Forget HP's Corporate Clout End Users Drive Adoption

HP Partners: Palm Deal Spells Big End-To-End Opportunity - Mobile - IT Channel News by CRNl

Enterprise technology sales people are drooling over the prospects of selling Palm smartphones to their clients. It's believed that HP's powerful presence in that space gives them a unique advantage.

It is an advantage to be so strong in that market, but it isn't a substitute for producing very compelling products for end users. It was the case when PC's took over the mainframe/dumb terminal enterprise market in the '80's, the Apple iPhone corporate invasion now, and will be the key to success for HP with Palm. End users drive adoption, the product's management friendliness defines whether it will be a happy and speedy adoption or not.

Palm has some compelling products, but their marketing has been atrocious. HP's biggest favor it could do for Palm is spend some money (which Palm hasn't had for years) on good old fashioned aggressive marketing.

At least Palm's demise isn't hanging over it's head and smart phone buyers and third party developers can once again look at it as a legitimate potential choice.

Now if Palm can get it's lineup on more carriers, we may have a real rebirth.