samray wrote:Do not listen to chardonay; the HP Touchpad does not freeze up. The only real problem I have with the hardware is that I often must touch the tablet multiple times to get it to do something, but it does get it eventually.

That is a specific device issue, check to see if it is still under warranty.

samray wrote:
As for putting Ice Cream Sandwich (Android) on it, ignore that too unless you are technical and are happy with alpha versions. Alpha versions have more bugs than beta versions.

The HP Touchpad comes with webOS, which is a ler version of the Palm OS. The software in the device could be five or ten times more useful if the just did ten percent more. It is good to read PDF files except it is inconvenient to go to specific pages.

If you get the HP Touchpad and use it with the webOS then you should install something called Preware; it is called "pre" due to a previous model of phone that used the Palm OS.

I am running CM7 (Android) and do not have issues with going to specific pages on my PDFs with a slider bar, you can also search specific words.
My biggest issue since Android is with battery life... but then again I use it way more now.
I will update to CM9 soon.

It only took me about 30 minutes to put ICS on this, and another 15 to add Google apps. Good as any other android tablet on the market right now.

bremsech wrote:Can you plug in a usb keyboard and use it with this tablet.

Yes, HP offers a nice keyboard (Amazon) for under $30. You can also get the Touchstone charger stand, which is great. Just place the tablet on the stand and it chargers through the unit..no wires, etc.

From a tablet newbie: how does the screen work for writing/drawing? I'm thinking of making screencasts.

I have ICS 9.0 on mine and love it..I use the Android side of my TP 100% of the time and don't have any issues...flashing the ROM is mad easy..there are plenty of vids on YouTube with the steps...I would recommend Reverendkjr as a starting point for videos (that is his channel name)...flashing the ROM only takes like 20 minutes total..that's doing the OS as well as the GAPPS...if i needed another one i would be all over this..

Love to get another one but fundamentally opposed to paying almost $50.00 more at Woot for a refurbished one than the manufacturer was selling them for new almost a year earlier.

I'm more of an Apple guy and I'm pretty happy with my iPad (ONE) but am interested in this TouchPad deal. Can anyone tell me how it does on Skype-type video calls? That's one thing my iPad cannot do (no camera!). Thanks.

jusdef wrote:Good post...question...is there any difference in the Acer & Asus tabs ? I was considering selling my HP Touchpad CM9 tab for 1 of the above Acer or Asus tabs.

I own both of these, and they are very similar in response and features.I have them both updated to ICS via the manufacturer updates. The thing I like about the ASUS is the fact that the keyboard dock make this thing out of site. The keyboard dock is not cheap, but turns this into a netbook clamshell type functionality that has an additional battery built in and host USB ports with a touchpad mouse. The additional battery gives you about 14-18 hours of continuous use (not standby) on this. The keyboard dock discharges first before the tablet discharges. It's a really nice option, Below is a link if you want to buy them together.

http://bensoutlet.com/products/asus-16gb-transformer

If you think there is no way you would ever need the keyboard dock, the Acer has a USB host built right into the tablet- which is a nice feature. The Acer may have slightly better sound, because the speakers are positioned on the back they are bigger, and they have that dolby sound thing built in which helps also.

Either way you can't go wrong. they are both tegra 2, same resolution...Below is a good comparison:


http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/400641/asus_eee_pad_transformer_vs_acer_iconia_a500_tablet_showdown/

With Windows 8 around the corner, I'd not buy a tablet anytime soon. It will be a game changer.

I installed Android on my Touchpad and it works great! The installation was literally done in under 30 minutes.

As much as I like webOS, the app selection was far too limited, so installing Ice Cream Sandwich was the next best thing.

This is a pretty solid deal for the price.

cherman1 wrote:Love to get another one but fundamentally opposed to paying almost $50.00 more at Woot for a refurbished one than the manufacturer was selling them for new almost a year earlier.

Really, this again? You are not going to find a new one of these for $150. It was a FIRE SALE. A fire sale is so that someone can get rid of their inventory, not to put a price point on an item. There is nothing wrong with them hardware wise, it was the WebOS. You all need to quit whining about the price. Good price for a good tablet.

On a side note, I got one about 4 months ago, refirb, paid $25 more than this price, and still happy with it. Use it more then my laptop for email and surfing the web. Run ICS about 98% of the time. Open in WebOS just to see if anything new has come out every couple of months. Thinking about buying another one, but I just can't justify it.

30-Days :/ - You could always purchase an extended warranty through a 3rd Party.

gak0090 wrote:Check out the links I gave a couple messages before yours. I own both of these (acer & asus) and have them upgraded to ICS. They work great! The Asus is nice because I have the keyboard dock that goes with it (that has the extra battery,usb host ports,touchpad) and it can go for like 15 hours at a time, The acer has a full size USB host port. Both are very nice and responsive.

Thanks for the info!

Stupid question, but where are all the 16GB refurbs? I would have guessed that a ton more 16GB tablets were sold than 32GB, yet all I ever see are the 32GB refurbs being sold everywhere.

I got mine during the fire sale, and I've put ICS on it. Now you can get goomanager from Google Play and download and install nightly updates of CM9 with just a simple reboot and never have to plug it into a PC. Nice.

That being said, I got it to be a uni-tasker. I put my sheet music on it in PDF and clamp it to a mic stand. For the price, it made a ton of sense.

I have the 16 with ICS and I love it. Only wish it had HDMI so I could bring it on vacations and watch streaming videos on a bigger tv screen. But for what it is it's amazing and the best purchase I've made in quite some time.

silveri wrote:Not exactly, it has a microusb port for the cable to charge it or connect it to your pc.

You can use the port to connect with & use USB devices, including USB Flash memory drives. You must do a simple workaround, involving a Y USB adaptor and a powered USB hub. I just use mine for what it is good for, Internet.

WebOS has the drivers. The micro port doesn't have the power to power USB devices.

I suggest it makes more practical sense to just make sure you buy the 32GB Touchpad and do not buy one if you must have use of external devices.

For many people the new 7" ICS Samsung Galaxy
Tab 2 is probably a better buy for $219 on eBay.

Operating - 0 to 5,000 ft (0 to 1,524 m)??

Living @ 7400 ft, should I be weary about running one of these?

consul wrote:I'm more of an Apple guy and I'm pretty happy with my iPad (ONE) but am interested in this TouchPad deal. Can anyone tell me how it does on Skype-type video calls? That's one thing my iPad cannot do (no camera!). Thanks.

Works great for Skype calls with webOS (not yet working on Android on TP), we used it many times while on vacation. The Skype app has built in functionality. Make sure you update to the latest webOS, the update makes a huge difference. I don't have any experience with other video calling apps if there are any for webOS.

I'd jump on this deal if I hadn't just got a Nook Color ($130 on sale last week at Target)

If you're looking for a cheap 7" tablet, the nook is great. The nice thing about it is that it can boot and run from a micro SD card, so you can root it and run ICS or GB without doing any modification the the firmware whatsoever. Just pop the SD card out and you're back to stock.

Mine worked for 3 months and quit. HP wants $250.00 to look at it. I'll pass.

joybus wrote:Perhaps not coincidentally, it's the exact size of an iPad2. Do the cases, etc fit? I dunno.

Original iPad (iPad 1) cases & folios fit it. Cases for the later iPad versions do not. Because the speaker and volume rocker are placed a little differently, some cases may need a little modification should they muffle the sound or lay on the button in an unacceptable manner.

I bought one at the firesale last year and love it with CM9. Just bought another now for my son to use. I haven't seen a true Android tablet with these specs without paying a lot more money.

I'm thinking about buying one of these as my first tablet. Can anyone tell me if it has working GPS capabilities. Thanks

The bottom line for deciding about this Touchpad offer is this. What is your interest in a tablet, any tablet? If you desire something close to being a laptop replacement, meaning you want a very portable computing device for general practical and entertainment use or do you want a tablet for more limited use such as email, weather report, multimedia?

The Touchpad line has flaws. the app problem is not simply a matter of numbers. There are entire types of apps that are not available for TP and the list grows daily. Sure Home Brew community fills in some of the blanks but not nearly enough, fast enough. Since no one is making any WebOS devices, Home Brew interest will die over time.

A much better choice for $219 to $249 is the new 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Even one of the under $200 Chinese Ainol 7" ICS tablets is much more useful to most people.

Converting TP to also be an Android tablet doesn't make much sense to me as that undermines what I like about the TP, something I never see mentioned which deeply concerns me. Touchpad is WebOS and WebOs is not GOOGLE Android which is what I want.

With WebOS I can easily and simply avoid totally BIG BROTHER GOOGLE, something you cannot do with anything Android. GOOGLE is built into the very core of Android. Free? Is android free? It may not cost us upfront but their is a price. The price is everything you do, everywhere you GO, everything you think of going Big Brother Google is there recording it in someway. From the instant you go on line, there is Google. Every app you download and install, there is Google. Ever bother to read the "warnings" that appear before you install any Android app? If you do, ever think about exactly what you are giving away to Google when you agree by installing an app?

Facebook gets millions of people to provide information on themselves, their family, their friends that takes the FBI or CIA months of hard investigative work, probable cause and signatures from judges to compile. Google gets millions to allow it over their shoulders 24/7, something no government could afford to do. Google even admits every scrap of data every shot online by any MAC Address is stored in ONE FILE for each MAC address.

What a nation of sleep walkers America has become!

Riddle me this TP owners: is there a multimedia dock or USB to MHL capabilities? I'm thinking about buying one for a car install.

denzelzhao wrote:I find TouchPad comments to be so amusing.

I don't understand how this whole craze made people forget that the design sucks, there's no camera, and there's virtually no apps with no new ones on the way.

From the description:
"Have a face-to-face conversation with video calling on a large, vibrant screen, using the integrated webcam and digital microphone"

If you don't know enough about the tablet to realize it does indeed have a camera, maybe you might wanna just be quiet?

Why am I tempted by this even tho I have a perfectly good Asus Transformer with keyboard?

IT'S A SICKNESS, I TELLS YA!

not sure about the whole argument that once the refurbs are sold out HP won't be refurbing anymore. I got one of these on Woot for $270 (after tax) because of that news/theory.

and then I saw today's Woot, for the regular fire sale price.

While I'm a bit annoyed it just tells me one thing - that since the firesale there doesn't seem to be an end anytime soon to the batches of refurbs that come out of the wood works every few months. It's been almost a year since they killed the Touchpad and plenty of units to go around since then despite the demand.

rrussell wrote:Why am I tempted by this even tho I have a perfectly good Asus Transformer with keyboard?

IT'S A SICKNESS, I TELLS YA!

Because for the price it's a great companion piece :P

jusdef wrote:Same here...maybe because I've always had a case on my touchpad & so has my friends and family.

As everyone said...this is a great tablet with WebOs, Gingerbread (cm7), or Ice Cream Sandwich (cm9). I paid $150 plus tax during the fire sale for the 32gb and I had the ipad1 & now have the ipad2. The touchpad is much better than the ipad1 & on the same level of performance as the ipad2. NO it is not an ipad however an ipad2 32gb will cost twice as much. Regardless of what the apple fanboys say...there isnt much more an ipad can do than a good android tablet.

HP currently has the touchpad accessories at a reduced price...I suggest the $5 case & power cord.

http://goo.gl/aZtEf

Just bought one and am now going to buy a case from HP. As to a charger, is it a standard micro USB?

bruisedquasar wrote:
With WebOS I can easily and simply avoid totally BIG BROTHER GOOGLE, something you cannot do with anything Android. GOOGLE is built into the very core of Android. Free? Is android free?

Whoah. I think woot's gonna have tinfoil hats up for cheap next week. Keep your "I want one" button finger handy.

What a nation of sleep walkers America has become!

Yeah, well.. THAT part is true, at least.

Bingo969 wrote:I purchased this screen protector for mine. It's more expensive than some but it worked flawlessly for me.

I've totally borked screen protectors before. This was the first that went on easily and exactly as it said it would. No bubbles, fit was dead on. I recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/ArmorSuit-MilitaryShield-TouchPad-Protector-Replacements/dp/B0057KCZFG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337343240&sr=8-1

I'm a little wary of any of the "lifetime replacements" protectors. I got the Skinomi one for my phone, and not only did those get scratched up super-easy, but you still had to pay shipping on the replacements, which was more expensive than just buying new screen protectors in the first place. It just seems like a scam so they can sell a screen protector for outrageous prices.

Damn you, Woot! I missed this during the fire sale so I accepted that I won't have one. Now, you have it and at close to what I would have paid at the fire sale. In for one to keep my ipad2 some company.. I hear so much about webos so I have to try it...

amras wrote:To Extend the Warranty, or Not?

- knowing these are refurbs, and the unit has had some issues with the power connect, etc. Smart move to squaretrade?

Bump- I just pulled the trigger on the TP- still on the fence about the extended warranty...

sgtgreeneusmc wrote:It's all in the fine print.

90 days. mine broke on day 97. woot wont help, hp would love to help for a hefty charge

I have a couple of questions about the Web o/s on the Touchpad.
Are there many useful apps which one can add?
Is this compaible with the various sources of newspapers and magazines or would one be forced to put ICS on this machine?
Thanks.

Crazykid wrote:I don't understand, why would anyone want to buy this piece of crap abondoned by HP. HP has seen better days and is on a death march.

Because 9.7" 32GB tablet for $200.

Spend an hour and boot to Android ICS.

chardonay: Sorry you had freeze-ups; Mine froze up every few days or so originally, but after the first major webOS upgrade, those have been a thing of the past. I may have it freeze once a month or so now. As far as apps, I've found pretty much everything I need, between the official app store, and the homebrew community.

Love my TP. But the one I got from woot was defective and had to be returned. I was bummed but it worked out great as shortly after I snagged a NEW 32g at BB for a good bit less $ then the refurb. Brand spanking new, full warranty for less $.

I still see them pop up around here...always new (no clue where they keep coming from since hp doesnt make them anymore, but at least once a week I do see them in my area, in store(s), not online for less then this current price....normally around $160-$180 + tax, so pretty close to this deal,,,But they are new).....Love mine but to be honest, I would be leary about buying any of these refurbs.....I used to love refurbed products versus new ones since normally a real human goues ove product thoroughly...but lately it seems so many refurbs simply get a quick cleaning and then thrown in to a box with no actual refurbing being done...alot depends on who is doing the refurbing but even if it is HP, id still be leary at this point as far too many of these refurbs end up as duds abd one can only wonder how many times these have been 'recycled to market' by now....buy 1...its a dud.....gets returned...sold again to somebody else after being refurbed again....breaks on that buyer...returned....refurbed and sold again....But, good luck to those who get one...if it works...lasts and doesnt break down on you, you'll love it and you'll love it even more with ics on it......

Narg wrote:With Windows 8 around the corner, I'd not buy a tablet anytime soon. It will be a game changer.

Not any time soon. When Windows 8 tablets finally arrive do you think they'll be priced at anything near $200? I doubt it. Even if they were, Android certainly certainly isn't going away.

For what most people use tablets for (web, facebook, video, ebooks, email, perahps some very light document editing) webOS is even sufficient, other than not having Netflix. With ICS and Google Play or Amazon Appstore you have more tablet apps than you could ever use. Android has already become the "Windows" of the tablet and phone world, and for Microsoft to even make a dent in that installed base at ths point will take a long time.

Now, if you're looking at straight business usage then sure, Windows tablets will have more business-centric features for things like centralized management, better exchange integration, some existing Windows apps might work adequately with very few changes, etc, but that's a different market.