Ubuntu Linux on the HP TouchPad HowTo

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HP’s recent corporate announcements spelled the demise of webOS as a platform. But while HP is spinning off its PC business and getting out of the smartphone and tablet market, developers have taken it to themselves to keep the TouchPad alive, through projects that will run Android and Ubuntu on the tablet.

Installing Ubuntu Linux on your HP TouchPad involves three basic steps, in which you will need access to a repository of homebrew applications, create an Ubuntu partition on your solid-state drive, and actually install Ubuntu with command-line access. You can check out the source link for more details, but here’s a summary.

• Install Preware. Preware is a repository of homebrew webOS applications for the TouchPad and other webOS devices. This is similar to third-party Android marketplaces or iOS’ Cydia, which will give you access to non-official apps.
• Run Meta-Doctor. You will need to create an ext3 file system on your SSD. Meta-Doctor is a desktop-based program will let you tinker with your TouchPad’s boot process. In essence, you will need to tell the TouchPad to bypass the default startup apps. Instead, the device will need to mount the partition upon bootup.
• Install UbuntuChroot. You will need to add sources to the Preware app repository, in order to download UbuntuChroot. Once downloaded and installed, you can now get command-line access to Ubuntu Linux. From here, you can install a desktop environment of choice, such as icewm, Xfce or LDE. While you can also install the more mainstream window managers like GNOME, KDE or Unity, these will require more system resources, and might not be ideal for use with touchscreen interfaces this size.

The HP TouchPad runs on an ARM processor, so not all apps will be compatible, especailly those designed for ans x86 architecture. Developers report that Firefox, Flash, Chromium, VNC, LibreOffice and even Transmission will work. You should also be able to use peripherals, like a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Are you adventurous enough to install Ubuntu Linux on your TouchPad?