Photos: HP shows off latest laptops
The HP Compac nc2400 Notebook is "the product that roadwarriors have been asking for since the beginning of notebook time", claims Ted Clark, senior vice-president and general manager of HP Personal Systems Group.
Clark touted the nc2400's weight of 1.29kg, its profile of just under an inch (24.8mm), and its full size keyboard as being "what most executives want" on the road.
The notebook comes with an HP biometric fingerprint sensor and embedded security chip. It also contains a mobile data protection system that parks the heads if you drop the laptop, in an attempt to avoid data loss.
The nc2400 will start at £1,234 in the UK ($1,599 in the US) and should be available by the end of May.
The xb3000 notebook expansion base is meant to elevate a notebook display to a comfortable viewing level.
The xb3000 has a cable dock connector that links notebooks to power, home networks and peripherals, and it supports 10/100 Ethernet connectivity. The base also comes with integrated Altec Lansing speakers, and some models will bundle a wireless keyboard and mouse. The xb3000 starts at $249 (£133) and should be available in the autumn.
The HP Compaq nc6400 has an Intel Core Duo chipset, starts at £1,325 and should be available from the end of May. It includes a "modular broadband" feature that allows a user to add new networking options in the future, such as HSDPA.
"This is the workhorse notebook PC," said Clark, who was upbeat about HP's notebook prospects at the company's Mobility event in San Francisco on Tuesday. "Our notebook business is smokin' hot."
HP also launched the Compaq 4400, which is configurable as either a notebook or a convertible tablet PC, costs £1,332 and is available from mid-June; the nx7400 Notebook PC, which has a 15" widescreen display and a magnesium alloy frame, and costs £949 from mid-May; and the Compaq 8400 Notebook PC, which has a 15" widescreen display, ATI graphics and costs £1,149 from mid-June.
The HP Pavilion dv2000 Entertainment notebook is aimed at the consumer market. It has an integrated webcam and video conferencing facility. Currently the product has an Intel Core Duo processor, but HP will soon offer an AMD dual core processor: the AMD Turion 64 X2.
The device will have a high gloss finish with a "subtle pattern" and a "latchless design", according to Clark. It will cost $1,099 (£590), and should launch in the UK by the end of May.
The Compac Presario V3000 is "the one tech folks will go for", Clark claimed.
It has a "hi-tech" brushed steel shell, and by this summer will be sold with AMD Turion 64X2 dual core chips as well as the Core Duo option. It costs $949 (£508), and is available in the US from mid-May.