I've been playing with HP's new TouchPad for a week, but it only took a few minutes to notice the tablet's similarities to the iPad. I'm not just talking about the TouchPad's WebOS--all players in the tablet space have undoubtedly taken cues from Apple's software (see: apps, gestures, etc.). But even HP's hardware design is iPad-like, from the placement of the (single) home button to the webcam to the auto-lock key to the volume seesaw switch.
This is not a knock at HP. Comparisons to Apple are always positive, and, in my opinion, WebOS runs much smoother than Android -- and is far more beautiful. And in some ways the TouchPad bests iPad. Given how much of an inspiration Apple has been to tablet makers in general, it's high time competitors--all the supposed "iPad killers"--return the favor. Here, we present the top five features of HP's TouchPad that we'd like to see Apple steal.
Better Multitasking
Multitasking is easily one of the best features of WebOS. The TouchPad's homescreen isn't a library of app icons, like the iPads. Rather, WebOS leaves room for a desktop that it fills with all your running programs, which are represented by "cards" or "stacks of cards." It's similar to Alt-Tabbing in Windows 7--a slick and breezy way of swiping through your open apps. Apps can be grouped into "stacks of cards," allowing for simple drag-and-drop organization and quick navigation--think having multiple tabs open at once.
Compare that to Apple's multitasking functionality. On the iPad, you must double click the home button in order to see what's running--and what you'll find are rows and rows of app icons. It's always a shock to see how many apps are running: Twitter, Safari, Google Maps, the camera, settings, mail, contacts, weather, and so on. To jump between programs is a blind leap--who knows how many tabs you have open in Safari? On the TouchPad, the "cards" provide extremely convenient and helpful preview panes.
Swipe To Quit
How do you close an app on the iPad? If you hit the home button twice, bring up the multitask screen, and hold down on an app long enough, only then will a "-" appear in the corner allowing you to exit your open apps. The app icons will begin shimmying in place--all of them with an "-" in the corner. To stop the icons's seductive dance, you must hit the home button yet again. Sort of excessive, no?
On the TouchPad, it is far simpler to quit a program--and kind of fun too. This is a feature carried over from Palm, of course, but we think it works great on the tablet's big screen. The gesture is very intuitive: just swipe up to quit. When the apps appear as "cards" on your desktop, just swipe them up, and they'll float off screen, out of mind and sight. For "card stacks," the gesture is especially helpful--closing a single tab within your browser takes only a flick of the finger.
Email Notifications
We realize iOS 5 will change notifications on the iPad; but one feature of WebOS that Apple should incorporate is HP's email notifications. When you receive a new email, an icon will appear in the top status bar. Just click the icon, and a drop-down menu will appear. Without disrupting your homescreen experience, you can swipe through each new email in your inbox with ease, all from the status bar--no need to open the program. It's a way to triage your inbox and through the clutter--a feature I've found supremely helpful over the past week.
Touch To Share
Most of you likely saw HP demonstrate this feature months ago--but to try it yourself is still a magical experience. Called Touch To Share, the feature allows you to instantly share content from your TouchPad with your Palm Pre smartphone. Have restaurant's website open in your browser? A map open with directions to the eatery? Just tap the smartphone to the TouchPad, and--with a gorgeous ripple effect--the content will open on the smartphone.
Of course, the sharing only works between the TouchPad and Pre smartphones--chances are low that many consumers would own both devices. But imagine if Apple brought this functionality to the iPad and iPhone?
Inductive Charging
Don't we all hate plugging in USB cords to power up our devices? It's the pits, man. To avoid the headache, some have developed wireless charging solutions, which always require accessories and an attachment for the tablet itself.
Not on the TouchPad. HP has built inductive charging right into the TouchPad itself. You'll still need an accessory, called the HP Touchstone, to allow it to charge, but the outcome is awesome: It's very satisfying to just plop the tablet down, and not have to worry about cords or syncing.
COMMENTARY: In a blog post dated June 27, 2011, I profiled the new HP TouchPad, and immediately fell in love with HP's new "magical" tablet. And judging from the reviews so far, HP has a real winner. In my mind, the HP TouchPad could be the "iPad-Killer" we've been waiting for, that could really give Apple a run for its money.
I will conceed that the HP TouchPad has a huge weakness--only 300 apps. If the HP TouchPad had 90,000 apps like the Apple iPad, there would be panic in Cupertino, California. 90,000 iPad apps versus only 300 for the HP TouchPad. HP has its work cutout for it. You can bet HP is hunting down developers like runaway steers in the open range.
In order to save on power, Jobs purposely cutback on the iPad's screen definition and settled on 720 dpi, which I thought was a mistake. It also eliminated Adobe Flash, another huge mistake. How can you have a true "magical" online experience without FLASH? I just don't get it. I wish Jobs would put aside his ego for a change, make the iPad Adobe Flash compatible.
The HP TouchPad is the first true multi-tasking mobile computer. Sure, they use up battery power, but it's worth it, just connect the AC/DC adapter--problem solved. Corporate America is going to love the HP TouchPad.
The worse mistake that Steve Jobs and his talented and innovative group of new product engineers and designers can make is to overlook the HP TouchPad--that's how good this new "magical" tablet is. As soon as Apple engineers get their hands on a spanking new HP TouchPad, they will break it apart and figure out how it works. That's standard practice for Steve Jobs (I read "Inside Steve's Brain"). The only problem for Apple is being able to replicate HP's WebOS. That's where a lot of the development time will go, so Apple better get started.
Apple evangelists are religious about their Apple products, and won't concede a damn thing. Bring on the negative comments. Some of you will call me an iPad hater, that's okay, too. I can handle that criticism because it's my job to review some of these new fangled technologies, and I will wholeheartedly admit that the Apple rules the world right now. As a token of my appreciation for the good taste demonstrated by Apple iPad owners worldwide I have a little surprise for you right HERE
Courtesy of an article dated June 29, 2011 appearing in Fast Company
Mark, it's TouchPad, not touchstone. BTW, in China I can buy a PAD (without the i) for $147.50. same as regular iPad.
Posted by: Tommy | 07/04/2011 at 06:04 AM
Fair comments.
I am a rabid mac fan (have been since the mac was called Lisa) I just got a new iPad2 and didn't know how to quit apps or even if they were running until I read your report. Thanks.
I wish we could download an ipad app to install SwipeUp to quit, or at least put a Quit button in each app. (if there is one already I don't know how to find it!!! so it obviously isnt intuitive in that respect).
I also find recharging painful but I think the idea of the touch stone could be improved further... perhaps the touchstone could also be a bluetooth interface to Sync the pad with the computer at the same time.
Posted by: Mark Andersen | 07/03/2011 at 07:09 PM