HP TouchPad Review: Lost in iPad's Shadow and Too Sluggish for Business
You can judge a tablet by three key criteria: app selection, general usability, and overall performance. The HP TouchPad gets middling marks in all these areas, and yet... it's my favorite non-iPad tablet to date. Thus we have a conundrum for business owners: love the TouchPad despite its flaws, or choose something far more practical?
The 1.6-pound TouchPad closely resembles the iPad 1, both in size and weight. However, HP's nicely rounded, glossy black tablet collects more fingerprints than a crime scene. Plus, it feels just plain heavy when you hold it.
No matter. Once you start using it, you'll forget everything except HP's outstanding, born-for-smartphones-but-perfect-for-tablets WebOS. It handles multitasking far better than Android or even iOS, relying on a "card" system that shows each running app on an oversize thumbnail. Scroll through the cards to find the app you want, then tap to bring it to the fore. When you're done with an app, flick it up and out of the "deck."
So, why doesn't the TouchPad score higher on the usability scale? Because apps and Web pages are slow to load, making the tablet seem sluggish overall. (It's really not; the launcher appears instantly, and card view flows very quickly.) Performance has definitely improved somewhat since a WebOS update HP pushed out just yesterday, but overall the TouchPad lags behind the iPad.
For example, I loaded the BNET site on both (using a fast Wi-Fi connection). The iPad finished in about 12 seconds, but the TouchPad took twice as long. Let's hope HP's next update further fine-tunes performance, because right now the TouchPad still feels like a slowpoke.
It's also missing some key business apps. For example, although there's a version of Evernote for WebOS, there's no Dropbox. Kindle is here, but not Nook. And HP's supplied version of QuickOffice only lets you view documents, not edit or create them.
I found no apps for remote-desktop access, online meetings, or even virtual whiteboards. Needless to say, this is where the TouchPad really falls short for business users.
Not all the app news is bad. I really liked the bundled calendar, email, and even Facebook apps. And the Web browser, despite its speed issues, works as smoothly as iOS Safari. Plus, it supports Flash. (Too bad Flash video is too slow to be of much good, as I discovered by watching some jerky, audio sync-challenged shows on Hulu.)
HP just cut $50 off the price of the 16GB TouchPad, meaning you can buy in for $449.99. And this weekend only, Aug. 5-7, you can get it for just $399.99 as part of a special sale.
But should you? As much as I love the WebOS and want to see it succeed, the TouchPad is currently hampered by mediocre performance and not enough business apps. Until that changes, I must grudgingly advise you to stick with Android or iPad.
Pros: Great for calendar and email management. Impressive battery life. Some good built-in apps, including a Flash-compatible browser. WebOS is better than Android and even iOS. Optional inductive-charging stand has no equal.
Cons: Heavy and chunky. Disappointing performance. Limited app selection, especially on the business side.
Should You Buy It? Probably not. Business owners will be able to accomplish a lot more with an iPad or Android tablet.
Price: $449.99 (16GB); $549.99 (32GB)
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