

CyanogenMod 7 On the HP TouchPad - franze
http://rootzwiki.com/content.php?r=234-EXCLUSIVE-CyanogenMod-7-On-the-HP-TouchPad

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yardie
Not to be a downer but they are still running a phone OS (android 2.3.5) on a
tablet, which already has an OS built to run on a tablet. Beyond the technical
merits of it (getting it to boot something other than webOS) this seems like a
step backwards. IMO, webOS is a superior OS to Android. And now that some of
the WebOS guys have been picked up by Google android can only get better.

I'd be more impressed if they got Honeycomb running on the thing.

Anyway I have a Nook Color and some of the menus scroll like crap because of
the S/W rendering at 1024x600. I can't imagine the situation getting any
better with 1024x768 screen.

~~~
j_col
> IMO, webOS is a superior OS to Android.

+1. I really don't understand why there is so much effort to install non-
tablet OSs on a tablet with a lauded tablet-optimized OS already installed....

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aw3c2
Applications!

And also probably the touch handling? From what I heard the Touchpad was
terrible at eg straight line scrolling out of the box.

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j_col
There are loads of tablet-optimized applications available for Touchpad. They
are differentiated from the non-tablet versions in the app store with the word
"Touchpad" displayed clearly beside them. Furthermore, the developers
themselves often append "HD" to the end of their existing application names to
indicate that the "High Definition" version is designed to make use of the
higher resolution on the tablet vs. the phones.

I have my Touchpad just two days, and already have tablet-optimised clients
installed for Twitter, Facebook, Box.net, an excellent video 3rd party video
player for divx, and a comic book reader for reading my .cbr files. Combined
with an excellent e-mail client and a Webkit web browser, I'm covered for my
media and web browser needs.

The only thing missing right now is document editing, but that is due in an
OTA update from HP which they have promised to deliver shortly (let’s hope
they stick to these promises in order to try to restore some confidence in
this very shaken webOS community).

So frankly as an owner of both a pre3 and a Touchpad, the whole "but webOS
does not have enough apps" argument just does not ring true for me. If I want
to do real work, I’ll fire up my PC. But as a web and media tablet, the
Touchpad has me covered and then some.

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watty
Just because you only use your tablet for media and web browsing doesn't mean
that everyone does. I like to play games on mine and the game market is
embarrassingly small and will not be growing due to the discontinuation of the
Touchpad. The cool thing about Android/iOS is that you can find an app for
literally anything. I don't feel that way when browsing the HP market.

~~~
j_col
I love to play games too, but on my PC. I like the accuracy of a mouse and the
freedom of a keyboard that I can map actions to. The thoughts of playing games
with a touch screen and accelerometer is horrifying for me (at least for the
games I'm interested in playing), but as you say some people are interested in
this, but some people (like me) are not.

~~~
watty
Even ignoring the small gaming catageory the market is still incomplete. As I
stated before, being unable to find an app doesn't even cross my mind on
Android or iOS. One of the first things I searched for was a Spotify client
which doesn't exist. What amplifies this is that WebOS is (basically) dead and
app devs have moved elsewhere. What happens in 2 years APIS change? How many
of the existing WebOs apps will become nonfunctional?

~~~
j_col
> What amplifies this is that WebOS is (basically) dead and app devs have
> moved elsewhere. What happens in 2 years APIS change? How many of the
> existing WebOs apps will become nonfunctional?

Actually, webOS app devs are reporting increased sales due to the massive
increase in webOS devices out there, due to the firesale. With regard to the
long-term future and your point about APIs changing that webOS is using, I
have thought about this and three things give me hope for the platform:

1\. HP have stated publically that they will continue to develop webOS and the
app store.

2\. HP are looking for a hardware partner, and rumours are already emerging
that Samsung may be that partner (webOS + Samsung hardare = win for me).

3\. There are now hundreds of thousands of webOS devices out there now since
the firesale. The majority of those new users are not going to install a
replacement for webOS, lets be honest most people are not that technical. This
new market that HP has created with the firesale will be nice to sell into for
app devs and hardware makers alike.

When I'm looking for a replacement for my Pre3 and Touchpad in 1-2 years, I'm
going to look at webOS devices first because that is where my cloud profile
and app purchases live. If I have to jump ship to another platform because
webOS really does die in the next 1-2 years, then that is a small risk that I
am happy to take, especially if the initial investment for a 10" is only a
hundred bucks.

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Maakuth
Whoah, that was fast! Of course WebOS uses Linux kernel as well, so no need
for driver porting and such. Still, impressive feat.

~~~
gcb
exactly. Getting to a shell on the touchpad was easier than on my nexus one.

...now, ignore android and webos... Just get X running there and you will have
the killer tablet system. Period.

no need to reinvent the wheel.

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newman314
X already runs on the TouchPad

Google Xecutah or see <http://twitpic.com/5rg5rr> for a sample

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bho
really impressive and fast work! for me, however, I would like to see an
implementation of Dalvik VM as a "card" similar to how they've managed to boot
Ubuntu/LXDE as a "card". That way, we could retain the best of both worlds -
webOS + android apps. This would be akin to the Alien Dalvik project on the
Nokia stuff. Does anyone know what it would take to port Dalvik over? It must
be possible, but this is outside of my area of knowledge.

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lawnchair_larry
Does CM7 make for a good tablet OS? Like half of the internet, I have a TP
order in limbo, but this gives some promise in case support is lost for webOS.

~~~
j_col
I have a Touchpad and a Pre3, and I have to say I love them both. When you get
your Touchpad, please give webOS a go as it is a fanastic platform, you may
find yourself wanted to keep it and hoping that HP keep it alive (like the
rest of us long-suffering webOS fans). It also has lots of tablet-optimised
applications, all you could need really.

~~~
ddw
I have to say I'm really digging the Touchpad for web browsing, which is
primarily would I would want a tablet for. I can see some people needing more
applications, but this is fine for me.

That said, is there a way to get Gmail working through the web browser?
Because I'll be sharing the Touchpad with someone else I don't want my
credentials in the email app.

