Difference Between Apple iPad 2 and HP Touch Pad

Apple iPad 2 vs HP Touch Pad

Apple iPad 2 and HP Touch Pad are brewing another competition between Apple and HP, the PC giants. Ever since Apple came out with iPad 2, the market is abuzz with its improved features and increased performance but the competition has been alive and has come up with stunning models to match iPad 2 feature by feature. Apple’s iPad has been the benchmark for all tablet makers. HP, which had been lying low for some time has launched its tablet known as Touch Pad. There are many similarities between the two tablets, but we are here to talk about the difference between iPad 2 and HP Touch Pad. Below is a brief description of the two tablets and their highs and lows to let the reader discern which is better for him/her.

Apple iPad 2

Apple launched its successor to iPad dubbed as iPad 2 on 2 March 2011. Interestingly, Steve Jobs himself presented this second generation tablet PC saying it is not just a tweaked version of iPad but an entirely different tablet both in terms of hardware and software. Not only is iPad 2 lighter and thinner than iPad, but it uses a super fast processor and its graphic processing capability is nine times faster than iPad, that’s what Apple claims. How’s that for performance, folks? The 1 GHz dual core A 5 processor used in iPad 2 has a double clock speed of the A 4 processor used in iPad. Despite such improvements, iPad 2 surprisingly uses the same power. Apple has done some serious brain storming as despite keeping the latest tablet 33% thinner and 15% lighter than its predecessor, they have kept the display at 9.7” which is an IPS technology used LCD screen with a resolution of 1024X768 pixels.

Where iPad had no cameras, iPad 2 is equipped with dual cameras, the rear one for capturing videos in HD in 1080p, while the front camera is to allow the user to video chat. Ipad 2 is differently priced as it comes with models having internal storage capacity at 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB, and ranging from $499 to $829. You can choose between simple Wi-Fi connectivity and Wi-Fi with 3G. Weighing just 603 to 613 gm, iPad 2 has iOS 4.3 as its operating system and makes web browsing seamless on Safari. Need I talk about thousands of apps that are available for the user from both Apple’s app store and iTunes. Apple released its new version iTunes 10.2 with iOS 4.3. iPad 2 is HDMI capable which allows the user to connect through an AV adapter to HDTV and watch the HD videos captured by him instantly on his TV, however you have to purchase the Apple digital AV adapter separately.

The depressing thing about iPad 2 is the connection to external devices such as a camera, HDTV or microSD card. iPad comes with only 30 pin port and you have to buy the adapters separately. And the other disappointments are its missing support for 4G and Adobe flash player, every iPad lovers expected the new version to be 4G ready and support Adobe flash.

HP Touch Pad

HP has always been ingenuous when it comes to striking a chord with the consumer, and in the case of its latest tablet called Touch Pad, the tagline Works the way you do, so you get more done pretty much sums the way company strikes an emotional chord with the consumer. To begin with, it has the same size display as iPad 2 at 9.7 inches. In fact, HP also uses the same IPS technology at a resolution of 1024X768 pixels.

When it comes to processor, Touch Pad is slightly ahead with a Qualcomm 1.2 GHz processor with a 1GB RAM. It has web OS 3.0 as its operating system and is equipped with a front facing camera just like iPad 2. But it has no rear camera, and hence iPad 2 is a clear winner on this front. Touch pad is 100 gm heavier at 740 gm. In terms of internal storage, Touch Pad is available in two versions with 32 GB and 64 GB capacity. It is both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity making it a strong competitor of iPad 2.

When we talk of apps, Touch Pad lags seriously behind iPad 2 with a very few apps in comparison to iPad 2.

Apple introducing iPad 2

HP TouchPad