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Installing Android On an HP TouchPad

Posted by timothy on from the gets-ever-more-tantalizing dept.

Barence writes "PC Pro has published a comprehensive guide to installing Android on a HP TouchPad using CyanogenMod's alpha Android release. The mod, which is based on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) instead of 3.0 (Honeycomb, the source code of which is yet to be released) 'performs similarly to the Tegra 2-based tablets we've seen from the likes of Asus and Samsung,' according to PC Pro. 'The only real problem we hit was some apps refusing to install from the Android Market because they didn't recognise the hardware,' although there are ways around it."

12 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by LightStruk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I won't be installing Android on my TouchPad for one simple reason - that would be a downgrade. WebOS is much more pleasant to use than Android; it's better thought through, easier to configure, and easier to manage open apps. If I ever have to install Android on my TouchPad, perhaps because of a glaring security hole in WebOS that won't get fixed, it will be a very, very sad day.

    1. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by Pollardito · · Score: 3, Informative

      I would think with the death of WebOS you might want to install Android at some point just to get new apps

    2. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by TerminaMorte · · Score: 3, Informative

      You realize that by default it will dual-boot?

      So you get the great multi-tasking of WebOS, but with the great app selection (and browser options...) of Android.

      Netflix, minecraft, Firefox.... I certainly don't consider it a downgrade. :P

    3. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by RonnyJ · · Score: 2

      I have installed Android on my TouchPad for one simple reason - application availability. The OS may be nice, but I use my devices primarily for the applications, not the OS.

    4. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by robmv · · Score: 2

      Or security updates, I am pretty sure HP will not care anymore about browser fixes

    5. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2

      I just got my Touchpad today. I can't wait to see how much friendlier it is... but I have to seriously ding HP on this one issue: I cannot run the tablet until I get it on a Wifi source to click agree on their Terms and Conditions. Boooo!

      Guess I'll find out when I get home what it's like. Apple's the same way, the iPad requires an iTunes sync. Actually.. I don't think I had to do anything like that at all with the Galaxy Tab. I want to play with my gadgets before I get home, dammit!

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    6. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by oakgrove · · Score: 2

      You do realize it is a dual-boot scenario, right? Are you really that much of a curmudgeon?

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
    7. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by h4rr4r · · Score: 2

      It would dual boot, also WebOS is now unsupported already.

    8. Re:WebOS is staying on my TouchPad by JohnSearle · · Score: 2

      I agree...

      I quickly sold one of my two Tablets (the other one is going to family) due to the lack of apps available. Without software, the tablet is nothing but an video player, ebook reader, and over sized ipod.

      Granted that the above is not bad for $150, but I opted for the full suite of actions by getting an Asus Transformer - best decision I could have made. I immediately had access to quite large number of games, a proper word processor, apps for scanning and business, etc. These were missing or sub par on WebOS.

      I'm definitely going to be putting Android on the second Touchpad in order to get similar functionality... I just want to wait until they've worked out a few more bugs.

  2. Fix for apps refusing to install by strikernl · · Score: 3, Informative

    Can be found here: http://code.google.com/p/cmtouchpad/issues/detail?id=65#c14

  3. Re:Have Xoom, would Keep WebOS on Touchpad by syntap · · Score: 4, Informative

    Lots out there, Google harder I guess.

    August after 3.02 release -
    http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/30/hp-touchpad-will-receive-ota-udpate-for-added-functionality/

    Today, 3.04 release -
    http://gizmodo.com/5850862/hp-touchpad-gets-a-webos-upgrade-from-beyond-the-grave

  4. Re:excessive by ProppaT · · Score: 2

    You can complain about WebOS not having the SPECIFIC app you want, and you can complain about a few niggly things it doesn't support, but honestly...the OS just about does it all, and really well to boot. I miss the days of my WebOS phone where I had a device that didn't crash (Android crashes a lot more often), didn't have weird audio issues (Android seems to), and I could easily kill off tasks (still have to use Advanced Task Killer in Android). No one beats WebOS's multitasking/memory management and ability to have a stupid amount of web pages and apps open at once.

    --
    Wise men say, "Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."