News

HP Unveils New Notebooks

Following in the footsteps of rivals, Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's second-largest computer maker, unveiled laptops with spiffier designs as well as more powerful processors.

Six of seven new HP notebooks announced Tuesday will run on dual-core chips from either Intel Corp. or Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and a business-targeted model allows users to swap the cellular broadband module if they switch carriers.

The offerings include two consumer lines that come in a glossy, piano-black finish with inlaid patterns, a departure from plain black exteriors. Some models have a built-in webcam or more powerful graphics cards.

"They're making technology much more personal," said analyst Rob Enderle of The Enderle Group research firm.

Others in the PC industry have already turned up the notch in notebook design -- No. 1 computer maker Dell Inc. with its brushed metal accents on its high-end gamer-oriented machines, and Acer Inc., the world's No. 4 PC maker, with its bright red notebook covers.

Also, smaller, boutique PC makers such as Voodoo PC, or Alienware Corp., which has been acquired by Dell, have long offered customizable products, carving out profitable niches doing so.

Now the larger PC companies are looking to follow suit, Enderle said.

"In the second half of the year, there'll be a race by vendors to bring consumers more of what they want," he predicted.

HP's new mobile computers will have starting prices ranging from $749 to $1,649. They will be available starting in mid-May, the company said.

Featured

  • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

    Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.

  • Report: Security Initiatives Can't Keep Pace with Cloud, AI Boom

    The increasingly fast adoption of hybrid, multicloud, and AI systems is easily outgrowing existing security measures, according to a recent global survey by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and exposure management firm Tenable.

  • World Map Image

    Microsoft Taps Nebius in $17B AI Infrastructure Deal To Alleviate Cloud Strain

    Microsoft has signed a five-year, $17.4 billion agreement with Amsterdam-based Nebius Group to expand its AI computing capabilities through third-party GPU infrastructure.

  • Microsoft Brings Copilot AI Into Viva Engage

    Microsoft 365 Copilot in Viva Engage is now generally available, extending Copilot's AI-powered assistant capabilities deeper into the Viva platform.