HP: Connecting Your World In 2008

by Jerry Jackson

While attending HP's "Connecting Your World" media summit in Berlin, it became increasingly clear that HP has some big plans for consumer and business computing solutions in 2008. So just what does HP have to offer? How about luxury notebooks, innovative consumer designs, rugged business notebooks, and AMD processors? If that doesn't get you excited, how about a Kung Fu Panda and computerized rings that hold your personal information?

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We've already covered a number of the new product announcements, and we'll be bringing you full, in-depth reviews in the coming weeks. Since I've spent the last two days in Berlin speaking with HP (and almost getting deported for trying to run benchmarks on a display notebook) I decided that our audience might like an "insider's guide" to some of the big new trends HP is showcasing in Berlin.

Shiny Metal Is Your Friend

As discussed in the news stories earlier today, HP announced multiple notebooks in the HP Compaq business line, Compaq Presario, and HP Pavilion consumer lines. What is more interesting is the trend toward glossy metal chassis designs. Whether it's the new liquid-metalic Mesh Imprint finish and "magical chrome" touch controls on the Pavilion notebooks, the flush-glass displays, or the brushed aluminum and magnesium alloy chassis designs on the business notebooks, all of HP's new laptops have a sleek new look that will surely please many consumers (and may offend people with more conservative, ThinkPad brick-loving tastes).

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While the look might not immediately appeal to everyone, durability will. The new Imprint Finish is more rugged than ever, easily withstanding scratches and (despite the polished surface) making fingerprint smudges less noticeable. The HP Compaq business notebooks such as the new HP EliteBook feature amazingly durable construction that won't even scratch when exposed to steel wool (something I witnessed first hand).

AMD Is A Trusted Partner ... Now More Than Ever

The event in Berlin is all about HP's newest innovations, but one of the most visible business partners at the event was none other than AMD. HP has a long history of offering AMD-based solutions for both notebooks and desktops, even as some competitors switched exclusively to Intel. Now that AMD's new "Puma" platform and Turion Ultra processors are available, HP and AMD are positioned to become the market leader in notebook solutions for the back-to-school season in 2008. Of course, the fact that Intel pushed back the delivery dates for their new "Montevina" platform has significantly helped AMD as notebook manufacturers still need to bring laptops to market in time for back-to-school shoppers.

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AMD's new line of processors and ATI-branded graphics solutions offer a new level of performance we simply haven't seen from the previous generation AMD processors. The ability to dynamically switch between dedicated and integrated graphics to help extend battery life is simply amazing. Add to that the fact that more and more notebook makers (not just HP) are going to be offering AMD notebooks with high-end configurations ... not just low-priced budget systems with weak integrated graphics and slow hard drives.

You could say this might just be the summer of AMD, but if Puma meets the expectations of consumers this year then 2008 might just be a new dawn for AMD and an opportunity to become the processor brand that everyone wants.

"Luxury" Doesn't Mean High-End Gaming

One of the big surprises in Berlin was the new Envy notebook from HP's Voodoo division. Voodoo has a history of making some of the best (and most expensive) desktops and laptops for gaming enthusiasts. Voodoo will continue offering powerful gaming solutions in the future, but HP and Voodoo are working to make the Voodoo brand synonymous with "luxury."

In short, Voodoo will begin offering a wide range of high-end computing solutions that are targeted at consumers who want "the best" ... but don't necessarily care about gaming. The new 13-inch Voodoo Envy 133 weighs in at just 3.4 pounds and is an amazingly thin and sexy design that offers a similar form factor as the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 and Apple MacBook Air. The difference with the Envy is that this notebook looks and feels cooler.

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That said, like the other ultra-thin notebooks on the market, the Envy 133 uses integrated graphics. In fact, the Envy on display in Berlin was loaded with standard Intel X3100 integrated graphics similar to any budget notebook currently on the market. The Envy offers superior style, build quality, mobility, and a ton of other creative features despite the lack of a high-end graphics card.

We'll have more on the Envy 133 coming soon, but in the meantime you might as well get used to the idea that "luxury" goods don't always mean "gaming" goods.

Hard Drives Stink ... But So Do SSDs

Both the consumer and business sides of HP were quick to comment on the fact that Hard Disk Drive (HDD) technology continues to be a problem for the notebook industry because the moving parts inside a HDD have to be protected from damage due to impact and vibration. HP's solution for 2008 is to roll out "3D Drive Guard" technology into all HP notebooks. 3D Drive Guard is essentially a 3D accelerometer that detects motion and parks your HDD so impact or vibration doesn't damage the drive and the precious data it contains. 3D Drive Guard also detects when the notebook lid is closed and when the notebook has been lifted, and uses those two actions as an indication that the HDD should be parked to prevent damage.

Of course, a better solution might be Solid State Drive (SSD) technology which relies on flash memory for storage. SSDs have no moving parts and are amazingly resistant to damage from impact and vibration. While HP does make SSDs available in many business notebooks and high-end consumer notebooks, HP is aware that SSD technology needs more time to evolve.

As Ted Clark from from HP's Comercial and Consumer Notebook Unit said, "the value proposition for SSDs simply isn't there at the moment. Capacities are too low and prices are too high." In truth, Mr. Clark is dead-on accurate with his statement. While SSD technology has a lot to offer the world of notebooks, until storage capacities increase and prices decrease we just won't see widespread adoption from consumers and businesses.

Touch Is King ... But Not For Notebooks (Yet)

One of the stars of the Berlin product announcements was the new HP TouchSmart IQ500 desktop PC. While this all-in-one desktop isn't a laptop, it does introduce the world to HP's vision of the future of computer interfaces: multi-touch on-screen control. Simply point with your finger and touch the screen where you want something to happen. The mouse is now a useless relic from the 20th century.

Unfortunately, we won't be seeing the all-new TouchSmart interface in HP notebooks any time this year. While many HP tablet PCs such as the consumer-friendly tx2000 and tx2500 feature touch screen technology, the innovative multi-touch technology behind HP's TouchSmart requires hardware that cannot fit inside a notebook ... unless you want a notebook with a screen lid that's almost two inches thick (and a chassis that's at least another inch thick as well).

HP is commited to making the user experience as visually engaging as possible, and TouchSmart will likely become increasingly important to HP desktop solutions. Unfortunately, notebook users are going to have to wait for this technology in HP notebooks.

HP And Hollywood: A Match Made In Digital Heaven

In addition to AMD, the second most involved business partner at the Connecting Your World media summit was Dreamworks Entertainment. A number of years ago Dreamworks made the transition from Apple computers to HP computers because HP showed a commitment to meeting (and exceeding) the demands from the studio. Dreamworks makes two digitally animated feature films every year and 100 percent of those films are made on HP computers.

HP is quick to praise the demanding folks at Dreamworks for pushing HP to tackle new hardware and software problems and helping HP to develop innovative solutions. Dreamworks currently utilizes enough HP computing power that when the Dreamworks systems are linked they rank as one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. As HP and Dreamworks explained, this level of computing power (and demands for more) will only increase next year as all future Dreamworks films are released in 3D ... requiring twice the rendering time as current films.

The big news from Dreamworks was their collaboration with HP in developing the new HP DreamColor LP2480zx ... the first LCD to exceed the color fidelity of traditional CRT monitors with 30-bit color (1 billion colors). Dreamworks was actually using old CRT monitors for all color-critical work because current LCD technology wasn't good enough. The new DreamColor display is simply stunning and although the price ($4,000) is currently too high for most consumers, HP feels confident this display technology will eventually move to consumer-priced LCDs.

The Future's So Bright You Need Printed Shades

At the conclusion of Tuesday's product announcements, Phil McKinney, VP and Chief Technology Officer for the Personal Systems Group at HP, gave an interesting presentation on trends in the marketplace ... and what HP thinks consumers will be doing with computers in the year 2030.

Without quoting the entire presentation, McKinney believes that network connectivity will become more widespread (to the point that you are always connected to the Internet), virtual communities and collaboration will become more widespread, and that "cognitive devices" (computers and accessories that adapt to the user rather than the user adapting to them) will be everywhere.

One such solution on display was a mock-up of what HP calls "wearable data managers." These are essentially computers inside rings that function like a smartphone but also contain siginificant amounts of personal information and personal preferences. The idea is that as soon as you walk up to any computer, the computer interfaces with the rings on your fingers and creates the ideal work environment for you (customized desktop, favorites, access to files, contact list, etc. Basically, any computer can become your personal computer because the most important information is with you at all times.

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Another interesting concept on display was the "volume printer." Since virtual collaboration is becoming increasingly important it becomes even more important for people around the world to work together digitally ... but with three-dimensional interaction as well. HP's concept is a printer that can "print" solid matter out of a type of resin based on input from another printer. Put a pair of sunglasses on the printer in New York and an identical pair of sunglasses is created on a printer in Hong Kong. It's not the teleporter from Star Trek, but wow.

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In short, HP had a lot of new product announcements in Berlin this week but some of the most interesting news is only visible if you read between the lines in the press releases. Needless to say, we're very interested in what the #1 notebook manufacturer in the world has to say and show us, and we think there's a lot for consumers and businesses to be excited about as well.

 

Nice! My next notebook is gonna be an HP.
Also, you made a typo in the title.
EDIT: Also, I really do think the dv line looks horrible, I like the business line.

 

Nice article! Typo in title.

 

glad to see amd is doeing things right, just bought a new laptop and my dekstop will last for a 1-2 years i hope by that time i nee dto refresh amd is a worthy alternative since i realy start hating intel !

 

I agree Intel sucks, as a corperation. but right now they are faster, but hopefully the extra profit form the back to school shops (like me) will give AMD a huge boost, which is better for the consumer.

 

Regarding "luxury" and the value-proposition of SSDs, I'm not sure if the left hand knows what the right hand's doing, or vice-versa - since the sort of "luxury" _HP wants Voodoo to produce is essentially a matter of appearance as opposed to components, i.e., form controls, function's just along for the ride, a market segment that has remarkable profit margins (just think about what most people pay for a tiny little bottle containing water, alcohol, and the squeezin's from some poor flowers)


In which case, the profit margin is there for _HP to put SSDs into all of its "luxury" systems, thereby hastening the widespread adoption of SSDs as manufacturers get to amortize out their development costs and gain real-world expertise in the technology. In fact, until the point at which SSDs have become fungible commodities, the poor value proposition of an SSD would probably be one of the big(ger) reasons for someone contemplating a "luxury" system to get it - i.e., look at me, I'm so cool and rich that I can afford to drop tons of $$$$ to get an SSD that you, Mr/Ms hoi-polloi, cannot afford, and wouldn't want because of its smaller storage space.

 

Your rant lost me.

Some people want SSD because of the quicker access rates and the fact that it's better for thin-and-light notebooks, i.e. the Envy and Air. Putting it into all other laptops simply makes them cost more, and Average Joe consumer wants more space than access time for his MP3 files, school work and games.

To say that SSD is only for "luxury" and that people with it only buy it to feel superior is silly. It's in the Envy because of the restraints a full hard drive would have imposed on the design. And I seriously doubt someone with an SSD is going to go, 'haha, I can access my files faster than you!' -- like they care?

 

I didn't buy my SSD's for my two notebooks for luxury, I bought them because of how durable they are.

 

Despite Shyster1's comments, no one at HP is saying that SSDs are "luxury" items. Rather, HP is just being realistic is saying that most consumers and businesses can't justify the cost of SSD technology right now.

While HP certainly isn't abandoning HDD technology, I think it's safe to say we'd see more HP notebooks with SSDs inside if SSDs were more affordable.

 

I don't think it's as bad as you make it out to be. In my talk with Voodoo's Rahul Sood today, it's clear that Voodoo is sticking to its strengths ... but wants to be more than "just" a gaming giant.

Voodoo now has the financial and material infrastructure of HP behind it. Voodoo doesn't want to be "a one-trick pony" ... they want to be the thoroughbred that beats the hell out of every other horse in the race.

The HP Blackbird 002 with Voodoo DNA and the new Voodoo Omen are 100 percent @ss-kicking gaming desktops. Having seen and touched the Omen I can tell you this desktop is the most incredible gaming monster I've ever seen. The hybrid fan/liquid cooling and HDD bays alone make this desktop worth at least $2,000 even without any other components. There's a reason that Voodoo is making the Omen available for sale on an "invitation only" basis to start (only available to current Voodoo customers until later this year) ... it's going to be hard to manufacture this beast in bulk right away and Voodoo enjoys making systems that have a certain level of exclusivity.

Back to notebooks, Voodoo will continue to release gaming notebooks in the future, but they want to be known as a brand that makes great computers ... not just a brand that makes great "gaming" computers.

 

I love the data manager ring concept.

I can't wait until more information on this little gem is released!

 

I have the opposite view, Intel do quite a lot, and it seems that although Intel and Nvidia do a lot of sponsorships and stuff for PC users, that it's largely ignored and people make them out to be big bad corporations. Not saying AMD/ATI is the opposite, but all I hear from them is lawsuits, poor performance and GAME! labels which are completely useless, hopefully they'll turn the performance part around soon but I much prefer Intel to AMD/ATI as a corporation.

 

The world hates monopolies (for the most part) and we all know monopolies are often eeevil.

 

I blame the consumer. They're too whiny.

"But I want competition! Gimme more for my monies!"

I personally think they need to stfu and take what they can freaking get.

... Does it surprise anyone that I'm a Corporate Management Major? Oh yes. Be afraid.

 

one thing that does not make sense to me at all, correct me if i am wrong, but what is he talking about with touch screen capabilities adding two inches to the screen and an inch to the chassis????? what about the tablet pcs that have been out for years???? those are all touch screen.... yeah, this new system will have more cababilities no doubt. But none the less the tablet pcs are touch screen all the way and very very very slick. i am extremely confused what the hell he ment with that comment.

plus i saw a youtube video with a demonstration from microsft on the new touch screen capabilities with a laptop in use. check it out....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GqDQ0wUcSPQ

so i think something is completely wrong or misinformed about that comment that the technology is not ready for laptops.

 

I can only tell you what HP told me here in Berlin. They claimed the new TouchSmart uses a combination of hardware for multi-touch that is different from standard touch screens. Specifically, if you've ever used the tx-series tablets you know that the screen gets confused if you touch it in multiple places at the same time. The TouchSmart is capable of genuine multi-touch functionality in that you can use two hands (or two fingers) to control the computer interface. You can't do that with the current tablet touchscreens.

Also, when I gave the dimensions it was based on the fact that an HP exec said "the notebook would have to be this thick" and used his hands to indicate the thickness of the hypothetical TouchSmart notebook. The figures I gave aren't exactly "official" dimensions. Again, HP says they believe this is the future of computer interfaces and TouchSmart will eventually find its way to HP tablets and notebooks ... but not immediately.