CEOs say the darndest things: 'Smartphones are just another connected device to us' 127
CEO Mark Hurd sat down with FT on video to talk about HP's future and lovers have smartphones have reason to relax a bit. While Hurd still is pushing the message that Palm's intellectual property gives them an opportunity to put webOS on all sorts of small devices, he's not closing the door on smartphones:
We continue to think mobility will be a very important part of the market. [...] when you think of HP, it'll be a little different from what people talk about the smartphone market. [...] The opportunity for content to be aligned to those interconnected devices [tablets and printers], particularly those small form-factor devices, that intellectual property gives us, we think a tremendous opportunity to work with HP across the ecosystem.
Smartphones are just another connected device to us. For example, building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat - and I don't mean that to be demeaning to anybody in the phone business. The more important part is the intellectual property ecosystem of IP and the services that connect to it. So for us I think you should think of the webOS being a more important component than necessarily the phone itself.
So it's essentially as we thought when Hurd talked up 'other devices' over smartphones just yesterday: HP won't drop smartphones, but it doesn't look like it's number one on their priority list. We're happy to see Hurd at least letting smartphones back into the conversation, but still troubled to see the company suggest that building a smartphone isn't all that complicated from an engineering perspective.
Hurd also talked about how the acquisition will affect their relationship with Microsoft, with whom the now compete: 'coopetition,' building a developer ecosystem (quality over quantity), and openness. In all, it's a must-watch for those reading the HP + Palm tea leaves.
Source: FT.com, thanks akitayo!
127 Comments
Good news! 1 step closer to C40!
Honestly, I still think this guy is an idiot. Other commenters have noted that webOS on a phone drives developer interest, and you need that BEFORE you even start thinking about melding webOS with HP's other 'connected devices.'
If you look at Apple, they decided to release a phone before a tablet, which in retrospect was absolutely brilliant. If they had done it the other way around, they would have NO developer interest and the product would likely die off. A huge amount of developers were already heavily invested in iphoneOS due to its success, and that would drive interest for their new tablet because there was already a large developer community backing iphone and the iphoneOS. In my opinion this sparked the ipad's to success.
I don't see myself ever buying Apple products, but I'll be damned if I don't recognize - and to an extent respect - their succes with iphone and iphoneOS. HP should take a page from Apple's playbook and 'double down' exclusively on smartphones for their first year or so with webOS. You keep existing developers and attract new ones by developing a strong smartphone ecosystem, not with connected printers, scanners, cameras, tablets, etc. Look at what happened to the JooJoo tablet; a great piece of hardward but a crappy UI is going to kill it before it gains any momentum.
But perhaps HP is thinking it's so big that these details do not matter. Only time will tell if they are right.
That was well said.. +1
ATTENTION PRE-PLE!!!! IM ORGANIZING A QUIET PROTEST FOR A FAIR CHANCE.
now see what frenzy that has been worked up by corporate selfishness? this is an angry mob of villagers with pitch forks and torches and that means we have some adrenaline sparked strength that needs to be shown.
its not practical for us to actually stage a "village mob" scene at their castle gate but we can do a snail mail mob scene.
i want everyone, and all the volunteers they can persuade,h to send in cards with pics/drawings/jpgs of angry villagers wholding pitchforks and torches ala the old frankenstein movie.
Lets show THEM how we really feel about our WebOS that they have captured.
Hewlett Packard Co.
3000 HANOVER ST
MS 1050
PALO ALTO CA 94304
why is it that people up the corporate ladder seem to have no common sense, grasp of reality, or scruples? rape and pillage is the name of the game folks.......$hitheads!!!
on the defense of the misdelivered words of "ease in making cell phones" i think he meant the hardware not the os to make it a GOOD smartphone. i bought the 40gb ipod on home shopping network years ago because they let me make payments and they used to be $300+ and i was of the "shuffle income bracket". it was the model that was made by HP and licensed to them from Apple. its still solid and operates fine. i listen to audio books and use most of it as a back up for my contacts and HD. good quality (the old ones were like 5# bricks so you could throw it across the parking lot and it would be ok it you had a rubber skin on it.
i think if they get over the greedy need to have world domination with the magic os in their "stepchild" products they are ashamed of they may see that they can build a heavy duty phone to house the webos that would rock the world and all of us "barn raisers" who are so happy with our homebrew community would only make them stronger as a company because we have pride of ownership.
but i'm all out of patience with the corporate rapists (if you've heard my horror stories of the last 2 years you'd be "right there with me") and i'm probably gonna pull a viking warrior princess move and kick in some doors really soon.
HEY CORPORATE AMERICA......YOU'RE ONLY RICH PIGS BECAUSE OF THE "PEOPLE" SO STOP* $HATTING IN OUR SANDBOX AND SLOW DOWN ON THE SLOP. WE'RE HUNGRY TOO!!!!
*dont make us hook up with mr. korean missile hoarder and let HIM build us stellar phones that are solid like a rocket. can you say "QVC bitchslap.....?"
This is better news but still: "building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat"
HP phones have been crappy for years, dated design and only GSM.
If phones are that easy HP would still be dominating, or at least a player in the market, like they were years ago.
This bit of arrogance is not going to go far. Release a substandard GSM phone and just keep selling it overpriced not matter what.
That seems to be their phone strategy.
I'm still saying "I told ya". HP won't be good for WebOS phones.
They shouldn't let him speak in public. Rubinstein will move up the corporate ladder quickly in this company if Hurd is representative of the competition.
'Coopetition'? Really? This makes him look 'ignorupid'.
@petbull,
Definately, Comment of the day! ;)
"'Coopetition'? Really? This makes him look 'ignorupid'"
I love this comment! It shows that wordsmithing is not a lost art.
It's too late, the last piece already did the damage. If I were a developer, I would likely jump ship. Sure, the tablet market might be big, but the smartphone was/is certainly growing at a rapid pace.
It's a damn shame. I love WebOS. I probably will get a WebOS tablet. But at this rate, if it weren't for AT&T, I think I'd have the iPhone 4. Android would be close, but waiting on something not the size of the EVO..
Not to target you specifically, but where is the courage in this country? I realize Palm has really stumbled a lot since their "rebirth", but they've gotten a lot right, too, and they have Big Plans
WE WILL PERSEVERE?
It's a damn smartphone. Calm down.
Have you used WebOS? It's not just a smartphone, it's damn near a way of life... :)
Ahh, the courage of corporate patriotism. You really do know Americans. Don't forget your cheerleader pompoms on your way to the oil soaked gulf coast :) Never give up.....consuming! What an insulting way to misuse a quote about survival during world war.
This is not the forum for tree-hugging Luddites. There's nothing inherently wrong with technology. And it's possible to be responsible in the engineering of our favorite devices. As to Churchill, it's not demeaning to quote the man in the name of another noble cause. Pull your head out of your ass and join the rest of the human race - you might enjoy it!
You're a martyr.
Even worse, I'm an enthusiast... :)
(Psalm 146:3-4)
Love that verse! I also am a Christian. But like WebOS, I'm a multitasker, too. I can fight for several things I believe in at the same time... ;)
i have faith (hoping my ass off) that they wont dump on the smartphone front but i honestly think hes just covering his and hp's a$$ to try and make consumers (all of us) happy and keep buying there products.
I am a developer. I'm not jumping ship. Although it has me worried.
I don't understand how a CEO can be so monumentally STUPID to say ANYTHING that will lose any of WebOS's most rabid fans. We have had an unknown future for a while. Just when there is a solid plan, he mucks it up with this.
The consumer is fickle. I don't think many of the rabid fans and developers will leave because of this. But it could cost WebOS a 10-20% mindshare and further reinforce the idea that it is dead, that has been FUD in the tech world for the last 5 months. That is just plain stupid. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.
Yeah, after a series of bone-headed moves (Palm) and bone-headed statements (HP), lots of people have left the fold, leaving only die-hard fans. So, we're in good company, no? Sorry, Apple and Google, I'M NOT LEAVING. Deal with it...
Yay! We're just another cog in the HP machine!
(Psalm 146:3-4)
One step closer? Ya think?? It doesn't read that way to me... I don't wanna say what device I'm going to next but I will say that I've supported the pre since the very beginning. I had super high hopes for this device as both an enthusiast and investor. Well it seems I got fucked on both fronts!! And I know I ain't the only one. I'll continue to visit this blog at least 5 times a day and see what the haps are but for now I'm going elsewhere...
god, I hate these corporate fockers. You can never really believe anything they say, worst than politicians.
Well at least these corporate types create jobs, politicians don't. Corporate types also create smarphones, politicians regulate their use.
If HP were really only interested in WebOS and don't plan on making more smartphones then surely they could have just licensed WebOS from Palm to use on non-phone devices. That would have been a lot cheaper than buying Palm outright.
It would be interesting to see if HP/Palm are still hiring people as that might give a clue to what their future plans are.
They wanted Palm's IP. They said it. They don't just want WebOS.
Is not a matter of licensing, is a matter or controlling. It wouldnt have made that much sense paying $800million just to license webOS having a license of android "for free" and the same "lack" of control over it.
Controlling is another thing. There is a real value in integrated hardware and software, in controlling both, if the basis of the software is this good.
You do not depend on the roadmap of anyone else, so you can create any kind of device any time and with support for the feature you want.
Then anythnig else is a bonus (patents and so).
Nice try Dieter! You can't save it now. The damage has shaken the internet waves. Hurds mouth reminds me of some oil leak in the Gulf.
you guys are hilarious, one minute you are all declaring palm dead, then hp comes along and everyone is buying hp printers...then palm is dead again and long live the evo...and then long live the c40...just enough to give a guy a severe case of whiplash.
doesn't anyone stick to anything anymore?
Well, 5thranger,
Welcome to the internet.
This is a bit more encouraging, but it doesn't sound like he wants to invest much in hardware. I'm very concerned, especially given how ugly HP phones have been in the past.
Dear Mr. Hurd;
Try this on for size, the next time you speak to anyone (my fee is waived):
"Of course, we are VERY excited about the potential for WebOS's success in the smartphone market, now that we can put our financial muscle behind it, however, we are also extremely excited about the potential to expand WebOS into 10's of millions of other smaller "'connected' devices, which we see as an incredibly rewarding market, as well!".
:)
Hurd,
Since there is no major feat in creating a smartphone.... I got a couple of guys you can find HERE http://forums.precentral.net/index.php?referrerid=167437
who seem to have a GREAT idea on whats needed in a smartphone. Heck, they probably don't have the engineering capabilities as some of the others at HTC, Apple, but, hell, all the guys at Palm couldn't do it (and it's so easy), so, why not give them a chance.
These guys have no faith, patience, or souls. :) In about 2 - 3 months or sooner (when new hardware & software is announce) these same guys and girls will be screaming like little......girls.
Yep, as mentioned above, they have no courage of their convictions. We have a whole generation of self-absorbed people who have the attention span of a flea. (Videogames?) BE A BOULDER. Don't be moved. I hate to use more cliches, but draw a line in the sand and force your opponent to cross it. DON'T YOU DARE CROSS IT. If you think WebOS is worth fighting for (and I certainly do), then fight!
Yes...I agree 200% and big Thumbs Up on that notion! Sorli...
You are deluding yourself if you think there will be new hardware from Palm in 2 - 3 months.
Even 6 months is looking very improbable at this point. Perhaps I will have to eat my hat, but I doubt it.
"Building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat." Thus sayeth the man with the most garbage smartphones. Not to mention the man to whom smartphone are still riding the very outdated Windows Mobile 6. This dude is out of his friggin mind. I think he is content where HP is, and not where they could be. A mobile OS like webOS can help you dominate another arena where you are currently weak. This whole tablet thing is just a fad that we have seen come and go before. When it is all said and done, the laptop and the smartphone will reign supreme! Don't be an A-hole, focus on phones. It'll be cool to see webOS on other devices but c'mon, we primarily wanna see it on handsets.
Before going to bed I saw the story on Hurd and just about fell out of my bed. After reading the statement I have concluded that its time to put my Palm Pre away for a rainy day and move forward to the present, where the best technology is right now. My thoughts are, we will see another HP WebOs phone but not anytime soon. But fast forward into the future where everything you own is run off Webos and controled by your slab / phone or ?. The days of "Dick Tracy" are here now and that is the big picture HP is looking at. I personally think that the comments Hurd said does not help their situation. If your trying to get Web Os in the hands of many people don't shoot them down on the way out the door. My patience has grown thin and my fix for a new phone has arrived. I will always have a soft spot for Web Os and it will be hard at first to part ways with my pre. I will keep the door open and will return in a heartbeat should the next device's hardware be up to par, when and if that ever happens.
This is exactly how I feel.
Ditto arb0171... It's amazing how words mean everything today. Being or acting coy to the future of such a powerhouse webos has the potential to be, almost makes this look all dirty and sleuth. The palm pre was not a perfect phone but had alot of true promise. Playing it down to buyers and users of this technology is bottom line shameful. Making statements to suggest building a smartphone is relatively easy is a stab in the back statement! It takes a village to raise a baby and a core of engineers, designers, programers and code writers to make a new phone build happen. Only a company spokesperson this vein would play down such a process. My faith has been stained by big company politics. I want and desire the succesor to the Palm Pre. My disguest will probably lead me to try something else like Andriod. I didn't want to, statements from HP left their mark... Rethink HP!
I really love webOS. I was first in line to buy the Pre last year. I was planning on holding out until a new phone was released, but with having to replace my Pre for the 4th time and now hearing this, I think it's time to say good-by--I'm picking up the Evo tomorrow. I'm going to give HP a year to sort things out and hopefully I'll be back with webOS @ my next upgrade.
Good luck, let me know if you need the name of a good chiropractor from carrying around that massive brick in your pocket all day...
Nonono....
You said it wrong. Look if you're going to be a part of HP, you have to speak like Mr. Hurd. You don't love webOS, you love "the webOS".
come on now...
:)
I think Mark Hurd (HP) and Tony Hayward (BP) both slept through Public Relations 101. They would both be better off not talking at all. This new statement by Hurd: "building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat" sure does not align very well with HP's current position at the bottom of the smartphone market.
I was excited about the idea of Palm having the financial backing of a strong company, but I suddenly fear that HP has become so hyper-focused on putting webOS on tablets and printers that they are missing the fact that webOS does not yet have a strong foothold in the marketplace. They need a killer webOS smartphone on the market to raise awareness and get webOS the full praise that it deserves. Follow that with a really good webOS tablet.
I don't think printer sales will be influenced by webOS at all. A printer is more of a commodity to most consumers. Especially when you consider that the ink cartridges cost more than a new printer. A less expensive ink technology would sell far more printers than webOS.
If customers get drawn away to an Android smartphone, what is their motivation to go with anything but an Android tablet? If a webOS printer is such a revelation, what is keeping Canon, Lexmark, or Epson from releasing an Android based printer? Wake up Mr. Hurd.
I really love webOS. I was first in line to buy the Pre last year. I was planning on holding out until a new phone was released, but with having to replace my Pre for the 4th time and now hearing this, I think it's time to say good-by--I'm picking up the Evo tomorrow. I'm going to give HP a year to sort things out and hopefully I'll be back with webOS @ my next upgrade.
You all need to cool off a bit. As an HP employee who was on a town hall call yesterday before Hurd made his comments I can tell you that HP sees the value of being in the phone business. The see the growth and revenue possibilities. They see what's necessary to build the brand. But they also believe that the next step is not all about phones it's about mobility. They're right too. Look at what Sprint and Clear are doing and are planning in the 4G space. It's not all about phones. Sure there's cell but they want to replace land lines, offer wireless broadband and other services too like transaction processing and security. Then there's the Slate. Add this up and you have not just a consumer but B2B and B2C ecosystem all with one thing in common - webOS.
So stop with the fanboy nonsense and think bigger because you're limiting what can be done in the name of what you see in front of your face. HP is thinking big which is what you'd want to see for Palm and webOS. Would you rather HTC or another Chinese company own Palm and limit webOS to phones and tablets?
When you are passionate about something and have stuck it out through thick and thin with this palm phone don't expect the masses to play patty cake. You don't just make statements like the HP spokespeople have said and not expect to rattle people. It obviously struck a bad cord just like bp ceo's did with the oil spill. You don't get action without reaction.
I'm trying to think of the appropriate adjective to describe someone who would compare this and the oil spill in any way shape or form.... Words are failing me.
Instead I'll just say, do the universe a favor and don't breed.
Damn, that was pretty harsh lol! Yet, appropriate!
Please, it's about words and what you say and image and how it leaves a mark. That is the only similarity. It's that foot in mouth representation. Come on now...
I can dig it. I just was thinking hmmm... Smartphone...Oil Crisis. lol. But I can understand your point. Please take everything in the blogosphere light-heartedly.
You fanboys are seriously fucked up.
ok I see where you are coming from. Yes I would like to see a tablet or WebOS on other mobile devices or smaller devices. However... First thing that should be released before a tablet is a new phone with better hardware.
Lets face it the WebOS is top notch work of awesomeness. However the hardware has so many flaws that's been one of the main reasons people stray from the Pre/Pre Plus.
I cannot carry a tablet in my pocket, I cannot carry a WebOS toaster in my pocket and I honestly think I'm to small to carry a HP WebOS printer in my pocket.
The smartphone should be on a priority list of things here. It's a main communication device to compliment any new devices such as a tablet... A remote control if you will... Imagine a smartphone that could link with the tablet via WebOS.. Just imagine the possibilities of the productivity.. Or hell send a file from your phone to your printer via WebOS connectivity while your pulling up to your office or walking up to your front door. By the time you walk in your document would be waiting for you.
I see an endless sea of possibilities here.. However the WebOS smartphone is the key to linking all the other devices to work as a collective because lets face it.. A smartphone is slightly more portable then a tablet.
Cudos to you as an HP Employee, seriously!
But the rest of us who dearly love our Palm phones, some 10 years now.. and want to see the PRE/Pixi continue DO NOT see how Hurds comments make us feel warm and fuzzy unless he is goinbg to share some of the HP profits with us in the WEBOS mobility space of which you speak. Yes its a great strategy, but we need a NEW PHONE NOW, not next year. Where is the happiness a year from now when we see all these great new products and we still wanting for our WEBOS phones?
Get your feet back on the ground TODAY is what we speak of!
"I can tell you that HP sees the value of being in the phone business."
"We didn't buy Palm to be in the smartphone business."
These two statements are completely contradictory, and if you don't understand that, you are the one drinking the kool-aid; HP brand Kool-Aid.
Smartphones are the future of computing, and anyone who doesn't understand that is missing the big picture. It's really sad to see that HP has decided to remove Palm from the running in this - and don't delude yourself that they haven't done exactly that with this announcement. Anything other than a full push behind WebOS is going to fail.
Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. Google is a good company, and Android should get better. Hey, maybe Android would have won anyway.
I really love webOS. I was first in line to buy the Pre last year. I was planning on holding out until a new phone was released, but with having to replace my Pre for the 4th time and now hearing this, I think it's time to say good-by--I'm picking up the Evo tomorrow. I'm going to give HP a year to sort things out and hopefully I'll be back with webOS @ my next upgrade.
I really love webOS. I was first in line to buy the Pre last year. I was planning on holding out until a new phone was released, but with having to replace my Pre for the 4th time and now hearing this, I think it's time to say good-by--I'm picking up the Evo tomorrow. I'm going to give HP a year to sort things out and hopefully I'll be back with webOS @ my next upgrade.
Ok, Mr. Jobs, we get it. Enough with the triple posts. Now scram...
Not sure why this is reposting. I wanted to make a point, but I think it was pretty clear on the first post. Anybody know how to delete these things?
To delete a post, click edit and replace your text with . After some time you won't be able to edit it anymore so do it as soon as you can.
To prevent duplicate posts, do not hit refresh on the Pre's browser after your initial post. Rather, close the browser and reopen it.
Didn't HP imply in the beginning that they would pretty much let Palm do their own thing along with helping HP? That's what I'm hoping, at least.
How does this guy have room for teeth with all of those feet in his mouth.
He has about 1 degree more speaking eloquence than G. W. Bush...but not much..
Good one! Years ago I thought about getting an MBA degree, but reading Mr. Hurd's "...that is a very value proposition" statement made me glad I didn't. Respectfully, Mr. Hurd, talk to some of Palm's engineers, please, and find out what it is you're about to get into...
+1 I was thinking of the Bush speaking skills myself. Lol
He should've used the teleprompter. At least he wont appear so stupid even if he is.
is this guy retarded? I agree with someone saying this guy shouldn't be allowed to speak in public. He just opened his mouth and diareah just spewed all over. If there were someone to go up the corporate ladder I could see Jon Rubenstien doing it.
however just to take a step back maybe what he ment by saying smartphones are not HPs focus, who is to say that's because that's the Palm division of HPs job. Palms job duties would be working on WebOS and smartphones. HP would be focused on putting WebOS in other devices like toasters.
that's just happy thoughts because I don't like Android, RIM, or Apple.... WebOS smartphones is what works best for me. I would be sad if I had to go Android because HP puts a stop to smartphones. :-(
I ventured into OfficeMax the other day and was amazed to see the Compaq computers side by side with HP computers on the shelves. Compaq was acquired by HP in 2002 and yet Compaq is still viable and developing new computers every day. I don
It's a strong possibility they will my friend. I'm pretty sure they understand the notoriety of the Palm brand. That is something they will not wanna kill right off the cuff, if ever.
QUICK...someone get Hurd a PrePlus!! ASAP.. Take away his BB or IPhone & let him see & feel how quickly he can recover & surpass his daily need for information & connectivity.
Hurd needs to do what Randall did @ AT&T; He(the CEO) put DeLavega (CEO from Cingular Buyout), as CEO of AT&T Wireless & the rest is history. The weak network is fault of poor planning from network ops, but the IPhone, plans & HighProfits are the work of DeLavega not Randall, as he was smart enough to know his limitations.
Note that the wireless revenus are 50%+ of AT&T today.
What?; The. Hell@ Did. All (of this) mean!?!!
Smartphones are just another connected device to us. For example, building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat - and I don't mean that to be demeaning to anybody in the phone business.
this is actually a very true staetment. Building a smart isn't as complicated as it seems... It's the OS and how it integrates into the phone. (meaning strip any os from any smartphone and what you have is no more complicated than a feature phone.. It's the OS that's difficult to engineer)
Also I like the fact that he's focusing on the whole ecosystem where your phone is more a remote control into any other device you own .. Connect to ,update ,diagnose and contrlo from anywhere..
the only problem is ... Since hurd doesn't seem to have what it takes to get this message across someone else may need to step in
That person could be you sketch42.
Hmmmmmmmm visions of Global Domination come to mind... All under My power through WebOS ... MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAH BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
"building a smartphone or a phone of any type is not a particularly complicated engineering feat"
That's why just about any Chinese knockoff is just as good as an HTC or iPhone. Yup.
from an engineering perspective, building a smartphone isn't all that complicated an engineering feat. Especially not for major tech companies. The reason knockoffs aren't just as good is because the components are are cheaper and the Operating Systems are less robust. Thats what the CEO is saying. Anyone with $ can get a snappy processor, that work is already done. Its the software that sets devices apart.
I second this
Personally...i was bit of a drama queen yesterday...But I have NO intentions of jumping ship, but i know where i am getting my next desktop and plotter
Geez, did he just hand all Palm's business to Google? I suspect he did. Which is a shame.
At home, I print about 10 pages of *anything* a year, and I still strive to go paperless, so I don't foresee a use-case in my household for web-enabled printer, as wizzy as that sounds.
What's clearly a bummer here is the blindness to, and alienation of, his new acquisition's current customer base. That's just bad business.
However, if this talk was directed at specific concerns of Shareholders, to justify the Palm purchase, then I *kind* of get where its coming from. To HP shareholders he may have to justify the acquisition, as in, "No, we're not wasting money trying to break into a smartphone market, it's really for our printers."
However, if the C40 is still in the pipeline, I'll still upgrade to this when it comes out.
When other mobile OS's catch up to the multitasking ability of webOS, and HP was shown to have bought and suffocated their own progeny, perhaps they'll take a look at their leadership.
Meanwhile I'll be keeping an eye on where Jon goes. I think he had a lot to do with what Palm and webOS did, *right*.
HP is more business than consumer.
Well, this is a relief. While I'd love phones to be the #1 priority, but hey, as long as they're still on the roadmap I'm relaxed.
DUHH CEO of HP, we know that HP wants to put WebOS on other devices, however on smartphones it is important! We use our phones daily, so it was you own fault for digging your hole, Hurd! The smartphone biz is a good idea for your company. WebOS is the future! lol
The emphasis on printers needs to be abandoned. Is anyone really printing more? I've used 2 stamps in the last year at my house. I've been receiving my bills electronically and Not printing out a file copy. I don't print maps when traveling anymore. My Pre takes care of that. Some of the currently remaining functions of print can be transferred to a tablet - reviewing bills, meeting notes, photo album,... I've been scanning paper files to get rid of file storage. Please Drop Paper as your primary viewing port and start thinking screen viewing using Tablets and Smartphones.
I agree - we have an ignorupid CEO taking over.
I'm not accustomed to seeing so many grammatical errors in Dieter's work.
'ONE HIT WONDER...THATS ALL IT WAS
keep hope alive!
I think you are missing the point. I think he might have worded his thoughts poorly, but I don
Everything you say has already been posted here by others users.... The issue is where in your scenario is the WebOS Phone if HP scrrws it up due to lack of focus for a smartphone. Get it? Cuz Hud does not!
That's all we are saying.
Couple observations:
1) His view on what it takes to engineer a phone is already reflected in their current smart phone offering and market share.
2) On a positive note (sort of), many of us have worried that HP will ruin our webos phones, apparently they dont really care enough to be able to do that!
I believe there's a typo in the article. And lovers have smartphones have... It appears it should say and lovers OF smartphones.
Well, I've watched the two FT videos of Mr. Hurd. I don't think the man's the idiot a lot of people here are claiming he is (especially after watching the "long/short" one). I am less apprehensive than I was yesterday about the future of Palm. Now, let's get coding those apps!
He is absoultely correct in what he says. The WebOS has great cross platform potential. The Pre plus always felt like a Ferrarri in a Porsche body. The joy should spread.
Under the title of CEO's say the Darndest things: AA&T CEO sends legal staff after an IPhone user who complaind to him about the new Data Plans. Legal called the user with a threat to Cease and Desist.
see it here:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/atandt-warns-customer-that-emailing-t... this user has switched to Sprint now! Yhopefully he won't see the HURD comments too soon & regret his move.
I would imagine big developers will be waiting to see what happens with HP and if they bring out a new phone. I am on my 3rd and to be honest i am fed up with it.
webos is fantastic but there is nothing else to make people want it right now. Here as in many countries the Pre and Pixi are shadowed by the iphone, Android and RIM. The poor sales on o2 will not make it attractive to other networks and there will be an air of caution when and if a new webos phone is ready to go.
The comments of yesterday are all over tech sites and it would of done Palm and webos no favours and don't forget that when they purchased other companies HP said they wouldnt kill them off but they have. Developers i am sure will be reluctant to write many apps and as like you and i they will be waiting to see what happens come July and onwards.
After 3 phones and different issues with each one i am going to move to Blackberry and as i only have 10 months left on my term i hope there is another phone out over the next few months s i can upgrade 3 months before.
I will miss multitasking and the notifications but i wont miss the terrible build quality and problems i have had. A real real pity but things just haven't gone well.
exactly why we are all upset over this... Hurd is killing any hope we had for a better quality SmartPhone. None of us yet to complain about WebOS or Dev. Community..we love it & love them.. But bring us a quality Phone with WebOS! Please!
+1 BINGO
And they lost their window with early Sprint Premiere Pre adopters (of which I am one). We are past ready to upgrade NOW, and it is unlikely there will be any new hardware from Palm for a loooong time now.
Sprint doesn't even offer the freaking "+" model yet.
"Too many cards open" *three times* today, when I had only the phone app and a single browser window open. Sorry, can't wait anymore :(
BTW. If your using your Printer for faxing. Ie. Print a doc then fax it. Here is a way to Fax from any email acct you have for about $1 a month.
go search PFax They may be under a new name, but I have been using them for years & the savings in paper & ink pays for the service, not to mention your time...& did I mention you get a free Fax number so when you get a fax, to your email/s... You can open it & annotate (not change the original), & share it via email with everyone else in the world who has an email. Try doing that with a Hard copy Fax or fax server for a $1 a month!
BTW. If your using your Printer for faxing. Ie. Print a doc then fax it. Here is a way to Fax from any email acct you have for about $1 a month.
go search PFax They may be under a new name, but I have been using them for years & the savings in paper & ink pays for the service, not to mention your time...& did I mention you get a free Fax number so when you get a fax, to your email/s... You can open it & annotate (not change the original), & share it via email with everyone else in the world who has an email. Try doing that with a Hard copy Fax or fax server for a $1 a month!
I was never really sure of what to make out of this deal.One minute I felt like it was'nt going to work out because HP would'nt embrace and continue the brief legacy of Webos,then I thought it might be good because of the money they would throw at it.I love webos,so I won't leave it until it gets a restraining order on me :).I wish I could buy palm and had the mula to support it.I would keep OS up to speed,add a faster processor,and so on.
If I had a WebOS tablet my smartphone would get MUCH less use. My friend is an Apple person and has the iphone and the ipad, he says he uses the ipad for the majority of his applications now (makes sense). I am guessing this is what HP is counting on. They want to put their focus on the tablet. What they aren't understanding is the two work together and people are going to buy a phone before they buy a tablet. A phone is a need and a tablet is a want. In order to be an industry leader they need to have the best product in both segments.
seriously this guy is like the current administration, don't like what you hear? Don't worry what was said, what was ''meant'' by what he said is this, don't worry... Either that or he's just tryin to scare investors so that the stock price will dip more so they can renegoiate the price.
Well, I am now more confident. IMHO A new hardware for webos will come in 6 months from July 31, 2010, but HP needs could change anytime.
I know they are partners with others on the GWE Global wireless Ecosystem that is upcoming late 2010, early 2011 and will need a new reshaped hardware webos soon. So I will say, HTC EVO 4g and iphone 4g ,watch out your back ;)
Apparently you were not one of the people, like I was, that waited month after month after month for the Pre to be released, based on such time estimates.
I SERIOUSLY doubt there will be any new Palm hardware this year, and it could be much longer if this HP buyout messes up operations. Many of us *love* WebOS and the WebOS community, but are fed up with the hardware and are ready NOW to upgrade and can wait no longer.
OK, OK Enough... so much for the Herd mentality at HP. (mispelling intentional to make a point)~!
Lets get on with other business on PreCentral... Any news on what Sprint is doing for us 1 yr upgrades from PRE and PIXI?
Do they think we will wait for Palm or is there an offer to stay with Sprint by switching from Palm to ????
Fine smartphones aren't at the top of the list. It's on mine though. Later.
What other company besides htc and previously apple truly has smartphone @ the top of their list? Winmo and google have huge 'list's and while smartphones are high up, it's undoubtful they are priority # 1.
HP CEO > he looks like a...... he talks like a ..... he is a WANKER
This is a shame, I was hoping for news of a 4g Palm. Love the web os, but I have to jump ship to Evo as well. I'll be back if the 4G ever comes along.
As I told HP when they bought Palm. "If I were given a HP product I would sell it or give it away." Why, lousy C service, tiny ink bladders designed for profit, and poor quality. I did receive a quick phone responce to HP's credit. Nonetheless, with Thurd at the helm the Pre is doomed as is Webos. So sad.
HURD is a nerd ! BUT.......I predict that HP will give the Palm Developers funding to Improve WebOS as well as their Phones.HP as a whole company is just not admitting to doing this just yet, and Im sure HP isnt wanting to be JUST a smartphone maker (as seen by their lousy HP Phones).
You all should cool off...be patient....watch and see what happens. The Palm Pre is by no means an OUTDATED phone....not yet !
I for one am in no hurry to jump to an HTC Evo with Sprint.My Pre works awesome, always has.Ive played with a friends Android HTC Hero....not any better than my Pre, just different.With all the cool patches I use, the Pre really is a capable smartphone !!
I think this tells me what I need to know, though. I don't feel I count on any major upgrades to the WebOS phone line to add the capabilities and apps I want, and which Android offers today. Even if they're not abandoning the phone line, it sure doesn't seem like a priority. In fact, HP's "clarification" feels more like a "Damn, I shouldn't have said that, how can I minimize the damage" than a real commitment.
Guess I'll be looking at an Evo 4G very soon.
I have to say the same as every one else is: Look @Apple! Sure they sold computers & people loved them but the ipod then the iphone well I know that turnd a lot of people on to apple! Others have released tablets in the past but none have done what ipad has done & it couldn't do it without the ipod foundation! & in turn it will lead to more computer sales! So you didots @HP get a clue! I think Palm understod just had a heck of a time implementing it.
MGeorke sort of hints at a good point. The iPad is selling so well because it's piggy-backing off the reputation, and user base, the iPhone built. If Apple introduced the iPad today without the core of applications and users already tuned in to the iPhone, it wouldn't be nearly as popular. People are more likely to buy a $100 to $200 phone than an $800 tablet. Unless HP can use the phone experience to build support for WebOS, I think they're going to have a tough sell at higher price points.
But I've been wrong once or twice before. :)
The problem with that is the iPhone HAS a user base for the iPad to build off of. WebOS has been such a failure in the smartphone market to the point where HP would have to fight a battle on two fronts in trying to establish a foothold for their operating system.
Actually If you listen to Mark Hurd's FULL interview, I think he's far from narrow minded. I'm a palm Pre owner, and I hate to admit it, but this man is truly thinking long term. He bought Palm because he wants to "Pimp" WebOS's "Intellectual Property", and he's going to use WebOS to pitch to Corporate entities who are looking for more innovative solutions for their business technologies and connectivity. You can't be mad at the man for calling dibs on a one of it's kind platform (WebOS). True, I like many other Palm fans think we've gone long enough without a new WebOS Smartphone, but it looks like we'll just have to wait this one out. But since I would like a larger screen, because I'm not getting any younger, maybe I'll cop a feel of Sprints new HTC like I did when the Pre came out, and wait 1 yr for the next WebOS phone. If it's not here by then... well then... Maybe Hurd meant what he said..... "We don neeno stinking smardtphone!! How long was the titanic on its descend when people really came to terms that this ship really "IS" sinking??
I wish folks would watch that interview because this guy taken out of context looks awful. Yeah, he's going with a cloud strategy and WebOS is the main thing driving that pursuit.
I totally understand this doom and gloom. Look how badly this worked out for apple.
All the focus on the iPad has caused iPhone and Macbook users to jump ship in droves. Even though the iPad is "just another connected device", they still feel threatened.
Whereas Microsoft thinks about an mp3 player as a specific market, and a smartphone as a specific market, etc. And look at how they are kicking Steve Jobs around while he scares off his customers...
Palm were buried when they got sold, as is webOS on a new device, it just isn't going to happen. Who in their right mind is going to try and develop a device with no market share and go up against OS X 4.0 and Android 2.3/4?? by then?
No-one, that's who. I liked the Pre - but moved to Maemo a while back when the rumblings became reality. Nokia will support it and I'm from Europe, so I wont have to wait 6 months for everything to filter over form the States. If Palm had looked outside the US they might still be afloat (e.g. Their huge success in Germany). They left us high and dry, so they can soak it up now. I'm done waiting for something that is never going to happen, and making excuses for a phone that is quite frankly a bit sh*t apart from the OS.
That's what all the smart people told Google...
...did I mention that Android has surpassed iPhone sales??? And Google had never built an operating system before... Clearly Eric Schmidt wasn't in his right mind. Good point.
Your desperate need for Palm to succeed is getting in the way of reality, Cantaffordit. Google built an excellent mobile operating system and gave it away in order to get it on as many devices as possible. OEMs like Motorola and HTC then made excellent cutting-edge hardware to leverage the operating system. None of this is comparable to what's happening with WebOS.
Yep. they have a great business model. Lose a little on every copy they give away, and make it up on volume.
How is FREE a business model. And I certainly think kudos go to Google for building a decent OS, but it isn't excellent yet. I have every confidence it will be. I have confidence in ChromeOS, too. My point was that Palm started way ahead of Google, and it didn't stop Google from taking the challenge and succeeding. Was I not clear on that?
Either this guy just doesn't get it. Or, he's a terrible communicator.
Either way, not too comforting. Looking forward to Ruby continuing to drive this particular helm of the ship.
Is it possible that he simply means they (HP/Palm) won't 'insource' building smartphones? That they'll continue contract manufacturing relationships?
Here is more good news for all those that are panic stricken...
I look forward to seeing your "just kidding" posts.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/03/hp-says-its-in-the-smartphone-market-...
Mark Hurd NEVER said that there would be no more WebOS smartphones...
A popular bloggger tried "to read between the lines" and everyone else in the blogosphere picked up the story.
Next time, shouldn't you confirm with HP before you publish misinformation like that, or do you really care??