New HP Pavilion consumer desktop PCs announced

HP, the world’s top PC manufacturer, is back with a brand new announcement concerning a newer range of consumer desktop computers that will come in sophisticated designs – after all, who would want to have boring rectangular looking machines on their desks that seems like a relic from the past? No sir, HP is beyond that, having invested time and money in decent design without sacrificing on the kind of technology within.

Offering clean lines, soft forms and contrasting materials, the redesigned HP Pavilion desktops are able to live up to today’s style and preferences, looking comfortable regardless of whether it is on a dorm-room desk or stashed away in a media cabinet somewhere. There is a glossy (can you say fingerprint magnet?) black front panel that has been layered over a metallic base, adding depth and dimension to the new towers, while sliding front panels will keep your ports and drives hidden away until required, giving off a polished, clean appearance.

There will be several models that offer a valet tray that has been integrated into the top of the PC and will come equipped with USB ports to make it easy to access, considering how so many modern day devices rely on USB ports as an alternative charging experience.

Among the new machines in the HP Pavilion consumer desktop family would be the HP Pavilion p7 series PCs that delivers generous hard drive space, premium graphics, and built-in support for multichannel surround sound. Touted to be out this Wednesday from $299.99 onwards, it will also arrive at select US retailers later this June.

As for the HP Pavilion Slimline s5 series PCs, those are less than 50% the size of conventional PC towers, albeit not losing any of their configurability in order to deliver maximum storage and processors so that it can support even the most demanding multitaskers. Out this June 15th from $329.99 onwards, we will now move on to the HP HPE h8 series PCs that come with up to three internal hard drives, a choice between AMD Phenom or Intel Core i7 processors, high-end NVIDIA or ATI graphics, and the ability to support multiple displays. Pricing will start from $599.99 upwards from this Wednesday onwards.

Time to make that upgrade, no?

Press Release

HP unveils device to route data over network

Palo Alto: Hewlett-Packard unveiled a switch that helps companies route data over networks, aiming to charge less for the device than comparable products from Cisco.

The A 10500 switch, which companies can use to deliver high-definition video and other content, will go on sale in the second-half of the year, starting at $38,000 (Dh139,000), Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett-Packard said in a statement.

The company also introduced new business laptops and a wireless broadband service.

Hewlett-Packard aims to charge 35 to 40 per cent less for its switches, which connect computers to networks, than Cisco does, Hewlett-Packard executive vice-president David Donatelli said in an interview. That may add to pressure on Cisco, which has lost share in switches amid price rivalry.

"Cisco has a business-model problem — they've been overcharging," Donatelli said. "You've seen a stunning change in the dynamics of the market. We're now a strong No. 2."

Hewlett-Packard gained 2.3 percentage points of switch revenue share in 2009 and 2010, while Cisco lost share, according to Hewlett-Packard. Cisco leads the market, deriving 30 per cent of sales from switches.

The company also announced plans to release the HP ProBook 5330m and HP EliteBook 2560 this month. The computers will be able to use the new HP DataPass online connection, which lowers Internet costs for business travellers who only need occasional access, said Mike Hockey, a spokesman for Hewlett-Packard.

"It's for the business person who's travelling occasionally who wants quick access to 3G without the hassle of being tied to a contract or finding a Wi-Fi hot spot," Hockey said in an interview.

Hewlett-Packard is seeking fresh ways to make its PCs stand out from rival products, including Apple's iPad and other mobile devices