webOS spins off; now called Gram

[tubemonkey]

HP Spins Off webOS Into A Brand New Company Called Gram; Mission Unknown

Ever since HP killed off webOS hardware, the fate of the webOS GBU (general business unit) was as yet unknown. But according to a flyer that has floated out of the HP office, it would seem that the webOS group, along with Enyo and Cloud services, has branched away from the mother ship to start a brand new company: Gram.

According to a flyer sent out to announce the new brand, Gram is “Potent. Light. Nimble. At the core of all things big and small.” Alright? So what do you guys do at Gram?

“Gram is a new company leveraging the core strengths of webOS, Enyo and our Cloud offerings, as well as the firepower of our partners to create a technology that will unleash the freedom of the web.”

In other words, we have no earthly idea what Gram is all about. What we do know is that it will be a separate entity from HP, though still funded by the California tech giant. This will allow cash flow for the newborn company without tying it to the increasingly water-filled ship that is HP.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

HP Spins Off webOS Into A Brand New Company Called Gram; Mission Unknown

Ah.. Corporate Speak!

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

HP Spins Off webOS Into A Brand New Company Called Gram; Mission Unknown

Gram is “Potent. Light. Nimble."


Sounds more like they're pushing a new drug.

[fjtorres]

To me, "gram" brings up images of lightweight, flighty things.
Now, "Ton" sounds substantial and weighty.

[Fluribus]

Mission: Unknown

Pondering the avalanche of indifference shown here, I must say that their mission has been achieved.

[tubemonkey]

More like Mission: Impossible.

This should clear things up. After killing off their phones, tablet and webOS last year, HP is creating a mobility division for consumer tablets and other stuff to be headed up by some ex-Nokia guy. Meanwhile, their soon-to-be-released commercial tablet is being run by the PC group. With me so far? Then there's Gram.

...now it makes sense

HP creates Mobility division to focus on consumer tablets

We've just been tipped to a memo circulated internally by HP's Todd Bradley — who runs the company's recently-merged Printing and Personal Systems Group — announcing the creating of a new Mobility business unit underneath him that will be responsible for "consumer tablets" and "additional segments and categories where we believe we can offer differentiated value to our customers." The news comes almost exactly one year since HP killed the TouchPad, effectively ending Palm's run as a hardware company and throwing webOS itself into an uncertain future as an open source platform.

Running the new Mobility unit will be Alberto Torres, who departed Nokia after running its MeeGo operations — operations that were doomed once it became clear that CEO Stephen Elop would be taking the company down the Windows Phone path. He'll be reporting directly to Bradley and starting in early September. Interestingly, HP's "soon-to-be launched commercial tablet" will remain in the charge of James Mouton, who runs the PC group.

How this all relates to Gram is unclear: the focus of this Mobility GBU certainly seems to be wider than webOS alone, though it stands to reason that Gram's work may fall under Mobility's sphere of interest and influence.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

More like Mission: Impossible.

Well, why do you think they chose the name "Gram", which is German for anguish?

[StoryEnthusiast]

Hope it won't be positioned as a general mobile OS. The market is already very crowded with established eco systems. It's a uphill battle, imo.

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

...now it makes sense

... Clear as mud.