly known as "Snapdragon", this is the first time a Palm-related device will be powered by a Qualcomm CPU, as Palm's current WebOS smartphones all utilize TI OMAP CPUs. All of the usual hardware acceleration and 3D capabilities are present in the Qualcomm's Adreno 220 GPU, which matches the 1080p video playback capabilities of its Tegras2-powered competitors.

Onboard storage will be available in 16, 32 and 64GB versions, matching the iPad. Unfortunately, no form of removable storage is available on the Topaz, continuing a trend for WebOS devices. Charging and synchronization are handled by microUSB, so this device will thankfully not require a separate bulky AC adapter or a proprietary connector for charging duties like many of its competitors. Unfortunately, there is no HDMI port for HD video output, though this is mentioned as a possible feature of a future Touchstone video dock. USB host mode is also mentioned but the unit will not have a dedicated full-size USB host port like some of its Android competitors.

As far as its display is concerned, the Topaz is essentially an exact match for the first-generation iPad, with a 9.7" 1024x768 display. This now marks three screen resolutions on various WebOS devices. Thankfully, this will be a high-quality IPS panel behind Corning Gorilla glass ( first seen on last fall's Pre 2) with full multitouch support. Adobe Flash support will be present, as this has long been one of the major gripes with Apple's iOS-based products.

palm topaz tablet specs

Some definite signs that this device had its origins in an HP original design are the combo 3.5mm headphone output/microphone input jack and the "Beats" audio technology. Only a single camera is present, a front-facing 1.3mp camera, which is still 1 more camera than what the current iPad offers. Connectivity options are varied, with standard dual-band 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR along with optional WWAN connectivity in the form of optional GSM HSPA and LTE 4G radios. Interestingly, no mention is made of WiMax 4G for Sprint's network, nor is CDMA 3G version confirmed for production.

The unit's dimensions are stated as 190mmx240mmx13.7mm, almost identical in every aspect to a first-generation iPad. The Topaz's weight rings in at 700g/1.5lbs. This is a bit heavier than the current wi-fi iPad but a few grams lighter than the 3G iPad.

Mimicking Google's abandonment of hard buttons on their next-generation Honeycomb tablets, HP will only have a volume up/down rocker and a power button on these WebOS tablets. It will also thankfully have a notification LED. Also mention is support for a second-generation Touchstone dock, with far more capabilities than charging or simply toggling on a speakerphone.

Finally, it looks like that at least for one more product cycle, the Palm and HP co-branding will exist on this device. If the Pre 2 is indeed the final purely Palm-branded device as rumored, then HP may continue carrying the familiar Palm name alongside HP's logo for a while longer on some transitional products such as the initial WebOS tablets.

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dozens!!!

Gekko @ 1/25/2011 4:13:32 PM # Q

but don't you want be trapped on some lonely tiny proprietary island all by yourself?

they'll sell dozens!!!


RE: dozens!!!
mikecane @ 1/25/2011 4:25:10 PM # Q
They'll sell a 7" one to me, so STFU. Once I have it, millions will follow, EVO-Boy. You don't even HAVE a tablet, you pathetic wanker. Don't you want to supersize your pr0n?
RE: dozens!!!
Gekko @ 1/25/2011 4:33:32 PM # Q

i have no need, desire, or utility for a Tablet. i have my 4.3" EVO and my 10" Win7 Netbook which has a REAL OS, REAL Keyboard, REAL Office Apps, REAL Win7 Software/Peripheral Compatibility, REAL "L" form factor so it stands up without a contraption etc.

AND Porn is just great on my 10" Netbook with Intel Atom N270.

"I view porn the same way I treat visiting a national park or nature preserve, I leave no trace. I leave my porn in the wild of the cloud where it flourishes unhindered, and surreptitiously view it through incognito windows in Chrome." – theCanuck


RE: dozens!!!
hkklife @ 1/25/2011 6:42:45 PM # Q
Mike;

Your thoughts on the Nook Color? It's QUITE the nice device for $250, even in stock form. And the rooting/ROMming community has done wonders with it already. If you can live with BT and a camera...it's by far the best bang for the buck. Splendid IPS screen and generous internal storage + a microSD slot. And it's available RIGHT NOW!
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro-> Verizon Moto Droid X + Palm TX

RE: dozens!!!
LiveFaith @ 1/25/2011 7:16:29 PM # Q
Ya know they offer 3G "unlimited data" on Kindles for original purchase price. I've been wondering when someone is going to hack the thing and turn it into a hotspot etc. I believe they operate on ATT HSDPA.
Pat Horne
RE: dozens!!!
AdamaDBrown @ 1/26/2011 11:19:05 AM # Q
I have to agree with Gekko here. Not necessarily on the usefulness of tablets (though I don't own one myself, and don't particularly care), but on the Topaz. This doesn't have the specs to compete against the first generation iPad, let alone Apple's next gen models. Unless they massively undercut Apple on pricing--say, $200/$250/$300 price points for the 16/32/64 GB models, and an additional $100 each for the 3G models, I think that this is a non-starter.
RE: dozens!!!
hkklife @ 1/26/2011 12:39:33 PM # Q
They COULD undercut Apple on pricing but they will NOT. If it was something Android-powered, then there's a chance they could do like Viewsonic and rebrand a Chinese device and ship it with a stock Android distro. But otherwise, they've got too much invested in WebOS and the Palm acquisition to sell this thing as a loss-leader...and with no iTunes or B&N/Amazon store backing it, they're not going to make it up selling apps or media either.

I figure HP will neatly match all of the Apple pricepoints or maybe undercut them very slightly (think $25ish on the low-end, maybe $50 on the high-end). Essentially, this thing will sell to those who insist on a non-Apple tablet and the remaining WebOS diehards. The zillion dollar question is, of course, how many potential customers are in each of those camps...

These specs are decent (primarily the CPU) but by no means spectacular and, pricing aside, look set to get trampled by the iPad 2 and the Tegra2-based Android devices if you have $ to burn and are looking for a high-end device. That enormously vague release window for the HP tablets wories me too (Spring? Summer? Or Fall?) A shame they couldn't have hit the market 3-6 months ago with those same exact specs.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro-> Verizon Moto Droid X + Palm TX

RE: dozens!!!
mikecane @ 1/26/2011 3:10:35 PM # Q
>>>Mike; Your thoughts on the Nook Color?

*sigh*

Begin here:
http://mikecanex.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/replace-that-nookcolor-keyboard/

Click Previous links too.

RE: dozens!!!
gmayhak @ 1/31/2011 7:44:00 PM # Q
You get what you pay for, pretty soon they'll be in Cracker Jacks boxes along with the plastic whistles.
How about a platform that won't mutate and render your apps obsolete on a weekly basis ;-)
http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/profiles/ge/

Gary
Tech Center Labs
www.talestuff.com
www.iTalentProductions.com

RE: dozens!!!
Gekko @ 2/1/2011 8:07:17 AM # Q

i'd rather be free.


RE: dozens!!!
Gekko @ 2/5/2011 1:15:19 AM # Q

"Because it means everything, it actually means nothing, so the term is useless. Stories on 'fragmentation' are dramatic and they drive traffic to pundits' blogs, but they have little to do with reality. 'Fragmentation' is a bogeyman, a red herring, a story you tell to frighten junior developers. Yawn." - Dan Morrill - Google

Windows?

RE: dozens!!!
mikecane @ 2/7/2011 1:28:11 PM # Q
Gekko defends Android until he doesn't get the latest OS update. Then he'll learn and scream.
RE: dozens!!!
Gekko @ 2/7/2011 4:21:09 PM # Q

those of us who actually use Android realize there's not a whole lot of functional differences between incremental update versions of the OS.


RE: dozens!!!
mikecane @ 2/8/2011 10:11:29 AM # Q
I can wait patiently until you are scrood.
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