HP Debuts EliteBook, Expands Business Notebook Portfolio

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 6 November 2008 - HP today introduced the new HP EliteBook brand for business professionals with six products from this aircraft-inspired line-up that combines sophisticated, innovative design with military-standard durability. This move creates one of the most versatile business notebook portfolios in the company’s history. Simultaneously, the world’s largest technology company expanded its mainstream business mobility offering with the addition of six new business "b"-series and "s"-series notebooks to its HP Compaq family. Elite mobile professionals
With a design inspired by aircraft engineering, the HP EliteBook is truly built for the corporate road warrior. Incorporating the latest mobile technologies and engineered to meet multiple durability tests, the EliteBook includes HP DuraCase, which includes features such as a brushed anodized-aluminum exterior combined with a magnesium alloy chassis designed for maximum protection.

The HP EliteBook also features a shock-resistant hard drive and spill-resistant keyboard. Designed to meet the touch MIL-STD 810F military-standard tests(1) that measure levels of environmental reliability and operation at extreme temperatures of over 60 degrees Celsius/ 140 degrees Fahrenheit and below -29 C/-20 F, while withstanding vibration and high humidity. Additionally, the notebooks come with HP DuraFinish, a protective coating that is six times more scratch-resistant than previous notebooks. These materials are also highly recyclable.

"The EliteBook’s sleek, innovative designs combine a sophisticated look with the durability needed to withstand the evolving mobile work environment," said Danny Lee, Country General Manager, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn Bhd. "Furthermore, HP has incorporated the right mix of hardware and software features to deliver a dependable business notebook PC that delivers enhanced security and improved ease of use in a stylish new package."

The six new HP EliteBook notebooks include:

HP EliteBook 6930p Notebook PC - Setting a new standard for on-the-move productivity, the HP EliteBook 6930p provides up to 15 hours(2) of combined battery life with optional Ultra Capacity battery for full-day productivity.

HP also introduced two ultra-portable notebook computers to lightens the load for business travelers, including the smallest and lightest HP EliteBook with a built-in optical drive.

HP EliteBook 2530p Notebook PC - HP’s smallest and lightest-weight business notebook with a built-in optical drive, combining performance with durability.

HP EliteBook 2730p Notebook PC - One of HP’s smallest and lightest business notebook, the HP EliteBook 2730p is also an ultra-thin, convertible tablet that - with a twist of the screen - transforms from an ultra-light notebook PC into a pen-based tablet.

HP expanded its DreamColor Technology portfolio with the introduction of a powerful new mobile workstation that delivers breakthrough color - critical performance to professionals that requires exceptional color accuracy and mobility in a workstation.

HP EliteBook 8530p Notebook PC - In addition to the durability and performance of HP’s EliteBooks, the HP EliteBook 8530p also adds professional graphics capabilities in a convenient mobile format for the ultimate creative professional.

HP EliteBook 8530w Mobile Workstation - The HP EliteBook 8530w is ideal for extreme power users in the creative fields such as animation, video production, broadcast, photography, design and engineering fields.

HP EliteBook 8730w Mobile Workstation - Designed for the most sophisticated graphic-intensive applications, the new HP EliteBook 8730w is the only mobile workstation on the market to offer a 17-inch diagonal HP DreamColor Display that offers 16.7 million colors, Intel quad-core processor(3) and 8GB of memory. The HP DreamColor Display, the world’s first affordable, color-critical display, was developed through first-of-its kind technology collaboration with DreamWorks Animation SKG.

HP Compaq business "b"-series and standard "s"-series for business-critical mobility

The newly redesigned business notebook business "b"-series is distinguished by its silver finish and magnesium alloy support structure. The new design includes HP DuraFinish, a clear coat applied over the display enclosure and palm-rest that is three times more scratch resistant than in previous models. Offering an ideal combination of features for mainstream business mobility, the b-series notebooks include:

HP Compaq 6530b and 6730b - These notebooks are designed for b usiness professionals who commute, move around the office for meetings or travel occasionally . T hese durable notebooks provide a solution for on-the-go schedules without compromising functionality, security or performance.

The standard "s"-series sports a satin, reflective black-on-black finish to modernize the look and feel of the classic business notebook. HP s-series notebooks are loaded with strong security features, including HP ProtectTools Security Manager. Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools encodes information on the hard drive to make sensitive information unreadable. Additionally, s-series notebooks have HP 3D DriveGuard, which uses a three-axis accelerometer to detect sudden movement and initiate protective action, helping protect the notebook’s hard drive against bumps or drops.

HP Compaq 6530s, 6730s and 6830s - The 6530s and 6730s offer small business customers flexibility with an entry-level, mainstream notebook for a dispersed workforce. Besides offering the largest diagonal widescreen display of the series, the HP Compaq 6830s also combines expanded graphics memory with system memory to optimize performance.

HP Compaq 2230s - This ultra-light notebook is one of HP’s Designed in Asia for Asia (DIAFA) notebooks. DIAFA is a HP initiative that specifically addresses the needs of Asian consumers, by cultivating and tapping HP’s deep understanding of Asia and its local markets. The DIAFA initiative allows HP to design, develop, manufacture and bring to market products to meet the diverse and unique needs of local markets.

The HP business notebook lineup is one of the first to offer a choice of the latest processor technologies, including the latest Intel® Centrino® 2 and Intel Centrino 2 with v Pro technology.(3,4)

Through HP Mobile Broadband, select notebooks incorporate the latest in wireless connectivity. With Qualcomm’s Gobi technology built in, HP notebooks use a single module, the HP un2400, to support multiple mobile broadband network technologies and multiple mobile operators. This increases users’ international roaming options and offers greater choice and flexibility in choosing a mobile data plan. (5)

All HP business notebooks are also designed with the environment in mind, with energy-efficient features, select materials for easier recycling and lower levels of environmentally unfriendly substances. For example, several HP notebooks are available with the choice of an optional mercury-free Illumi-Lite LED display, which is lighter and more energy-efficient than standard notebook display technology. In fact, HP has set a goal to remove all mercury - a potentially hazardous substance commonly found in notebook screens - from its notebooks by 2010.

Pricing & Availability
The notebooks are available now in the market. Estimated street pricing starts at RM3, 699 for the HP standard “s”-series notebook, RM4, 599 for the “b” series notebook and RM5, 599 for the HP EliteBook series. More information on these HP notebook PCs and other HP mobility solutions are available at www.hp.com/apac/personal.

(1) Testing was not intended to demonstrate fitness for U.S. Department of Defense contracts requirements or for military use. Test results are not a guarantee of future performance under these test conditions.

(2) Optional Ultra Capacity battery required and sold separately. Battery life will vary depending on the product: model, configuration, loaded applications, features and power management settings. The maximum capacity of the battery will decrease with time and usage.

(3) Dual core is designed to improve performance of certain software products. Not all customers or software applications will necessarily benefit from use of this technology. 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel 64 architecture. Processors will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on hardware and software configurations. More information is available at www.intel.com/info/em64t.

4) Some functionality of Intel Centrino Pro and Intel v Pro, such as Intel Active management technology and Intel Virtualization technology, requires additional third-party software in order to run. Availability of future “virtual appliances” applications for Centrino Pro and v Pro technologies is dependent on third-party software providers. Compatibility of this generation of Centrino Pro and v Pro technology-based hardware with future “virtual appliances” and Microsoft Windows Vista operating system is to be determined.