In February 2012 I published a post urging Microsoft to purchase or exclusively collaborate with HP for control of their computer manufacturing business, at the time HP was breaking itself up to concentrate on following IBM into the enterprise business and spinning off their hardware business. See that post here. As well as my call for Microsoft to purchase Radio Shack here. Something I thought would jump start their business. That was a critical time in HP’s history with the demise of Leo Apotheker who in prior months was fired for proposing and preparing the company for the same change Meg Whitman who replaced him is calling for now. The HP Board surrounded themselves with cozy solutions that would not upset their Apple cart and reverted back to its outdated business model. Now more then three years later Meg Whitman is taking HP where they feared to go and is spinning off its hardware businesses. Meanwhile to the north Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer was taking personal responsibility for Microsoft’s missteps following his “surprised by mobile” debacle. Ballmer started formulating the “One Windows” initiative and began the process of expanding their manufacturing business with its new phone partner Nokia for the handling Window phones while Microsoft independently produced their answer to the iPad their Surface pro along with the Xbox, great mice, Zune, keyboards etc. Like the HP board Steve Ballmer blinked like a deer caught in the headlights, this time even Bill Gates could not give Steve another chance. Which leads us to today with Satay in the hot seat.
