"HP has a great opportunity to build on our strong hardware, software, and services franchises with leading market positions, customer relationships, and intellectual property," said Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer.
It was a rather large laptop as laptops go, with a big, roomy heart filled with all kinds of good things, an impressive collection of ports, and big, strong hardware that could stand the test of any situation into which its owner might put it.
And in spite of all the attention software gets, I believe that such "better" devices mean really strong hardware designs.
Software sales have been catalyzed by strong hardware sales, and will continue to gather momentum, pundits predict.
The Taiwanese company's strong hardware releases belie its recent sketchy financial performance.
Yet strong hardware sales during this time (and for the immediate future) will provide an ever expanding market for more profitable software sales, which will likely drive industry growth in the next several years.
This is an area that may be tackled in the next decade of mobile devices development: how to get access to more information and more services from your handheld device without the need for strong hardware.
The Kin project is a notable, failed attempt to boost Microsoft's numbers, while the Zune project manages to maintain the irony of eventually shipping both strong hardware, and software, but dying regardless.
Given HP's dominance in the inkjet segment, we believe strong hardware sales growth in the first half of fiscal 2010 will likely lead to strong supplies (ink jet cartridges and service) growth in the second half of fiscal 2010 October yearr end) and beyond, as the economy recovers.
Roam & Wander is interesting not just because of its business model, which combines iOS games with real stickers that kids can get in the mail and interactive toys, but also because it's an example of how Taiwan's fledgling consumer mobile startup industry can partner with the country's strong hardware manufacturing infrastructure to deliver unique products.
