For my money, one of the biggest differentiators between the new HP TouchPad and the Apple iPad is the TP's built-in Adobe Flash support for playing video.
Check out my YouTube video about the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library, as it plays on the TouchPad...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKrx8SCzkTo
Showing posts with label iPad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPad. Show all posts
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
No Wailing or Gnashing of Teeth
Several weeks ago, while briefing my wife about the upcoming purchase of an HP TouchPad, it dawned on me that the two laptops we have -- both less than one year old -- are probably the last laptops we'll own. (Our last laptops, which were almost exclusively used in the home, lasted around 7 years. The desktop PC was sent to the bullpen about four years ago and laid off for good before New Year's Eve 2011.)
I might be the last guy on this side of the Mississippi to have that realization, but the introduction and adoption of the current style of tablets, not withstanding the arrogant stampede of the Apple iPad and the launch of the semi-crippled HP TouchPad, has been a remarkably uneventful affair. No wailing or gnashing of teeth within my earshot.
... Although I do think I'm hearing a faint whimper coming from the Targus 16" padded bag over in the corner.
I might be the last guy on this side of the Mississippi to have that realization, but the introduction and adoption of the current style of tablets, not withstanding the arrogant stampede of the Apple iPad and the launch of the semi-crippled HP TouchPad, has been a remarkably uneventful affair. No wailing or gnashing of teeth within my earshot.
... Although I do think I'm hearing a faint whimper coming from the Targus 16" padded bag over in the corner.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
It Can't Do No Stinkin' Editing!
My purchase and regular use of a TouchPad was pretty much a foregone conclusion, but getting my wife into the tablet computing world is another story. (Being the owner of a Pre+ and a Pre2, I pretty much knew what I was getting into.)
The unknown is what kind of a tablet -- HP, Apple iPad, or one of the Android variants -- will fit her needs and be a machine that she can effectively use.
The (current) case I can make to her for the HP TouchPad has a ginormus hole in it... It can't edit documents and spreadsheets. She, like a great number of potential purchasers/users, won't be interested in waiting for a "coming soon" (or maybe never) update. The TouchPad is dead to them... Case closed, end of story, ballgame over.
With apologies to the Treasure of Sierra Madre, "It can't do no stinkin' editing!"
Hey, HP, do what it takes, exert the right pressure, to get the editable version of QuickOffice on the TouchPad!
The unknown is what kind of a tablet -- HP, Apple iPad, or one of the Android variants -- will fit her needs and be a machine that she can effectively use.
The (current) case I can make to her for the HP TouchPad has a ginormus hole in it... It can't edit documents and spreadsheets. She, like a great number of potential purchasers/users, won't be interested in waiting for a "coming soon" (or maybe never) update. The TouchPad is dead to them... Case closed, end of story, ballgame over.
With apologies to the Treasure of Sierra Madre, "It can't do no stinkin' editing!"
Hey, HP, do what it takes, exert the right pressure, to get the editable version of QuickOffice on the TouchPad!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Touchstone is HP's Pickle!
Strange way to title a post, huh?
Well, not really. Hang in there and read on.
Several years ago I read a book called "Give 'em the Pickle!" when I was in the customer service training business.
If I'm remembering correctly, one of the things author Bob Farrell promotes is doing the easy things that will make loyal customers who keep coming back to you for more.
Farrell ran ice cream/sandwich shops and found that charging for the pickle on a sandwich plate made all the -- bad -- difference in the world. He lost more by charging for the pickle (or not giving the pickle) than he "lost" by giving away the pickle. The free pickle made all the -- good -- difference in the world to his customers.
He urges people and businesses to find the "pickle" in their world and give it to customers for free.
The Touchstone charger is HP's pickle. Its one of the big things that differentiates WebOs devices from Apple's devices.
Hey, HP, give your Pre and TouchPad customers the pickle!
Well, not really. Hang in there and read on.
Several years ago I read a book called "Give 'em the Pickle!" when I was in the customer service training business.
If I'm remembering correctly, one of the things author Bob Farrell promotes is doing the easy things that will make loyal customers who keep coming back to you for more.
Farrell ran ice cream/sandwich shops and found that charging for the pickle on a sandwich plate made all the -- bad -- difference in the world. He lost more by charging for the pickle (or not giving the pickle) than he "lost" by giving away the pickle. The free pickle made all the -- good -- difference in the world to his customers.
He urges people and businesses to find the "pickle" in their world and give it to customers for free.
The Touchstone charger is HP's pickle. Its one of the big things that differentiates WebOs devices from Apple's devices.
Hey, HP, give your Pre and TouchPad customers the pickle!
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Touchstone Charger and There's an App for That...
The Touchstone charger is one of the things that clearly differentiates the TouchPad from Apple's iPad.
Is it an iPad-killer by itself?... No, but it is a big, big difference that isn't being well exploited by HP Palm.
What's not to like about dealing with one less wire every day (or whenever)?
I think it can ultimately be as valuable to HP as "there's an app for that" is to Apple.
HP Palm still seems to be stuck in a rut when it comes to both completing and promoting their WebOS devices. Both efforts have something dragging them down, holding them back.
At this point in the game, one has to wonder if HP needs to make a big "addition by subtraction" move in the Palm ranks to correct these problems.
Maybe there should be an app for that?
Is it an iPad-killer by itself?... No, but it is a big, big difference that isn't being well exploited by HP Palm.
What's not to like about dealing with one less wire every day (or whenever)?
I think it can ultimately be as valuable to HP as "there's an app for that" is to Apple.
HP Palm still seems to be stuck in a rut when it comes to both completing and promoting their WebOS devices. Both efforts have something dragging them down, holding them back.
At this point in the game, one has to wonder if HP needs to make a big "addition by subtraction" move in the Palm ranks to correct these problems.
Maybe there should be an app for that?
Saturday, July 9, 2011
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"?
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"?
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