Why on earth for? The only value Palm has is in WebOS, and Google already has an operating system.
For that matter, why would anyone buy Palm when there's a free-to-use and very well supported operating system in Android?
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Palm Reportedly Places Company Up for Sale
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Why on earth for? The only value Palm has is in WebOS, and Google already has an operating system.
For that matter, why would anyone buy Palm when there's a free-to-use and very well supported operating system in Android?
Agreed. This is why I think Apple should buy Palm. They have a portfolio of patents that would be useful. This, and this alone is the only reason for Apple to buy them.
I loved my Treo 600 and 650. This is a sad day for Palm as a brand and for consumers. One less OS in the marketplace, but it was obvious for a while they weren't going anywhere. 
Amazing to think of the fortune of these two companies in the late 90's. Palm was flourishing while Apple was floundering. My, how times have changed.
P.S. Congratulations to Ed Colligan for ruining this once great company.
Amazing to think of the fortune of these two companies in the late 90's. Palm was flourishing while Apple was floundering. My, how times have changed.
P.S. Congratulations to Ed Colligan for ruining this once great company.
What is HTC exactly supposed to with Palm besides get their patents? I've never understood that. They're already making Android and Windows Phone Series Phone 7.
Is this for their own dedicated mobile OS?
It's good to know that complete incompetence is punished. Marginal palmos upgrades and huge delays. Constantly revolving OS strategy. Folio. New webos with no solid differentiation from iPhone. Slow to get AppStore going. Release first on sprint. Revolting TV commercials.
Good times.
Good times.
Apple didn't kill Palm, Android did.
WebOS has alot going for it, but the shoddy hardware really killed any chance of taking off.
HTCs handsets and the increasing functionality and market penetration of Android is going to kill any and all remaining brand recognition.
Simply put, Palm didn't have the cash to make this work. Their advertising has been nothing more than a blip, they didn't have the time(again, financials) to release a piece of hardware that was worthy of the OS, and relying on partners/carriers to advertise for you is risky. Verizon? Droid. Sprint? Not enough of a market presence to really make a difference.
Google and Android killed WebOS. What's going to be interesting isn't what occurred, but what's going to happen now.
Apple is on a roll, my question is, would Apple make a bid? Palm's patent chest is certainly compelling.
WebOS has alot going for it, but the shoddy hardware really killed any chance of taking off.
HTCs handsets and the increasing functionality and market penetration of Android is going to kill any and all remaining brand recognition.
Simply put, Palm didn't have the cash to make this work. Their advertising has been nothing more than a blip, they didn't have the time(again, financials) to release a piece of hardware that was worthy of the OS, and relying on partners/carriers to advertise for you is risky. Verizon? Droid. Sprint? Not enough of a market presence to really make a difference.
Google and Android killed WebOS. What's going to be interesting isn't what occurred, but what's going to happen now.
Apple is on a roll, my question is, would Apple make a bid? Palm's patent chest is certainly compelling.
That's what I'm wondering. Google already has a fantastic mobile OS in Android, so WebOS is of no use to them. HTC's name keeps popping up, but they already have SenseUI, which greatly improves the Android experience. Maybe Microsoft could use some parts of WebOS to improve future versions of the Windows Phone OS.
You do realize that Androids marketshare doubled last year; from only like 1.7% to 3.5%. RIM has shown more growth than Android. It wasn't simply Android that kiled them but all the major smartphones. Keep in mind WM also lost huge in marketshare the past year. Android has shown gaining popularity, they've hardly made a dent in the marketplace.
The patent portfolio.
Last time I checked Apple is suing HTC over essentially multitouch patents. Ever wonder why Palm wasn't sued over that?
I can't imagine it would be worth it to Microsoft, this late in the game, to try and integrate any of Palm's coding. Even if they wanted Palm's programming talent, it would be cheaper to just offer them jobs than pay for the whole company.
Who on earth wants an OS operating system that failed on the market now? Not when Android is available. It's not the WebOS isn't good--it seems to me excellent--but why bet on WebOS and not just go with Android? It makes no sense to invest in a closed-garden os that has a track record of not selling.
And where is the evidence that Palm's patents are worth more than recycled paper?
Yeah, I see your point. It's just kinda sad and nothing to celebrate, in my opinion. A once great company is dead and a lot of good people are going to be out of work. I still can't think of who would want WebOS at this point though. iPhone OS, Android, and Blackberry OS are the only ones who will be left standing. I even think that Microsoft is too far behind at this point to make any kind of dent.
Palm's problem(well one of many), was in waiting so long after showcasing WebOS at CES in January 2009, gaining a bucketload of traction, only to let it ebb away for 6 months, and then launch the Pre just after Apple launched the 3GS.
Let's not even go there with their ad campaigns and putting all their hardware eggs into the Pre and Pixi basket, when WebOS should've been on a lot more devices.
Let's not even go there with their ad campaigns and putting all their hardware eggs into the Pre and Pixi basket, when WebOS should've been on a lot more devices.
Psion's were great devices, long battery life. IMO, the best PDA there was. They live on in Symbian.
Would buying Palm also mean getting their patent portfolio? If so - it could definitely be worth it for any interested parties..
IIRC Palm have the rights to a load of old BeOS patents as well as their PalmOS and WebOS ones.. It could save whoever buys them money in the long run even if they weren't going to actually use any of the recent tech/software.
I miss the good old days of the Palm and Clié.. Well. A bit.
IIRC Palm have the rights to a load of old BeOS patents as well as their PalmOS and WebOS ones.. It could save whoever buys them money in the long run even if they weren't going to actually use any of the recent tech/software.
I miss the good old days of the Palm and Clié.. Well. A bit.
Another bidder
How about Nokia picks up Palm? WebOS would give them a boost in the smartphone market. What is Nokia's current OS? Meemi or moomoo? (Not making fun of Nokia. I just can't remember the name of its OS.) If Nokia got Palm, it could focus about its portfolio and find a settlement with Apple over the infringement charges. Just a thought.
How about Nokia picks up Palm? WebOS would give them a boost in the smartphone market. What is Nokia's current OS? Meemi or moomoo? (Not making fun of Nokia. I just can't remember the name of its OS.) If Nokia got Palm, it could focus about its portfolio and find a settlement with Apple over the infringement charges. Just a thought.
webOS is a fantastic platform. Horrific advertising and shoddy hardware nullified the OS. Palm killed themselves.
They weren't sued because, as today's news proves, they are "judgment proof."
WebOs is so great, shame its failing because
1. Hardware sucks -- seriously almost no one likes the tiny tiny keyboard they used.
2. One carrier launch
3. Really bad marketing
1. Hardware sucks -- seriously almost no one likes the tiny tiny keyboard they used.
2. One carrier launch
3. Really bad marketing
Can't say to the reason why Apple never sued. It could be that they never viewed them as a threat. Who knows.
Of course it seems logical that any company would want their patents but there have been articles saying HTC may want WebOS as well. I'm just wondering why since HTC already has their Sense UI.
I remember commercials for the Palm Pre that were shown again and again during the remake of The Prisoner a little while ago. They featured a very strange looking actress and were downright disturbing to watch
So it wasnt just me that thought she looked odd
I couldnt put my finger on it but she made me feel uneasy. I agree it is a really good operating system. But it also didn't sell, and for whatever reason that is, why would a company, now, put a lot of money into buying it when there's a cheap, successful, supported, platform available in Android?
The race isn't always to the swift. Time and chance baby, time and chance.