Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd: too good or too boring?

Although HP has suffered along with all PC makers in this recession, Hurd continues to transform the giant into the leanest, most productive Silicon Valley with an annual sales run rate of $100 billion. Will this make HP a slug that can't react as fast to established and newer rivals, or will Hurd have a bag of tricks up his sleeve to thwart those risks as well?

Often, when a company isn't re-invented every half-decade or so, its brand and even products become perceived as stale. Consumer competitor Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and business/consumer competitor Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) are both in the midst of re-invention. Apple is still riding high on the turnaround that's been in place since 2001's iPod release, while Dell is struggling to remain relevant in the PC age with HP, Taiwan's Acer and other companies.

Does Hurd need to somehow re-invent HP... already? He already has, although in boring (but incredibly productive) fashion. Sometimes, the best gains can't be described by insightful, journalistic wit. HP is fundamentally stronger than ever, and shows no signs of stopping.