It is Compaq Computer that got bought, but looking at the new product line-up, it is Hewlett-Packard we are saying goodbye to.
The new HP company has decided to replace its desktop, laptop and handheld product lines with Compaq's.
To many, the move will not come as a surprise.
Compaq's iPaq handheld and Evo desktops and notebooks are strong market performers, whereas HP's Jornada handheld, OmniBook notebook and Vectra desktop have struggled for market share. But market share has never been a reliable indicator of who has the better technology. Rather, it is an indicator of who did a better job at marketing.
HP tradition stems from pride for its long history of innovation. A now-retired HP veteran once told me: 'We used to think that if we built a good piece of technology, the customers will come. Not anymore. It's all about marketing, about looking good now.'
It is a shame losing the OmniBook product line because it does have good technology. It was one of the first laptops, along with IBM's ThinkPads, with the vision to build in wireless technologies. It is known to be very reliable and hardy.
However, it failed in design, marketing and pricing. At a time when most notebooks are wafer-thin and look good enough to eat, OmniBooks were big and heavy.