HP Preparing to Take on Apple With TouchPad, Potential Cloud-Based Media Service

[*LTD*]

They're always "preparing", aren't they.

 

[paulypants]

Yawn

How many marketing dollars were sunk into that name I wonder.

 

[KingCrimson]

iOS - 2007 (Android - 2008)
iOS - Full touchscreen device (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Multi-touch (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Swipe to unlock screen (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Pinch to zoom (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Inertia scrolling (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Notifications (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - Apps with configurable interfaces (2007) (Android 2008)
iOS - First device with a usable mobile web browser (2007) (Android?)
iOS - On screen virtual keyboard (2007) (Android 2008)

Here is a comparison of what Android looked like before and after the iPhone launched.
http://random.andrewwarner.com/what...d-like-before-and-after-the-launch-of-iphone/

Exactly, it's just copy, copy, copy. At least MSFT is doing something different with the Metro Language and live tiles.

 

[brendu]

If HP can use their "scale" to get me a Hulu app, a Netflix app, and the top 10 iOS game developers to port their games to webOS (which is supposed to be extremely simple) I would seriously consider dumping my iPhone and iPad for a Pre3 and TouchPad... I just don't think its gonna happen...

Also if you have been following HP and the TouchPad it is clear that HP's target market is in enterprise. They want to take out RIM not Apple.

 

[C.Calthrop]

Developers, developers, developers!

If HP doesn't get developers on board, webOS is dead.

 

[LaDirection]

"HP Preparing to Take on Apple..."

Yeah, right.

 

[Lesser Evets]

$499 for what? Less. They might cut close to equal in 6 months or more... so buy it and hope.

 

[dukeblue91]

although a number of industry observers have noted that players such as Amazon and Google (and now HP) may have an easier time negotiating the complex music industry now that Apple has created a template with its own iCloud/iTunes Match service.

This sums it all up.
Everyone always waits or offers some half backed stuff till Apple comes in and shows how it's done right.
iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and app stores just to mention a few.
They did not invent this stuff totally but improved it to make it easy and usable for the masses.
And everyone comes out with their own mess because Apple has yet again found a money maker.

 

[lacosner]

Whomp, whomp. whomp!

Congratulations on the purchase of your new HP TouchPad, Sir. Here is your TouchPad, your accessories, and don't forget to check out our catalog of applications. We are currently holding steady at 74 pointless apps, and counting!

 

[mactactic]

These are not the tablets your looking for

Move along >>>>>>>>

 

[SockRolid]

Apple also "borrowed" the MP3 player idea

So? it doesn't change the fact that iOS 5 borrowed (copied) from Android, RIM, WinPho 7, 3rd party devs & JB community. Therefore that quote is hypocritical.

Way back in 2001, Apple looked at the MP3 player market and said "Interesting idea. Terrible execution. We can do better."

So Apple rolled out their (yes, somewhat shinier) iPod with a better interface than all the other MP3 players. Then Apple rolled out iTunes with simple media syncing. And the rest is history. The personal media player market changed radically, forever. iPod replaced Walkman and Apple is now the worlds largest music retailer.

Recently Apple looked at the smartphone OS competition and said "Interesting idea. Terrible execution. We can do better."

We'll see how the smartphone and pad computing markets look in 10 years. Some people say it's pee cee vs. Mac all over again. I say it's iPod domination all over again.

 

[rdrr]

Flash! Aaaah Aaaah Ah

 

[bushido]

love my iPhone but all these new releases show how dated the iOS UI is

 

[840quadra]

Oh i dunno...i own Apple products and i have an interest in Apple (technology in general) related discussions?

Some individuals don't understand how important it is to sometimes be critical of a company they love / respect.

I think the key point is to understand that all of these tech companies tend to borrow (or copy if you insist) from their competition to improve upon their own products. The companies I respect are the those that greatly improve upon the invention in an evolutionary way, as opposed to a poor shadow of the original.

Is Apple doing that in this case, I am not sure so I can't comment on it just yet.

 

[Ijustfarted]

love my iPhone but all these new releases show how dated the iOS UI is

I love my ipad 2 and think the current UI of ios is crappy as well but I still think it's better than webos ui.

 

[SockRolid]

Perfectly stated

This sums it all up.
Everyone always waits or offers some half backed stuff till Apple comes in and shows how it's done right.
iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and app stores just to mention a few.
They did not invent this stuff totally but improved it to make it easy and usable for the masses.
And everyone comes out with their own mess because Apple has yet again found a money maker.

Apple's competitors put out placeholder products because they have no idea what to do. They think it's better to have something, anything, on the market than nothing at all.

Google TV, for example...

 

[skellener]

On a related note, with every new iOS release Devs must be crapping their pants hoping Apple hasn't decided to implement another of their ideas into iOS, making Devs apps useless and killing their cash cows. Cases in question: Instapaper, Dropbox, Evernote, Wireless Sync, etc. Those are like 4 out of the 10 new features announced last monday...

Dropbox is the iDisk that Apple was never able to deliver. It works better than anything iDisk offered. I think it's still better than what was discussed for iCloud during the keynote.

 

[spazzcat]

Yeah, apparently its cool when Apple does it, but not when others do.

On a related note, with every new iOS release Devs must be crapping their pants hoping Apple hasn't decided to implement another of their ideas into iOS, making Devs apps useless and killing their cash cows. Cases in question: Instapaper, Dropbox, Evernote, Wireless Sync, etc. Those are like 4 out of the 10 new features announced last monday...

I for one, am liking Web OS, specially their implementation of multitasking, which is very similar to the Playbook's(also awesome). If developers embraced those platforms, we would have real alternatives.

It's a shame snowballs are so hard to stop...

Let us know how you like the battery. There is a very valid reason apple did multitasking the way they did... I never got instapaper to work right, can't wait to drop dropbox, it's ok but not great on iOS, wireless sync is needed to cut the cord which lot people wanted....

 

[nunes013]

webOS looks very nice. it is as stable as iOS and a lot more than android. webOS will always have android beaten even if they dont have the developer numbers. its just a better OS. however, its the developers keeping it down. HP really needs pull these up to compete. without it, the touchpad might gain some traction but not enough to compete with iOS or android. if they can pull in some developers and this thing starts to sell they might have an actual competitor and apple might wish they didnt put in a bigger bid for palm. i dont think it will outgrow iOS anytime soon if at all. even though their software is both very equal, apple has an app store that will take hp years and years to catch up with. the next two years or so will be very interesting.

 

[maxinc]

I just watched the demo on youtube and I can't believe the lag on this thing. Swipe to turn a page, wait 1-2 seconds and the page turns by itself ... amazing stuff. The guy keep repeating "this cool feature" for some odd reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ZA8kgd_YY

Do you guys know of a better, more recent demo of this device?

 

[spazzcat]

Dropbox is the iDisk that Apple was never able to deliver. It works better than anything iDisk offered. I think it's still better than what was discussed for iCloud during the keynote.

iCloud will have better app integration and app integration doesn't count in terms of your 5gb of space with iCloud...

 

[maxinc]

even though their software is both very equal, apple has an app store that will take hp years and years to catch up with.

Assuming that Apple will stop here. I think the era of the tablets will be dominated by Apple just as they did with the iPod. Excellent user experience and ease of use, top quality and reasonable price.

 

[manu chao]

And when Android's notification system came out people bashed them for creating a poor man's WebOS.

But few people are bashing Apple for creating a poor man's Android notification system.

If you copy and make it better, it is generally seen more positive compared to copying and being worse than the original.
(That is not to say that everything Apple copies is better than the original, just trying to move this away a bit from a pure black and white point of view.)

EDIT: 840quadra beat me to it.

 

[iansilv]

I thought this was Macrumors? j/k

Seriously I want to see this. Apple is king, but a little competition will only help consumers.

 

[Kwill]

Then you're missing the larger picture. They bought the only real competitor for iOS that they can control themselves. Their aim is to out Apple, Apple. I doubt they can do it but i'm hopeful. Apple needs real competition and Android aint it. HP specializes in integrated solutions. the WebOS tablets, phones, and laptops could change everything--if they ever get off the ground.

• Android appeals to non-Apple computer geeks.
• Apple appeals to those who expect everything to just work seamlessly.
• HP Pre appeals to those who want Apple devices plus one more feature.