HP's 2005 notebook range: a first look
Published: 02 Feb 2005
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has taken the opportunity provided by the launch of Intel's new Sonoma platform to completely revamp its range of business notebooks. Introducing the new seven-strong line-up, HP's Steven Gales (Senior Category Manager, Personal Systems Group) said that the company had taken a 'clean sheet' approach to the design, which includes a completely new set of options and accessories. HP says it has simplified the notebook offering for small businesses and corporates -- especially those targeted at the 'all important' mid-market. Special attention has also been paid to key factors such as battery life, docking solutions and usability.
HP's notebook enhancments
The number one requirement for mobile professionals, says HP, is battery life, and the company is claiming some impressive-sounding advances in this area. All of the new notebooks except the entry-level model have an ambient light sensor, for example, which dims the screen in dull lighting conditions, resulting in a battery life boost of approximately 20 percent. The use of the Sonoma platform's improved integrated graphics in several models typically adds 30 minutes to mains-free uptime, according to HP. However, the most notable component is the new HP Common Travel Battery, which -- as the name suggests -- fits all new models: this can boost a single-battery system's life by up to 4.5 hours, says HP. The new battery option, which costs around £60, clips onto the bottom of the notebook, yet still allows the system to be docked. Usefully, the travel battery recharges both when attached to a notebook and when docked.
Other enhancements aimed at improving daily mobile life include a new shock protection system for the hard disk. HP doesn't go as far as IBM with its airbag-like Active Protection System for the ThinkPad range, but aims to guard against everyday bumps and jolts with a lower-cost solution. HP's ProtectTools suite, which provides local data proection, adds Credential Manager for single sign-on functionality and multiple password storage, while SmartCard readers will add hardware security to high-end models, complementing the built-in HP TPM Embedded Security Module.
HP's new range of docking stations support hot docking and can release the notebook at the touch of a single button. There are also new adjustable stands that allow a notebook's screen to be positioned ergonomically at eye level.
The new notebooks fall into two classes: 'essential' (value models, denoted by 'nx') and 'enterprise' (corporate models, mostly denoted by 'nc').
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