HP MediaServer team joins Palm Global Business Unit 28
The news going around that HP is not going to release another edition of their MediaServer product for savvy consumers came with another little tidbit - that the team behind the product has been transferred over to help out with webOS. We checked in with HP to see if that was indeed the case and sure enough, they're on board with the Palm GBU:
With the recent acquisition of Palm, HP’s Personal Systems Group is further building the resources and talent necessary to take full advantage of the large and growing connected device market. One of the teams that have been transferred to the Palm Global Business Unit is from the MediaSmart Server line of products. We believe the MediaSmart Server team’s depth and experience on multimedia and entertainment applications will benefit the future development of webOS.
That sounds pretty good to us and along with the HP acquisition of Melodeo seems to send a clear signal that HP is very, very serious about beefing up the media (and streaming?) capabilities of webOS.
For those wondering about the MediaSmart line itself, here's HP's word:
The HP MediaSmart Server includes many unique innovations including a media collector, video converter, remote and mobile media streaming, and a complete solution for Mac users that continue to position it as the leading product in the home server category. HP will sell through the current MediaSmart Server inventory, and of course we’ll honor our service and support commitments.
Sounds like features that would all fit quite well on a PC-home for media meant to be streamed to webOS. HP doesn't look to want to let this turn into a snub against Microsoft (just as they didn't with the Slate) - they are hugely important partners after all - but it's looking a bit like HP is looking to control more of their software solutions directly rather than depend on Microsoft.
Source: Engadget; Thanks to everybody who sent this in!
28 Comments
Sounds great to me. Kinda late repoting. But I guess this means there will be more web services and web backup coming in the future
So are they looking to add their own version of Ampache (Mobile), but without the hassle of setting it up on your own?
I have the HP MediaSmart EX495 at home and (along with WHS in general), it's a really a great product that I use as a nightly backup box for my other home computers as well as a central file server and media server.
Hopefully the team's move over to WebOS will be a big plus on the side of remote file access, file transfer, and media sharing. To be honest though, I'm sad to see the product discontinued...
I'm torn! I was hoping for a HPmediasmart app for the Palm similar to what they have for the Iphone. As an owner of both, I am happy that the resources or going to WebOS, but very, very sad that the HP MSS is dead!
I think this has more to do with HP getting out of a niche market then anything. Though I'm sure WHS is an excellent product it isn't something that many people buy. The vast majority of non tech savy people won't buy it, and those that are tech savy probably have other solutions as well. Heck with iis, Homegroups and windows live sync included in win 7 home premium you don't necessarily need a 'server'. I have all my important files constantly syncing to four different computers and also docs syncing online. That's a good enough backup for me.
Also I'm not familiar with HP specific WHS apps, but I would guess the majority was MS base programs.
HP with their 'webconnected' devices will probably look to offer further backup of our webos device beyond our profile all for a 'nominal fee'.
I don't think this group moving offers much that I would be interested in, but who knows.
Its not just about backing up or sharing files. HP WMS backs up your entire computer. MAC and PC. If your laptop HD goes out, you buy a new one, install it, and tell HP WMS to put your files back on it. No recovery disk needed. Plus it gives you a local hub for all media. It organizes and stores it, making the media availible to everyone on the system. This keeps you from bogging down your hard drives with data. It has built in redundancy, so it backs up itself to a diferent drive. I built my own server for years, but this thing showed me I was spinning my wheels and waisting my time. It does lack some performance for streaming data to muliple sources. TV and computer at the same time, but a upgraded processor fixed that.
I agree they are being brought in to oranize and develope for cloud services. It could be cool. Online storage is going to be a big market in the future. But I think there is still a market for WNS.
HP made media servers? Well i guess i shouldn't be surprised. What they should have made long ago is something like the original apple tv but with tons of formats not just a few. interface with a server, stream files from my computer like an xbox 360 or wdtv live (a must since i got terabytes of files) and netflix streaming. That kinda thing. and let it all have remote access to a webos enabled phone for remote audio playback complete with playlists support, podcasts support, album art. Sort of ampacheish but a hell of a lot more user friendly.
It is not just a media server. It is a server line running a Microsoft Windows Home Server OS aimed at home users. Think of it as a Network Attached Storage with MS enhancement. It does backups, print server, streaming medias, blog hostings and other stuffs a server does.
ok
I don't see how webOS will fill the WHS niche that HP had. That was a market pretty much dominated by HP, so I'm still confused by their decision. I actually just happened to pick up two ex490's last night (I'll be upgrading on my own) for rock bottom prices, so I'm quite happy.
I don't think that was the intent of HP. They just didn't want anything to do with WHS, and they might as well have put the guys working on it on another project that needed help, and webOS was that project.
So take a set of people who worked in a division that couldn't be successful with their own product and shoe horn them into another division that has yet to do anything....hmmmm sounds like a recipe for success to me!! Not.
While it is nice to have "bodies", this does not seem like a true fit. However, only time will really tell.
To be fair, it's difficult to be successful when you're in a niche market. HP probably wanted something more lucrative.
Actually, I think that HP getting out of the WHS (Windows Home Server) business is more due to Microsoft neutering WHS by their announcement that they are removing the Drive Extender (DE) feature from future versions of WHS. The MediaSmart servers are a great product and pretty much owned the niche. However, I think that HP sees the writing on the wall. By taking DE out of WHS, Microsoft has effectively killed WHS. The uproar from WHS users has been impressive and vocal, with most users saying that there's no reason to upgrade to WHS v2 if there is no DE. For many (if not most - including myself) WHS users, DE is WHS. Let's face it, if you have a product that is based on a Microsoft product that Microsoft has effectively killed, wouldn't you move on as well?
Agreed, not sure if the two are related but it is hard not to think that way. I definitely am disappointed in the removal of Drive Extender and hope something comes out or changes due to the outcry from the community
Yes, would love a WebOS version of a Home Server! I've used WHS from the start and it works well, and has saved me many times with family drive crashes.
webOS Media Server...? Could it be as simple as plugging a webOS frontend into a beefier Linux backend? Kinda Crazy, Sexy, Cool, if you ask me.
Leave file management in as a legacy option for control freaks (read: me), but abstract the hell out of everything else and control terrabytes of data with a dozen simple apps.
Colonel Kernel - we're on the same page. I think it would be a brilliant move. Most NAS devices have a web front-end - webOS would be perfect for serving this up (resulting in a webOS Home Server or WHS). Port Greyhole to webOS and you fill the gap that Microsoft seems to be leaving wide-open with their next version of MHS (MS is reported to be removing Drive Extender from MHS).
http://code.google.com/p/greyhole/
If HP was really ambitious they could port a portion of all of Amahi Home Server to webOS:
http://www.amahi.org/
Using the Enyo framework, HP could have an interface that ran equally well on a Palm phone, tablet or on a PC. Music or videos stored on the WHS could be easily served to PC or mobile clients. Documents stored on the WHS could easily be printed to local or remote printers (HP, of course). Speaking of printers, HP could have printers that would autoconnect to the NAS/WHS and be browsable via their display (which are ever increasing in size and now have removable tablets).
All of this would serve the exact type of synergy, crossbranding and integration that HP would like to promote with the Palm purchase. I don't know if they'll do it, but it definitely makes sense. And if HP has some sort of HP Palm/webOSTV device in the works, it makes even more sense.
good lets just hope all this is goin to pay off
Personally I think if HP wants to Vertically Integrate there need to be a couple more buyouts:
They should buy out Meego and use it as the Netbook OS. Its going to fail on smartphone devices in my opinion anyways.
Buy out Mandrake (they are doing poorly right now) and use it as the Desktop/Server OS
Buy out Boxee and use it as the "Internet Content on TV" OS.
Then HP would be fully vertically integrated.
I don't think HP needs 5 different OS's to be vertically integrated (6 if you include the Linux kernal that webOS is based on).
webOS can easily handle Internet TV duties and should be able to handle at least half of all netbook tasks, if not the whole thing.
its gunna b nice when webos is going to b the control ui for your monitor, tv, printer or whatever else has a screen. i think they know what they hav to do over at hp. start making tvs for one haha. idk why they dont already they make really nice monitors
This is the best news I have heard since Ben and Dion Left
I'm glad to read an article and comments that don't go down the CES, Evo, I'm leaving WebOS forever, crappy form factor, I want a Pre2 on Sprint, I don't want the Pre2 on Sprint, the Pre2 was a mistake, etc, etc road.
Thanks.
why the hell did they make the pre2 with only a 1 ghz processor when mine is already running at that speed? thats stupid. im going to jump ship and get an evo already im tired of wating till ces. wtf PAAAAALLM?
Because only a tiny fraction of the user base will overclock. This takes care of the other 95%.
ummm i was being sarcastic, i thought it was kinda obvious. did u read the post i was replying to?... lots of these nerds on p/c need to add some moisture to their dry comments