Qualcomm vaunts about its new processor in the upcoming HP TouchPad

It was just earlier this week when HP finally unveiled its new tablet to the public at a special event in San Francisco. Dubbed the TouchPad, we now know a healthy amount about the specifications of the device, such as its 9.7-inch screen, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB RAM, a 1.3MP webcam and, of course, the latest version of WebOS.

A day after the reveal of the TouchPad, Qualcomm confirmed more potential abilities of the new tablet. As the manufacturer of the tablet’s Snapdragon processor, Qualcomm explained in an announcement that the TouchPad will sport the latest Snapdragon iteration. The processor, known as APQ 8060, will have the power to render 16MP still images, play 1080p video at up to 30fps or in stereoscopic 3D, and will be capable of “console-quality gaming and full web browsing with Adobe Flash 10,” as claimed by Qualcomm’s official press release. Many of these video-intensive abilities will be made possible by the Adreno 220 graphics chip, which will accompany the Snapdragon processor in the HP TouchPad. Earlier versions of the Adreno graphics chip are already powering some smartphones and tablets, but the Adreno 220 will be Qualcomm’s latest offering.

Unfortunately, just because we know of the processing potential in the TouchPad does not mean that it will translate to functionality of the tablet. The TouchPad will not have a 3D display and HP has yet to announce official support for the functions mentioned above as they may well be disabled in order to boost battery life of the tablet.

Currently, the APQ8060 and Adreno 220 are not found in any released consumer devices. Thus, the HP TouchPad will almost assuredly be a tablet powerhouse upon its release this coming summer.

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