Bradley: TouchPad marketing push and OTA updates are coming soon 134
Since the HP TouchPad has arrived and reviews of the device started discussions, people have been asking about two very specific things that they are waiting for with this tablet device; a marketing push from HP, and an over-the-air update to fix some bugs in the OS. We've known that both were coming as early as several months before the launch of the TouchPad, and as late as Jon Rubenstein's internal memo, Ari Jaaksi's personal blog post and Stephen Dewitt's latest interview.
Here once again in an interview with Bloomberg News, Todd Bradley, VP of HP's Personal Systems Group, has given us some details on what we can expect to arrive very soon for the TouchPad which confirm exactly what others had previously stated. As Dewitt said just yesterday, the July 1st release of the TouchPad was indeed a soft launch for HP to start getting the device into the hands of consumers and pull some feedback in return. The real launch, with increased marketing efforts, are all planned to arrive on July 17th.
Shortly after that, or as Bradley says, "in about 10 days", the first OTA update for the TouchPad will arrive to device owners near and abroad. This update will pack bug fixes and some feature updates in response to the immense amount of feedback received from the public and reviewers who got their devices on the 1st of the month.
You may have noticed something about the way this new webOS Global Business Unit has been operating in these last few weeks, and it's a very good thing indeed. With multiple executives all corroborating each other's statements (remember all of the different estimates on the number of apps we would see at launch?), and with actual dates revealed to help us better prepare for the future; HP's webOS team is taking a much needed step in the right direction to make their mobile devices a success. There is still a lot of work to be done, though, but then maybe we can pull from the other phrase that so many of their executives have agreeing on lately, "We aren't running in a sprint; we're running in a marathon."
Source: Bloomberg News (Boston.com); Via: PreCentral Forums
134 Comments
Yah, they ran in a Sprint last time, and got burnt. Sorry, couldn't help it. Maybe they should re-evaluate their choice of words first next time. Unless they were trying to tell us something on purpose. Dobt!
You scooped me on that. Good one!!
That was Palm's fault. Sprint reps were pushing the Pre, but it was **** I personally know 7 people that got a pre and returned it within a month.
The reason the message is consistent is because they're spinning a failed launch. July 1st was NOT a soft launch. "Soft launches" don't have featured demonstrations on the biggest home shopping network in America, nor do they have reviews for the product 19 days early, nor do they have custom displays with demo units and stock for sale at a kazillion different brick and mortar retailers.
Speaking of consistency, how does "soft launching" a device they "knew" was buggy and needed an OTA update reconcile with Leo saying they wouldn't release items until perfect?
Hey, can you share with us that 'perfect' electronic device you know about please?
It doesn't have to be OBJECTIVELY perfect. There's no such thing.
But if they claimed to have an OTA update coming to address every bug/lag issue Josh Topolsky had PRIOR to his review running (on June 29!), then in fact, they released a device July 1 they KNEW to be objectively IMperfect.
It's corporate bull.
Then it's subjectively perfect. It's there, it works (mostly), and everybody is clamouring for devices to come. So send it off. Then OTA updates come and it gets a bit more perfect, and then more OTA...
And later, more iterations come...perfectly.
A device that mostly makes people long for other devices "to come" isn't "perfect" whether it be objectively or subjectively.
Unless you think the Sprint Pre and pretty much every other "potential"-filled WebOS device was "subjectively perfect". Seem to remember that getting a lot of OTA updates too.....
I see where your unrelenting bad vibes come from now
Where does the unrelenting stream of misinformation and/or outright deceit from HP execs come from?
sigh... the TouchPad was objectively imperfect? Why do you care?
I have a TouchPad. I objectively love it.
Great. Seriously.
This article is about the launch of the TouchPad, not the TouchPad.
No such thing eh? I'm sure there are iSheep that disagree...
It was a soft launch. A product launch entails a mix of a bunch of different marketing/advertising means. Displays =! hard launch. Every consumer electronic should be available to see and/or use. QVC always has HP products featured, there's like one 2-hour block a day...
Let the blitz of mass media tools like national commercials and whatever else HP have up their sleeves commence.
A blitz of mass media =! hard launch.
Unless you think Apple is "soft launch"-ing their products like iPad 2, which launched in early March, but didn't get a TV ad until April. Apple sold a million that first weekend and hit 2 million before that first commercial aired ONCE.
I didn't say the blitz = hard launch; it's simply a part of the launch. And yes, the ipad 2 was a pretty soft launch. The number of products sold doesn't show whether a product had a soft or hard launch.
I actually work in marketing and advertising. A "launch" is purely marketing lingo, something created to increase buzz about a product. Sometimes a product doesn't need a lot of buzz (see. ipad 2)
I actually work in marketing as well for one of the biggest retailers in the US and abroad. The amount of TV or print media buys does not define how "soft" or "hard" a launch is. Maybe you haven't noticed, but viewership for both of those forms of media is on the decline.
HP paid for Twitter sponsorship, YouTube placements, ran an ad with Russell Brand already with national buys on major stations, and has paid for QVC, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart to feature this prominently. It's also been thoroughly reviewed in every print daily (via syndicated reviews) and on every major tech and entertainment site. I highly doubt whatever is coming on the 17th will reach considerably more eyeballs than they have already reached.
Actually... it is not in ALL the Walmarts. Here in Charlotte they don't even have a display to show the HP Touchpad. Its like it doesnt even have a home here in Charlotte.
Where's Charlotte?
/s
Mikah912 made good point
I quote:
mikah912 "The amount of TV or print media buys does not define how "soft" or "hard" a launch is."
So, how do you define HP's launch as hard?
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!
Scope and intent.
The launch of the Pre 2 was a soft launch. It was available through very limited channels and in limited quantities with little to no advertising, then it soft launched AGAIN on Verizon with pretty much identical circumstances. You pretty much had to buy it sight unseen in most cases.
By contrast, the Touchpad was preceded by the Feb.9 gala, TV ads with Russell Brand, Twitter and YouTube placements, major reviews cleared for publishing on June 29, and was available through pretty much every channel HP could manage including non-stop solicitation from their corporate salespeople. Oh, and did I mention the display tables with demo units everywhere?
HP paying for additional TV or print buys wouldn't make it "hard".
Actually . . .Apple is soft-launching the iPad3 and iPhone5 right now by not saying anything and letting everyone else start planning when they are going to start sleeping outside. THAT is a soft launch. Once you launch, you have taken off, see the space shuttle. No such thing as Half-assed flight. Either you are up or you are grounded.
"It was a soft launch. A product launch entails a mix of a bunch of different marketing/advertising means."
You mean like:
Newspapers
Magazines
TV Spots
Paid Placement
Youtube Banners
Twitter Trending
You mean like that?
(It was a failed launch anyway you spin it, man.)
M.
Had zero advertising on tv here in the Uk.
Aside from tech people, no one knows about it. I would imagine that the 'hard launch' will be proper availability in worldwide channels, and advertising outside the US.
HP always have ads on here for other products, and they are on tv A LOT.
I imagine the US advertising will ramp up significantly on the 17th.
When the proper blitz starts, will all the people on here change their minds about this?
There was a review in every daily US paper that runs syndicated material, the WSJ, UsaToday, etc. Reviews at every major online site, all coordinated to publish THE SAME DAY. The Russell Brand ad HAS aired on ABC Family, SyFy Channel, Discovery Channel, and several other major cable networks.
How is any of that soft?
Where is the Uk? (I kid, I kid)
I have to agree somewhat. The July 1st launch didn't feel "soft". It wasn't like the Veer, which I believe was only advertised in print for weeks after launch before getting the big TV push.
Then again I've only seen one Russell Brand ad for the TouchPad on television, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see where they go with their marketing muscle this month.
Hopefully they get on the ball.
Actually, it always was planned as a "soft launch" If you read HPs reseller spec sheets, it clearly states "Ad Embargo: 7/17/11". That is why you havent seen it advertised in retail print ads yet. Wait until 7/17 and you will see it in BestBuy, Staples, etc. ads.
Will the bug fixes include some speed improvements? I dont have major issues there but its always nice to improve the performance of the os. Apple increased the os performance when they launched the ipad2 I believe.
So what kind of tablet you have mikah912? Or do you own one?
I have to own a tablet to comment on HP corporate communications being a mendacious joke? That makes sense.
No, of course you don't HAVE to have one. But I imagine jacksons2815 asked you the question because you are always so very negative, and he was curious as am I if you have the device in your hands that you are so negative on.
No crime in being negative, its your perrogative, so don't get defensive.
If I remember correctly he said he has a Sprint Pre- bought way back when Palm was Palm. I hope this helps.
Bought a Pre -. Later, bought a Pixi for my wife. She uses it as a glorified feature phone, so it's fine for her. Both devices were and are sorely lacking for me.
I'm not buying ANY tablet right now. I need semi-professional music making and graphics capabilities. Would much rather have an HP DM1Z or Ultrabook.
But if I were, only makes sense to buy the most capable, which is currently...well, you know.
NONE of this has anything to do with the fact the HP executives are continuously being deceptive and arbitrary with their public statements. This is a prime example.
Don't hate, appreciate. In other words, mikah912 has some very valid points. I don't know about his general tone in other posts, but he seems very reasonable in his comments here.
I think you are going to be negative about anything HP does.
If being positive means ignoring the content of the articles Derek and Tim work so hard to post, and instead baiting individual users with off-topic personal attacks, I will be negative any day of the week, any time of day.
*yawn*
Hey HP, if you read this; I am a huge fan of WebOS, but so far, I am not a huge fan of you.
My allegiance is fading quickly and I'm currently shopping Android phones on Sprint.
Sincerely,
Day one Pre/Sprint user
your a idiot
And you, sir, can't spell.
At least I know when to use "a" and "an".
and "your" and "ur"
and I know the difference between your and you're. LoL.
Looking at his name, perhaps English is not his first language?
My wife got an Android top of the line against all my protestations. It really is pretty cool, but as I've used it more and more I see a lot of flaws; it's just not as easy as WebOS, and things arent as simple as they are wth my beloved Pre-.
Her contacts won't merge with her Facebook account so she has to enter them all manually, kind of a pain in the **** if you ask me. Also, we were warned that you can get a virus by downloading certain apps- this from the store manager: Is that true? I don't think WebOs has that problem.
I think she's doing something wrong if her contacts won't merge. Mine does just fine.
Virus: Yes, this is true but is usually from downloading from black market sites. The Android Market itself more like HP's "web catalog" as opposed to the "app catalog". So it is possible for things to sneak in there but Google has been pretty good at shutting down bad apps. Some people use virus protection software. Amazon's App Store has a review process so some consider that a better option.
Ok, see you later
So, there we have it. If the OTA is not here on the 27th presumably heads will roll, or at least consumers will roll onto something else.
Given the recent interviews,why would anyone buy a TP until they see if the OTA really happens and solves the issues they now admit exist? They have doomed the July 17 hard launch...
Really. "We know the product has problems and has bad reviews, but we are going to spend a lot of money and draw a lot more attention to it two weeks before we fix the problems!".
Oy.
I already bought mine and and I'm really happy with it. No, it's not perfect, but WebOS on a nine inch screen is really cool! I live on a pretty tight budget so I don't have money to burn on just anything I want, so if I'm not getting a lot of bang for my buck it really smarts: Bottom line; no buyers remorse as of yet!
This is one of the best comments on here in a long while! I guess I just relate to a guy who is being honest and saying he took the plunge, would be honest if it sucked, has a tight budget so he would be the first with remorse if it was lacking for reasonable users, etc. Thank you for posting this Wade. Thumbs up man. You just made me think I too on a budget should still vote with my wallet for the future of WebOS! My coworker has the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and it is really nice hardware with the clunkiest OS!! I want to cast my wallet vote for WebOS. The thought of Android remaining the alternative to Apple is sickening to me.
So is that what you think?
It seems like there are 10 different people interviewing about WebOS products....man I'm starting to wonder who is in charge. I guess this is the corporate "structure" that we hoped wouldn't swallow Palm.
What you are getting is a demonstration of cohesion that HP is dedicated to webOS. They should be on the same page. You are assuming webOS is for one type product/device. It isn't. It is something they hope to be the common thread throughout their ecosystem.
No man, you are seeing a few core guys who are high up in a HUGE company take to the streets and get the same message out. I work in public relations and they are starting to get higher marks than ever before. Maybe Leo is threatening them and they all rallied together.
And that's why I'm an engineer and not in public relations.
So, if true, why not make the "real" launch July 27 so that everybody has the OTA bug fixes and updates. A hard launch/push when you know the device has problems that wont be fixed on launch day???
Genius, right?
I agree, by July 27, 2012 they should have it down.
"We aren't running in a sprint; we're running in a marathon."
Ouch! That was painful--uncalled for. Like rubbing it in.
Signed,
Sprint Pre owner
I consider it soft when most people I talk to still don't know what the TouchPad is.
Maybe you don't consider the july 1st launch soft, but hopefully that opinion will change if they give us in your face marketing on July 17th.
by that definition every single Palm and hp phone and tablet has only had a soft launch because most people i know outside of Precentral don't know what ANY of their devices are. Sad but that's true in my experience.
i don't buy all this soft launch stuff. And if it's true that's seems dumb. i don't know of many successful consumer electronics products that would launch like that. regardless i think it's spin trying to save face.
A little honesty, here. Soft launch equals failed launch. Notice, they don't announce that the launch is going to be a soft launch in advance. It is only defined afterward. They had a launch line contest on Facebook, for Pete's sake. Anything anticipating launch lines can't be described as soft. They are all over the internet, YouTube, National publications, TV. There is no media they have left out. What they are trying to do is get a second chance to make a first impression.
Some of you genius marketers from upthread, please explain how the second launch will be different from the first? Will it have better commercials? Will the product be more visible at the big-box retailers? Will it be #1++? People keep saying that no one knows the TP exists. Consider this. They know and just don't give a damn. HP wants to convince people that the TP is a better iPad. That message does not resonate.
One last thing, the number of apps at launch is a big deal because there was a huge lead time between announcement and launch. If developers gave a damn, they had plenty of time to get on board. HP had no ability to attract developers in all that time. People are misreporting the facts, trying to compare the TP launch apps to the iPad's. The iPad launched with 5,000 native apps. Even then, critics said it wasn't enough.
Looking forward to seeing what HP considers a hard launch.
The second launch will be described as a soft launch of the OTA on, or about, August 15th. The real launch will be "in the coming months".
Well, they took their sweet time from February to July to get everything right and it turns out that the only problem with the TP is that they made it a few millimeters too thick and launched about three weeks too early and forgot to tell everyone it was a soft launch. Other than that, everything's fine.
Give me a break. This is obviously a PR blitz in response to a bad launch. I'm surprised we don't see him on CNBC again although I'm sure he made himself available for Maria Bartiromo for a follow-up. The talking points: 1) OTA update coming; 2) Soft launch; 3) Marathon, not a sprint.
Unfortunately, the TP is a soft product. It doesn't do anything well enough to be a compelling differentiator again the similarly-priced competition SITTING ON THE SHELF RIGHT NEXT TO IT. I don't know what HP was expecting from their channel partners, all of whom basically just take their commodity tech products and put them up on the shelf with a price. It's obvious that the TP2 will probably be a complete overhaul made to look nothing at all like the TP. For the next year, though, they are probably stuck with this.
Well it does have one differentiator, except it's useless right now since they didn't release an update for the Veer to go with it or launch the Pre 3 at the same time.
Touch-to-share? You tap a very specific smartphone to the TP and it will send over the URL via bluetooth. That's what it does. Period. Everything else about it exists purely in the imagination. By the time it does anything else later this year, iCloud will enable much more sharing of pics, etc. without the devices even needing to be physically present much less in physical contact. It's already been enabled on the SDK for iOS5 which developers have been working with for over a month.
TTS is DOA. Please explain why you think it may not be. iOS has every iPad and every iPhone 4 ready to do it in the Fall and HP will be trying to get something out to the Pre 3 or Veer.
I agree and disagree with you. TTS is a gimmick right now, nothing neato can't accomplish. And everything else about it is imagination. However, from what we do know about it, you'll be able to transfer stuff between devices, as opposed to iCloud where you will have to upload to a cloud and then sync to devices.
What we saw a short while ago about being able to "pour" stuff between iDevices is more compelling than iCloud, and more in the spirit of TTS.
Personally, I want both. My only real gripe with TTS is that HP chose to use something other than standard NFC as the trigger. That to me limits the possibilities. This is going to sound like a double standard but...it would be more acceptable if someone like Apple goes proprietary only because their products are already everywhere and they have amazing 3rd party support. So their "proprietary" is not as limiting as HP's whose products are still struggling to get off the ground.
1st choice for me, go with the standard so everyone can play.
2nd choice, if you've gotta go proprietary, go with "popular". I have a much better chance that my car or stereo or whatever will have support for Apple than for HP unless I'm looking at printers.
Well, as far as I know (could be wrong), NFC standards are still evolving at this point, so I think it would have been hard for HP to go with an NFC standard for TTS.
Even though it is still really cool that they brought it out, I am a little disappointed that HP wasn't more forward-thinking with their communications for TTS, though - they used Bluetooth 2.1 for the data transfer. If they had gone with a higher-speed protocol like 3.0 or wi-Fi Direct, the transfer rates could have been much higher (and more flexible for other apps to use given the supposedly forthcoming TTS developer APIs).
NFC is pretty far along. Been around for some time: http://www.nfc-forum.org/
OK, so there are standards, but are there working products...?
Maybe this isn't the best place but, from this list here, doesn't look like there are
http://www.nearfieldcommunicationsworld.com/list-of-nfc-trials-pilots-te...
I see a lot of demos and tests in 2011 - so it appears we're still in early adoption phase (standards usually don't settle down until you have an installed base of working products and interoperability testing).
If that's the case, then, yes, HP could have used NFC standards but that still doesn't mean HP's devices would have been widely compatible with other implementations.
In any case, there was a report that HP had a job opening for a resource with NFC knowledge and skillset, so they might migrate TTS to that in the future (or it could just be for NFC purchasing as RIM and Google are targeting).
The first NFC-enabled phone was done by Nokia (I think back in 2007...or was it 1997?...I can't remember). But yeah, it's just picking up steam.
Rumor has it the new BBs will be NFC-enabled. There was some talk about Apple following suit as well.
I don't care that much about the "purchasing" stuff that people are doing. It's all the other features that I'm looking forward to.
*****
In any case, there was a report that HP had a job opening for a resource with NFC knowledge and skillset...
*****
Yep. Saw that post and I think it's a good thing.
Ok, 2007 it was. Nokia 6131 NFC was announced at CES'07.
Every time I read "not a Sprint" I giggle.
As an aside, I feel horrible for you sprint people. You guys deserve better (and with all of the sarcasm going on, I want to be clear this is not sarcasm).
UntidyGuy, if you are on twitter I would like to start following you!
Great post and very true to the point.
I think this was the device that launched 3 months to late and simultaneously 3 months too early.
I just shake my head whenever I think that they didn't think, "Hey, lets not make the back slippery plastic like the original Pre - lets at least make it of the same material the Pre Plus and the inductive accessory back the Pre- got. That is inductive, not as slick and it looks better." Do you think someone said this and was shot down? If so, fire the person who shot the idea down and promote the guy who said it!
Sadly, it probably was Rubenstien's idea and they already have demoted him. I watched a 77 min. video archived on Engadget with him last night and he is an arrogant fool.
"Coming Soon"
Where have I heard that before?
I'll answer this for you in the coming months.
you should post the answer using Flash.
will you be here all week?
Not sure. A software bug prevents me from seeing more than a few days at a time in the calendar app. :-)
The cynicism, anger and bitterness from some commenters is getting annoying. I'm hoping that HP sells a lot of their new devices partly just to bring in some new customers.
Do we really have to always rehash in the comments after every Precentral article:
1. The situation where there have been no new phones on Sprint?
2. Whether HP's make it right promise was kept in the appropriate way?
3. That Pre Minus/Plus and Pixi users didn't get an OTA update to webOS 2.x?
Now we seem to be adding:
4. Whether the TouchPad is priced appropriately?
5. Is the TouchPad software buggy?
and even:
6. Is the TouchPad launch hard or soft (and when) from a marketing perspective?
This is getting obnoxious. All of these are legitimate questions but a lot of folks can't seem to let go of their negative emotions and are stuck playing a broken record on their cynical/bitter agendas.
Seriously - there is a lot of positive news right now. HP is launching new devices and new categories of devices (Veer, TouchPad, Pre3, Opal, and who knows what else is in the pipeline). They have real/serious marketing (and money) behind them (would Palm have ever had their devices at as many retailers with Palm specific displays?) These are key differences from where we were under Palm. HP is putting out a major new version of webOS. There will be new features and bug fixes rolled out via OTA updates (this is similar to what happened when webOS 1.0 debuted on the original Pre).
As just one example of how negative the environment is, it's interesting how expectations have changed now regarding OS updates. Back in 2009, everyone was ecstatic about OTA updates for bug-fixes (previously Palm almost never delivered fixes on PalmOS). Now too many people are fixated on whether the product was perfect at launch and whether updates are coming soon enough, etc.
I would like to see people either post constructive comments or get off their soap-box and complain to the appropriate party (Sprint, HP, etc) and NOT HERE.
I agree that not everything is perfect in webOS land, but there's a lot of positive news these days and it's not necessary for some folks to keep repeating themselves over and over again about the negative items (which is edging into trolling territory in my view). I would urge PreCentral to issue an editorial calling for civility and good judgement and start banning the worst offenders if it continues. It is increasingly ruining the experience on this site.
I nominate you to be in charge of the comment section of this site, and its forums. Make sure you remember to keep your feelings in mind while making the tough decisions on whether a post is valid or not. Don't let the fact that pointing out HPalms failures may actually be positive for change, stay focused and censor this bad boy up.
Anyone want to second my nomination?
Agree 100%
Just before HP bought Palm, no one was even sure if webOS would still be alive at all by now.
Now, we have one of the biggest pc firms in the world, launching new products, supporting webOS with proper ads etc, with one new phone launched, another one due soon and a brand new tablet.
The biggest computer firm in the world has taken webOS and is going head to head with Apple and Android, and is still supporting homebrew!
Seriously these comments sections are getting more and more negative, when there is nothing to be negative about!!!
Remember, this is the first time HP, as big as it is, has launched a product where it has to make everything, hardware, software, ecosystem, etc.
Did any of you really expect it all to be 100% perfect?
And i have to agree with this commentor, the negativity is really ruining the site for me.
If there was negativity before, it was informed and constructive, yet now it seems that whatever gets posted the same commenters push out the same **** every time.
Half the time now I dont bother to scroll down to the comments at all as they are dominated by the same whiners.
I actually have found the comments recently to be overall well thought out and honest. People are disappointed, myself included, and I can't blame them (me).
TL:DR. That length of screed belongs in the forums.
TL:DR. Screed.
These words are obnoxious, condescending, and make me want to gouge my own eyes out.
:)
Somebody bought a new thesaurus app.
So glad someone has voiced my thoughts on this!
If you can't express your disappointment to your comrades in the comments, where can you?
The guys who write these articles are doing a fantastic job as of late (I got worried when Dieter left, I am not going to lie.) But things have gotten really good since then. They are reporting on par with some of the best tech sites I visit like Engadget and Gizmodo (albeit their focus is much more narrow for obvious reasons.) I feel this way all the time when reading good stories on the web - it is not fun though to read a great story and have attached to it three lines down some dude in his mother's basement posting vitriol or his mental sludge.
I wonder if this OTA include the OTA update for the Veer giving it Touch To Share capability? Remember how the Veer didn't have the ability at launch, but that an OTA would bring the Veer this capability (the hardware is already built in to the veer).
"OTA coming soon..."
coming soon - man that sounds familiar. Let's see, when I have I heard that before, hmmm???
Maybe the US had a soft launch but come mid July when the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany and Canada get the TouchPad released it will kick off the real launch with worldwide marketing of TV, press and online adverts, all showing at the same time around the globe as well as the retailers kicking into gear and promoting it too.
Yes, the real launch will be when the marketing hits all the announced countrys
That's not a very good pic of Bradley. To me, it associates an antiquated era with today's WebOS. That's not a good mix. Lol
Look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdfG-RosISc
look like the Pre 3 has also Bings Maps and a new Youtube-App! (1:17 min.)
and you can see the AT&T Navigator ;) What does that mean?!
Great review! I'm really excited to get one even if it means leaving Sprint.
HOT REVEIW cant wait for the phone! But it wont be on Sprint.
Also mentioned using MS Office, Word, Excel & Powerpoint Docs at 50-53 second mark
To the reviewer in the video, I'd love to check it out, but it's not even available yet, and doesn't even have a release date.
I'm getting the Pre3 once it comes out (thank you employer discount on verizon - so long, Sprint!!), but who is this guy? His review is video taped and sounds just like an ad instead of a review! Mind you, I agree with allof his statements. I just wonder how come the only onscreen "models" he could find were old guys.
Cool video - good to see the Pre3 in action though it also looks like there were some Pre2 shots stuck in there too.
It's a bit fluffy but then SkyTV isn't an objective review (more of a paid advertisement really). Other than seeing some new icons, nothing really new here except the fact that Pre3 being shown on SkyTV is just another indication that the Pre3 launch must be coming soon. HP is trying to raise awareness among frequent business travelers.
For those who don't know, SkyTV is in-flight television programming shown on the airlines.
http://skytv.net/
people have been asking about ... an over-the-air update to fix some bugs in the OS.
Wait, I thought the TP's OS wasn't buggy. When did this change? Some time in the last 24 hours apparently. DOH!
Here's my bottom line:
I don't care what Leo has said in the past.
I don't care what Sprint will or will not do.
I don't care what new role Rubi now has, other than to wish him well.
What I do care about is how my TouchPad functions today, which is OK. Not great, not dazzling or blindingly fast. Nor is it a POC. It’s just OK.
I care about the Kindle app and document editing and the ability to tweak my TouchPad in much the same way that I've been able to tweak my launch day Sprint Pre. I suspect that before the year is out, the combination of TouchPad and WebOS phones will be the envy of the industry.
I gotta tell ya all, in my opinion, looking over our shoulder and bitching about the past is just an exercise in futility. You don't like how HP has treated you? Spend your dollars elsewhere. I for one like the unified message and increased candor coming from HP - I think it bodes well for the future.
Agreed, all these whiners are just bitter.
I'm fed up of reading an article with exciting content then being depressed by the sudden army of complainers
The "whiners" are the ones actually talking about the subject matter of the article. You guys are making personal attacks.
Who's in the wrong here, again?
I actually very rarely comment on anything, to be honest.
It's just that, where i saw genuine worry and fear for webOS a year ago, I know see hope and much promise.
I remember first findin PreCentral and being amazed at the intelligent, communal, backs against the wall comments and forums. Something a bit special.
I have recently grown more and more frustrated and dissapointed with comments on PreCentral and I guess your complaints are the straw that broke the camels back.
I know its only the opinions of strangers far away but..
Ah.. dont worry I'll shut up and wont come back here.
What productive use of the comments!
I can see why some sites are switching to FB comments now...
Again, I'm the crazy loon actually discussing the contents of the article, meanwhile many others want to do positivity tests, debate outlooks, and talk about ANYTHING but the article Tim took the time to write.
By now, probably half your posts aren't discussing the article anymore.
Congrats, "positive" people. You won!
It's funny, isn't it? They can't refute valid points so they immediately launch into ad hominem attacks.
What a funny way of demonstrating positivity.
Ad hominem attacks is a two-way street, buddy.
Sounds like you should read the article and skip the comments section. I'm guessing some of you are firmly against social discourse, and would likely have cut down the liberty tree if you found any comment not to your liking.
You have an odd (and verbose) way of showing people that you don't care about what they say.
Rereading my comments I can see how someone might take what I said as a personal attack. What I was trying to say, is simply rehashing what Leo said earlier this year has little to do with the TouchPad I'm holding in my hand. The clearest message we can send to HP, or any other company is to spend our money elsewhere. I was speaking in generalities, and not focusing on the comments of others. I know which comments to focus on, and which to skip - it's not hard.
From my perspective, it's important to me that that HP is aggressively working to make my TouchPad better, and has givin me an indication that before the month is out, I'll receive an OTA update. That's cool. I simply see no value in rehashing things that aren't going to change, for example, my Pre minus getting the 2.0 upgrade. I've moved on. I think we'd all have more fun if we all do that.
You are right and it is cool of you to re-read your comments and come back with a clarifying message. Guys like you and mikah912 are why I love this site still.
I was just going to add that I think there is value in retreading some of the past because I personally one day want to be able to articulate how HP made WebOS a success/failure (time will tell). All of the posts about the past and the ones I am reading that are current are helping me get my facts straight so I can tell that story. Everyone always tells the Disney/Pixar and Apple story... They are told at every technology and marketing conference breakout I attend. Wouldn't it be cool to hear the WebOS HPalm story in the near future? (Of course, only if it is being told to show how they overcame a lot and were victorious in their goals :)
The comments that bring this site down are from the guys just trying to stir the pot. Neither of you are like that. And keatsseven, we need you buddy! Keep the faith. Don't bail now.
they should open some stores in the us
It is just as annoying to see people troll the people who post in response to what they see as a negative or complaint to tell them to leave or go someplace else. Everyone's comments are welcome and not everyone is going to be positive.
Perhaps you may want to review most website's comments sections but comments are generally not positive or even constructive. People attacking each other over differing viewpoints is the norm. News sites comments are hilarious especially political ones. If you want to see ignorance, check those out.
I, as a daily reader of P/C since June 2009, enjoy and agree with most of the criticisms. Keep them coming people. Ignore the haters that think this is an HP website where everything should be spinned positively.
Will do. Thanks.
Show some respect, mikah912. No need to respond to those who want to live in the fantasy world, its possibly the only thing they have left positive in terms of WebOS.
While I agree with looking at the positives and negatives (especially since its a product i'm going to spending money on and buying into and potentially developing for), just let some of the others have their denial. For all we know (and I hope not), this could be the end for our favorite mobile OS. Let them enjoy the last moments until the bitter end. Its the humane thing to do.
:P
sick burn
Go to Techcrunch comments. The difference from before FB comments and now is night and day.
Go to Treo Central circa early 2009. The difference in the quality of the forums then and now is like night and day, too.
cool story bro
@Karl, Apologies if my earlier post contributed to some of the back and forth today. I agree with your point about ignoring the cynics and I don't usually respond to the negativity and the complaints but it seems like we've been trending especially badly ever since February. I agree that HP has been far from perfect and certainly isn't as great as they themselves say - however, I don't think the situation and their products are anywhere near as bad as some of the folks here say either.
I've ready a lot of reviews on the Touchpad and they seem to have lukewarm praise - they mostly liked the device, webOS, and the TouchStone charger but singled out performance pauses, lack of apps, the fingerprint magnet finish, and weight/thickness as areas that are subpar and could be improved. To read some of the comments here, you would think that the TouchPad is a terrible device, though, (unusable and riddled with bugs) and that is simply not the case. Some long-time users here have bought the device, used it, like it and reported as much. I went to Best Buy, tried it out myself, and it appears fine to me too (and ordered one - we'll see how I go). If you check out the reviews on Amazon (as far as I know, they are real people), the reviews are overwhelming positive too (4.5 out of 5 stars) - and a good number are from current/former Apple iPhone/iPad owners or people who have also used Android. And, yes, the Touchpad has some bugs as all devices do, but HP is committed to fixing those and adding new features (HP Play is in beta, for example). So I must admit to some frustration with the unrelenting negativity from some people.
The webOS community is an amazing group and like many folks here I want to see it continue to be a positive, welcoming, good-spirited group (especially as HP makes a marketing push and we have new joiners). This site and others routinely have drives for webOS Internals where people generously donate, webOSRoundup had a collection recently when a well-known developer got injured and the community responded by raising the money to buy him a new TouchPad, HP supported webOSInternals by donating a server to them and by giving them some TouchPads, webOS fans win every online poll, developers and users routinely engage on forums, etc - these are all things that I admire about our tight-knit community.
So, no, I'm not in favor of limiting anyone's right to speak their mind, I'm just asking for civility, balance, and some consideration before posting.
That smile on Bradley's face is him blissfully unaware of how badly the Touchpad was received in the tech press.
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