HP: opportunities for webOS 'smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks'
By Ross Miller 
posted April 28th 2010 4:55PM
posted April 28th 2010 4:55PM
Color us excited. HP's Todd Bradley just made an interesting proposition on the conference call about its Palm acquisition. Specifically, Bradley said, "Between smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks, there are a lot of opportunities here." You read that right: slates and potentially netbooks. The tablet route is pretty obvious, but having the netbook / smartbook form factor is quite a twist. Think about it, a Foleo descendant you can be proud of -- whodathunkit? If you're worried HP has forgotten about other platforms, we need only point in the direction of the Android-fueled Airlife. Obviously nothing to announce at this point, but doesn't that just get us hopeful -- roadmap announcements are said to be forthcoming closer to the merger being finalized. The call is still ongoing, so stay tuned!
God damnit HP, don't screw this up.
as with compaq, hopefully palm brand name could live forever and make wonderful babies err 'smart' connected devices.
Stick with Android.
@John Lennon
stick with producing good music. leave the tech world to the smart folks.
Maybe there is a God.
I have a foleo in my bungholio!
I love capitalism.
WOOOOHOOOOO!!!! Yes yes yes.
I haven't been this excited since WebOS was introduced last January. I've been longing for a WebOS tablet for, well, for a very long time. And to me, HP is a MUCH better buyer for Palm than HTC would have been. Oh, man, I can't wait to see the next-gen hardware! The Pre++ -- or Pre# or Objective-Pre :) -- can't come soon enough!
I wonder if they'll resurrect the iPaq moniker? But then, I'm sure Apple would sue. ;)
an HP slate with WebOS? Count me in!
I'd buy a WebOS enabled flat screen monitor/TV...I think the TV co's should be pooping like deer right about now.
They MUST put WebOS on their Slate. WebOS is easily the best mobile OS out there (including apple's)
I know HP is buddie buddies with Microsoft and I'm telling you rite now, HP, if you take away my Google and give me BING I'm buying an android!
I love my Verizon Pre, its well made and the os is great. You just bought an golden goose HP, teach it how to lay eggs and run with it!
Bring it!
@shishi
BRING THE PAIN!!!
THIS IS BIG! I own a Pre and IMO the OS continually impresses me with it's functionality and quality every few days. News of Palm's possible demise made me sad-but HP picking it up totally legitimizes my assessment of the quality of the OS. HP does not screw around (at least post Fiorina)!
webos on something like the notion ink adam would be an instant buy for me. Pixel Qi, WebOS, 10" screen...drool
I'd like to see something like Lenovo's U1 hybrid -- a full power win7 laptop when docked, but with webOS in place of linux when it's in tablet form.
I'm gonna start camping out tomorrow I think: )
Someone please fix the portrait cards on a landscape tablet!
2 words: Joo. Joo.
@cool8man We must have been talking about 2 separate things, you were using those tablets for media consumption, just for reading and browsing the web, why? Most tablets like those with Full OS' were recently used for media creation, so I don't get why you would even buy a tablet running Windows 7 just for web browsing and reading books. I used a tx2 for digital art, primarily.
I completely agree with you that the TM2 and other tablets are failed, for consumptions uses, and that the Slate will be better receptive.
But no I don't see it. I would rather have a light, fast OS with many capable apps (that isn't locked and can be developed upon). WebOS for one.
aww oops, reply didn't work.
Webos on a tablet would kill all. Do it as fast as posible while the market is still fresh. And I am anxiously awaiting a new palm phone so do it now! Also integration of your palm and HP computer will make people with HP computers buy hpalm phones. This is key
@sandwich2
You're right, its a fresh market...
"Ok, the iPad has 200,000 Apps and has already sold 1m units, where are we...?"
"I drew a picture of an HP Slate... with cards.... on this napkin"
@Wesscoast the only people who have purchased the iFad are the fanbois. While that is a large market its not everyone. Not even close.
@cherryboom
^^ WARNING ^^ Troll Trap Above - mod into the abyss
This is great news! I have owned Palm devices since the first Palm Pilot. It created the smartphone category thanks to founder Jeff Hawkins.
Sadly his successor Ed Colligan was a disastrous CEO who allowed the brand to drift unfocused and aimlessly during a critical period.
Jon Rubinstein, Palm's current CEO is to be heartily congratulated for all his hard work and leadership in the creation of WebOS, the Pre and the Pixi, without which Palm would have never even been considered to be acquired by a company like HP who has the market presence to give the brand the R+D and advertising support it needs.
Cheers Palm!
Colour me WORRIED AS HELL!. I have no reason whatsoever to believe HP will do a god j
Hp elitebook hardware+Web os = Win!
Colour me WORRIED AS HELL!! I have no reason whatsoever to believe that HP will do a good job with this. I see them completely hacking and slashing WebOS and saturating it until it sucks! The will probably try to make it work on windows and I expect a full rejection and war with the homebrew community which helps make WebOS so strong..... I dunno. Not impressed
Anyone else think this HP/Palm combo is powerful enough that they are going to dictate consumer electronics for at least the next 5 years? I can't think of who can go against them....including even Apple and Google.
Looking forward to Santa leaving a WebOS Slate in my stocking this year!
YAY!
Who wants to bet we won't see any new WebOS devices until 2011?
YAY!
HP will ruin WebOS with their usual crap.
@kyphem At least HP's is more usable than others (I'm talking to you, Sony)...
This is the most news WebOS and Palm have ever gotten.
I just hope they keep some structure to WebOS. The last thing we need is for it to become fragmented like Windows Mobile or Android.
Yes, WebOS with dozens of trialware pre-installed. Awesome!
Frickin' ridiculously good news. An HP slate running WEB OS is such an obviously good move I'm surprised nobody came up with it, other than HP, when the word hit the street that Palm was up for sale. Sign me up as a pre-order please.
I really don't care about slates and such. All I want is a decent webOS phone that is dependable and more importantly, built well. Right now, for me, it's between webOS and WP7. Whichever comes to T-Mo first...
So how's that syncing with your iPod and iTunes stuff working out?
It's a non-starter for the 99.99999% of the world that doesn't follow blogs like this.
One must consider to totality of the supporting eco-structure. Songbird and the need to download a bazillion plug-ins to get even 50% of the functionality of the iTunes Sore is just crazy.
And, jeah, sometimes the iTunes Store drives me crazy too... KInda of like the old phrase, "Democracy is the worst possible form of government except all the others!"
Who do I have to blow for a WebOS slate? Seriously that would pretty much be my dream tablet if it wasn't for the fact that the marketplace for WebOS is still stupidly small for obvious reasons.
WebOS tablet is what dreams are made from!! give me 2!!
Wow. Can't wait to buy a webOS tablet, the App Catalog needs to expand 10 fold before then but with HP on the scene developers are likely to flock to Palm.