Hasta La Gadget!

It’s been just over two weeks since HP announced plans to discontinue production of its webOS devices, and speculation over the future of the platform is still going strong. Just this week, Samsung CEO Choi Gee Sung put to rest rumors of a webOS deal, and now two leaked missives from inside HP show plans to split the webOS global business unit in two. According to letters apparently from Todd Bradley and Shane Robison, webOS software will find a new home in the outfit’s Office of Strategy and Technology, while the hardware division will remain with the Personal Systems Group. One of these letters from Tom Bradley explains the split:

The pan-HP charter of OS&T provides a broad view of how we can optimize our technologies. In fact, it has proven to be a successful incubator of technologies; it is home to a team of senior technology experts devoted exclusively to exploring longer-term strategies for our technologies.

The second missive, from Shane Robison, goes on to say that “webOS software is still a great asset.” None of this should come as a surprise, as our interview with Stephen DeWitt reiterated the company’s dedication to the webOS platform, while HP’s recent ads hocking PSG show the outfit’s intentions to spin-off its PC business. Now the question is, who has the bones to make it happen? For the full-length leaks hit the source link below.

webOS global business unit split outlined in leaked HP documents originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honestly, it never made much sense to begin with. Between Android, Windows Phone 7 and Bada, what could Samsung possibly want with another mobile OS? Yet, the rumors persisted that Sammy was going to snatch up, or at least license, HP’s recently quasi-retired tablet and smartphone platform. Well, the speculation can officially be put to rest — Samsung CEO Choi Gee Sung told a group of reporters at IFA that the company would “never” pursue a webOS deal, and bemoaned the trend of “acquiring an operating system.” Of course, things could change, but we wouldn’t count on it — sounds like the company’s developers already have plenty on their plate.

Samsung CEO says ‘never’ to webOS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The new 12c is as hard to fathom as the old one. Photos HP

HP may or may not be dumping its PC business, and it may have messed up its hardware future in a post-PC world, but the company still knows what’s important. A new handheld from the Palo Alto company is set to rock the miniature tablet world. Behold: The HP 12c Financial Calculator 30th Anniversary Edition.

Above you see the 30-year old original (left) and the new version, side by side. The tiny calculator was used by bean counters who apparently loved its shirt-pocket size, accurate calculations and the fact that you can use it in CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exams (the other permitted calculator is the Texas Instruments BA II Plus).

I have a vague memory of owning one of these, although I’m not sure why. And I’m absolutely certain that I didn’t know how to use it. Put a scientific calculator in front of me and I’ll rip through cosines, tangents and non base 10 math as if I were still in school. But put the 12c on my desk my eyes will roll back in my head at the thought of Reverse Polish Notation and Zzzzzz. Uh. Sorry. You see?

The Anniversary Edition is exactly the same as the original, but for the writing on the front and a laser-etched production number on the back. You’ll be able to pick one up for $80, or around the same as a TouchPad (Sorry. Couldn’t resist).

The HP-12C turns 30, Goes Limited Edition. Thanks, Greta! [HP]

See Also:

• Casio's PRIZM Calculator is Like Your Kid's First Tricorder …
• May 7, 1895: Calculator Learns to Multiply
• Man Creates Huge Online Museum for Vintage Calculators
• 37 Year Old Calculator Wins Award

And on the 61st day, the TouchPad rose again.

HP has plans to produce another round of its TouchPad tablets before the year is out, despite its earlier decision to discontinue its mobile hardware products.

“Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand,” HP spokesman Mark Budgell wrote in a company blog post. “As we know more about how, when and where TouchPads will be available, we will communicate that here and through e-mail to those who requested notification.”

Budgell says it will be a few weeks before devices from the additional run will be available for purchase.

The blog post signals further confusion from a company in upheaval. Two weeks ago, HP announced suddenly it would end production on all of its mobile hardware, including the soon-to-be-released Pre 3 and Veer smartphones. The decision also included the company’s iPad competitor, the TouchPad, killed off a mere 49 days after its debut in July. Circulating rumors suggested third-party retailers were sitting on hundreds of thousands of unsold units.

HP followed its announcement by slashing prices on remaining TouchPad inventory, reducing the price of the 16-gigabyte TouchPad to $100, and the 32-gig version to $150.

Since the blowout sale prices, however, the company hasn’t been able to keep any TouchPads in stock. Retailers have been bombarded by customer requests for the cheapened devices, and dozens of retailers have reported completely selling out.

Which is most likely the reason behind HP’s decision to once again beef up its inventory for a last TouchPad blast.

“Tablet computing is a segment of the market that’s relevant, absolutely,” HP personal systems group exec Todd Bradley told Reuters in an interview. The company continues to explore licensing options for, webOS — its proprietary operating system — according to Bradley.

There’s no guarantee, however, that HP will continue to sell the last round of tablets at a $100 rate. Hardware teardown website iSupply speculates that, in terms of components alone, a 16-GB TouchPad costs HP approximately $300 to build. That’s a $200 bath HP is taking on each individual unit sold, not including the cost of labor, shipping and associated expenses.

HP did not immediately respond to a phone request for comment.

While the resurgence in TouchPad interest may be a promising sign for HP, the company’s flip-flopping decision process isn’t serving its public image.

“The only thing I know for sure that’s going on at HP is that they have completely lost control of their message,” Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps said by e-mail to Wired.com. Epps continued, saying HP was “sabotaging their brand with the mixed messages.”

As of today, the TouchPad is now the No. 2 best-selling tablet after the iPad, according to FastCompany. Ironically, that’s the exact position HP was vying for.

Unfortunately for the company, it took bargain-bin pricing and the threat of extinction to get there.

HP: TouchPad will receive OTA update for added ‘functionality’ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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