The same day HP released its flagship tablet to retailers, it sent a memo to employees acknowledging the product needs work.
HP’s Touchpad is the first device to be powered by the webOS operating system since it was acquired by HP as part of its buyout of defunct mobile manufacturer Palm.
And as with any new software platform, there are some kinks to work out. That has led to many reviews of the Touchpad being tepid at best, and HP is fully owning up to the concerns brought forth.
In a memo to his staff, the head of the company’s Palm Global Business Unit John Rubenstein admitted, “Rrightly note things we need to improve about the webOS experience.”
However, the memo, which was leaked by the website Pre Central, also points out that the New York Times boasts that the Touchpad shows “signs of greatness.”
Some of the big criticisms over webOS include a somewhat clunky interface, and of course a severe lack of apps. “We still have work to do to make webOS the platform we know it can be, but remember—it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Rubenstein encouraged.
Even though the Touchpad just came out six days ago, there are already rumors of new versions of the device – with different display sizes and improved processing power – are already popping up. It seems HP wants to go with a Samsung Galaxy Tab-style approach where the company offers multiple form factors to appeal to all market segments.
What HP’s strategy for the future of Touchpad and webOS is remains a mystery, but Rubenstein says with a strong focus and the right direction, the company can “turn [webOS’s] potential into the real thing.”
