14 DAY TRIAL // Some of you might remember the HP TouchPad tablet, a device that was launched back in 2011. But a few months later, the company already discontinued the product. Nevertheless, the slate remains in a reanimated state, being kept alive by a host of unofficial software updates.
The HP TouchPad offered a 9.7-inch screen with 1024 x 768 pixel resolution and drew power from a dual-core CPU. The tablet ran the now defunct webOS, but throughout the years, developers have continued creating custom builds based on Google’s Android.
The latest to join the part is the CyanogenMod 11 build developed by an user of the xda-developer forum and is based on Android’s latest KitKat 4.4.2.
This way, owners of the HP TouchPad can get a taste of the chocolaty goodness that KitKat brings to the table.
Interestingly enough, features that haven’t been working on older versions of Android will work with the new version.
To give an example, HD video playback is supported and users report that the tablet’s frontal camera and Bluetooth are also working. In addition, there are no reports of battery life drainage.
Anyway, note that this is an unofficial build of an operating system that is not supported by the mother company. Some users have noted having problems with Netflix, Google Maps and other apps.
You can also expect to encounter other problems. For example, Bluetooth works, but performance is not really great and can even cause the Touchpad to crash. But if you’re looking to breathe new life into your old tablet, the new build might be just the thing you’re looking for.