HP stop producing webOS devices. Exploring options to "optimize value" of webOS

Last week HP announced that they would be halting production of webOS devices (and began a firesale of existing TouchPad stock): In addition, HP reported that it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward. Ari Jaaksi (former head of Maemo/MeeGo Devices at Nokia, now with HP heading up webOS operations) announced on Twitter, "We will continue webOS platform full speed!" Despite the apparent enthusiasm, it's unclear what the options will be moving forward for webOS. Without any available hardware for the foreseeable future it certainly doesn't seem promising. The language sounds depressingly similar to what was coming out of Nokia around February 11th this year, so take from that what you will. Either way, this is another painful setback for mobile Linux and even more severely limits our choices with Nokia also out of the game.