My TouchPad Today: webOS 3.0.4 - Good News/Bad News

I downloaded the latest webOS update (3.0.4) to my TouchPad a couple of days ago.

As with most things in life, there's good news and bad news, but on my TP there doesn't seem to be any of the cataclysmic problems some internet discussion/forum posters are finding on their devices.

Good News (... Or at least not bad news)

• Speed - My TP does seem to be a bit zippier after the update, just as HP stated it would be
• Sound - Does not appear to be having problems after the update
• Video - Video recording capability added with the update seems to be working as well as can be expected with the low-grade TP built-in camera
• Kindle - App appears to be working fine, unlike the situ reported by many Internet posters

Bad News

• Touchstone Charging - A definite loss here... Device will still charge with a cover on, but placement in the Touchstone must be absolutely precise and perfect for it to work
• Accelerometer - Somewhat amiss after the update... Tends to shift from landscape to portrait orientation at the slightest movement
• Preware patches disabled - Maybe not "bad news", but its a kink that should be fixed shortly

I think its safe to assume that I'll find more -- hopefully small -- issues in the coming days as I cruise through all of the apps and functions on my TP.




Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087

My TouchPad Today: Disadvantages of Tablet Computing

Following up here with the flip side of yesterday's post about the advantages of tablet computing, through the eyes of someone who uses a HP TouchPad...

Are there disadvantages to Tablet Computing? Well, disadvantages might be a strong a word -- downsides might be more apt -- but it would be a lie to say that everything was peaches and cream when working with a tablet.

Glare and Reflection -- For my money at this point, I don't care what angle you are able to place your tablet at, unless you have a totally black ceiling overhead and a black wall behind you, it is virtually impossible to avoid dealing with large amount of glare and reflection. (One qualification on this. I haven't used an anti-glare screen protector on my TouchPad yet. One is on the way from Amazon, so more on this at a later date.)

No Mouse (Sometimes ya just need a mouse) -- With the current configuration of the TP, trying to do copy and paste operations are a big-time exercise in futility. Perhaps a restatement of this disadvantage would be to say that copy and paste on the TP need major re-work.

Lightweight Web Browser -- Many web pages that I access do not render well on the TP's built-in app called "Web". Additionally, if you are heavily tied to Microsoft's cloud storage offerings, you're presently out of luck if you want to access and use them on the TP.

Document Editing -- Connecting back a bit to my comment about the browser/browsing disadvantage, you can't edit Microsoft documents and spreadsheets whether on the web or loaded manually to the present TP. You might say, "Well, what about Google Docs?". I say, "No Go". For me, working with Google Docs is an exercise in futility that rivals trying to do copy/paste operations on the TP.


Do you see a bit of a pattern emerging here?

Three of the four tablet computing disadvantages mentioned are about what either the TP can't do, or does badly. TouchPads should have left the factory without these flaws, or at worst, should have been promptly updated to eliminate them.

Gee, thanks, Messrs. Ruby, DeWitt and Bradley. God, awfully good work! (Or is it... "Good God, awful work!"?)

My TouchPad Today: One Month into the TouchPad Adventure

Now that I'm into my second month of tablet computing (actually third month if I count my June fling with an Android tablet while waiting for the TP to arrive), there are a few advantages I see overall as compared to using the desktops, laptops, and netbooks I own.


Tablet Computing Advantages

• Instant start-up
• Battery life
• Better portability

Maybe these aren't terribly dramatic-sounding, but think about what these three small items translate into....

• Minutes saved with each boot (...compared to Win XP and Win 7)
• More freedom from the chains of electrical outlets and power brick
• A lighter briefcase, or, heaven forbid, no briefcase at all

Nothing to sneeze at, eh?



So, now that we have noted some advantages of tablet computing, you do know what will be coming down the pike shortly, don't you?... The (unspeakable for some out there) disadvantages of tablet computing.

Stay tuned...

My TouchPad Today: A Little TouchPad Humor?

Q: How long did it take to get the TouchPad readied for launch?
A: Nobody knows. HP is still working on it.

Q: What's your best advice about how to work with spreadsheets on the TouchPad?
A: Use a laptop.

Q: When was the original TouchPad launched?
A: July 1, July 17, ... (Add any other future dates here that come to mind. That's how HP does it.)

Q: When was the original TouchPad successfully launched?
A: How do you define "successful"?

My TouchPad Today: Drift in CE Compass HP TouchPad Case (Video Mini-Review)

In my post yesterday I mentioned that I had purchased a CE Compass case for my HP TouchPad and found -- somewhat understandably -- that the unit drifted around a bit in it.

It may not seem like a lot, but when reaching for a button, or when trying to make a quick adjustment, that drift is significant.

See my video mini-review about this drift on YouTube.

Follow-Up: New York Times News Feeds

A few days ago I did a post about the new New York Times News Feeds app for the HP TouchPad and was in the mode of not immediately abandoning the old New York Times beta app that carried over from my Pre smartphones. The new app certainly provides a richer, graphical presentation, but the news is the news.

Well, as it turns out, keeping around the old app has some real merit... at least for now.  With it you have the ability to save stories for future reference, as well as the ability to text and email stories with a couple of simple clicks.

It appears to be a different story with the NYT News Feeds app.  Registration is required to email stories, leading me to think taking this step will bring us into the world of paying for NYT content.  I love reading the NYT online, but I don't love it $15 per month worth.

Meanwhile, back at the old NYT beta app... I was surprised last winter when the NYT went to a paid online subscription model and the beta reader on webOS survived as a freebie.

I was thinking they weren't worried enough about the small audience accessing their content this way to go to the bother of shutting us off.

As time has gone by, however, I'm not sure what's up, but I still have the free ride and the ability to readily save/text/email stories.

I think I'm staying on board the beta app train to the end of the line.

TouchPad OTA Update: Why I see it as MIA for July 31

For starters, I really do want to see HP release a SIGNIFICANT OTA Update on or before July 31. Its just that, for my money, the signs point toward something later, perhaps something on the order of... "by the start of calendar year Q4, so that we can do it right for our customers".

Language

Phrases like "Shortly after... " and "... by the end of the month" are not new from the Palm gang, but HP is now getting in on that act. That's disturbing and unsettling, indicating that the HP suits don't have enough confidence in what's happening on the OTA update front to truly put a stake in the sand. I think they've left themselves some wiggle room to tap dance again when July 31 comes and goes.

Quantity & Quality

I have no doubt that they've been working on updates for months, but methinks -- going back to the language they're using -- HP knows that they don't have the quantity and quality of updates coming to offset what their customers (rightfully) perceive as the necessary updates for the TouchPad. They're in a bind and not in the mood to admit it.

Commitment

I saw some blog/forum posts yesterday that put forward the idea -- and I agree -- that maybe HP lacks real commitment to the TouchPad, the Pre/Veer smartphones and webOS. They (HP) are huge and the Palm acquisition was something relatively small for them. Maybe success or failure with webOS isn't a big deal for them... small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.

Let's watch the calendar and see what happens.

Download: New York Times News Feeds

Stumbled across a pleasant surprise this morning in the app catalog this morning... a free app for reading New York Times News Feeds on the HP TouchPad

I've been a user of the NYT beta app on the Pre for the past couple of years and have continued now to use it happily on the TouchPad in the emulator on webOS 3.

Will I be immediately abandoning the Pre/early webOS version?... Nope. The earlier version is a perfectly acceptable way to read the news that hasn't been rendered dead by the new app.

Will I switch exclusively to the new app in the long run?... Hard to say. The new app is obviously -- having the new Enyo styling -- a richer graphic presentation/experience, but what's at the core of what I want in a NYT app or any news app?... READING!

Both apps seem to pass the reading test for me. Last time I checked this morning the story content was the same in both apps. Good enuf for me!

Small nit to pick... The old NYT beta app has a NY/Region section that I enjoy reading.  Not immediately seeing it on the new News Feed app. Not a "dealbreaker" for me vis a vis the new app... just an observation.

A Bookmark Trap?...

One difference I immediately saw between webOS on the Pre and the HP TouchPad was that "Clear Bookmarks" has been added at the top of the "clear" options list under Preferences for the web browser.

Ouch! That looks like an accident waiting to happen.

I guess a "clear bookmarks" option could come in handy somewhere down the line, but putting it at the top of the list (before Clear History, Clear Cookies and Clear Cache) appears to be putting my hard-compiled list squarely in harm's way. One instinctive/errant/automatic swipe and my work is gone.

Hey, HP, was this one of Ruby's ideas of how to "make things right" for us early Pre users?

The Hit List...

Here's my hit list of the top five things I need to make my HP Touchpad something other than a large format mobile browser and a useful tool...

• Quickoffice editing
• A Task app
• Cloud sync of profile/apps (contacts, calendar, tasks and memos) between multiple webOS devices
• Smoother scrolling and swipes
• Better/easier cursor placement in memos app

Hey, HP, am I asking too much?

Saving (Moving) E-Mail Messages

Is it just me, or is the process for saving messages (move to a folder) a lot clunkier on the HP TouchPad than on the HP and Palm Pre WebOS smartphones?

On the Pre, its just a matter of choosing "move to folder" from a dropdown menu and then selecting the desired folder. Fairly straightforward and to the point.

For the TouchPad, more steps are required to do the same thing, clearly a drag on personal productivity.

Am I missing something obvious here or has HP gummed up something that was simple in the world before WebOS3?

Soft Launch???

I just heard that HP called the botched July 1 launch of the TouchPad a "soft launch" and announced that the real launch will be on July 17... Hhhmmm.

We -- the customers -- apparently never knew that Ruby had us on "double-secret probation". We are customers... We couldn't be trusted.

And now that Ruby has been pushed to the side of the road, it sounds like HP is trying to fix the mess... kinda.

Suggestions to Leo and the rest of the gang at HP:

Step 1 - Fess up in a straightforward, honest manner.
Step 2 - Really "make it right". The $50 offer/gambit you recently made to the owners of older Pre models is really nothing. Forcing previously abused customers to buy the more expensive TouchPad model in order to get the abuse "made right" is adding insult to injury. Let your abused customers experience the TouchPad at the level of their choice (16GB or 32GB). That's much closer to "making it right".

Hey, HP you're better than this! (... or at least you used to be.)

TouchPad WebOS Emulator

Many reviewers and bloggers have expressed disappointment with the emulator in the TouchPad for launching older WebOS apps..

I don't find myself in that camp. I'm actually ok with the emulator and find myself going down the path of "the glass is half full" thinking on this one.

Hey, it works and lets you use your older apps.

Count your blessings that Rubenstein semi, partially, somewhat delivered a bit on something... Kinda, maybe, perhaps.

There are more important things that need to be upgraded -- and fast -- on the TouchPad.

Wow!

In my post yesterday morning about the badly unexploited value of the Touchstone charger to HP Palm and how they should make an "addition by subtraction" move in the Palm ranks, I was wishing out loud for the departure of Jon Rubenstein.

Little did I know that several hours later HP would actually be making that move... Or least putting it in motion.

Great news, HP! Now keep things moving in the right direction.

E-Mail Account Synching

The past couple of mornings at my breakfast hangout, I've experienced some problems with my e-mail synching correctly between my Pre2, TouchPad and GMail. Then, later in the day at various other locales, all is well... Hhhmmm.

A little bit of playing around with my devices is leading me to point a finger more at the new, free wifi service at my local Burger King than at the TouchPad. It appears that the hotspot isn't fully "acknowledging' the acceptance of their TOS screen, then not letting the mail app do a "proper" synch with GMail. It "goes through the motions", but no synch actually takes place.

Let's see what happens with this in the longer term...

Battery Life?

I haven't had the opportunity to fully run down the battery yet and get a feel for how long the TouchPad will actually run on a charge, but I can say that it seems to sip power more slowly than any device (other than an Amazon Kindle) I've ever owned.

Fingerprint Magnet?

Yep... You're surprised that the TouchPad, or just about any other modern device, is a fingerprint magnet???

Fit and Finish

Good... Hiawatha Bray of the Boston Globe called the TouchPad a bit "greasy" to hold.  I understand that comment to a point, but I'll choose to go down the path of saying the TouchPad feels "finely polished". Good work on the part of the folks at HP Palm.

One small nit to pick... On/off and speaker volume buttons are a bit raised on my unit, causing some snagging on other objects.  For my money, the buttons should be a bit more flush with the unit, perhaps even to the point of being a bit recessed.

Why?...

As a veteran of the Pre+ and the Pre2, and now the owner of a TouchPad, I guess I'm as qualified as anyone out there to write a bit about the state of the nation that encompassses HP/Palm and WebOS.

Right up front, I'm pullin' for HP/Palm and the TouchPad, but they don't make it easy for a fella!

Potential.

This is the word we've heard a ton of over the past two years in connection with the Pre, Pixi and Veer devices... and now again with the TouchPad.  This is the time to deliver, but the device reeks of potential, and continues not to fully deliver on it. They tease us again with the promise of updates -- which should have originally been on the device -- "coming soon".

Incomplete.

That's what I'd have to call the TouchPad at this point, which seriously raises the question as to why would a non-fan lay their money down on it at this point in time.  And how do you get the world's attention again when you finally have the device upgraded to where it should have been in the first place?

Hey, HP, what have you been doing for the past year? It seems as if you've been doing something else other than concentrating on the TouchPad.

I'm not one of those who is troubled by the thickness or weight of the device. I'm not one of those who cares about how many dozens/hundreds/thousands of apps you have in your store catalog. I don't want an Apple iPad killer. I want a machine that comes from the factory in a state that allows me to be really productive right out of the box.

The TouchPad does not meet that standard -- really productive right out of the box -- for me. Why isn't there a built-in Task/To Do app? You've had one in the past WebOS devices. Where is the document/spreadsheet editing capabilities you promised for the launch? I could go on...

Flash is fine. The mail program is ok. But I wish you had done a little better for the launch.

I'm sure that the time needed to get the launch apps completed, approved, and into the hands of the vendor for the manufacturing process played a role in this sad affair.

Just wondering out loud here... Since the launch was July 1, how far in advance did Palm actually have to have everything ready so that units could be built overseas, shipped, and in the hands of vendors (in sufficient quantities) for the event?

For me, this timing issue is only part of why the TouchPad is "incomplete".

So, can anyone out there give a credible answer to the other part of why we're still stuck talking about "potential"?