Why wouldn't Google buy Palm for the patent war chest that it can use to defend itself against Apple? I am assuming of course that Palm have such a thing, but since they were in that market a decade before other smart phones they must have a lot that is useful.<p>HTC might also find it immediately useful.
Somehow Palm still has my sympathies. Maybe one of the other players besides Google and Apple would benefit from buying the OS? As a developer, I already feel a decided tiredness towards new mobile phone OS. iPhone - OK, I don't like it on principles, but it can't be ignored. Android - this is for me, but they won't have the whole market. Windows/Maemo: just leave me alone, I don't want to learn yet another OS, even if it's Linux. I already have my hands full with Android/iPhone.<p>WebOS however, is another matter. Somehow I have heard so many good things that I would be more open towards it. So maybe Nokia would fare better with WebOS than with Maemo? Guess they would be too proud to go for it, but still.<p>Did Palm license out WebOS at all (would they have licensed it out)? I just didn't like their hardware.
He takes a lot of time explaining why Palm is dead, but his analysis of the assets falls somewhat flat. Sure, Palm is in a terrible position, but a case can be made for Google, RIM or HTC buying them - Google and HTC could be interested in the patents, RIM could see Palm as a step towards a less business oriented audience. I think it's more a question of finding the right price. Maybe you can't find a buyer at the current market cap of $1B, but what about a price that's closer to book value?<p>It's an interesting view of a former insider, but the arguments why Palm will go bankrupt don't feel conclusive.