[Semma2]

Before I got it, I thought I would use the TouchPad for:

a) quick & portable web browsing and email around the house
b) for reading pdf documents like magazines
c) as a portable photo frame

I didn't think I would carry it on trips, because I have an iPhone for portable communication and I need to carry a laptop on business trips anyway. I also have a Kobo Touch for reading ebooks.

After having the TP for a few weeks:

a) I do use it around the house for web browsing and email. An unexpected benefit is that I like the way the home button flashes when there's a message/email/call notification, even when the screen is off. I usually leave it in the Touchstone charging stand on my desk, and glance at it to see if there's a message when I go past.

b) The pdf reader sucks. It's in dire need of an update from Adobe. I tried it for reading my pdf magazines, but text is fuzzy, and just gets fuzzier when the document is zoomed (same documents zoom just fine on my PC).

c) I haven't made much use of it yet as a photo frame, but my intent is to leave it in the Touchstone stand with a photo RSS stream playing in Exhibition mode. This is not supported by the native apps. I tried using the web browser pane of Glimpse, and it sort-of works, but I always have to expand that pane manually since Glimpse has no single-pane layout option. I'm planning to try Slide RSS instead, since it sounds like it's better designed for this purpose.

d) I'm using the TP a lot for Skype video calls, partly by accident because of the annoying limitation that you can't change to offline status for an individual service on the TP, only awkwardly all at once through the messaging app, which takes forever. Nevertheless, I find that I like the larger screen better than my iPhone for Skype video calls, and the sound is better. It also works well in the Touchstone dock on my desk. I'm not a particular fan of the way that Skype is integrated too much into Synergy though - makes it harder to find Skype contacts and Skype-specific functions.

I don't have a lot of use for it as a video or music player, but I have to say that both work fairly well for me. I have had my TP sound shut down on me a couple of times though, and had to reboot to get it back. I copied my mp3 library to the TouchPad, and the tunes all show up with the correct album covers, and I like the music player.

Local videos in mp4 format play smoothly enough, as do the few streaming services I've tried. I would certainly use it more as a video player if it had a Netflix app like my iPhone, but it doesn't. I'll probably try the Kalemsoft video player to expand format compatibility. Too bad nobody has built a copy of the VLC player for WebOS.

[SCWells72]

I use my TouchPad for email and calendar (work and personal); browsing; reading books (Kindle app, though I hope they fix the white screen issue), comics, and news (quite a few apps including USAToday, Glimpse, NomNomNom, and Mosaic Reader). I rarely use my home computer anymore unless I need to type a long message or need to telecommute. I have a Bluetooth keyboard en route now, so the former shouldn't be as much of an issue soon.

I also have a rooted Nook Color running CM7 and used it for many of the same things. The Nook isn't used as much anymore and I may send it to my parents who have been asking about tablets and eReaders recently.

Right now the primary apps I'm missing under webOS are a WebEx client so I can follow presentations at work without lugging my laptop with me and a few games, in particular Words with Friends and Scrabble. I have those games on my iPhone, though, so it's not really an issue.

I'm looking forward to Android on the TouchPad. I really like webOS, but I'm also a big fan of Android after playing with the Nook, and pretty much all of the apps I want/need are available there, so that will allow me to use them on the larger display.

[mullenlegend]

I bring mine to class and use it to take notes. A lot easier than bringing my Macbook to class. It is lighter and I don't get distracted as much then have a laptop with TONS of features in front. I also use Taskr to note down things I have to do. I feel much more organized with it.

[ToniCipriani]

It's sitting on the Touchstone as my digital picture frame.

[dbodner]

- Digital Picture Frame at home (on Touchstone, via Slide RSS)
- Calendar viewer (via Glimpse) on Touchstone at work (along with Stock Ticker)
- Magazine reader (time/SI, with Zinio to follow hopefully) while on the road.

I'll also do other random stuff sometimes (google reader, twitter, etc), but those are its every day functions.

During the fall/winter, I'll probably be using it to watch a lot of recorded video as well.

[spac3m0nk3y]

Right now, it's pretty much a paperweight. I pick it up every once in a while, but I find my laptop more convenient.

[shanpalm61]

I'm ashamed to admit that I use my Touchpad
while "taking care of business" in the bathroom.

In fact, that's exactly why I decided to spend
$84 and order it from HP.com in the first palce.
Even if I drop it in the toilet, I probably won't
feel as sad as dropping my iPad 2 in the toilet.

My $799 iPad 2 never goes anywhere near the
bathrom.(which is ironic because it has a 3-year
warranty with accidental damage & spill coverage)

In case anyone is wondering... YES, I have done
something that stupid... I dropped my Samsung
Galaxy SII unlocked phone in the toilet bowl a
couple of months ago. It didn't make it.

Well it is nicknamed "TP" ....

[PricklyPete]

For me, a tablet device is primarily recreational with a very occasional bit of work done. I use my TP (and its predecessor devices) to curl up and watch video and TV, to bum around on the internet, email and occasionally, as a note taking device at meetings.

That's good because that's about all the TouchPad can do.

I like to play games, have a 'decent' music/podcast player, use my tablet as a display remote for my HTPC running XBMC, create art, and so on. I, of course don't do this stuff on my TouchPad because it can't.

What I do on my touchpad is surf the net, check email, and play some games via emulators (SNES and SCUMMVM).

[PricklyPete]

Watching videos and web surfing. I use twitter alot and can't seem to find an app for it. is there no official twitter app for this device?

Nope. You're only choice (I think it's the only choice at least) is SpazHD, and it's at least halfway functional, unlike a lot of other apps out there. Not great...but functional.

[major payne]

Reading, Playing Games(online or on Touchpad), News, Music, Movies(planning on it), Coding(when shopping with wife or kids),

[thomaz]

What do you use your tablet/TP for?

waiting that my replacement gets case cracks to have a reason to send it back
and then i will wait that the rereplacement gets a crack
and then i will wait that the rerereplacement gets a crack
...

hp must do a major recall action and exchange all bad cases against good working ones !

when does cnn report about hps fraud to all tp buyers ?

[bable]

I use it as an almost full laptop replacement. Libreoffice takes care of work, a usb drive full of movies entertains me in planes and trains, transmission lets me torrent new music, gimp lets me edit my photos after transferring straight from my cameras SD card, and the web browser let's me surf forums It's not the best tablet out of the box but with the right tweaking it makes my android friends drool. The TP makes a great netbook replacement but it's not quite a laptop replacement since windows is still needed for somethings, in my humble opinion.

[CaCHooKaMan]

N64???? There is an N64 emulator available? Where?

http://forums.precentral.net/hp-touc...t-release.html

[tarbo]

Mostly just internet stuff when I want to curl up and be lazy on the couch or bed and a few games that I'm already bored/beat. I love the speakers so I use pandora while showering or while working out at the house. Most of my computing time goes to my 13" macbook pro for productivity, gaming desktop for entertainment or smartphone on the go.

I would use it more for other things but the WebOS app selection sucks a HUGE one, so I cannot wait for an Android port or whenever I get an Ipad X. The weight and the edge design isn't as comfortable as a Galaxy or Ipad when reading ebooks for prolonged periods of time as well. I still think it is an amazing product (and a blessing if you can actually get one) for the firesale price, but at original retail it is pretty bad.

[smokiedabong]

Together with the Touchstone I'm using it as a clock and it's not even good at it cause the alarm on the damn thing is the most unreliable I've ever seen . Well , at least it's a fancy clock that can open PDFs and run VPN , hopefully soon can run Android

[tengheng]

I use it as an almost full laptop replacement. Libreoffice takes care of work, a usb drive full of movies entertains me in planes and trains, transmission lets me torrent new music, gimp lets me edit my photos after transferring straight from my cameras SD card, and the web browser let's me surf forums It's not the best tablet out of the box but with the right tweaking it makes my android friends drool. The TP makes a great netbook replacement but it's not quite a laptop replacement since windows is still needed for somethings, in my humble opinion.

Apologies if I sound stupid. You mentioned about having a sub drive full of movies. Do you mean you can connect a USB hard disk to the TP and if yes, how do you do it and are there any apps or tweaks required?

Thanks in advance.

[Time]

Bathroom reading and games

Apologies if I sound stupid. You mentioned about having a sub drive full of movies. Do you mean you can connect a USB hard disk to the TP and if yes, how do you do it and are there any apps or tweaks required?

Thanks in advance.

He probably means plugging the micro USB cord into the PC and having his TouchPad load up as a hard drive and play media from it on the plane, similar to how you would plug it into your computer then browse the files on it from My Computer.

[Sukiyaki]

d) I'm using the TP a lot for Skype video calls, partly by accident because of the annoying limitation that you can't change to offline status for an individual service on the TP, only awkwardly all at once through the messaging app, which takes forever. Nevertheless, I find that I like the larger screen better than my iPhone for Skype video calls, and the sound is better. It also works well in the Touchstone dock on my desk. I'm not a particular fan of the way that Skype is integrated too much into Synergy though - makes it harder to find Skype contacts and Skype-specific functions.
.

The PIM took a step back in some ways going from the old palm os to webOS. The old palm os had labels/categories to group contacts together. To emulate this in webOS I use the nickname field as it is searchable by synergy. Put "skype", "fam", "business" or whatever in that field, so when you search by that tag, it brings up all the contacts with that nickname. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done.

[MobileBill23]

c) I haven't made much use of it yet as a photo frame, but my intent is to leave it in the Touchstone stand with a photo RSS stream playing in Exhibition mode. This is not supported by the native apps. I tried using the web browser pane of Glimpse, and it sort-of works, but I always have to expand that pane manually since Glimpse has no single-pane layout option. I'm planning to try Slide RSS instead, since it sounds like it's better designed for this purpose.

If you go tap on "Glimpse" in the top left corner, then tap "Views" you can uncheck the Top (Left) and Bottom (Left) checkboxes - you will then have a single pane to use.

d) I'm using the TP a lot for Skype video calls, partly by accident because of the annoying limitation that you can't change to offline status for an individual service on the TP, only awkwardly all at once through the messaging app, which takes forever. Nevertheless, I find that I like the larger screen better than my iPhone for Skype video calls, and the sound is better. It also works well in the Touchstone dock on my desk. I'm not a particular fan of the way that Skype is integrated too much into Synergy though - makes it harder to find Skype contacts and Skype-specific functions.

Yeah, I would have liked a separate Skype app as well. It was confusing to set up and use at first. Just Type makes finding contacts pretty easy though.

For the record, I use my TouchPad for everything I need to. Web browsing, email, calendar, games, work (ie, calendar, email, pdf reading, office docs, and soon, hopefully, access to my desktop remotely). Facebook (rarely), Skype, Twitter (again, rarely), movies, music, and general foolishness.

[MobileBill23]

Apologies if I sound stupid. You mentioned about having a sub drive full of movies. Do you mean you can connect a USB hard disk to the TP and if yes, how do you do it and are there any apps or tweaks required?

Thanks in advance.

It sounds like he's running Ubuntu in addition to webOS. I believe that he can then plug in a USB drive (with some fancy cable-wrangling as well) to use with Ubuntu. I'm not too familiar with that.

There's also a thread around here about USB host support in webOS - it's already possible to mount a usb drive through the TouchPad's micro-USB slot, although it's an involved process.

Honestly, with Box.net and dropbox, I don't have the need to mess with that.