Ok.. here goes my two cents... (by the way this is my first post on this forum and I am not an english writer so sorry if I make some mistake)
I will try to sumarize my opinion... Video drivers make a diference, the amount of diference is gonna be seen depending on the utilization of the device. As much can i see I if you are only going to use the TP2 as it comes and use TouchFlo3d it does not matter because it must have code opimized to the MSM7200 or MSM7600 (thats why I think touchflo3d does not works on the ommia II as it has other CPU from TI). If it is Optimized to the Qualcomm chipset it MAY have 3d calls embeded on it but as it is not a driver other appz cant use it only touchflo3d (as I am reading it, if the problem of drivers to HTC is a matter of licence, they can make a appz that uses 3d calls but cant make a driver so other appz can use the 3d aceleration).
I had an DELL AXIM 51V and it really fly round's on other PPC's because it had a dedicated video card (Intel 2700 ore something like that)... By the way WM6.1 is faster that WM5.0, and as it seems WM6.5 is faster that WM6.1 BUT after certan revision of kernel of WM6.5 the AXIM had some problems with color's because the DRIVERS are very old and cant be developed more, as they are not making any more chipset with it...
Now using propely the video part of the Qualcomm Chipsets are benefitial for every one... (meaning having 3d/2d drivers)
1. Qualcomm chipset 7200 and 7600 are not very fast even my Axim had a faster CPU (it's a diferent architecture so it is comparing apples to pies.. but talking about mhz it is faster on paper)... So any CPU cycle you spend drawing the screen it takes CPU time for doing other things...
2. It would cosume less current, as the cpu will be more time idling , the Graphics (GPU) unit is better suited to process video/3d/2d funtions because of the nature of the information...
3. TP2 users payed for a hardware that is intentionality disabled...
4. It is not cheap.. they are charging a lot for old hardware.... at least they should implement it propely...
ok.... now some may argue why i dont to and buy a Omnia II... man I do really like the form of the TP2 , I like the keyboard, I like the Touchflo3d, and havent found other damn phone that have GSM/CDMA (both radios)...
...
I dont think HTC will ever release the drivers... because... well they were very smart with the anoucement they made.. It is not a device planed to be used for 3d... I think most business people (corporate type) dont go messing with the phone and making use of all of it... Also you would not have a incentive to purchase the next phone they will make (a Tegra or a Snapdragon with proper drivers, that i am not very sure it is ever gonna happen)
But man I think even if you dont want the drivers you should care that you could have an excelent device it is only missing the drivers
... I would love to use Tomtom or IGO or Garming and having it rendering at full speed using the 3d part of the chipset i have already payed for, not getting poor performance on those aplication... even if you are not a games person it would afect you....
For me a perfect device would have one that is like the TP2, but with a dedicated video hardware (as both omnia II and TP2 have) but with proper 3d/2d drivers, GSM/CDMA as the TP2, and a AMOLED screen as the one on the Omnia II....
Ahh I was also forgeting, yes proper 2d aceleration MAY make the tearing disappear.. but is is a fine line it depends on how the aplication is written... as it can be CPU bound because of the number of files(depending on how it is writed), but with proper 2d aceleration may not happen because you have more CPU cycles available...