Windows Phone Thoughts: Why Can't HP Get Smartphones Right?

"Hewlett-Packard is one of the world's most successful makers of desktop computers, laptops, servers and printers. It owns a powerful consumer brand, and it is a growing provider of services for businesses. In the first quarter, the company's sales rose 8 percent. But in smartphones, H.P. has been on a steady slide into irrelevance."

As someone who has fond memories of the first HP Jornada HPC (handheld personal computer) in the late '90s, and the amazing iPAQ 3650 and Jornada 568 Pocket PCs, it's been painful watching HP never quite get it right. Sure, they've had some decent devices, but nothing in my mind that can really compete with the likes of HTC, Samsung, or even Toshiba. Their Windows Mobile devices have been functional, yes, but they've tended to have all the visual appeal of a lead-encrusted brick. They're the classic "play it safe" device that doesn't stand out from the pack. HP is a powerful company full of smart people, so why haven't they managed to get this one right? Will we see them in the Windows phone 7 era, or is the Glisten the last iPAQ we'll see?