Who will buy Palm?

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.

How strange to see JLG writing what is essentially an epitaph for Palm, which had acquired the remaining pieces of his (insanely awesome) BeOS.

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.