Posts by cymbalhead

Why there's real hope for webOS - if HP is committed

there are good frameworks

The Enyo framework (and its predecessor Mojo) do provide good APIs as many developers will attest to. Admittedly there are some issues that could do with ironing out but it's far rosier than the suggestion that there aren't any decent APIs to code against. And combined with the PDK plugin method for combining your c code with the html+javascript stuff you've got a solid base upon which to build.

I'm not saying there's any guaranteed success here, but it stands a chance and I hope it does well.

HP pushes out OS update for 'defunct' tablet

Decent Update

Definite improvements here and there - performance enhancements and bug fixes in the browser and a few other places. Still a fair bit needing attention, but in general, it's all working pretty well for my needs.

Shame webOS won't really ever get the big upgrades it deserved, but while it is still limping along it's plenty enough for me in both phone and tablet guise.

Amazon refuses Touchpad refunds after price slash frenzy

Amazon vs DSG Group

Wow - this has got to be the first time that DSG Group have been made to look good compared to a competitor. They happily refunded my Touchpad price (although admittedly I had confirmed with them the day before that they would do so).

Not impressed with Amazon - makes them look like quite bad in comparison to all the other stores.

Oh, and yes, the Touchpad is great!

Coders breathe Android into dead HP fondleslab

Won't be putting Android on this

Got a touchpad in the firesale. Yay!However I for one certainly won't be putting Android onto this. I am a long-time webOS user and, yes, there is uncertainty about its future (heavily leaning towards the "it's dead" side of the uncertainty) but the reason I wanted this tablet is *because* of webOS, not despite it.

I hope that the number of people putting Android onto these devices is small and that a new swarm of people find out what a joy webOS actually is to use and maybe breath fresh air into the webOS community (and the webOS community is fantastic, it really is).

So I say - if you have one of these, and your plan is to hack some compromised version of Android onto it, hold fire and give webOS a decent chance. You may find that you really like it and that it has all the apps you would want to use.

On the other hand, if all you want is 'lots of apps' then whack android on it and treat it like any other cheap plastic slab.

I'm not anti-Android at all, I just think it's a crying shame to remove webOS from these things. It's much better than most people give it credit for.

Earth may be headed into a mini Ice Age within a decade

Konami Code

You just put my Palm Pre into developer mode...

HP reveals inaugural Palm webOS tablet

Is WebOS still WebOS without gestures?

The TouchPad has no gesture area. Any of you who have experienced WebOS would know that this is one of the defining aspects of the UI and makes the device a real pleasure to use in comparison with competing mobile OSs.

HP have decided to remove the gesture area from the TouchPad - this is a terrible mistake. Okay, it may have taken a bit of thought to get it to operate intuitively on a larger device that is designed to rotate etc. but I simply cannot even envisage using WebOS without being able to swipe between apps, swipe forwards and backwards in the browser, meta-tap for menu links and copy/paste etc.

The worst of this is that the gesture area was the probably the component of the OS most suitable for further development: multi-touch gestures, shortcuts, all sorts of things spring to mind.

Big big mistake HP and it's certainly put me off even considering buying one.

I like the veer and the pre3 though.