HP Unveils New Notebooks, Mini PCs

HP just rolled out several new notebook computers, including one with the industry's first 3-D PC surface technology. New to the line-up is the HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje, the HP ENVY, the HP Pavilion dm3 entertainment notebook, and the HP ProBook 5310m, the world's thinnest full-performance notebook.

The HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje weighs in at only 2.68 pounds and is just over an inch thin. Features include a 10.1-inch, mercury-free LED display and a 92 percent of full-size keyboard. The HP Mini 110 also is the first to have HP Imprint 3-D, a 3-D PC surface technology. Multiple layers of art on the top cover of the Mini appear to float on the surface while casting shadows onto lower layers to brings depth to the patterns.

A Windows Live Writer desktop icon is included for blogging and fast access to social networking sites. The Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje with Windows 7 Starter can be also be personalized with 15 wallpapers, a screen saver and a Stardock MyColors desktop theme – all unique to this product.

The packaging, Quick Setup Poster and User Guide are all printed with soy- or water-based inks, and the box and cushions are all made from 100 percent recycled material. A microfiber protective sleeve ships with the Mini. The HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje with Windows 7 Starter is priced at $399 and will be available October 18.

The new HP Mini 311 may be the size of a netbook, but has the performance of a notebook computer. It features an 11.6-inch, high-definition widescreen display, NVIDIA ION graphics and a 92-percent of full-size keyboard. Both new Mini's include HP QuickSync software that automatically syncs files created on-the-go with a home PC over a wireless connection when connected to the same network.

The HP Mini 311 starts in price at $399 and is expected to be available with Windows XP on September 23 and with Windows 7 Premium on October 18.

The brand new HP ENVY series is a new line of premium notebooks.

The HP ENVY 13 has an aluminum-magnesium casing and its HP Radiance LED widescreen display has edge-to-edge glass for nearly twice the brightness of other notebooks its size. The ENVY 13 is less than an inch thin and weighs 3.74 pounds. It has ATI Switchable Graphics technology, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and optional HP USB Ethernet Adapter. A VGA webcam optimized for low light also is included.

The new HP ENVY 15 is HP's fastest consumer notebook. It features a magnesium alloy casing and is 1-inch thin, weighing in at 5.18-pounds. It has an Intel Core i7 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 graphics with 1 GB of dedicated video memory, and up to 16 gigabytes (GB) of DDR3 1,066-MHz system memory in four SODIMM memory slots. Up to two solid-state drives in a RAID-0 configuration can be added as well. Full versions of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 and Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 are also included.

You get a choice of two 15.6-inch HP Brightview high-resolution LED backlit displays, including the Full High Definition LED HP Ultra BrightView Widescreen Display with up to 300-nits brightness. A Nightvision VGA webcam that's optimized for low-light or zero-light conditions is standard on the HP ENVY 15, and an optional Slim Fit Extended-Life Notebook Battery can be added for up to seven hours of battery life.

Both ENVY notebooks feature the HP Clickpad that integrates the buttons into the glass touchpad for fluid control; and HP QuickWeb, which lets you quickly access multimedia and communication applications without booting up the Windows operating system. The HP ENVY 13 and HP ENVY 15 are available for pre-order at www.hpdirect.com/go/newfromhp.

The HP Pavilion dm3 is in an affordable, thin notebook PC. It is less than one-inch thin, weighs only 4.2 pounds, and features a lightweight, brushed aluminum chassis.

The dm3 comes with your choice of either the Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Neo Dual Core processors. It also offers a choice of Intel shared, ATI or NVIDIA discrete graphics. It comes preloaded with HP MediaSmart software, and new dedicated function keys give you quick access to media controls. High-speed hard drive options up to 500 gigabytes (GB) give you plenty of room for media .

The HP Pavilion dm3 supports optional built-in WWAN for wireless connectivity and includes a low-light VGA HP Webcam. Lightweight external optical disc drives, including a Blu-ray option, are also available.

The HP Pavilion dm3 starts in price at $549 with an AMD processor and $649 with an Intel processor and will be available on October 22 with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.

Last but not least is the new HP ProBook 5310m, the world's thinnest full-performance notebook. It is only 0.9-inch thin, and weighs 3.7 pounds while sporting a 13.3-inch diagonal LED HD display.

It has the Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 processor and delivers up to seven hours of battery life with the standard lithium-polymer battery. An optional six-cell battery will be available later this year.

Don't want a full performance notebook? HP also gives you the option of an Intel Celeron dual-core, ultra-low-voltage processor, good for tasks such as email, calendar and office applications.

HP QuickWeb is included and HP QuickLook3 lets you look up and respond to email, calendar and contacts without having to boot the notebook. The ProBook 5310m also has integrated HP Mobile Broadband powered by Gobi.

The HP ProBook 5310m starts in price at $699 with an Intel Celeron dual core and $899 with Intel Core 2 Duo and will be available on October 22 with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.