Mobile News

James Kendrick

HP TouchPad: Everything you want to know

By James Kendrick | August 26, 2011, 5:05am PDT

Summary: Tips and tricks, apps and accessories: Here’s everything new Touchpad owners need in one place.

It is hard to believe the HP TouchPad has only been around for a few weeks given the checkered past it has already lived. It went from also-ran to the top seller on Amazon in days, and according to some estimates has sold hundreds of thousands of units in the last week. Based on the correspondence I am receiving from new TouchPad owners I believe those figures may be accurate.

Many of these new TouchPad owners are craving for information about their new tablet, and many questions I am spending hours each day answering are in fact answered in articles I wrote before the bizarre scenario played out. It seems like a good idea to gather all of my articles about the HP TouchPad together in one place for easy reference.

One reason that early reviews of the TouchPad routinely panned the device for poor performance out of the box was due to the way webOS handles the initial Synergy syncing. Synergy brings together all of the user’s social networks, email and contacts from all over the web so the TouchPad can do useful things with them. Unfortunately, this initial syncing in the background can take a day or two if enough accounts are configured, and there is nothing that can be done about the performance hits while the syncing is taking place. Once the syncing completes the performance becomes pretty good, so let it happen and expect possible lagginess in execution for the first day or so. Things get much better after that.

Related Stories:

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “Mobile News”

HP TouchPad owners: get 6 free apps from HP for a limited time

Riding out the hurricane with your cell phone

Topics

Hewlett-Packard Co., James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long.

Full Bio
Disclosure
Contact

Vendor HotSpot

The 360° Conversation around Cloud Computing

TECH VISUALIZER brings the social conversation to life... powered by Brocade

Learn More »

Related Discussions on TechRepublic

Did you know you can take part in these discussions with your ZDNet membership?

Ask a Question Start a Discussion

Comments

Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Follow via:: RSS; Email Alert

Just In

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

tavent 24th Jan

anyway BACK TO THE TOPIC /vent ...
thanks for posting all of these snippets. Yep, I bought a touch pad at the firesale, using internal employee priviledges. My only regret so far was, as some other articles suggested, not getting more accessories. And it would really be nice if it had a real, java capable, grown up internet browser so I could use more of my work apps. Still waiting for indication of a GOOD result with Ice Cream or Gingerbread, and just call me "dual boot".

View in thread

Please Select
Please Select

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

Rama.NET 26th Aug

Thank you very much for putting up this blog. I happily bookmarked it for reference. Thanks a ton James.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

Hasam1991 26th Aug

Great, but I still can't find one for $99...

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

I'm Sick of Apple

DRFP 26th Aug

The real reason of the bad reviews is Apple and how tech people are so in love with apple these days and they have such a false sense of how good apple is, everything else fails in comparison. Before this I saw only one fair Touchpad review now that hundreds of thousands have sold I'm sure I will see more positive reviews.

Tech people have to take off the blinders and realize that there are good tech devices not put out by apple and that apple products have flaws sometimes really bad flaws

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

JohnGault@... 26th Aug

The best webOS app I have is pReader, which supports a variety of eBook formats, including DRM protected files. It's my most frequently used webOS app, and it's free!

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

$99 Bookend...

jilindi@... 26th Aug

Thanks to HP this nifty device (i.e. abandoned product) will make a nice bookend right beside my good old $99 Timex-Sinclair ZX-81.

Hey HP - You Suck!

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

HP and touchpad suck

ta1 26th Aug

@jilindi: they don't call it the "bleeding edge" for nothing. If you don't have the platelets, don't go to fire sales without a turnout coat and a box of band-aids. So far it looks like the touchpad will live on in the gray market. If you were dumb enough to buy a computer from a wrist watch maker, my sympathy runs about as deep as a parking lot.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

limanemin@... 26th Aug

Well don't get in rain if soon HP resurfaces the WebOS and give it another shot. Since this promotion made well aware to public that there is another alternative to ipad and andros.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

Message has been deleted.

TUNAHAN Updated - 26th Aug

Reply
Flagged

0 Votes

+ -

Re: Installing Android on the HP TouchPad

skyoneder 26th Aug

zdnet, keep a look out soon for installing Gingerbread on HPTP!

"A group of Android hackers, called the TouchDroid team, has announced that it will be porting Android 2.3 Gingerbread to the HP TouchPad. You can expect to see it in a matter of months. The HP TouchPad is a great buy, and with the developer community backing it now, it might turn out to be the best value-for-money tablet of all time!"

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

No More Free Apps

PrepaidWirelessGuy 26th Aug

Unfortunately ALL of these coupon codes have "reached their limit" so they can no longer be used.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Everything you want to know about the HP TouchPad: news, reviews

Chaneloutlet 14th Sep

Chanel bags is very luxury and high-grade. Chanel ******** sale and confidence; make their range stand out above any other. Maybe this is why they are so high profile and craved by many a celebrity. It is a brand that never disappoints with a selection of exploding diamante designs, luxurious quilted arms and interlacing. Buying Chanel from our Chanel on sale . Back to Chanel Bags online to know more products information.Chanel founder Gabrielle Chanel in 1913 Chanel was founded in Paris, Chanel Shoulder Bags , Chanel's products range from clothing, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, perfumes, Chanel New Bag , each product is known, in particular, her perfume and fashion . Chanel (CHANEL) is a famous brand in more than 80 years experience, Chanel Fashion has always elegant, simple, Chanel Cambon Bags , elegant style, she good at breaking, early 40's on the success of tied up the ladies into the simple, Chanel Messenger Bags, comfortable This is perhaps the first modern casual wear.