Tag: webos

  • Mobile Browser Shootout

    Everyone is entitled to their own favorite smartphone, but I think we all can agree that some phones just do certain things better. Today, let’s take a quick look at how various mobile browsers fair in the Acid3 test.

    Default browsers for the platforms:

    Android 2.2

    93/100
    No screenshot, because I haven’t rooted my Droid X yet. I know, I know, I fail at life…

    webOS 1.4.2

    92/100

    webOS_1.4.2_acid3.png

    webOS 2.0 (developer beta)

    91/100
    Wait… the performance of the browser actually went down with a new build of the OS?

    webOS_2.0_acid3.png

    iOS (tested 3.1.3 through 4.2)

    100/100

    Third-party browsers:

    Skyfire 2.3 Beta (Android)

    93/100

    Opera Mini 5.1.21126 (Android)

    97/100

    Opera Mini 5.0.019802 (iOS)

    97/100

  • webOS Woes: Worst mobile browser ever?

    webOS Woes: Worst mobile browser ever?

    Dear HP,

    Now that you’ve dropped some serious coin on Palm, start making some changes to what could be a pretty useful OS.

    For this installment, let’s talk web browser. Years ago we were lucky to even have internet on our phones and serving up plain text websites was acceptable, but we expect just a bit more out of our smart phones these days. So please step up your game.

    Here’s an example of the quality browsing experience I’ve been dealing with lately.

    (more…)

  • Tablets Are the New Netbook

    Remember when the iPad was announced and people said “meh…”? And now, less than a year later, it’s a huge bread winner for Apple. Everyone else appears to be noticing as well, in the past few weeks more and more tablet rumors have popped up with the vast majority of big name players in the industry on board.

    Don’t believe me? Let’s review…

    • The long rumored Notion Ink Adam has pricing, and is expected to launch between November 2010 and January 2011.
    • HP confirmed internally a webOS tablet, then confirmed publicly both a Windows and webOS based tablets for 2011.
    • Bloomberg reported recently that RIM is working on a poorly named tablet, dubbed “BlackPad”, which is supposedly going to launch in November.
    • ASUS was quick to announce the Eee Pad, but it likely won’t ship until March of 2011.
    • LG has confirmed their own tablets are in the works, including a Windows 7 based model and Optimus, an Android tablet. Promised ship date is Q4 2010.
    • Kmart is selling a cheapo Android tablet and even though it has terrible specs they seem to be selling like hotcakes, with Kmart barely able to keep them in stock.
    • Acer teased an Android tablet back in May, but apparently put it on hold until it can ship with Android 3.0 Gingerbread.
    • Toshiba just shipped, and promptly sold out of, a limited run of its dual-screen Libretto tablet.
    • Also from Toshiba is a rumored Android tablet, hitting the streets in September or October.
    • And of course Google and Verizon are supposedly prepping a Chrome OS tablet of their for launch next yet.

    While I did go outside the scope of the past few weeks, you get the idea. I’m also probably leaving out a ton of other tablets, like the failed JooJoo tablet for example.

    This whole jumping on the tablet bandwagon seems to me to closely resemble when ASUS first launched the Eee PC and the netbook revolution took off, people were a little skeptical at first and then realized it was a great idea. Now I’m not saying tablets will kill off netbooks, but they seem to be the flavor of the month for the foreseeable future. And reportedly the iPad by itself has caused a decline in netbook sales for ASUS.

    Bottom line, I love the iPad, but I really am excited to see cheaper (and hopefully better) tablet solutions from companies besides Apple.

  • HP Confirms webOS Tablet?

    Engadget is reporting that HP has confirmed, at least to its employees, that it will in fact ship a webOS tablet in Q1 2011. Color me excited.

    I know this rumor has been floating around since the day HP bought Palm, but this one doesn’t just say they’ll be shipping a “webOS version of Slate”, which in my mind lends a modicum of credibility to it. Starting from square one with the hardware to run webOS makes a lot more since than trying to force a new OS on to existing hardware, especially hardware that has yet to see the light of day.

    Really I just want to see a new device running webOS, one hopefully better designed than the Pre. Come on HP, I need some proof that webOS is alive and kicking and not just destined to be used on your fancy new printers.

    Source: Engadget