It’s been an incredibly bumpy ride for Jon Rubinstein since joining Palm and helped launch webOS. Today marks the end of the line, as it’s been announced the Jon Rubinstein has left HP. According to Ruby via AllThingsD, his plans to leave HP were apparently under way well before the launch the HP TouchPad. With HP’s roadmap for open sourcing webOS complete, he’s moved on. His destination is still yet unknown, but retirement is not something he’s considering just yet. AllThingsD and The Verge have exclusive interviews regarding his departure.

Phone he’s using while calling from Mexico? An HP Veer.

Last month, HP announced that webOS would be open sourced. Today comes news on the transition to open source webOS, which the company hopes to complete for fall of 2012.  First up, will be the open source release of Enyo version 2.0. The tool enables developers to write a single application that works across mobile devices and browsers including webOS, iOS and Android. This move provides developers with “immediate access to the acclaimed framework for webOS”.

HP has also outlined the roadmap for webOS

“HP is bringing the innovation of the webOS platform to the open source community,” said Bill Veghte, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, HP. “This is a decisive step toward meeting our goal of accelerating the platform’s development and ensuring that its benefits will be delivered to the entire ecosystem of web applications.”

Source: BusinessWire

HP tonight went out an email to those had previously expressed interest in the HP TouchPad. It was previously thought that HP would deliver another round of the HP TouchPad firesale. Something must have changed or they pushed those through a different channel.

As of tonight, HP is officially out of TouchPads.

Richard Kerris, former VP of Worldwide Developer Relations as related to webOS, has joined Nokia. Kerris new position is Global Head of Developer Relations.

Source: All Things D

HP today released webOS update 3.0.4 77. Weighing in at 53MB, the update promises to “make the TouchPad snappier. It also includes a new camera app and makes it easier to find TouchPad apps in the App Catalog. There are also a number of other improvements. It’s available now, so hit up the System Updates app to start downloading now. The update will take 15 minutes to install.

The HP TouchPad is the gift that keeps giving or should we say HP keeps giving. They are once again offering up promotional codes for a number of apps. If history has taught us anything, you need to jump on these pronto.

Music Player (Remix)
Promotional code: qkxht38733mjhee

Paratrooper HD
Promotional code: dvmep12115ahldj

Auction Mate Pro
Promotional code: byztp73960rbnbf

Slice It! HD
Promotional code: jajww92436vzdqk

With HP no longer making hardware, their last released phone will be the HP Veer. Unfortunately, the HP Veer only made to a few carriers. In the US, that’s limited to AT&T. Those looking to use the HP Veer on T-Mobile or any carrier for that matter, do have options. Software solutions are available to unlock the HP Veer. PalmUnlocker has furnished us with an AT&T branded HP Veer 4G to test out their service.

I started the process with a brand new, off the shelf AT&T branded HP Veer. I started by entering in my Palm Profile information, thereby activating the device. Before starting the unlocking, You have to remove any SIM card.

I connected the Veer to my Mac using the supplied USB cable. In order to use the unlock software, I had to use Windows 7, which was easy enough using VMWare Fusion. The developer indicates that the software also supports Vista and Windows XP.

What’s unique about this unlock software is that it offers a try before you buy feature. The software will advise you if the Veer unlock generator is able to supply you with a permanent unlock. Once confirmed, there is a $39 fee required to complete the process.

Before selecting the ‘Unlock Phone’, you have to hold the ‘Sym’ ‘R’ and ‘White’ buttons. The phone will reboot and at that time hold the ‘R’ button. You should see the USB symbol appear on the display. Now press the ‘Unlock Phone’ button within the software. When I tested the software, I had to disconnect and reconnect the USB cable. This might have something to do with my boot camp configuration. Once the software recognized the Veer was in recovery mode, it proceeded to generate a Network Unlock Code displayed on my screen. At this point, you’ll need to insert a SIM card of your choice. You will be prompted to enter the code, which completes the process.

Pros:

• Use your HP Veer 4G with T-Mobile or when traveling outside of the US
• Saves money by allowing you to use a local SIM card when compared to high international roaming rates
• Relatively easy process
• Allows you to try before you buy

Cons:

• Does not work on Mac unless you have Bootcamp, VMWare or Parallels
• Limited use for individuals not planning to use the Veer on T-Mobile and who don’t travel outside of the US often

The HP Veer might just be the last released webOS phone. Unlocking your HP Veer offers the flexibility of using your phone on any carrier. Personally, AT&T is my go to carrier for day to day usage. However, the benefits of having an unlocked phone are immense during any sort of travel outside of the US. In the past, I’ve used my Nexus One and purchased a SIM card locally. I’ll continue to do that now, but my device will no doubt be the ultra-pocketable Veer. The process was painless and it’s easy to justify the cost if you’d like to use an unsupported carrier like T-Mobile or would like to avoid excessive roaming charges while traveling outside of the US.

Unlock codes are priced at $39 via PalmUnlocker.com. Readers of our site can use coupon code VEERUNLOCKDISC5 to receive a $5 discount.

Fresh off the announcement of the Amazon Kindle Fire, there comes word from Venture Beat that HP is looking to sell-off Palm. Sources within HP say that Amazon is close to finalizing the deal. Amazon’s Kindle Fire uses a heavily customized version of Android. By purchasing Palm, perhaps they would migrate to webOS and possibly remove themselves from the legal tangles being experienced by other Android manufacturers.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is largely a media consumption device, so there is no reason why webOS wouldn’t work nicely as the default OS. It would represent a major shift, considering the Android based Kindle Fire lands in mid-November. Will Amazon dump Android and move to webOS for the second generation Kindle Fire? That would render purchased apps rendered useless and make for a tough transition for early adopters.

Perhaps Amazon is willing to endure some short term pain, with the hopes that owning their own OS would be the best move for their future in the mobile space.

Never count out Palm. The company has a thousand lives.

Source: Venture Beat

Rumors circulating that HP was planning on replacing Leo Apotheker with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman became official today. The company announced that its board of directors have appointed Meg Whitman as president and chief executive officer.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Meg Whitman’s caliber and experience step up to lead HP,” said Lane. “We are at a critical moment and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead. Meg is a technology visionary with a proven track record of execution. She is a strong communicator who is customer focused with deep leadership capabilities. Furthermore, as a member of HP’s board of directors for the past eight months, Meg has a solid understanding of our products and markets.”

Whitman said, “I am honored and excited to lead HP. I believe HP matters – it matters to Silicon Valley, California, the country and the world.”

Speaking on behalf of the board, Lane said, “We very much appreciate Léo’s efforts and his service to HP since his appointment last year. The board believes that the job of the HP CEO now requires additional attributes to successfully execute on the company’s strategy. Meg Whitman has the right operational and communication skills and leadership abilities to deliver improved execution and financial performance.”

According to a report by All Things D, HP is considering replacing CEO Leo Apoteheker with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. Whitman joined the HP board in January, but the deal is apparently far from set in stone. Apoteheker’s recent moves have resulted in HP stock going the wrong way. News of a possible replacement is being seen as a positive by Wall Street, with the stock finishing up 6.63% to $23.96.

Source: All Things D