Need some input before buying Touchpad

[macbranson]

I'm considering buying a Touchpad. I know it's no iPad 2, but I've checked the specs and it seems pretty competitive with the other tablets that are out now. With the exception of the lack of a rear camera and very limited apps, it seems pretty good. Also, I would only probably use it for surfing the web, reading books and maybe streaming movies from time to time. So I don't want to spend $500+ for a tablet that I would barely use seeing as how my phone does all the things I need done (checking email, messaging, pictures, music). But, it seems that there are some problems with the web browser. Is that true and how badly does that affect one's ability to surf the web? That's a big factor for me. Also, does it have important apps like Kindle and Netflix? These are must-have apps for me. Thanks for the advice in advance.

[kalel33]

Originally Posted by macbranson

I'm considering buying a Touchpad. I know it's no iPad 2, but I've checked the specs and it seems pretty competitive with the other tablets that are out now. With the exception of the lack of a rear camera and very limited apps, it seems pretty good. Also, I would only probably use it for surfing the web, reading books and maybe streaming movies from time to time. So I don't want to spend $500+ for a tablet that I would barely use seeing as how my phone does all the things I need done (checking email, messaging, pictures, music). But, it seems that there are some problems with the web browser. Is that true and how badly does that affect one's ability to surf the web? That's a big factor for me. Also, does it have important apps like Kindle and Netflix? These are must-have apps for me. Thanks for the advice in advance.

It's sounds like almost the perfect choice for you. I rarely use my Touchpad and the lack of apps is disappointing but what it does it does very well. Compared to browsers and keyboards on Android, the browser is very lacking. You can pay for a better browser but even it doesn't hold a candle to the free ones on Android. You can browse just fine but the browser isn't going to have as many features as other operating systems have. For checking email, messaging, etc. I have to say that it's wonderful to have Synergy.

It does have Kindle, but Amazon doesn't even count WebOS as a source to read things for Kindle anymore and can guarantee we've seen the last of the updates. Netflix is not on the Touchpad and probably never will be. You can set up the Touchpad to dual boot Android, so you have the best of both worlds in all the apps you want and being able to use WebOS, which is a better tablet OS. I love my Android for phone but WebOS is definitely preferential on a tablet. I only boot to Android for very specific things but Ice Cream Sandwich will come at some point and that may change.

Really the Touchpad fits most of your needs and being able to boot into Android would take care of the rest.

[johnsonx42]

The web browser is a perfectly good webkit-based browser, pretty much the same as on any other tablet. There are a few sites that don't work right here and there, just like with any other browser, but the vast majority work just fine. The only somewhat glaring defect is that if you are logged into a forum like this one, and try to open an attachment in a post, the forum will suddenly think you aren't logged in and won't display the attachment. for me this is rarely a real problem, and I think that's true for most people.

As to the apps you mentioned, Kindle is available and works fine, but may not see any future updates. Netflix is not available and very likely never will be unless HP does a huge turn-around and makes a major commitment to webOS; in this case the TouchPad may be additionally useful to swat away the swarms of flying pigs.

However there's always a fall-back position - Android can be loaded on the TouchPad, which does have both Kindle and Netflix along with plenty more apps and on-going support. Today you can load a reasonably complete version of Android Gingerbread 2.3.7 (in the form of CyanogenMod 7.1 Alpha 3), and sometime in the first half of next year you'll be able to install Android ICS 4.x (CyanogenMod 9). I find the Android Gingerbread user experience very poor compared to webOS, though I suspect ICS will be much improved.

So you can get a reasonably capable webOS tablet for a fairly low price now, and know that you can always dual-boot Android if the need arises.

edit: I must have started my reply just seconds before kalel33 posted his. Oh well, at least we agree.

[ubi79]

I think one of my favourite parts of the Touchpad is the Browser:

I use it for checking up on news, but also, a lot of the time, for watching online videos. I don't use netflix, but armed with Project-Free-TV, Megavideo and the whole slew of flash-based online TV and Movies, I'm more than content.

I really think that a big selling point is the ability to play flash extremely well (It pulls off 1080p on Youtube without a hitch).

And all in all, the experience of using the Touchpad has been a delight, especially because of the great homebrew community that has sprung up around this Tablet, making it take full advantage of it's somewhat high-end specs (Kernels taking it up to 1.5GHz, Patches reducing logging and increasing sensitivity... And whatever else you need it to do or not do).


However, this is all relative to the price. I would not be happy with the Touchpad if it cost me over $300 because of the plastic construction and some of the OS quirks. That isn't to say that this is a bad tablet, far from it! But I would think twice before getting it at anything over that pricepoint. Under that, it's a bargain on a great tool.

So I say, go ahead!

[old_geekster]

Get it! It is a great product for a great price. You can always add Android if you want more apps. Overclocking is very easy, also.

[levinite]

I recently ordered a 32Gb leveno K1 ($300) for my mother on Black Friday. It comes with honeycomb, netflix preinstalled, full android market and a 1280x800 ips screen. I own a TP myself and like it a lot but the OS will probably loose support and we will be dependent on a legally questionable port of android.

[dignitary]

Originally Posted by levinite

I own a TP myself and like it a lot but the OS will probably loose support and we will be dependent on a legally questionable port of android.

CyanogenMod is not legally questionable; it's absolutely and perfectly legal to build ROMs off Google's AOSP releases of Android. The only question is with closed-source device drivers, and Google's helping the team through that to eliminate any risk whatsoever.

CyanogenMod - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't see HP going after the CM team, especially after this:

Moving Forward with Hewlett Packard’s GPL Violation | xda-developers

[dignitary]

Back on topic, webOS doesn't have Netflix; you'd have to install and dual-boot into Android CM7 on the Touchpad to use it.

[levinite]

Originally Posted by independent1

CyanogenMod is not legally questionable; it's absolutely and perfectly legal to build ROMs off Google's AOSP releases of Android. The only question is with closed-source device drivers, and Google's helping the team through that to eliminate any risk whatsoever.

CyanogenMod - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't see HP going after the CM team, especially after this:

Moving Forward with Hewlett Packard’s GPL Violation | xda-developers

Can you confirm that it is legal to use other markets, in particular, android market to get the apps?

[dignitary]

Read the first link (it goes to 'Licensing'). Google hasn't got a problem with the CM team packaging up the "GApps" (Google Apps) including the Market, as long as it's offered separate of the CyanogenMod ROM itself. CM's offered for all its ports a "GApps" package on their site for direct download for a while now.

It was determined that the proprietary Google apps may be backed-up from the Google-supplied firmware on the phone and then re-installed onto CyanogenMod releases without infringing copyright.

Google's acknowledgement and listing of the HP Touchpad as an Android-capable device on http://market.android.com the other day was yet another huge sign that they don't have a problem with it.

As for other app stores like Amazon, AppBrain, GetJar, etc... Those are perfectly fine. Nobody has a problem with those.

[levinite]

Originally Posted by independent1

Read the first link (it goes to 'Licensing'). Google hasn't got a problem with the CM team packaging up the "GApps" (Google Apps) including the Market, as long as it's offered separate of the CyanogenMod ROM itself. CM's offered for all its ports a "GApps" package on their site for direct download for a while now.



Google's acknowledgement and listing of the HP Touchpad as an Android-capable device on http://market.android.com the other day was yet another huge sign that they don't have a problem with it.

As for other app stores like Amazon, AppBrain, GetJar, etc... Those are perfectly fine. Nobody has a problem with those.

I stand corrected. Thanks for the info.

[kalel33]

Originally Posted by levinite

the OS will probably loose support

This is a serious question. I have seen lose spelled "loose" on countless forums and comment sections. Is this just a web way of spelling it or are there really that many people that spell the word by sounding it out? It's not that I see it on rare occasions, it's all the time I see it and my curiosity is getting the best of me.

[johnsonx42]

loose is the coins in your pocket. lose is what happens if there's a hole in that pocket. there are no other correct spellings of either word. big surprise, people on the internet can't spell.

[ubi79]

Lose lost an o! That's how I do it.

[jaminpre]

i dont yet have a TP but do you need an app for Netflix? on my laptop i just go to their site and watch a movie. Can't you do the same on any tablet (WebOS or Android) that has a browser that supports Flash?

[eblade]

No, Netflix doesn't use Flash.

[dodgebusta]

That is correct Neflix use's Sliverlight, and unless you can convince Micromonster to build a app for the TP its a lost cause. Unless Netflix changed the way it serves movies, which is also a lost cause.

Side note I still have yet to receive my 32 gb from the fire sale, but I got my 16 gb yesterday, huh strange.

[Spaceman Spliff]

what do most of you guys use your TPs for? i just got mine in the last fire sale and im not sure if i want to keep it. i kinda went on a little bit of a tablet-fever/impulse tip, but now im feeling a bit more rational lol

[BlueBellThunder]

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spliff

what do most of you guys use your TPs for? i just got mine in the last fire sale and im not sure if i want to keep it. i kinda went on a little bit of a tablet-fever/impulse tip, but now im feeling a bit more rational lol

In my opinion unless you only use a TP once in blue moon you're better off spending the extra money on a iPad. Everything is just better. And to those who say the iPad can't multitask have you ever used one? With ios 5 it has swipe gestures that multitask just fine. Even I my iPhone multitasking is pretty good. The only thing the TP is better at is the cards system, but I don't think it's worth the trade off. I had my TP for about a month and just sold it recently and got an iPad and couldn't be more happier. It's a real shame though because webOS has some real potential. It's a really good mobile os but without support it's very limited( at least for my needs). Hopefully for all the webOS fans out there open source will save webOS and other hardware makers will put it on their devices, or better yet put both webOS and android.

[dignitary]

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spliff

what do most of you guys use your TPs for? i just got mine in the last fire sale and im not sure if i want to keep it. i kinda went on a little bit of a tablet-fever/impulse tip, but now im feeling a bit more rational lol

Android 99.25% of the time.

I could still boot into webOS if I wanted to, but I've been spoiled by the recent huge $0.10 sale on 10 premium apps per day Google had for 10 days. No reason to go back to webOS anymore after the app variety they had up for grabs; the last apps I went to webOS for have been covered a few times over now thanks to it.