While WebOS does not fulfil my dream of being a truly free operating system, I like the concept. It will hurt iOS, and sadly, Android. It makes moving data between wireless devices effortless, and has a Synergy feature that brings the Web closer to mobile devices than ever before.

But will developers actually write applications?  On one end, HP has some pull, being the largest PC maker in the world. On the other hand, they work under restrictions, much like writing for Apple's iOS. The sheer volume of Palm phones and tablets may not justify writing WebOS compared to Android, which goes into a wide number of phones and tablets.

But HP is a big company with a huge distribution network and lots of resources. They may have some big-time tricks up their sleeve. We'll only know when the new Palm TouchPad and smartphone devices are released.