HP Completes VoodooPC Acquisition

Hewlett-Packard said Tuesday it has completed its acquisition of VoodooPC, the gaming PC maker that will now add a lineup of high-end desktops and notebooks to its offerings.

HP also said that as of Nov. 1, VoodooPC's co-founder and chief technology officer Rahul Sood will take on the role of chief technologist for HP's newly formed gaming PC business unit.

VoodooPC's other co-founder, Ravi Sood, will take over as the division's director of strategy and marketing, HP said. Both Soods will report to Phil McKinney, general manager of HP's gaming business unit and vice president and CTO of HP's Personal Systems Group.

HP's acquisition of VoodooPC comes after Dell's acquisition earlier this year of gaming PC maker Alienware, as the computer rivals stake out the high ground in the small but influential segment that has traditionally targeted gaming enthusiasts and power users.

Rahul Sood sounded a note of optimism earlier this week, before the deal formally closed, in an item on his personal Web log.

"I have received nothing but high praise about the deal in general. People are 'high-fiving' me in the hallways as I pass," Rahul Sood wrote. "People at HP Labs are excited by the prospect of working with us, and it feels like home when I visit all the sites."