Will consumerisation hit HP's new laptops?

HP has launched a new armada of consumer and business laptops, ultrabooks and "fauxtrabooks", along with a dose of new printers. The product launches are among the first since HP divided its units into two sides — enterprise and consumer.

(Credit: HP)

The wildcard for HP's new PCs is whether they have the designs and enough sex appeal to entice workers to tote them to their corporations.

Let's face it: we're entering a bring-your-own-device world. Companies just aren't into PC upgrades. For instance, I have a crappy Lenovo T61 with Windows XP from CBS. The thing barely works, and was used in 2006 when it showed up. But here's the catch: this laptop clunker is not old enough to be replaced. Sure, I could lobby the executives above (I was told to pitch the CTO), but frankly, I'd rather bring my own laptop and blog about it.

I digress.

The point for HP is that its fancy laptops — Envy ultrabooks, "sleekbooks" and the Elitebook Folio — are designed to straddle the line between courting consumers who covet MacBook Airs and the corporate warriors.

Overall, the prices appear to be right. HP's ultrabook starts at US$749. An AMD sleekbook hits US$599. Those price points will appeal to most corporate types.

For HP's PC unit to keep its lead and inspire some Apple-ish Envy, it needs two upgrade cycles — consumer and corporate — to fall its way. Increasingly, those two upgrade cycles are intertwined. HP's real competition may be tablets and Apple's iPad, going forward.

Bottom line: now that HP has split its businesses into two camps, it'll become clear how these PC designs play out and the need to entice corporations.

Via ZDNet US