webOS 3.0 optimizations make for smoother TouchPad swiping [video] 47
Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:35 am EDT 
When HP unveiled the webOS 3.0-powered TouchPad back in February, we glossed over the stuttering and jumpiness seen in their demos, as they said each time that this was preproduction hardware and software they were showing off. But with “summer” quickly approaching, the pressure is on for HP to craft an experience that makes the user forget about the chips behind the screen.
Thankfully, as several have noted in the forums, more recent TouchPad demos show a significantly faster and smoother interface (though one that hasn’t received the cosmetic updates we saw in the second beta emulator). Gone are the stuttering card transitions. Ridiculously smooth is the Armageddon Squadron II demo. Fast and snappy are the accelerometer rotations. In short, HP’s clearly put a lot of work into webOS 3.0 to ensure that it runs well on the TouchPad.
Don’t believe us? After the break are two videos. One shot on February 9th at Think Beyond, the other from just a few weeks ago at The Gadget Show Live 2011 in Birmingham, UK. What a difference two months makes.
HP TouchPad demo at Think Beyond, 9 February 2011
HP TouchPad demo at The Gadget Show Live 2011, 15 April 2011
Source: YouTube
47 Comments
June cant come any earlier. I hope its available to buy in June, as hardly anyone is using webOS now a days.
Why thumb that down... they are telling the truth! Many people are forced out of WebOS due to lack of product and dying devices...
#Fact!
So true man, I've been a user since the first day the Pre was launched and I'm still hanging onto it because I love it. But I really dont know how much longer I can take guys.
No joke some people laugh at me that I still rep the Pre and I dont blame them at all. We who still use the Pre have missed a huge wave of badass phones with killer specs. When HP comes out with the Pre 3 they wont be setting the bar, only playing catch up.
Im dying for the Touchpad and I dont want it without the Pre 3. I just dont know if I can wait for the Pre 3 knowing I have and upgrade sitting there waiting for me.
Same here...hanging on because UI is still best in my opinion. The Sprint folks keep trying to convince me that I need to jump ship and shift over to HTC devices/Android platform--or whatever else they stock that is hot/trendy--however; I am sold on WebOS and looking forward to the next gen devices and options. While the phone looks like a catch-up item, I am still in with or without Sprint--Sprint take note! I am definitely in on the tablet and phone combo when available. I stress, "when available". I surely hope this is a well speculated and planned manuever on behalf of HP to do right by the Palm accquistion and WebOS product.
Will reserve judgement until the final product is out, thanks.
that does look wayy smoother
I'll take a wifi TouchPad and a Pre3 running on Sprint please... Oh! Thats right we can't make plans like that because we have no idea whats really coming do we? The video makes me want it but it sucks that I dont even know that I CAN get it... No sense in getting a T-Pad without its much anticipated sidekick so when carriers are announced for the Pre3 I will make my decision. Definitely don't want the V-keyboard so keep your Stingray HP haha
Oh I agree totally! I so want this with the Pre3, but if not coming to Sprint, I need to know so I can make my plans :)
They better release pre3 on sprint with significant discount if they are really planning on making things right for those of us that have been stuck with a pre- with no updates.
As I poisted, this is a whole world of difference in preformance, and even more is likely to come when it is finally released.
+1000 for Big Bang Theory reference.
Shazam!
Bazinga!
I really fretted when I saw the demo in February, but it looks soooo much better now. But like others, apps are now starting to become an issue. There are a few apps I'd love to have for business and home, and they are all iOS/Android and sometimes BB. I WANT to stay loyal to webOS, but they are making harder with each passing day.
agreed. i'm in the same boat. I really really really badly want WebOS on a tablet... but at the same time... the tablet is only as valuable as the stuff you can actually do on it. The Quality and amount of apps that it's looking they will have will seriously cripple the machine... i'm on the fence right now... but honestly for me... i'm in no hurry... if it's not the Touchpad, I may just hold out a year and see where things go. If they Fail bad... i'll prolly get an iPad *even tho i can't stand apple* only b/c the apps make it very useful, even tho the interface on it blows. :-/ i'm literally on pins and needles to see how HP pull this off... Fingers are definitely crossed. HARD!
Apps is also an isue with the Honeycomb tablets and the playbook. There are only 50 optimized apps for tablets on Android, and just a little bit more apps on the PlayBook.
Too bad we won't be able to get our hands on this until.... who even knows anymore?
Summer, like they have been saying since they announced it.
Hurry HP ~
You da man Derek!
Fantastic Photoshop by the way ;)
All I can say is WOWWEEWOWWOW!!!
Was that a Max Bialystock reference? :)
no
The TouchPad is looking very nice. I'm glad that soon all the loyal palm users will be getting the devices they been wishing for. If HP does a good job at marketing this great device, webOS will be back in the game. Peace
Sent from my BlackBerry PlayBook...
do you like your playbook?
you that gullible?
By 4r4qg,
do you like your playbook?
I love it. No issues with my PB and does everything I need it to do. Still love my Pre+ too.
No im waiting on the TouchPad 2.
I never go for 1st devices.
HAHA, so basicall you'll be getting your TouchPad 2 in 2013?
I think you are underestimating HP. That being said they need to release a 14inch Envy with sandy bridge already.
it looks a little better but it's still not as smooth as the ipad.
iOS is just a updrade from PalmOS.
It's palmOS with a little more pozaz!
Have you used a Palm Pre 2? It's buttery smooth. There's no reason to believe that Palm cant do the same with the touchpad. All software optimization is mostly done towards the end of development. Since Apple always releases their products just weeks after an announcement, their iphones, ipads etc. are already optimized at the announcement event. That wasn't the case with the touchpad. But we are getting closer to the launch date and I can guarantee you it will be just as smooth as the ipad.
you can't guarantee anything. that wasn't the case with the original pre so i'd take a 'wait and see' approach. they originally showed it off at CES09 and it had the same lag and hiccups when they released it 6 months later. infact, they got the pre- all the way up to version 1.4.5 and it STILL can't compare to the smoothness of ios.
yeah but that was back when the hardware was a serious draw-back (slow processor and lack of RAM). that is no longer the case... u must b old
how was the internal hardware a serious draw-back? it had the best hardware of any phone at the time it was annouced. as a matter of fact it had the same specs as the iPhone3GS when it was released. the problem was that the software wasn't optimized and they never incorporated the GPU. the basis of your whole arguement about harware is moot...... and im not old, if you must know, i'm simply wise beyond my years :)
I don't see what your talking about, judging from the video at least, the videos look the same to me, and the video quality of the more recent video is clearly less than the first video, so you really can't make a fair comparison because the more blurry the video is the smoother it will appear...I think your making something out of nothing, but I just hope it's at least close to as smooth as the Ipad2 by release
You need your vision checked sir because the switching between apps, swiping apps away, and general UI performance all look much smoother. One of the videos from Feb 9th even had the dreaded throw away stutter :(, but that is no where to be found in the latest video.
I give HP/Palm a lot of credit for trying to come out with something fully finished. The Blackberry Playbook and Android 3.0 tablets have been disappointing because they both feel rushed to market (no apps, poor performance, etc.). If HP can have a decent amount of apps (with all the important ones) at launch with attractive pricing, they will be in excellent shape. WebOS will finally get the recognition in the marketplace it deserves!
that looks sweet. very very good. like 'buttah'. i'm really looking forward to this.
Snappy! Wish that had a gesture area. Also wish I knew anything about programming and developing because I'd love to contribute to the WebOS world. Great ideas lie in us all, we can all help each other advance through our common technologies. Dreams, dreams. WebOS :-)
What took them soooo damn long to get some decent smooth animations. The fluidity of the overall OS is usually how the cunsumer determines how advanced the device theyre getting is...especially in todays smartphone market. WebOS's easy and finger fun flicking interface is COMPLETELY disturbed by the poor animation. They couldn't have done this on the pre. they could on the 3GS hardware, same as palm pre minus. My Pre still freezes up, drains battery, screen stops responding, shuts off at 70% charge and wont turn on until plugged in again, card error with 2 or 3 cards, constant replacements, overheats like crazyyy, and not to mention choppy animations and a lotta **** apps. I was hoping for webOS to really play a competitor but it just wained. I cant hop back on board with a company that made me go through this for 2 years...just cant. Verizon iphone 5 here i come.
Never mind, plzz disregard this comment. I just watched the second video and WebOS is still a LAG MACHINE. The email just stagnated their and photo scrolling did NOT look rewarding at all. I was wrong, WebOS still has a looong way to go to win any marketshare, consumer and dev. Embarrasing HP you should be ashamed. With these specs its not even as smooth as my friends iphone 3G or the original ipad. Work on the optimization and come Summer you might have a glimmer of a chance.
....the "second video" was from the think beyond event in Feb and the "first video" is from earlier this month. The point of the post was to show the progress. Now please lick your haterade up off the ground.
I will do that and eat my shoe off the ground. I was wrong and admittedly got the vids mixed up watching them in youtube but it still isnt as smooth as the ipad is. The vid doesnt show much such as scrolling or the email, just flipping between cards. This vid shows a lot more www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocujTVCvhnY and is at the same conference as the second video. But the zooming in and out of windows still needs work as well as some other aspects of the OS. They also need to trim it down and revamp b4 launch like samsung did. Its competing with ipad 1 size not ipad 2. Make sure the battery can keep up as well. People bought macbooks despite them being overpriced for specs. HP cant make a tablet with less and sell for the same and expect many sales. Push that software though, there is still a glimmer of hope but HP is still late to the party and most of the gifts have been handed out.
As I type this on my Borrowed, buttery smooth ipad2, I pray for HP to deliver the far more buttery webOS experience on comparable or semi-competitve hardware. I give this ipad2 away on Wed. To some lucky trade show attendee. HP.... Please deliver.......