HP

About a month ago we reported on HP’s deluge of new notebooks, including the consumer-friendly dv series and the business-focused Compaq line. The dv4, dv5, dv7, and EliteBook 6930p, and the Compaq 6830s, 6730b, 6730s, 6530b, and 6530s are all available with the Intel Centrino 2 platform. Here’s how the individual models break down, including starting price (where available).

Consumer Notebooks

HP Pavillion dv4t (Starting at $999)

• 2.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350
• Up to 4GB of RAM
• 120GB to 320GB HDD
• 8X SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW DL, 8X SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW DL with Lightscribe, or Blu-ray
• 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display with HP BrightView, 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display with HP BrightView and Infinity, or 14.1-inch, 1280 x 800 LED
• Intel GMA X4500 or Nvidia GeForce Go graphics/ATI Radeon HD graphics
• 802.11b/g, 802.11b/g with Bluetooth, Intel WiFi Link a/g/n, or Intel WiFi Link a/g/n with Bluetooth
• Altec Lansing speakers
• 3 USB, eSata, VGA, HDMI, IR, Ethernet, modem, 2 headphone, mic, webcam, optional fingerprint reader
• 6-cell battery or high-capacity 6-cell battery
• 5.4 pounds

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Earlier, we wrote about the HP EliteBook (among 9 other business notebooks released today). This afternoon, I got some hands on time with it at the Berliner Congress Center. At 2.1 kilograms (or 4.6 pounds), it feels heavy for a notebook with a 13.3-inch screen.

In person, however, we like the brushed aluminum lid; it looks elegant, yet understated, which is what we think HP’s target user is looking for. Not even a brillo pad can scratch it. The keyboard, while not as snazzy as the redesigned DV line, is ample and easy to type on.

Check out our hands-on video for a closer look at the new, durable EliteBook.

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Okay, I know we’re LAPTOP, but when I saw the new HP TouchSmart All-in-One, I had to make an exception to our “no desktops allowed” rule. The 22-inch computer has a multi-touch screen that’s as addictive as it is intuitive. For starters, it works seamlessly in the Vista interface, so you can use your finger to move windows and other onscreen items.

But the real fun begins when you press the home button, located on the lower right hand corner of the bezel. Pressing this button launches a touch-optimized media center, filled with widgets for photo, music, games, and news and weather updates, among other things. Although the technology has its limits– you can’t pinch photos to zoom in and out, as you can with the iPhone– you can use your fingers to scroll through apps, photos, and album covers and decide how you want to crop pictures.

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HP announced three new “thin client” products today, including the 6720t notebook. It uses virtualization technology to beef up security while making the lives of IT managers easier.

Now the whole idea behind these “thin client””products is that they’re totally virtual, to the point that they don’t even come with a hard drive. You may be wondering why anyone in their right mind would want a computer without any storage options, and here’s who: IT professionals and large companies looking to save a dime using virtualization servers.

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