Hewlett-Packard’s webOS-based Pre3 smartphone will become available to U.K-based customers later this month.   It will feature a  3.58 inch screen,  512MB of RAM, either 8GB or 16GB internal memory and a QWERTY keyboard.

It seems that Orange will be the carrier, based on a support page on its website ( even though the Pre3 has not yet appeared in the “coming soon” section of the website–instead there’s a message that reads, “There has been a mix up with the processor: HP says soon,”).  The webpage confirms these specs, though an early mix up with the processor isn’t a good omen.  While HP says the Pre3 will feature a Qualcomm 1.4 GHz processor, Orange claims it will come equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

In addition to the straight-forward features that have been confirmed, Hewlett-Packard also incorporated a value-added bonus into the new phone:

“Owners of the HP Touchpad tablet might be looking forward to the arrival of the Pre 3 because of its ‘Touchstone’ wireless capabilities, which will enable the Touchpad to share content and also enable the tablet to be used as a phone for calls and text messages.”

HP is looking to gain a foothold in the already competitive mobile market with webOS, and integrating its devices is one way of adding an incentive for customers.  Success eludes HP’s mobile OS efforts so far, though the Pre 3 launch and the ongoing dedication to its latest tablet offering indicates HP’s long term goals.  To remain competitive, HP recently slashed the price on its TouchPad tablet by $100: the 15GB model will now set you back only $399, while the 32GB version is not priced at $499.

The new of the price slash follows a software update that addresses some of webOS’s early usability issues. These issues are the reason the platform received some mixed reviews, and represents another factor that investors will be looking at when the company will report its earnings later this week.