A Simple Explanation for Why HP Abandoned Palm

101–102 of 102 posts

Re: A Simple Explanation for Why HP Abandoned Palm

#101

Post by lukifer » Mon, Aug 22, 2011, 4:44 PM UTC

teyc wrote: post #68

lukifer wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What killed the TouchPad more than anything was lack of differentiation. If they had been $400 from the start, they could have been "the iPad, but cheaper". They could have started with a 7-8" model. They could have targeted specific niche markets or verticals en masse, preloading them with use-case specific apps and selling thousands of units at a time to big orgs. As it is, the webOS is a brilliant OS which HP comp…

Actually, there are better places than trying to differentiate on price. Printing with the iPad is a prickly issue today. If HP were to even launch one printer that worked with the TouchPad, it would have been an opening salvo that Apple will have to scramble to catch up. Secondly, cameras represent the last bastion of consumer goods that hasn't been computerized the way a music player has been computerized. HP could…

The camera idea is interesting. They also failed to attempt an iPod Touch competitor (though component prices could make that a non-starter). And there are at least two other arenas that remain insufficiently computerized: the living room, and the kitchen.

Put simply, HP had a tremendous opportunity, and they squandered it through lack of vision.

Re: A Simple Explanation for Why HP Abandoned Palm

#102

Post by teyc » Tue, Aug 23, 2011, 12:03 AM UTC

lukifer wrote: post #101

teyc wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, there are better places than trying to differentiate on price. Printing with the iPad is a prickly issue today. If HP were to even launch one printer that worked with the TouchPad, it would have been an opening salvo that Apple will have to scramble to catch up. Secondly, cameras represent the last bastion of consumer goods that hasn't been computerized the way a music player has been computerized. HP could…

The camera idea is interesting. They also failed to attempt an iPod Touch competitor (though component prices could make that a non-starter). And there are at least two other arenas that remain insufficiently computerized: the living room, and the kitchen. Put simply, HP had a tremendous opportunity, and they squandered it through lack of vision.

Looking at the quality of the HP TouchPad ads reminds me of the hilarous movie The Producers, where the show has to be a flop or it will financially destroy the movie makers. HP hired comedians to make fun of potential customers, like looking photos of buck-toothed relatives. Then there was the VP demonstrating the Touchpad without the camera getting a clear shot of how to operate it. Finally, shutting the show when it has barely started.

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