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LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

engadget.com

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Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#61

Post by andybak »

dagw wrote: post #38
koralatov wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This just signals that there is a hole in the market for an open source smart TV platform. Is there, though? I'm pretty technical, and very interested in the whole FLOSS thing, and I'm pretty much of the `meh' contingent when it comes my TV's software's licensing. All I really care about is turning the damn thing on, watching what I want, when I want, and being able to afford to rent the stuff I want to watch. Now ta…

Once licensing deals by the TV manufacturers force them to choose between a TV that supports Youtube, Netflix and HBO, but not NFL Gamepass and a TV that support Netflix and NFL Gamepass, but not HBO and Youtube then they will start to care.

Exactly this. It's silly to expect people to buy several devices and subscribe to several 'pay monthly' services because everyone is signing exclusive content deals left right and center.

We've seen what happens with Sports deals on Pay TV and people don't like being taken for fools. The remaining moral barriers to piracy dissolve very quickly when people feel cheated.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#62

Post by emehrkay »

pessimizer wrote: post #54
emehrkay wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine a situation where you'a query your fridge from the market and it tells you that you're low on milk or have 8 eggs so no need to get more.

Or when the people who made your fridge query it without your knowledge, then sell the current state to 3rd parties who make sure that all you see are egg ads on the internet.

Yeah. That's what sucks about technology. So much cool innovation, but it is ultimately used against you, or the misuses are forced down your throat until you're okay with it.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#63

Post by fsckin »

baddox wrote: post #52
Indyan wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah. LG's high end smart TVs have something called Magic Remote. It's no kinect, but an improved version of this might work well with an WebOS adapted for the big screen. http://www.lg.com/global/magicremote/

I have one and it's awful. For one thing, if you have it sitting somewhere on your couch, any time someone else moves on the couch, a cursor will appear on the screen for 10 seconds or so because the remote will detect movement.

Mine does not do that. Gotta hit a button for it to wake up the remote.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#64

Post by bambax »

mikecane wrote: post #24
RexRollman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems fitting to me, as Palm bought BeOS, accomplished nothing with it, and they sold it off to Access Co, who appears to have done nothing with it.

Hang on. That's not true. At one time the ELSE phone was hyped. http://youtu.be/M4sVGR5uRhc It went nowhere, but at least it was something at one time.

The saddest video I've seen in a long time ;-)

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#65

Post by unwiredben »

moondowner wrote: post #6

How this affects the Enyo and Open webOS projects? Is it affecting them at all?

Both the HP and LG press releases say "LG will assume stewardship of the open source projects of Open WebOS and Enyo."

I'm the Enyo tech lead and I've got an offer from LG.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#66

Post by programminggeek »

So far there are two main use cases for smart TV's - watching videos, and games. Up until now "smart TV's" are bundled with mediocre to terrible video apps, and don't come with game controllers or game apps.

At this point something like Roku or OUYA is a lot closer to the future of TV than even Google TV, which for reasons I'll never understand doesn't seem to even understand the basic use cases of smart TV - video and games.

I don't see how webOS gets LG any closer to what people want from a smart tv.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#67

Post by whalesalad »

It's like the village bicycle. Everyone is taking it for a ride. The idea behind WebOS and some of it's UI held were pretty awesome. Unfortunately it's got way too much baggage now. I think Firefox OS has the best chance to do what WebOS could have done.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#68

Post by mattquiros »

r4vik wrote: post #48
mattquiros wrote: post #44

But of all the hardware makers, LG? They make ugly products. Innovation is not really in their DNA. I wonder where this is going.

Nexus 4 is ugly?

I have a Nexus 4 and it's beautiful. I love it. But I don't really consider it an "LG" phone because look at how strikingly different it is from their other models. It seems that because they carried the Nexus brand, they had to follow the Galaxy Nexus' design, which might be a standard for Nexus phones now. I wouldn't be surprised if the next Nexus phone looked the same.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#69

Post by baddox »

fsckin wrote: post #63
baddox wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have one and it's awful. For one thing, if you have it sitting somewhere on your couch, any time someone else moves on the couch, a cursor will appear on the screen for 10 seconds or so because the remote will detect movement.

Mine does not do that. Gotta hit a button for it to wake up the remote.

Nice. I'll have to check if that's an option for mine.

Re: LG acquires webOS from HP, plans to use it in smart TV platform

#70

Post by mcbridematt »

mikecane wrote: post #24
RexRollman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems fitting to me, as Palm bought BeOS, accomplished nothing with it, and they sold it off to Access Co, who appears to have done nothing with it.

Hang on. That's not true. At one time the ELSE phone was hyped. http://youtu.be/M4sVGR5uRhc It went nowhere, but at least it was something at one time.

Similarly the BeOS platform morphed into Palm OS 6 (Cobalt), which only ever appeared in sample quantities from a phone OEM. (This was well after Palm spun off their OS business, but before PalmSource was acquired by ACCESS)
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