As of now, the thinnest Ultrabook on the market is the LG XNote Z330 which measures in at an impressive 0.58 inches thick. However, if this epic HP Spectre video shows us anything it’s that they’re pulling out all the stops. The video tells us absolutely nothing, but you don’t throw in a mysterious song with a chant unless you have something amazing to reveal. Not to mention a logo with a special effect animation. Hopefully we’ll know more soon enough.

While HP says they plan to continue actively developing webOS, they hope to draw interest and innovation from the open source community. The goal, according to HP’s statement, is to improve applications and web services for the next generation of devices. Interestingly, however, there is no mention of any plans to make hardware. This leaves the fate of the platform still very much in the air, with no indication as to when we might expect to see any new webOS phones or tablets.

By turning webOS into an open source, non-hardware specific platform, HP may be signaling an intent to offer challenge to Android. In the present climate handset manufacturers who want to participate in the smartphone market are forced to either write their own operating system – no small task – or adopt Google’s Android platform. An open source webOS would provide hardware companies with a way to diversify their device lineup and reduce their dependence on Google. Also, by sharing webOS with the open source community, HP gets to keep the platform, but also put one foot out the door. This move allows them to revamp webOS while also giving them an easy out if the project fails.

Twitter was abuzz this afternoon following the announcement, and reactions were all over the place. Some regarded the decision as another bad move by HP, and as the death knell for webOS.

Others were more enthusiastic.

Grant Paul, a well-known figure in the iOS jailbreak community, chimed in as well.

What do you think? Is making webOS open source a stroke of genius or a major blunder? Let us know in the comments.

Speculation has raged about what would be done with the company’s mobile division since August, when the HP announced that they were discontinuing all of their webOS devices – the HP TouchPad and their Pre line of smartphones. Assumptions at the time were that webOS was dead, and would likely be sold off. In September, however, CEO Larry Apotheker was kicked out and replaced by Whitman, former head of eBay. She promptly undid some of Apotheker’s more disastrous moves – most notably the plan to spin off HP’s computer business – and set about trying to salvage the beleaguered company.

Throughout all of this the fate of webOS, which became HP’s problem when they acquired Palm in April of 2010, has been in limbo. The company has been virtually silent on the operating system since the announcement of discontinuation, though Whitman has been increasingly positive in recent statements, suggesting that the company may plan to revamp its mobile line.

With four hours to go until the meeting starts, everything is still just rumor and speculation at this point. We will bring you more news as it becomes available. Check back this afternoon for more information.

What do you think? Will HP kill webOS for good, or bring it back? Let us know in the comments.

Hewlitt-Packard acquired Palm in August of 2010 for $1.2 billion. Palm was in dire straights after lackluster sales of their PalmPre line of smart phones – famously intended to be an “iPhone killer” – left the already struggling company on even shakier ground. HP, which was itself in somewhat of a difficult position, brought WebOS to a line of HP phones and tablets. Then, just three months ago, HP abruptly announced that it was discontinuing its like of WebOS-based hardware and possibly spinning off its computer business into a separate company. Despite assertions to the contrary from HP, WebOS was widely regarded as dead and buried.

In that respect, then, Whitman’s statement comes as something of a surprise, as it hints that the company apparently still has plans for WebOS, or for a successor operating system. What plans they may have for any such OS are anyone’s guess. Unless they also intend to restart their phone or tablet business, they will likely be short of hardware on which to put it, unless they look for another manufacturer to partner with.

Speculation abounds on Twitter that HP’s plan is to sell WebOS, possibly to Amazon.

Another Twitter user suggests that Apple might acquire the software and fold it into iOS somehow.

While one user speculates that HP will sell off WebOS in order to make room for a line of Android tablets.

The question remains, however, whether any move HP makes will be enough to save the beleaguered company. We will continue to watch the situation, and update you when HP makes their plans known.

In a statement, the company said it has completed its evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG), and has decided that the unit will remain part of the company.

“HP objectively evaluated the strategic, financial and operational impact of spinning off PSG. It’s clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees,” said President and CEO Meg Whitman. “HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger.”

Whitman was appointed to her position last month, replacing Leo Apotheker after just a year in the role.

The company says the strategic review involved “subject matter experts from across the businesses and functions,” and that “data-driven evaluation revealed the depth of the integration that has occurred across key operations such as supply chain, IT and procurement.”

The evaluation, HP says, also detailed the significant extent to which the PSG unit contributes to the company’s portfolio and overall brand value.

Yeah, I can see that.

HP added that the cost of recreating these things in a standalone company outweighed the benefits of separation.

“As part of HP, PSG will continue to give customers and partners the advantages of product innovation and global scale across the industry’s broadest portfolio of PCs, workstations and more,” said Todd Bradley, EVP of HP’s Personal Systems Group. “We intend to make the leading PC business in the world even better.”

Last year’s revenues for PSG totaled $40.7 billion.

The company unveiled its Kindle Fire tablet and some new Kindles this week, along with a new innovative web browser called Silk.

Now, VentureBeat is reporting that HP is looking to unload Palm ASAP and that Amazon is the “closest to finalizing the deal.” This comes from what the publication cites as “a well-placed source”.

Such an acquisition could give Amazon an operating system in webOS. The Kindle Fire is built on Android and utilizes Amazon’s own Android market, but if Amazon gets webOS, there’s no telling where this could go.

Speaking of the Kindle Fire, some questions have been brought into the spotlight regarding the device’s supply and demand. It only costs $199. Reuters quotes analyst Brian Blair as saying, “When [Amazon CEO, Jeff] Bezos quipped that people should get their pre-orders in quick, that wasn’t just a sales pitch. That was him warning this will sell out.”

Digitimes systems is reporting that Amazon will outsource the production of 10.1 inch tablets to Foxconn electronics, which works on the iPad, as well as Amazon’s Kindle e-readers. Such tablets, it says, are expected to ship before the end of the year. The announced Kindle Fire is a 7 inch tablet.

Apotheker was tapped in September of last year to replace CEO Mark Hurd, after Hurd resigned his position amid a sexual harassment investigation. HP said that they found no sexual harassment violations as a result of the investigation, but did unearth violations of their “standards of business conduct.”

Of course, Meg Whitman had another high-profile CEO gig in past, as CEO of eBay. She also was a candidate for governor of California. Whitman is already a current HP board member, but now she is taking the reins as full-time President and CEO. This move had been expected.

Ray Lane has been appointed Executive Chairman, as he had this to say about Whitman in a release –

We are fortunate to have someone of Meg Whitman’s caliber and experience step up to lead HP. We are at a critical moment and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead. Meg is a technology visionary with a proven track record of execution. She is a strong communicator who is customer focused with deep leadership capabilities. Furthermore, as a member of HP’s board of directors for the past eight months, Meg has a solid understanding of our products and markets.

Whitman inherits a company going through some tough times. Apotheker was ousted after HP stock fell over 40% this year. Last month, HP announced that they were spinning ff their PC business. And just seven weeks after the promising HP TouchPad tablet hit the shelves, they discontinued all webOS devices, which resulted in a $99 firesale of the TouchPad.

Whitman said that she is “honored and excited to lead HP. I believe HP matters – it matters to Silicon Valley, California, the country and the world.”

Few took a step back to look at the big picture, essentially with every purchase of the discounted tablets, that person was buying into a dieing ecosystem, as HP has no plans to develop further webOS devices.

Some saw this as an opportunity buy the TouchPad for $99 and essentially turn it into a $500 tablet by porting Android over to it. Before you ask, the answer is no… no Android port currently exists.

To help entice the hacker development community, a hardware modification website is currently offering a $1,500 cash bounty to the first person to successfully port a full version of the Android OS to the HP TouchPad. Hack N Mod gives the full rundown:

“As you’re probably aware, the HP TouchPad is now available for $100 – A $400 discount from it’s original price. And let’s be honest, we all want it running Android. So, to speed up the porting process, we’re offering a bounty! With built in Wifi, Bluetooth, etc, it’s a perfect tool for enhancing DIY projects, especially those using the Arduino!

How to get the prize ($1500) – Complete one (or several) of the tasks above and let the world know! Post your source code on GitHub and paste links to your pictures and videos in the comments below (or email us). All work must be documented under an open source license. The first person or group to successfully complete a fully functional task above wins the corresponding prize. The only condition is that your port must have a user-friendly installation process (such that the average user can easily install it).”

With the future of webOS extremely unclear at the moment, the future of all new TouchPad owners could rest in the hands of this select group of hacker / developers to trying to get Android.

Do you think we’ll ever see Android running on an HP TouchPad? Let us know.

[Lead Image Courtesy]

Flash forward just seven weeks after the TouchPad hit store shelves, and HP has discontinued all webOS devices. This comes on the heels of an announcement where HP is looking to spinoff it’s hardware division and look to reposition themselves as a corporate technology provider.

At the moment you can get a 16GB HP Touchpad at firesale pricing: $99 and a 32GB HP Touchpad for $149 — that is if you can find one.

Currently HP TouchPads are sold out at pretty much everywhere online including: HP, HP Home & Office, Amazon, MicroCenter, Office Max, Office Depot, Radio Shack, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, HH Gregg, Best Buy… I could keep going, but I think you get the idea.

Some businesses that didn’t even drop the price are out of stock as well, as some people purchased the tablet at full price hoping to get it price matched later. That’s a pretty hefty risk, as nothing is guaranteed.

There is no denying that people want the TouchPad, as long as it’s for the firesale price. SlickDeals.net currently has ONE thread devoted to the TouchPad which has seen well over 4.2 million views since Friday evening.

The social media manager for HP took to Twitter where she attempted to help people understand that HP was temporarily out of stock. It appears that she was attempting to steer people away from the already crippled various HP .com’s that thrifty shoppers had brought down.

As you might guess, shortly after this link was shared… the alert site was slowed to a crawl.

There are some bloggers who are saying shoppers shouldn’t be lured in by the cheap price, as you’re being lead into a dead ecosystem. Specs aren’t what make tablets great, it’s the apps. Bloggers suggest that app developers will abandon webOS as they’d be developing for a dead technology.

Sure, that logic sounds good in theory, but it shouldn’t cause you to not buy a $99 tablet. It’s already been announced that several hacker development groups are hard at work at porting the popular Android OS to the device. If this happens, it will essentially turn your $99 TouchPad into a $500 Android tablet. Not a bad investment if you ask me.

“Touchdroid — Android for the HP Touchpad” is currently in progress by a group of hackers. They already have a site in development along with an overview of there plans for porting Android.

Welcome to the official development thread of Touchdroid, by the Touchdroid team. As part of the open Android and RootzWiki communities, we want to make our Android port as open as possible, and providing development insight to all of our users. Since we are just beginning, this threads original post and two or three following posts will be reserved for future use by the team as this will be updated frequently over time. We are attempting to port Android to the HP Touchpad, which was originally shipped with webOS.

It’ll be interesting to see over the next few weeks what new developments come out regarding the HP TouchPad. How soon will Android be ported to the device? How cheap will accessories for the device be?

Did you grab an HP TouchPad over the weekend? If so where did you get yours? Let us know in the comments.

The exact words of the announcement are that they have: “announced the terms of a recommended transaction under which HP (through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, HP SPV) will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Autonomy for £25.50 ($42.11) per share in cash (the ‘Offer’). The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both HP and Autonomy. The Autonomy board of directors also has unanimously recommended its shareholders accept the Offer.”

Word has been making its way throughout the tech news circuit that HP is in talks to buy database search software makers Autonomy for somewhere in the ballpark of $10 billion. Talk has also indicated that they would discontinue webOS devices and spin off their PC business.

HP has put out a press release addressing the talk.

HP announced that it is in discussions with Autonomy regarding a possible offer for the company. The company also announced its intentions to announce that its board of directors has authorized the exploration of alternatives for its Personal Systems Group. The company says it will consider a broad range of options that may include (among others) full or partial separation of this group from HP through a spin-off or other transition.

The company also says it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices (specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones), and it will continue to explore options to “optimize the value of webOS software going forward).

HP also announced preliminary results for its third fiscal quarter 2011, with revenue of $31.2 billion – up from a year ago, when it was $30.7 billion.

Here’s more on the financials from the release:

In the third quarter, preliminary GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $0.93 and non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.10, compared with third quarter fiscal 2010 GAAP diluted EPS of $0.75 and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.08. Non-GAAP diluted EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs related primarily to the amortization of purchased intangible assets of approximately $0.17 per share and $0.33 per share in the third quarter of fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2010, respectively.

HP estimates full-year FY11 revenue will be approximately $127.2 billion to $127.6 billion, down from its previous estimate of $129 billion to $130 billion. FY11 GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $3.59 to $3.70, down from its previous estimate of at least $4.27, and FY11 non-GAAP diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $4.82 to $4.86, down from its previous estimate of at least $5.00. FY11 non-GAAP diluted EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs of approximately $1.16 to 1.23 per share, related primarily to restructuring and shutdown costs associated with webOS devices, the amortization and impairment of purchased intangibles, restructuring charges and acquisition-related charges.