Just like everyone else, I heard the bad news from HP yesterday afternoon about the demise of the TouchPad, Pre and webOS, as we know them.
The demise was not unexpected because it was clear to anyone who wasn't an HP apologist that the Palm division (a/k/a The Good Ship Ruby) was just as adrift as it had been before being acquired by HP.
HP -- meaning Leo -- had no real interest in webOS or the devices.
Here's my take on what was going on...
Leo didn't buy Palm. He inherited it from the prior regime and had no personal attachment/stake in the devices or the OS.
He let the TP, etc. go forward, but let Ruby & Co. basically go their own way... with no supervision as to the final outcome.
As the TP launch approached, and it was "unfinished", Leo could have killed it then and took the loss, but decided differently.
His decision was to let it go... for the time being.
If the TP was even marginally successful, he would let things go for another period of time.
If it was not successful, he would put it to death in a measured/planned way.
What happened was that the TP and its launch was so bad in every way since July 1, that there was no choice, but the summary execution we witnessed yesterday.
Leo was done with it... No potential "upside" left for him, just more trouble caused by something which was not originally of his doing. (You'd probably do it, too.)
So, where does it leave us?
Pre, Veer and TP customers -- in plain English -- have been screwed over by Leo and Leo must go now. It won't change the decision to abandon webOS devices, but it is a small way to "make things right".
Now, you might be saying to yourself, "Hey, what about those clowns Ruby, DeWitt and Bradley? Shouldn't they be gone, too?" I agree, but Leo should be the first man to walk the plank. He had multiple opportunities to sink The Good Ship Ruby (or take control of it) long before the TP disaster hit the market... And did nothing.
Adios, Leo. That first step is a doozie.
Follow me on Twitter... @rnolan1087
