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Interesting solution to their problem with webOS. I am not convinced that open sourcing it without any HP hardware to officially run it or any announcement of partners that will produce compatible hardware will allow webOS to take off. At least this is a potential credible alternative to Android open source model... if some HW folks decide to go with it.

[copied from my previous comment on the 'precentral' news]

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Meh... No reason android devices can't be ported to webos.

1 huge reason: proprietary drivers.

If the driver links to the Linux kernel underneath, porting shouldn't pose a big problem.

Oh... Isn't distributing proprietary drivers linked to the Linux kernel a violation of the GPL?

Problem isn't so much kernel level drivers, but user space. Or undocumented proprietary APIs to firmware. I suspect it is not a problem for most components. Most phones are just recombinations of the same components. The problem areas would be the radios and possibly the graphics.

Check the tear downs of the HTC Sensation and the HP TouchPad .. virtually the same device inside. ;)

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