HP takes WebOS to the kitchen

Mobiledia.

According to ZDNet, the operating system, which is already in use for smartphones and tablet computers, allows for a touchscreen interface and Internet connectivity.

That's a big plus for an appliance or car maker, which may see the added intelligence of the Internet as a point of market differentiation.

HP took control of WebOS after it acquired Palm last year in a $1.2 billion deal. Since then, the company has brought WebOS to its line of smartphones, as well as its latest tablet, the TouchPad, writes Cnet.

HP has indicated that it would licence its operating system to other mobile-device makers, and in June, HP CEO Leo Apotheker said offering WebOS solely on his company's products would be a mistake.

“I happen to believe that WebOS is a uniquely outstanding operating system,” Apotheker said during an interview. “It's not correct to believe that it should only be on HP devices. There are all kinds of other people who want to make whatever kind of hardware they make and would like to connect them to the Internet.”