The fate of WebOS had been uncertain after HP decided to abandon its tablet computers in August

Discussion:  HP announced that it is donating WebOS, its smartphone/tablet operating system, to open source developers.  HP said that they would continue to provide support for WebOS.  What it sounds like, from an observer’s point of view, is that HP could not get a buyer to purchase WebOS for their asking price, so they decided to “donate” it in order to improve their brand image.  Time will tell how this decision pans out in the end, as HP has not been know for its strategic decisions as of late.

Source:  BBC News

Date:  December 9, 2011

Link:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16121361

Discussion Questions:

• Who is going to actually be in charge of updating and improving WebOS?
• What does this mean for users of HP’s touchpads and smartphones?