My TouchPad Today: Reading on the TouchPad

A confession... Some of my favorite sites are not an easy read on the TouchPad.

One example would be the mobile version of boston.com (The Boston Globe).

Here are a couple of pictures which show the same page on an Andriod tablet and on the TouchPad...

The pix -- taken with a Pre2 in the wonderful lighting conditions of a local McDonald's restuarant -- perhaps won't convince you, but, ya gotta trust me here, the Android version on the left is much easier on my eyes than the TouchPad sample on the right.

This certainly ain't a scientific experiment, but it is a slice of real life!


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My TouchPad Today: Ambient Light Sensor - Bumpin' Up the Light?

In a post last week I mentioned that the ambient light sensor on my HP TouchPad was covered by a ridge/flap on the CE Compass leather case that I'm using to protect the TP. I was wondering if punching a hole in the area over the sensor might let the it get a better read on the available light and adjust the brightness of my TP screen accordingly.

Alas, the hole punching was not the ultimate fix. The sensor is directly covered by a magnet for the case cover that is embedded in the ridge/flap. Punching the hole off a bit to the side of the magnet may have helped a tad, but the the flap tends to naturally settle itself down so that that the magnet keeps the sensor covered. As a result, the TP adjusts the screen brightness downward, thinking it is in an environment where dimming the display is appropriate.

So, what's a fella to do?

My next thought was... How about improvising and installing something that would boost the ridge/flap a bit to allow in more ambient light, but not so as to interfere with using the TP, nor with the magnetic closure of the case?

The result of all this was (see picture) to glue a couple of "bumpers" -- pieces of rubber sliced from a square pencil eraser -- to the underside of the ridge/flap.

Its too early to tell how well this works.  I will report back on this later in the week.


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My TouchPad Today: A Dirty Little Secret - Peekin' Through the Keyhole

Seeing blog posts and stories about the upcoming 7" HP TouchPad have reminded of how, compared to working on a large laptop or working on a computer with an external monitor, using small screen devices is akin to "peekin' through the keyhole".

Just to be clear, the sentence above was written by a 40+ year veteran of shelling out the bucks for electronic devices of all types. For smartphones, I have been the owner -- in succession -- of a Treo 700w, Pre+ and now a Pre2. I also have an Android-based tablet and a TouchPad.

For my money, no matter how you choose to spin it, we fib to ourselves when using small screen devices ranging from the size of the HP Veer and up to the a device like the TouchPad (or a netbook) and rave about the experience.

Scrolling and zooming, to some degree, is a reality on any device, regardless of size.  Where the fib comes into play is when the extra work involved in peeking through progressively smaller keyholes on smaller devices goes largely unmentioned in the hype, hoopla and novelty surrounding these devices.  A dirty little secret, if you will.


For me, the HP Veer is probably Exhibit A of the fib at work.

My wife has had a small, candy bar format phone for a number of years.  On a regular basis I've facetiously said to her, "I wish they would make a smartphone the size of your phone, with a realistic way to use the web and really do work.  I'd buy it in a heartbeat."

The HP Veer came along this year and I'm still yearning for the viable, small format smartphone. Strip away the cuteness and novelty from the Veer and you have the ultimate keyhole... Feel free to peek!


Getting back to the upcoming 7" TouchPad... I won't be purchasing one (lack of $$$), but it will clearly be in the "keyhole" zone. The TouchPad, at almost 10" still makes the user do the peekin' routine.