Google should buy Palm

**PortareAF** · 03-18-2010, 06:52 PM

Saw this article on Gizmodo. Seems to have some pretty strong points, what do you people think?

**Andrew Ruffolo** · 03-19-2010, 03:04 AM

I don't see it happening. They mention "Google needs a hardware company"
I don't know if these people read the news, but the Pre and Pixi are pieces of ****aki mushrooms! Google needs Palm just like I need Herpes. Just let Palm die already, a former Pre owner will have a grin when that happens

**s-one** · 03-19-2010, 08:48 AM

Google should buy Blackberry instead.

**deparson** · 03-19-2010, 11:17 AM

I don't see that Palm has much to offer to Google or anyone else.

Low sales, no buzz, nothing really unique on the hardware side and Google does not need/want another OS.

I see Palm winding down slowly and fading into the night.

**Corey** · 03-19-2010, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by deparson

I don't see that Palm has much to offer to Google or anyone else.

Low sales, no buzz, nothing really unique on the hardware side and Google does not need/want another OS.

I see Palm winding down slowly and fading into the night.

True, but as the article states, buying Palm would give Google some lucrative patents that Palm currently holds. That may be a strong point if this Apple v. HTC patent lawsuit gets ugly. Google would have a fair amount of ammo with Palm's patents under their belt should Apple decide to pull them into the litigation. The sales and hardware are really just fluff, while the patents would be the real meat and potatoes of the deal.

**doogald** · 03-19-2010, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Corey

True, but as the article states, buying Palm would give Google some lucrative patents that Palm currently holds. That may be a strong point if this Apple v. HTC patent lawsuit gets ugly. Google would have a fair amount of ammo with Palm's patents under their belt should Apple decide to pull them into the litigation. The sales and hardware are really just fluff, while the patents would be the real meat and potatoes of the deal.

Correct, so then you just wait as they continue to flounder and the value of their business continues to decline. There's no point in buying now if the value of the company continues to decline.

What might be smarter (since Google doesn't actually need Palm's hardware or OS) is to do a cross-licensing patent deal.

**baycruisers** · 03-19-2010, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by doogald

Correct, so then you just wait as they continue to flounder and the value of their business continues to decline. There's no point in buying now if the value of the company continues to decline.

What might be smarter (since Google doesn't actually need Palm's hardware or OS) is to do a cross-licensing patent deal.

If Palm continues to fade they will likely be willing to sell the company or license patents at fire sale prices. Google may be waiting to see if they can get a better deal in the next year or two.

**MrSmith317** · 03-21-2010, 07:34 AM

I don't think Google needs Palm, but they definitely need to stop using HTC. Maybe they should just get further in bed with Moto or spend some of their billions on creating Google Hardware Labs .

**Zorro1** · 03-21-2010, 07:22 PM

If Google doesn't get them, Apple will, and then effectively will own all the patents. Which jeopardizes all of us. When Apple first threatened to sue Palm as the Pre was rolling out, they stopped in their tracks. Palm owned more of the patents that Apple did! That still keeps Apple from suing most folks. So it's really more in Apple's interest to buy Palm...and the hardware doesn't suck, btw. Their strategy is all that sucked. They went with arguably the worst of the phone companies with a one year exclusive, forcing their VZW customers to wait...while Moto built the Droid. Duh. So *poof* goes another one.

**MowDownJoe** · 03-21-2010, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Corey

True, but as the article states, buying Palm would give Google some lucrative patents that Palm currently holds. That may be a strong point if this Apple v. HTC patent lawsuit gets ugly. Google would have a fair amount of ammo with Palm's patents under their belt should Apple decide to pull them into the litigation. The sales and hardware are really just fluff, while the patents would be the real meat and potatoes of the deal.

Then why shouldn't HTC buy Palm? They're a hardware company. They're the ones getting sued. It would let HTC have their own OS to make smartphones, in addition to Android. Plus, I'm drooling at the thought of an HD2/N1 with WebOS.

**YourMobileGuru** · 03-22-2010, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by MowDownJoe

Then why shouldn't HTC buy Palm? They're a hardware company. They're the ones getting sued. It would let HTC have their own OS to make smartphones, in addition to Android. Plus, I'm drooling at the thought of an HD2/N1 with WebOS.

WebOS is inherently limited. Palm acts as though that whole idea of a widget based OS is new but it isn't iPhone tried that with their 1.0 product. I don't really see WebOS having much of a future as a standalone product. It's fast and a novelty, but once people get used to it even most fanboys get frustrated by the limitations.

By purchasing Palm, Google would not only beef up their patent library, but could then implement the best parts of WebOS into Android, giving us the best of both worlds.. :-)

**YourMobileGuru** · 03-22-2010, 01:40 AM

Originally Posted by Zorro1

If Google doesn't get them, Apple will, and then effectively will own all the patents. Which jeopardizes all of us. When Apple first threatened to sue Palm as the Pre was rolling out, they stopped in their tracks. Palm owned more of the patents that Apple did! That still keeps Apple from suing most folks. So it's really more in Apple's interest to buy Palm...and the hardware doesn't suck, btw. Their strategy is all that sucked. They went with arguably the worst of the phone companies with a one year exclusive, forcing their VZW customers to wait...while Moto built the Droid. Duh. So *poof* goes another one.

1. It was a six month exclusive, not a year.
2. Yes the Pre hardware sucks. Verizon version is only slightly more sturdy than the Sprint version.