Here is something interesting – HP has just released the now defunct Touchpad’s Android kernel source code to the masses – despite the fact that the 9.7″ tablet arrived at the market last summer with HP webOS 3.0 in tow. This just goes to prove that HP probably mulled over the idea of an Android-powered Touchpad in the past, but probably ditched this thought as they concentrated on webOS 3.0 software instead. Ever wondered just how the Touchpad might have performed in the market if it shipped with Android instead of webOS?
However, a bunch of customers who picked up tablets realized that the Android operating system was installed on them instead, and these Android builds appeared to be meant for internal testing only. HP officials claimed that they were under no obligation to release any source code for the Android software, as it was never meant to roll out to the public in the first place. Guess HP had a change of heart and mind this week, rolling out the source for the Android kernel. It seems that this kernel has been gathering dust for nearly one year already, and will not even come with Wi-Fi support. Hopefully the brains behind the CyanogenMod Android software for the HP TouchPad will be able to churn something workable down the road.
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