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CyanogenMod Shows Off Android On the HP TouchPad

Posted by Soulskill on from the that-was-fast dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "While a $99 TouchPad running webOS is a pretty good deal on its own, most of us got it hoping developers would eventually figure out how to run Android on it. And though we were warned against wandering off to the darker side, it seems the developers behind CyanogenMod wanted the device to boldly go where no TouchPad has gone before. In a video demonstration, they show off a very early version of its software running Android 2.3.5 on a TouchPad."

12 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by Lisandro · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...the TouchPad will instantly become a superb value for the money. Cyanogen truly offers the best that Android has to offer - i've flashed my phone a while ago and never ever looked back. Screw you, HTC!

    1. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by CaptainLard · · Score: 2

      Its already a superb value for the money. There is a quite competent OS preloaded and it costs less than most monster cables, let alone any other tablet!

    2. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by Lisandro · · Score: 4, Insightful

      At $99 is already a great value, but the issue with WebOS is the same we had with other great OSs like OS/2 and BeOS: apps. Android has a much wider selection of apps and, given that HP shelved WebOS only 6 months after paying a truckload for it, it will only continue to get worse.

    3. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Where can one be had for $99?

    4. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      But the apps already available include chroot and an X server.

      You can run your choice of desktop environment and apps (including more and more touch friendly ones) from Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, or any other ARM distro alongside WebOS and its own apps -- without waiting for Android port to be finished, and without losing WebOS's real-computer style multitasking.

      Android certainly will add value -- another option is always a good thing -- but even without it, WebOS doesn't look very dismal to me. (And the difference between WebOS+Debian apps and OS/2 + Windows apps is subtle, but real -- since you're actually bringing in a real Debian system, instead of your own compatible ABI implementation, you can keep the Debian side up-to-date with zero WebOS-specific development effort -- even if you're the last person with a WebOS machine, and can't program your way out of a bag, you still get all the latest apps with an apt-get upgrade.)

    5. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by bored_engineer · · Score: 2

      Too expensive, maybe? I bet that there are a bunch of people commenting, including me, who haven't previously bought either one. It was my intent to buy a tablet, at some future date, but when I found that I could get a Webos machine for $99, it seemed like a good time to stop waiting.

    6. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by daenris · · Score: 2

      You mean nowhere because since they got discounted they're out of stock everywhere and HP won't even say whether more will ever become available.

    7. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by StayFrosty · · Score: 2

      I *Really* wanted a webos tablet for the reasons outlined above. I didn't think it was worth $500 for the touchpad. I would have paid $250 for it. Maybe even $300 if the hardware was a little better.

      --
      "Frequently wrong, never in doubt."
    8. Re:If Cyanogen releases a stable build... by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 2

      On the bright side, you can still snatch a drawing of a Touchpad for as low as 1 cent (though it goes up to 1 dollar for higher-spec versions), with many supplier choices.

  2. Re:i'm sorry, this is really freakin old news. by fotbr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Your friend is an idiot. The Pony Express only operated from 1860 to 1861, which if you consult your calendar was more like 150 years ago, not 120. Also, unless you were dealing with extremely quick wars, it's a stupid example, not a hilarious one; it only took about 10 days for mail to travel from one end of the Pony Express route to the other.

    Besides that, not everyone that was interested knew 8+ hours ago. Then again, some of us have productive things to do besides read tech news every waking minute of the day.

  3. Meh to Android. by CrackedButter · · Score: 2

    I bought a cheap TouchPad (trying to bag a Pre 3), installed Preware on it (so simple to do), over clocked it (again simple and now I have a dual core 1.5Ghz with 1GB of RAM) and gained access to all the lovely open source software available as well as a curated App Store by HP who have stated they are fully behind (receiving new apps and updates everyday), I've no reason to take WebOS off it thanks. I feel I'm only missing the Amazon Kindle App (US only atm), and Viber (which is still coming so they said in an email to me).

    The community also seems a lot tighter for it as well. I think people are being too quick in their efforts to port Android to it.

    I think the worse part of this is HP's impatience towards this, even as an existing iPad owner, I believe the HP failed on pricing and not on the technicals. They should stick with the hardware not just the software.

    --
    Jonathanjk.com
    1. Re:Meh to Android. by gecko19scl · · Score: 2

      You can install kindle by following the instructions here:

      http://forums.precentral.net/hp-touchpad-apps/288730-no-kindle-app-uk-3.html#post3099814

      Works fine on my uk touchpad :)