Spent the last couple of days trying to land the HP Touchpad. In fact, immediately upon returning from my trip, started the process – that’s how we dorks roll. For those of you that don’t know/have a real life, HP spent $1.8 billion to buy the operating system for the Touchpad, started selling it like three months ago, and then abruptly dropped the whole thing.
Ended up ordering like 18 of them knowing that most would get cancelled, which they did; right now, I’m scheduled to get about three of them and this may change.
The question, of course, is Why would I buy the HP Touchpad when I already have an iPad?
The answer is that, as a $599 iPad competitor, there’s no question that it’s simply not as good and not worth the money. As a $150 colour eBook reader, that’s a completely different story. Since I use my iPad 99.9999% of the time as a PDF and ebook reader, most of it’s functionality is wasted.
So I’m thinking of just selling the iPad and using the HP Touchpad as a stopgap device until the iPad 3, or even the iPad 4, comes out.
The other reason to get it, however, is to hack it to run the Android operating system in a year or so. From everything I’ve read the OS on the tablet (webOS) is excellent. The problem is that there just aren’t enough apps for it. For the next year, the built in Kindle App and Facebook app – the only tablet Facebook app from what I’ve read – coupled with the built in ebook reader and 50GB of cloud storage for life, should make it a worthwhile stopgap device for me for the next 18 and by then, a stable Android os hack should be floating around.
It’s coming in a week or so, so I’ll post details as it comes about.
End unabashed dweeb.
Me: OK, I’m ready.
Her: Do you have your swim trunks?
Me: No.
Her: Do you have your hat?
Me: No.
Her: Do you have your sunglasses?
Me: No.
Her: (Shakes head)
Me: I’ll go pack those right now.
Now that the vacation’s over, it’s back to work.
Met up with my old business buddy for some good Irish stout. He owns Cruisedirect.com, which just got listed in the Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in America. That puts his biz in the top 1% of all businesses in the country.
Did y’know that the Empire State Building was built in the middle of the great depression? There’s this saying that Any company can be good in good times, only great companies can be good in bad times. Sometimes, doing the opposite thing of the rest of the world’s the way to go.
Getting itch to start something up again and I’ve got a few ideas percolating.
We’ll see how it goes.
———-
Just for laughs, Google the words “Intellectual Property NYC” and then click “videos” on the left-hand side.
What do you see where you are?
Location: prepping for some business
Mood: ambitious
Music: don’t you worry, it could be so sweet
YASYCTAI: Be brave when others are wary; wary when others are brave. (lifetime/3 pts)
Subscribe!
11 replies on “Why I bought the HP Touchpad; Doing the Opposite Thing”
What makes cruisedirect different from other online cruise booking websites? How do you go from a good idea into a good product?
I think it really comes down to customer service; because the inventory's the same (the same cruise lines, the same cruise cabins). But the website is easy, the process is easy; ditto for the people.
I think that's why people like Apple products – the experience is just better.
Let me know how you like webOS when your touchpad comes in. . .I'm thinking about getting one myself, even though I already have webOS on my pre2. HP is going to release another wave of TouchPads from their stock soon, just in case you want to get more than 3. LOL
In my opinion, the lack of apps is not the problem, but rather a symptom of the problem: the hardware is not good enough to sustain the OS. No one wants to develop for an OS that can't be used properly due to crappy hardware, and that's the major reason why Palm partnered with HP. It's unfathomable as to why HP even went ahead with the deal if all they were going to do was give up after 7 weeks!!
I think Palm originally waited too long to find someone who could provide better hardware, and when they finally did, obviously they made the wrong choice. At this point, even if someone buys webOS from HP, it will fall behind iOS and Android due to all the time wasted on the hardware issue.
That said, I still secretly root for it. Because I always have a soft spot for underdogs.
P.s. Hope you had a rockin' rum-filled trip!
Will let you know – although who knows if it will actually ship. I've already had 15 cancelled so we'll just have to see. From what I read, the OS is quite good but the hardware, not as much. It's sad really. It could have really been something.
I think you're spot on with the hardware, but I have to add that the price is absolutely an issue as well; it clearly does awesomely at a lower price point.
I think this will be a good stopgap measure for now – which is exactly what I meant it to be for me.
Me too, regarding the underdog (being the ex-fatty I was).
It was rum-filled but cloudy – you win some, you lose some.
Keep dry!
Didn't manage to get through to any of the websites to order one, hope yours actually materialise! If you need to find a home for one of the other two…
Ha, well until I get my grubby little hands on one, we'll see if it actually comes through.
Noted regarding the home…
I have been hearing about this HP madness and it's been interesting. Let me know if you like the HP for reading, esp in light. I thought that about the ipad (I'd only end up using it as a book reader, and it'd be an expensive book reader) so I never got one.
Yes, I find that my ipad is an exceedingly expensive ebook reader for me so that just seems a waste. I'll absolutely write up what I think of it when/IF I get one (or three).
Don't know if Hurricane Irene's gonna hit your area. If it does, stay safe! Oh and sorry about the earthquake. Our gift from California to you.
Yup, I'm dead center in the path. I had to take the day off to secure my building. No fun! Let's hope it ends up being a whole lotta nuthin!
Did you stockpile on food, rum, flashlights?