More Palmistry?

We've already noted that despite the excellence of WebOS, Palm needs strong support to become a credible platform player, competing with the likes of Apple, RIM, Android, Nokia/Symbian/Ovi and even (because it might do something radical) Microsoft with WinMo.

The point is now not lost on even the analyst community (Kaufman Sets Hold Rating; Many Possible Suitors), who've identified several options:

"...potential suitors include Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Microsoft and Dell."

Let's leave aside the question of why buy now, when in December Palm was trading at less than one-tenth of its current value with a market cap below $200 million, the value of Palm is in WebOS and its US presence, not the Pre, so let's take a look:

Nokia - already bought and paid for Trolltech, and has Maemo - not likely, unless its struggles in the US make Palm worthwhile for that alone

Samsung or LG - {neutral | non-aligned | independent} device players - very hardware-focused - do they want to transform their business model become a platform player with WebOS, competing against Android and Microsoft rather than collaborating with them, or trying to co-exist?

Motorola - too many of its own issues, also already stronger in US than elsewhere

HP or Dell - clearly want to build positions in smartphones from their personal computer position, could they re-focus WebOS development in the right direction?

Microsoft - not unless or until it admits (to itself, most of all) that WinMo's not going to get it there...

Cisco - the wildcard, perhaps as the basis for entry into smartphones as they become a key element of the the interwebs