HP's Personal Systems Group Lines Get a Makeover in Berlin

HP launched 17 notebook computers, a true-color display, a touch-screen home media computer and two new machines in its Voodoo line for high-end computing and gaming.

"Making the computer 'Personal Again' is our commitment to customers and the driving force behind our customer-experience decisions," said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP, in a statement. "From design elements that make a personal statement and an intuitive touch interface that delivers real innovation, to the breakthrough display of one billion colors, we're working to show a broad and global set of industry segments what our hardware and software engineering capabilities and scale can do for them."

HP launched its EliteBook premium notebook series aimed at business users, featuring a rugged HP DuraCase and has been engineered to meet MIL-STD 810F military-standard durability tests. In addition to the HP ProtectSmart hard drive, the 4.7 pound 14.1-inch EliteBook 6930p comes with HP QuickLook 2 software that allows users to access their data stored in Outlook without having to turn on their computers.

HP also launched several consumer-oriented notes under the Compaq brand, a new set of entertainment notebooks under the HP Pavilion Entertainment banner, and several other business notebooks.

HP's DreamColor Display hit the market. Created in conjunction with DreamWorks Animation SKG, it's the first display have the ability to display more than one billion colors on a 30-bit LED-backlit display. According to HP, the DreamColor Display can show more than 64 times the number of colors that can be displayed on a mainstream LCD. Now available, the display is priced at $3,499.

HP's customizable Voodoo Envy 133 notebook and Voodoo Omen also made their debut in Berlin. The Envy 133 gaming notebook weighs less than 3.4 pounds and measures half an inch when closed. The notebook uses the smallest available Intel Centrino processing technology, designed by Intel to fit the small package.

"We worked with HP to enable the Voodoo Envy 133 to be as small as possible without losing key features such as performance and battery life," said Mooly Eden, corporate vice president and general manager, mobile platforms group, Intel, in a statement.

The Voodoo Envy will start at $2,099, and the Voodoo Omen, available only by invitation to current Voodoo PC owners, will start at $7,000. By end of summer both should be on the general market.

HP also launched the HP TouchSmart line of PCs. These touch-screen units are designed for in-home media use and are optimized to allow users to access video, photographs and music using a touch interface instead of a mouse and keyboard. With 22-inch screens and Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the HP TouchSmart comes in two models, one with a TV tuner and one without. They cost $1,499 and $1,299 respectively and are expected to ship to retail outlets on July 13.