Samsung interested in buying webOS ?

Following HP's decision to halt its webOS projects and potentially exit the PC market Samsung quickly emerged as the most likely candidate for a buyout. Though HP didn't exactly confirm it was going to exit the PC market yet, the Korean company already put all speculation to rest, claiming it has no interest in making such a move. But now new rumors suggest that it's the ill-fated smartphone and tablet platform that Samsung has its eye on.
"Sources noted that the acquisition of HP's PC business, which has a rather low gross margin, may turn out to hurt Samsung's panel and DRAM businesses that have rather high gross margins, therefore HP's webOS may be the target that Samsung has the most interest in," a report on DigiTimes reads.
Despite plans to stop making smartphones and tablet devices itself, HP has said it is not killing off webOS and that it is seeking "the best hardware partner for it." Apparently their intention is licensing it to others but at this point that seems like a tough sell considering the Pre/TouchPad failure and lack of developer support.
For Samsung, acquiring or licensing webOS could help it stand out from the hordes of Android-running phones and tablets. It could also help the company move away from all the Android lawsuits flying around lately and protect itself against Google potentially "second-tiering" its Android partners now that it has taken Motorola into the fold.
It's worth noting that Samsung has already gained some ground with low-end phones based on its Bada software while also dabbling in Windows Phone 7 devices, so the company is clearly keeping its options open when it comes to the mobile platforms it supports.

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HP addresses TouchPad questions

Less than two weeks ago HP dropped a bombshell by announcing they would be halting their WebOS division and effectively slashed prices on the HP TouchPad to $99 and $149 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively. Since then, demand for HP’s tablet has been phenomenal and finding one at that price has been next to impossible for most.
HP is surprised at the enthusiastic response from the price drop and as a result, has been flooded with questions from users and potential customers alike. The company took to their blog yesterday to answer some of the more pressing questions regarding availability, pricing and ordering.
The most common question from the public is when will HP get more TouchPads. HP says that they will have more information available in the next few days about whether or not they will have more available and if so, what the details are on the situation.
Regarding those who have signed up for alerts about replenished stock, emails will be going out to everyone on that list at the same time so each person has a fair shot at scoring the tablet. Due to high demand, no further email signup notifications are being accepted at this time.
Potential customers have also expressed dissatisfaction about people buying multiple TouchPads and reselling them for a profit online. HP says that if more stock becomes available, they'll implement an order limit to help curb this behavior.
If you purchased your TouchPad at a higher price before the liquidation sale started, you are urged to check with your retailer regarding their price match policy. A full list of questions and answers can be found on HP’s blog.
Were you one of the lucky ones to get a TouchPad for next to nothing, and if so, what do you plan to do with it?

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