Of course there’s no knowing what a company will truly do when dire times hit, but the strength and dedication of what once was known as Compaq certainly showed itself to be burning the midnight oil when your humble narrator visited this summer in Texas. Today’s announcement confirms that HP has both evaluated the situation and will be keeping things as they are. HP CEO Meg Whitman had the following to say on the subject in today’s announcement:

“HP objectively evaluated the strategic, financial and operational impact of spinning off PSG. It’s clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees. HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger.” – Whitman

As far as how well the company will do now that it’s decided to stay in the PC creation business is not yet known, but for the moment they say that their PSG department is a key component of their future business. HP notes that they’ll continue to remain dedicated not only to enterprise customers, but to small and medium sized businesses and consumers of all types. The company noted:

“The data-driven evaluation revealed the depth of the integration that has occurred across key operations such as supply chain, IT and procurement. It also detailed the significant extent to which PSG contributes to HP’s solutions portfolio and overall brand value. Finally, it also showed that the cost to recreate these in a standalone company outweighed any benefits of separation.” – HP

Have a look at a couple videos from our tour of the HP Houston campus and see how the PC remains strong:

And have a look as HP PR Manager Mike Hockey assured us that the spin-off was not part of the tour at that time:

HP actually climbed a point itself, to 88, and is considerably higher than its Compaq brand-sibling, which brought up the rear in the ACSI ratings with a satisfaction score of just 75. Meanwhile, Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Lenovo and Sony all come in at 77, unchanged from 2010′s rankings.

The added glamor of tablets over and above more mundane PCs is one of the reasons for the stagnating computing scores, ACSI concludes. Apple has, with the iPad, handled that demand well, “spinning off technologies into entirely new directions” to dominate the slate segment. Whether that will change as Honeycomb tablets continue to emerge, and indeed as Windows 8 models arrive in 2012, remains to be seen.

Tim Cook is a name you really should recognize. He’s already served as interim CEO for Apple several times, each of them while Jobs took health-related leaves. These periods of Cook as Apple CEO took place in 2004, in the first half of 2009, and since Jobs took a leave of absence this past January, a period where Cook has handled day-to-day CEO duties daily. Jobs’ letter of resignation referred to a succession plan that included Cook already laid out well before today came around. As a former VP for Corporate Materials at Compaq, Chief Operating Officer of the computer reseller division of Intelligent Electronics, and having spent 12 years as director of North American Fulfillment at IBM, Cook would have been a qualified candidate for a high position in the business even before you consider his exemplary service with Apple since 1998.

During his years with Apple he rose from senior vice president of operations to his current position of COO starting in 2005. His several accolades include reinventing Apple’s approach to inventory supply chains, managing perfectly timed releases of new products, and keeping in-demand products in stock, each of these puzzle pieces essential to the current success of Apple. In fact, his contributions to the success of Apple can literally be counted in dollars and cents during his 2009 stint as acting CEO as Apple’s stock rose 67 percent according to CNN’s profile of Cook.

As a 2009 profile of Tim Cook with Wired notes, Michael Janes, the first general manager of Apple’s online store gives one look at Cook as the guy who turns all the fabulous designs Apple is set to release into “a big pile of cash for the company.” The profile goes on to note:

In some ways, Cook and Jobs are poles apart. Cook is the yin to Jobs’ yang. A quiet, soft-spoken, low-key executive, he couldn’t be more different from Jobs’ sarcastic, fearsome, larger-than-life personality. But that’s exactly what makes him perfect for the job, say people who have worked with Cook.

On the other hand, a profile of Cook from Fortune calls him a much less feeling sort of fellow – and that’s a good thing:

Tim cook arrived at Apple in 1998 from Compaq Computer. He was a 16-year computer-industry veteran – he’d worked for IBM (IBM, Fortune 500) for 12 of those years – with a mandate to clean up the atrocious state of Apple’s manufacturing, distribution, and supply apparatus. One day back then, he convened a meeting with his team, and the discussion turned to a particular problem in Asia.

“This is really bad,” Cook told the group. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes into that meeting Cook looked at Sabih Khan, a key operations executive, and abruptly asked, without a trace of emotion, “Why are you still here?”

Khan, who remains one of Cook’s top lieutenants to this day, immediately stood up, drove to San Francisco International Airport, and, without a change of clothes, booked a flight to China with no return date, according to people familiar with the episode. The story is vintage Cook: demanding and unemotional.

As Lex Friedman notes in the Macworld profile of Cook, the known Apple share holder puts down on paper the thoughts many people in such a position had in early 2011 when the article was written and what we’re sure many people are feeling now:

Should Steve Jobs by choice or necessity ever need a full-time replacement at Apple, it will of course be the board’s decision to decide who should fill his black turtleneck. But with Tim Cook taking over now for the third time in seven years—and his consistent track record when called upon thus far—one might expect that Apple’s future is already in safe hands.

As I noted back in February, Apple’s legacy and future is safe, doubly so now that Jobs is confirmed to still be a part of the company and Cook is at the helm.

Also note that you can read the official press release on this event in the post Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple from earlier today.

This PC features a brand new Blu-ray / DVD Writer Drive and a 6-in-1 Media Card Reader for plugging in your camera’s contents. You’ll be able to expand your memory with the latest DDR3 SDRAM up to 8 GB, work with Intel vPro technology with HP 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless LAN connectivity, and HP Keyed Cable Lock support for security right alongside an on board TPM 1.2 embedded security chip – lock it up tight!

You’ll be rolling out with a 23-inch diagonal LED HD LCD monitor with 1920 x 1080 resolution; 1000:1 contrast ratio; 250 nits typical image brightness; 160 degrees vertical viewing angle; and 170 degrees horizontal viewing angle. This complete with webcam, microphone, and built-in SRS Premium Sound audio support and integrated high-performance 2.0 speakers. Microsoft Office 2010 is preloaded, Purchase Key, Norton Internet Security 2010 trial, and PDF Complete Corporate Edition will also be included out of the box. You’ll have many options for what you’ll be working with as far as innards go – for example your processor could be any of the following:

Intel® Core™ i7-2600S (2.80 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 cores)
Intel® Core™ i5-2500S (2.70 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)
Intel® Core™ i5-2400S (2.50 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)
Intel® Core™ i5-2500T (2.30 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)
Intel® Core™ i5-2390T (2.70 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Core™ i3-2120 (3.30 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Core™ i3-2105 (3.10 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Core™ i3-2100 (3.10 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Pentium® G850 (2.90 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Pentium® G840 (2.80 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)
Intel® Pentium® G620 (2.60 GHz, 3 MB cache, 2 cores)

This along with Integrated Intel HD Graphics or Integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000. There’s SIX USB 2.0 ports, headphone jack, microphone in jack, audio line out, and RJ-45 port. Now you’ve only got to decide whether you want this to be your next all-in-one PC or if you’ll be going with the massive laptop option.

You can purchase several different versions of this HP Compaq PC on HP’s online store starting at $999.

The screen of the machine has an anti-glare coating and the netbook uses the Intel Atom N455 CPU at 1.66GHz. The machine packs in a 250GB HDD and has 1GB of DDR3 RAM. The netbook also has a VGA resolution webcam for video chatting.

Other features include WiFi and a media card reader. The netbook will sell for $449.99 with a new 2-year customer agreement. The buyer will also need a monthly data plan with 2GB of monthly data for $30, 5GB of monthly data is $50, and 10GB of monthly data is $80.

The Compaq 100B has a case with clean lines, rounded corners, and an overall minimalist design that’s very sleek and half the size of traditional towers. It features an AMD E-350 dual-core processor, integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 Discrete-Class graphics card, and the AMD Vision Technology. It can handle up to 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, up to 1 TB SATA hard drvie, and includes a SuperMulti DVD Drive.

Additionally, it is equipped with a 6-in-1 Media Card Reader and audio connections. It also comes with HP’s limited warranty, through optional HP Care Pack Services and includes 24/7 phone support. The Compaq 100B is available beginning today with a price starting at $259.

Many of you can relate to your first gaming expereince, whether it be with the Commodore, Atari, NES or even the Playstation or Xbox. It was mesmerizing, captivating and seriously addicting. I couldn’t get enough, the escape that video games presents was more immersive and emotional than books or movies could ever were, for me at least.

I wish I had more time to play video games today but with a family and more work than I have time to do, it gets a little tough. We play as a family frequently on the Wii or the Kinect but I miss the days of 4-5 hours sessions all by myself. Plus my wife really dislikes how I yell at the TV, to quote Brody from Mallrats “hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn for Sega.”

It also most likely contributed to by ADD.

IBM PS/2
DIR/W. Ah the memories of DOS. The PS/2 was the first computer I remember using. We had many others before it but I simply don’t remember them. I learned to use DOS on the PS/2 which instantly made me the go-to for tech support in computer lab in the 5th grade.

Computers and computing are a big part of many of our lives. I highlight this one because it was the one I spent the most time with and to which many of my first experiences with computing are tied to.

Long live the Oregon Trail.

Compaq iPaq 3630 w/ PCMCIA sleeve and Ricochet Wireless Card
I had a difficult time choosing between the iPaq and the first Palm Pilot. I was at the Palm Pilot launch event when Jeff Hawkins first publically demonstrated the device. I remember thinking at the time how ground breaking this pocket computer was.

The primary reason I chose the iPaq was because of the Ricochet wireless card, provided by Metricom. Although the original Palm Pilot represented and cast a vision for a true pocket computer, the iPaq with the Ricochet Wireless card brought me the internet in my pocket for the fist time and that was what was so significant for me.

I remember pulling the huge brick out of my pocket, connecting to the internet in Starbucks and broadcasting to everyone in there that I was on the internet on my PDA.

My first HDTV – Mitsubishi 55” Rear Projection
Since I am an early adopter, I bought my first HDTV the second I could possibly afford one and that happened to be in 2003. That was also the year my first daughter was born so I positioned it a birthday present for her, which obviously no one believed.

I remember the first time I saw an HD picture on this beast. I nearly cried. I stared at it for hours and watched the most random things simply because HD content was limited and I just wanted to watch HD shows. I remember telling my wife it was like looking out a window or like actually being at the football or baseball game.

She didn’t think so but I did and that was all that mattered.

The Apple iPad
I chose the iPad for a number of reasons. Mainly because, in the 13+ years I have been working in the technology industry, I always dreamed of a product like this (a tablet) and this was the first to really deliver. I used nearly every pen-computing tablet that came to market prior; yes, there are a number of good tablets on the market, and they will all continue to get better, for me the iPad bought touch computing to the mass market.

The first true usable touch OS and touch experience obviously started with the iPhone but a screen 4-inches and smaller is only capable of some elements of touch computing. The iPad represents a much more holistic touch computing platform and has cast a vision of where touch computing will go with future innovations.

So those are my 5 defining experiences with technology. What technologies impacted your life?

The 6000 Pro AIO has a range of Core 2 Duo processors available and runs Windows 7 Professional 32 and 64-bit operating systems. The rig can be fitted with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage space.

The AIO machine can also be fitted with an 80GB SSD instead of the traditional HDD. The screen is 21.5-inches and has HD resolution with LED backlighting. Other features include a LightScribe CD/DVD burner, a memory card reader, and an optional TV tuner. The machine also ships with video conferencing software installed. The ship date for the new AIO is set for July 16 starting at $899.

The notebook is the Compaq Presario CQ62Z and in its most basic configuration the 15.6-inch notebook carries a price tag more like a netbook than a notebook at $379.99. Sure, you can get the price up to nearly twice that mark. However, if a bargain machine with a standard notebook size screen is what you want you can get it here.

The base configuration uses an AMD V-Series V120 CPU running at 2.2GHz. Optional CPUs range from Athlon II parts up to 3-core Phenom II parts. RAM runs from 2GB to 4GB with storage options in 5400 and 7200 RPM from 250GB to 500GB. Graphics are from ATI with base machines getting HD 4250. The screen is LED backlit with a 1366 x 768 resolution and power comes from a 6-cell battery. That’s not such bad hardware for the starting price.

The S1922 comes in at a somewhat more mundane 1366 x 768 resolution, while the S2021 musters 1600 x 900.  They also only have VGA inputs, as opposed to the ZR30W which gets DisplayPort and DVI-D inputs, together with an integrated 4-port USB hub.

Still, the pricing is weighted accordingly, and if you’d like to be as obsessed with colors as HP then you’d better have a thick wallet.  The HP ZR30W comes in at $1,299, while the Compaq S1922 and Compaq S2021 are $125 and $140 respectively.

Press Release:

HP Announces Its First 30-inch Performance Display to Deliver More Than 1 Billion Colors

Company expands display options for the SMB customer

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 1, 2010 – HP today announced its first 30-inch monitor to display a range of more than 1 billion colors, the HP ZR30w S-IPS LCD Display.

Adding to the already powerful lineup of HP Performance Displays, the 30-inch diagonal display provides 30-bits per pixel color resolution and 1.07 billion displayable colors, compared to 16.7 million colors available on most 30-inch diagonal panels.

Ideal for professionals in animation, game development, broadcast, design and graphic arts where accurate color is imperative, the HP ZR30w achieves more than 64 times the colors available on mainstream LCDs. With a wide gamut panel that covers 100 percent of sRGB and 99 percent of Adobe RGB, reds, blues and greens are visibly deeper.

“HP continues to drive innovation in the monitor space with solutions that push the boundaries of traditional panel technology,” said Jun Kim, Vice President and General Manager, Display Business Unit, HP. “The HP ZR30w is the latest example of our commitment to provide customers with the technology they demand to push the limits of creativity and increase ROI.”

The new HP ZR30w features 4.1 million pixels, to achieve maximum accuracy, and touts a resolution of 2560 x 1600 in a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 3000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, for brilliant visual performance.

Building on the HP ZR30w’s wide viewing angles and outstanding visual performance technologies, the monitor is equipped with DisplayPort and DVI-D inputs, an integrated 4-port USB hub and an HP Quick Release(1) for simple out-of-the-box set up. The HP ZR30w enables maximum comfort and best visual positioning with a 6-way adjustable stand that provides tilt, swivel and height adaptability.

The performance monitor features a brushed aluminum industrial design that is complementary to HP’s Z Workstations,(2) and uses a minimum of 25 percent post-consumer recycled resin. Additionally, the monitor houses a lower power panel and comes with an 85 percent efficient power supply.(3)

Small business, big value
HP also introduced the Compaq S1922 and Compaq S2021 Widescreen LCD Monitors that are designed for small and medium businesses that want value and reliability. The Compaq S1922 and S2021’s VGA inputs make “plug and play” connectivity quick and easy, while adjustable tilt settings enable best visual positioning and VESA mounting capabilities free up desk space. The monitors also offer guaranteed out-of-the-box compatibility with HP business products and HP monitor options.(2)

Available in 18.5- and 20-inch diagonal sizes, both displays feature a broad 16:9 aspect ratios, fast 5 ms response times(3) and 5,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios. The Compaq S1922 features wide resolutions to 1366 x 768, while the Compaq S2021 offers resolutions to 1600 x 900.

Both monitors use lower power consumption panels that contain 50 percent less mercury than other four lamp LCD monitors on the market.

Pricing and availability
The HP ZR30w is available today for a starting price of U.S. $1,299. The Compaq S1922 and S2021 are also available today in the U.S. at $125 and $140, respectively.(4)

About HP
HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

(1) The HP Quick Release has been designed to support a maximum of up to 24 lbs (10.9 kg) for all devices mounted. Because mounting surfaces vary widely and the final mounting method and configuration may vary, mounting fasteners are not supplied (other than the VESA-compliant screws). HP recommends that you consult with a qualified engineering, architectural or construction professional to determine the appropriate type and quantity of mounting fasteners required for your application and to ensure that your mounting solution is properly installed to support applied loads.
(2) Sold separately or as an optional feature.
(3) All performance specifications represent the typical specifications provided by HP’s component manufacturers; actual performance may vary either higher or lower.
(4) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

In fact the battery could be the Airlife 100′s biggest strength: the smartbook managed 18hrs of mixed use from a 90-percent charge, including 7hrs with the screen off (ovenight) and 3G and WiFi active all the time.  That’s with no user-effort to eke out extra runtime, and works out to an iPad-besting performance.  Unfortunately, browsing isn’t as fast as on an Intel Atom based netbook, there’s no Flash support and you can’t send files – such as photos – to the Airlife 100 via Bluetooth, only from it.

The biggest problem, it seems, is Android itself, or at least what’s missing from a regular smartphone running the platform.  The Airlife 100 has no Android Market and no Google Experience apps – which considering you can’t access the full version of Gmail in the browser is particularly frustrating – and doesn’t support USB host, so you can’t plug in peripherals like digital cameras.  That’s going to confuse buyers expecting netbook-style functionality.  In the end, Steve reckons the high price and the niche features will count the HP Compaq Airlife 100 out for all but the smallest of target audience.

Video unboxing after the cut

Benefits are a lighter unit than first-gen touchscreen netbooks, and longer battery life too.  As Steve Paine points out, the Airlife 100 uses a very similar sized battery to the iPad, and indeed the same sort of ARM Cortex A8 core (albeit a 1GHz Snapdragon in the smartbook, versus Apple’s own A4), but of course the Android OS it runs allows for multitasking.  We’re promised a full review in due course, but until then settle back with your beverage of choice and enjoy the show.

Alternatively, the Airlife 100 can be had for €300 ($397) with a cheaper, €39 per month plan ($52).  Both plans seem to come with unlimited on-device data access, with the difference being the sorts of speeds you can expect: up to 10Mbps downlink on the €49 tariff, or up to 7Mbps on the €39 tariff.

As for the smartbook itself, that comes with 16GB of SSD storage, WiFi and GPS, together with a webcam and a battery HP reckon will last up to 12hrs.  For more, check out our hands-on preview.

HP Compaq Airlife 100 demo:

[via Carrypad]

Video demo after the cut

There’s 512MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM – the latter being important as Android currently only allows you to save apps to the ROM – together with 16GB of SSD data storage (15GB user-accessible).  The display is a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 resistive touchscreen and there’s a removable 28Wh battery which HP told us would be good for in excess of 12hrs runtime.

Among the preloaded apps are RoadSync Exchange – which offers pretty decent mail/contacts/calendar sync – and NDrive GPS with points-of-interest and regional mapping.  Still no word on availability, though the presence of a US product page does seem to imply that the Airlife 100 is coming to at least parts of North America.

HP Compaq Airlife 100 hands-on demo:

[via Ubergizmo and via MyHPMini]

Elsewhere there’s a 16GB SSD and WiFi along with the 3G connection, while HP also reckon the frugal smartbook will be leggy enough to last for 12 hours on a single charge.  Alternatively standby is tipped at 10 days.

From the photos it’s obvious that there’s a webcam and an SD card slot, together with some useful shortcut keys around the trackpad; HP have also loaded up their own touchscreen UI.  According to the company, the Compaq Airlife 100 will arrive in Europe this spring, as a subsidized deal with carrier Telefonica.  No word of a US launch or any pricing details.

[via Xataka]

Like the Dell, the HP Compaq display measures in at 21.5-inches; contrast ratio is 1000:1.  The monitor isn’t showing up on HP’s site as yet, but we imagine they’re slotted in HDMI, DVI and VGA ports (again, just like the Dell) together with a few USB connections since the multitouch panel will require a USB hook-up to your Windows 7 PC.

Since it’s Windows 7 Certified, setup issues should be non-existant; in fact you should be more concerned about throwing your back out trying to lift the monitor out of its box.  The HP Compaq L2105tm multitouch LCD display is available from today, October 22nd, priced at $299.

Press Release:

HP Boosts Windows 7 Experience for Consumers, Businesses with New PCs and Services

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 21, 2009 – HP, the world’s leading PC company, today announced Windows® 7 will be available across its portfolio of consumer and business PCs after midnight tonight.

In addition, HP will provide customers with advanced tools and services to assist their transition to the new operating system.

HP shared its award-winning touch technology and best practices with Microsoft Corp. to guide the development of touch technology within Windows 7. The deep collaboration between the companies offers customers one of the industry’s most advanced touch computing experiences.

“HP is celebrating the evolution of touch computing with the entry of Windows 7 to the market,” said Carlos Montalvo, vice president, Experience Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “We are proud of the HP touch framework that we developed for Windows Vista and the collaboration with Microsoft to bring touch into Windows 7.”

For businesses of all sizes, the combination of Windows 7 Professional with a new HP business desktop PC can run up to three times faster while consuming only half the energy(1) compared to previous versions. Business notebooks feature start-up times up to 41 percent faster and shut-down times up to 30 percent faster.(2) Connecting an HP printer and accessories also is simplified with the automatic search and installation technology in Windows 7, so customers can be up and ready faster.

“We are thrilled with the level of collaboration between HP and Microsoft,” said Nick Parker, general manager of Worldwide Sales for HP at Microsoft. “The combination of HP’s new PC portfolio and Windows 7 innovations will bring enhanced experiences, improved performance and energy savings to our joint customers.”

HP has worked with Microsoft to give customers the “7 Days of 7” program, which offers special discounts on select HP consumer and business PCs from Oct. 22 to 29. More details are available at www.hp.com/go/windows7.

Support services for Windows 7
HP is hosting a series of free Windows 7 Experts Days, where more than 45 experts from HP, Symantec and other companies will answer questions and share tips to help customers get the most out of Windows 7 and HP printers, desktops and notebooks. The first session is scheduled for Nov. 5.

HP offers agents trained in Windows 7 and dedicated phone lines for efficient customer support. The company’s consumer and business support boards, where community members and HP employees exchange tips and answers, will address questions about Windows 7.

HP Support Assistant(3) is a simple software application that comes installed on Windows 7 PCs and allows them to run smoothly right from the start. Part of HP Total Care services and support, the software maintains PC performance and resolves problems with automated updates and tune-ups, onboard diagnostics and guided assistance.

HP’s Windows 7 Onsite Upgrade Service(4) provides businesses support for the transition to Windows 7. The HP service includes the installation of Windows 7, data migration, training on how to operate Windows 7, and reinstallation and use of legacy Windows XP and Windows Vista® software.

Services for business customers
HP Enterprise Business services help customers plan, implement and support an accelerated migration to Windows 7 with lower risk and reduced costs. Whether customers manage the Windows environment in-house or they outsource, HP’s trained and certified experts can help support customers’ deployment of Windows 7 with minimal disruption to the business.

· HP Migration Services offer security, stability and functionality to customers transitioning to Windows 7. HP provides client automation services using advanced devices and tools, while managing the deployment and support based on the customers’ specific requirements. With early adopter implementations, HP has documented optimized processes for migrating outsourcing clients to a new standard image and managing the environment on an ongoing basis. These proven best practices for Windows 7 migrations will be extended to all outsourcing clients.

· HP Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Services help customers improve desktop management, control and security, while reducing total desktop costs through the centralization of the Windows environment. Together with the customer, HP defines a plan through strategy workshops, and then HP tests the plan and delivers implementation and support services.

· Windows XP Mode support assists customers implementing Windows XP Mode to run legacy applications.

· HP Client Collaboration Services allow customers to increase productivity and reduce risk through integration of a wide variety of client and mobile technologies, including Windows 7 clients, into a unified communications and collaboration environment. Together with Microsoft, HP offers a comprehensive set of unified communications and collaboration solutions, beginning by jointly defining the business value objectives.

Printing made simple
Windows 7 provides features across HP’s printing and imaging portfolio to enable easier connectivity for wireless print devices, richer device management and location-aware printing.

· The new Device Stage technology in Windows 7 streamlines interaction with compatible devices connected to a PC. From Device Stage customers can see a printer’s status and run common tasks from a single window, including ordering supplies online and accessing HP Total Care and Snapfish, HP’s online photo sharing site.

· For customers who routinely print to multiple printers, Windows 7 can automatically and easily switch printers when changing locations. Windows 7 remembers which network and printer were last used and automatically switches the default printer to match.

A wide range of HP’s imaging and printing products are supported by Windows 7, including its newest lineup of touch-enabled printers. Software also is available for current and new imaging and printing products at www.hp.com/go/Windows7.

HP’s first Windows 7 multitouch certified monitor for businesses now available
HP also introduced the HP Compaq L2105tm Widescreen Touchscreen Monitor, its first Windows 7 multitouch certified monitor. The monitor’s optical touch panel technology can increase the speed and efficiency of work performance and productivity by allowing inputs to be recognized quickly, accurately and without drift. One finger is used to scroll through screens, while two fingers can replace a mouse to perform common multitouch gestures. The HP Compaq L2105tm also includes a hard stylus that tucks away neatly into the side of the monitor for easy storage.

Available tomorrow, the HP Compaq L2105tm Touchscreen Monitor starts at $299.(5)

Also available for Windows 7 based PCs is the HP Carbon Footprint Calculator, a tool to help reduce the environmental impact – and costs – of computing. In just a few clicks, customers can estimate how applying power-saving technologies or upgrading to more efficient features can lower power bills, energy use and carbon footprints.

Recently announced consumer and business products available with Windows 7 include:

· touch-enabled PCs – HP TouchSmart 300 and 600 PCs, HP TouchSmart tx2 notebook PC and the HP TouchSmart 9100 for business;

· thin and light and premium notebooks – HP ProBook 5310m, HP Pavilion dm3, and HP ENVY 13 and 15;

· desktop PCs – HP Elite 7000 Business Desktop PC, HP Compaq 6000 and 6005 Pro, Compaq 500B and 505B, HP ProBook 6545b; and

· new companion PCs – HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje, HP Mini 311 and HP Pavilion MS200.

Pricing and availability(5)
Windows 7 Onsite Upgrade Service is expected to be available Nov. 1 in the United States at the following price per PC seat: 1-10 seats at $199 each, 11-50 seats at $189, 51-100 seats at $179 and 100+ seats at $169.

HP offers flexible financing solutions for customers deploying next-generation HP technology and services through HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and lifecycle asset management services subsidiary. HP Financial Services makes it easy for customers to deploy technology that meet their business needs.

Additional information on recently announced products is available at www.hp.com/personal.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

(1) PCMark05 scores and the following tested configurations. System config for D530: 80G PATA HDD, 3 x 512 MB DDR1-400-MHz PC3200, CPU Intel® Pentium® 4 2.8-GHz / Pentium 2.8G, CD-ROM, XP SP2. System config for 8000 Elite: Intel Core™ 2 Duo E8400, 2 x 1 GB RAM DDR3, 160 GB HDD, integrated graphics, Lightscribe DVD/RW, Windows 7 Pro 32. Dual-core CPUs were tested – Intel-based systems used E8400, AMD-based systems used B55. Power testing was done with EPA and non-EPA power supplies. EPA Power testing results used. All new products were tested with Windows 7 Pro 32. Power and performance profiles: PCMark05 and power measurements were done with the “as shipped” defaults. Power measurements for idle, off and sleep/standby were conducted per ENERGY STAR® 4.0/5.0 guidelines. The PCMark05 power measurements are from a single run of the PCMark05 full suite.
(2) Test results compare HP ProBook 5310m systems with identical configurations with one system running Microsoft Windows Vista® SP1 and the second system running Microsoft® Windows 7. Actual results may vary based on system configuration and performance will vary over time depending on software installed.
(3) HP Support Assistant also is preinstalled on select PCs with Microsoft Windows Vista.
(4) Customer to purchase OS software separately; customer to perform necessary hardware upgrades before onsite service; customer to complete installation of software following training; customer compatibility with Windows 7 to be confirmed at point of scheduling; customer responsible for backing up data prior to upgrade.
(5) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

The CQ61z notebook has a piano black finish with silver panels. The machine is designed for budget notebook shoppers and has a 15.6-inch screen, 6-cell battery and a price of only $399 after a $100 instant savings good from October 18 to December 19. Specs on the machine aren’t offered, but don’t expect much at that price.

The Presario 4010f is a desktop system with AMD Sempron CPU, NVIDIA integrated graphics, and a 250GB HDD. The machine starts at $309. The Compaq 500B series includes the 500B with Intel power and the 505B with AMD CPUs. Both machines run Windows 7 and are aimed at business users with a variety of options. The AMD-powered machine starts at $359 and the 500B starts at $409. All of the machines will be available by October 22.

In fact some adverts apparently suggest that bricks & mortar Walmart stores will have just ten of the laptops in stock, although it will also be available online.  The particular machine has a 2.10GHz AMD Sempron processor, NVIDIA GeForce 8200M graphics and a DVD burner, together with WiFi b/g and a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 display.

To be fair, you’re not going to be doing much gaming on such a machine, but if you can get to the front of the queue then you could pick up a basic bargain.  Make sure to check out the size, though; according to the official spec sheet the dimensions are listed as “CHINA”, and that’s a pretty big country.  For the rest of Walmart’s deals, check the press release below. 

Press Release:

Walmart Increases Assortment of Affordable Laptops with Performance for Back to School

Retailer Introduces First Ever $298 Compaq Notebook with 3 GB Memory this Weekend

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (July 23, 2009) – With student needs rapidly changing and affordability a top priority, Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is making a commitment this summer to provide a wider variety of laptops at unprecedented savings. Building its assortment around student needs and budgets, Walmart worked closely with trusted brands such as HP, Dell, Acer and Toshiba to deliver new products holding not just great value in price but high quality, performance, and variety.

Shoppers will find notebooks and netbooks under $300, new accessories, and units with entertainment features, long-lasting batteries, lighter weights and more colors this year. In addition, Walmart will introduce items with market-leading prices starting this weekend.

“We know all students need solutions that integrate work, entertainment and portability,” said Gary Severson, senior vice president, Entertainment, Walmart U.S. “Our increased assortment delivers more targeted offerings from great brands at dramatically affordable prices.”

· Starting July 26: $298 Compaq Presario Notebook*
For the first time, a 3 GB memory laptop from a well-known brand has ventured below $300. The Compaq Presario CQ60-419WM offers great functionality with a 160 GB hard drive, CD and DVD drive, and Windows Vista pre-loaded in the notebook for the unprecedented price only at Walmart of $298. This price event begins 8 am July 26 in all stores and on Walmart.com while supplies last.

· Also Available July 26: $548 Acer 8-hour battery laptop
Perfect for the mobile student who has a full day of classes, Walmart will lower the price of this popular long-lasting Acer unit by $50. Pre-loaded with Windows Vista Home Premium (qualified for free Windows 7 upgrade), the Acer 15.6 inch AS5810-4657 All Day Computing Laptop with Intel ULV SU2700 has a 3 GB memory, 320 GB hard drive and an eight-hour battery. Its Intel Display Power Savings Technology reduces backlighting with minimal visual impact. Engaging the Acer PowerSmart key and other advanced settings makes this unit up to 40% more efficient than the typical laptop.

· August Additions: More Netbooks, Laptops
The new ultra-portable 10.1 inch HP Mini 110-131NR netbook arrives in stores in early August. This small and light netbook is ideal for the connected student who loves browsing the Internet, enjoying multimedia and chatting on-the-go.

For the entertainment guru, Walmart will introduce in mid-August a 17-inch screen Toshiba L355-18.3 with 3 GB memory and 250 GB hard drive great for work, movie watching and PC gaming. Also in mid-August, Dell will bring to Walmart stores its 4 GB memory, 500 GB hard drive notebook at great savings. (Prices on all to be announced.)

· In stores and Online Now: Personality, Size and Color
Currently Walmart offers the small and mighty 12.1 inch HP dv2 notebook fully loaded with a powerful 4 GB memory and 500 GB hard drive at $698.

This month Walmart also introduced a new colorful assortment of the Dell Inspiron 1545 Laptop at $398 in black, blue, pink, red, purple and aqua to match Walmart’s back to college color pallet for dorm room décor. The notebook also qualifies for a free Windows 7 upgrade this fall.

Available in a variety of colors, matching computer accessories in stores include:
· Western Digital 250 GB hard drive ($60) – Available in black, blue, pink and red
· Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse ($25) – Available in black, blue, pink and red
· Logitech LS-11 Stereo Speaker System ($19 each) – Available in blue or pink
· Sandisk 4 GB flash drive ($12) – Available in blue, pink, red, aqua, orange and green

In addition Walmart aims to add more value to the overall purchase extending savings on necessary components and accessories, such as the Kodak All-in-One color printer for $89, Linksys wireless Router under $54 and $19 laptop podiums in various colors.

· Walmart.com varieties and bundles
Walmart.com offers more than 200 notebook and desktop computers, with a wide variety of choices in bold, bright colors and the added savings of free shipping with Site to Store. Some of the most popular computers only available online include:

o Red Dell Mini 10 inch netbook (4 additional colors only available online) – starting at $348
o Dell laptop bundles (1545 Inspiron with 6 additional exclusive colors with optional bundle selections such as printer, laptop case, mouse, speakers, flash drive, external hard drive and more – starting at $598.
o Acer netbooks from pink, blue, white, red, and black at $298.
o Red computer accessory bundle with Logitech speakers and wireless mouse, and Sandisk flash drive. Mix or match from 6 colors – starting at $50.

For the buyer searching mostly for the ideal entertainment laptop, Walmart.com has the HP 17 inch Pavilion dv7-1261wm entertainment laptop available at the rollback price of $848. Also a strong entertainment and workhorse laptop, the sophisticated looking Toshiba 17 inch Satellite P305D-S8900 laptop PC with ATI Radeon graphics and Harman/Kardon virtual surround sound system is $698 and ideal for casual gamers and entertainment enthusiasts looking to replace a desktop computer.

Walmart advises, when looking for a laptop for gaming and entertainment consider a large bright widescreen display which enhances movies, music, and gaming, as well as a powerful processor, DVD player, a large hard drive to store media and generous memory.

Easy Pick-up at Walmart
To lighten the load on shipping, students can use Walmart’s Site-to-Store pick-up for their consumer electronics and dorm room accessory needs by sending their orders made at Walmart.com directly to the Walmart near their school, with no shipping charges.

* Prices and availability may vary in AL, HI, OK, WI and at Walmart.com

If you’d prefer to go with Verizon or AT&T, the netbook will cost you $199.99 plus the two-year subscription with either carrier.  Meanwhile the unsubsidized price is $389.99.  The data package, in Sprint’s case, will cost around $60 per month; meanwhile the netbook itself is an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz machine with 10.1-inch 1024 x 576 display, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-drive.

It’s not the cheapest way to pick up a new netbook, and you lack the flexibility of connection sharing that you’d get with a MiFi, but if you’re desperate for a 3G-enabled netbook and can’t afford the cost upfront then it might be the device for you.  You’ll have to stop in at your local Best Buy, though; the offer is not available online.

[via jkOnTheRun]

In fact, those two locations will see their entry-level package jump to 25/15 Mbps, with the mid-tier package landing at 35/20 Mbps.   That sort of uplink speed is enough to upload a one-hour high-definition movie in around 20 minutes; according to recent research from In-Stat, Verizon says with no small amount of gloating, the average cable internet user sees upload rates of 2.68Mbps.

If sheer speed isn’t enough to lure you in, Verizon  are also offering gadget incentives to new subscribers.  Anybody subscribing to a triple package of 25/15 Mbps internet (or higher), Extreme HD TV and Essentials voice will get their choice of a Compaq Mini netbook or a Flip Ultra camcorder.  Anybody choosing the slower 15/5 Mbps (or higher) connection with TV Essentials and Essentials voice service will get a free Flip Ultra.  Those unable to get FiOS will have similar offers for Verizon’s DSL service.

Press Release:

Verizon Amps Up FiOS Internet With Increased Two-Way Speeds and Launches Free Netbook/Camcorder Promotion

Verizon Fast is ‘Two-Way’ Fast With Upstream Speeds That Optimize Today’s Interactive, Multimedia Internet Experiences

NEW YORK – Verizon FiOS continues creating the ultimate broadband and home-entertainment experience by introducing on Monday (June 22) new, faster broadband speeds – both downstream and upstream – for the most popular FiOS Internet services. The company is also offering compelling incentives for consumers to subscribe to FiOS. New customers who order qualifying FiOS bundles are eligible for a free Compaq Mini netbook* or a Flip Ultra™ camcorder.
“From its inception just five years ago, Verizon FiOS has transformed the American broadband and home-entertainment experience by delivering innovative services that our competitors can’t match,” said Mike Ritter, chief marketing officer for Verizon Telecom. “Today FiOS leaps forward again with faster two-way broadband speed options that free customers to fully participate in today’s interactive, multimedia Web.”
Verizon is doubling to quadrupling the upstream connection speeds and increasing the downstream connection speeds of its most popular FiOS Internet offerings. The company has raised the connection speed of its entry-level FiOS Internet service from 10/2 megabits per second (Mbps) to 15/5 Mbps, and has raised the connection speed of its flagship, mid-tier offering from 20/5 Mbps to 25/15 Mbps. In New York City, on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs, FiOS Internet is even faster with a new entry-level connection speed of 25/15 Mbps, and a new mid-tier offering of 35/20 Mbps, available only in bundles.
According to a survey of residential broadband users in the U.S. by the market intelligence firm In-Stat (“US Broadband Speeds on the Rise,” In-Stat, Feb. 2009), the average upstream connection speed used by cable broadband customers is 2.68 Mbps. Verizon is offering speeds two-to-seven times faster than this typical cable upload speed.
“From grade-schoolers to grandparents, no one wants to wait for long uploads any more than they want to wait for long downloads,” said Ritter. “Verizon has good news for people who want to enjoy interactive applications like video chat, quickly back up their hard drives, upload photos and videos to e-mail and social networking sites, or send large files to co-workers or clients: The ultra-fast downstream and upstream speed you need every day is here. It’s widely available, affordably priced, and there are no artificial limits placed on how much you can use.”
Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload 200 photos in about 90 seconds, a 20-minute high-def video in less than 7 minutes and a one-hour HD movie in about 20 minutes. (Listen to photographer and educator Kathy Halamka on why fast FiOS connections are important to her.)
New Promotion Provides Powerful Incentives
To encourage even more customer defections from cable to FiOS TV and Internet services, Verizon has also launched a compelling new promotional offer that runs through Aug. 15.
New customers who sign up for a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 25/15 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Extreme HD service and FiOS Essentials voice service will receive their choice of a free Compaq Mini netbook* valued at $299.99 (customer only pays shipping, handling and taxes) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder, valued at $149.99.
New customers who order a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 15/5 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Essentials service and Freedom Essentials voice service will receive a free Flip Ultra camcorder, or they can opt to purchase a Compaq Mini netbook* for just $99.99.
Verizon also announced on Monday the continuation of its price guarantee for stand-alone, DSL-based High Speed Internet — and a similar camcorder and netbook incentive offer for customers. See companion news release for more details.
“A free netbook or camcorder is the perfect companion to the amped-up speed of FiOS Internet,” said Ritter. “With faster downstream and unparalleled upstream connections, plus the latest in cool electronics, FiOS Internet customers can explore the unlimited possibilities of a fully interactive online experience.”
FiOS Internet also provides a gateway to other valuable Verizon services, including a suite of Internet security measures, premium technical support and backup and sharing.
Bundle pricing varies by market and starts at $99.99 for triple bundles and $79.99 for double bundles. Both double and triple bundles require a one-year service agreement; however, customers will receive a two-year price guarantee.
New and existing FiOS customers can opt to subscribe to the new services by calling Verizon at 888-GET-FiOS. For more information about FiOS, visit www.verizon.com/seefios.
Features of the Compaq Mini netbook include:
10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display.
Lightweight, one-inch-thick design that conveniently fits in backpack, briefcase or purse.
Intel Atom™ processor.
Windows XP Home operating system.
Features of the Flip Ultra™ camcorder include:
Pocket-size design with one-touch recording and digital zoom.
Up to 120 minutes of high-quality video.
4GB of built-in memory.
Two-inch anti-glare screen.
Built-in USB arm for direct connection to PC or Mac.
Pre-loaded FlipShareTM software that allows easy video organizing, editing and emailing, along with simple upload to social media sites such as YouTubeTM and MySpaceTM.

Connection speed refers to the speed between a user’s location and Verizon’s central office. Actual surfing speeds will vary based on many factors and be lower than connection speed.
Promotion Terms and Conditions:
*Compaq Mini netbook available with $299.99 coupon (or $200 coupon for $99.99 discounted-price offer) redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and install by Oct. 15, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of install date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt. For residential customers new to FiOS TV and Internet.
Flip Ultra ™ Camcorder available while supplies last. Must have service for 60 days with no past due balance to qualify. Gift will be sent within 90 days of install date. Other terms and conditions apply.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving more than 86 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 237,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Press Release:

Verizon High Speed Internet Experience Better Than Ever With Broadband Deals That Offer Cool Electronic Devices

Compaq Mini Netbook or Flip Ultra Camcorder Free to Qualifying Customers Who Choose Voice and High Speed Internet Bundles; Price Guarantee Extended for Non-Bundled High Speed Internet Service

NEW YORK – Consumers looking for the utmost reliability and value in broadband bundles can now choose Verizon’s latest super-fast connections of up-to-3 Mbps (megabits per second) or up-to-7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet bundle offers and get gear to take full advantage of the service.
Under a new offer from Verizon, qualifying new voice and broadband customers get either a Compaq Mini netbook* (valued at $299) or a Flip UltraTM camcorder (valued at $149.99) — two of the most popular electronic devices on the market today.
“Consumers get our highly reliable High Speed Internet service, which is perfect for surfing the Web, e-mailing, and sending and receiving large amounts of data,” said Susan Retta, Verizon vice president of consumer product management. “With Internet service, they also get a winning combination of all-digital-quality DIRECTV® service, and unlimited local and long-distance phone service delivered on our 99.9 percent reliable network. To make it irresistible, we’re offering hot electronics that customers can use to get the most out of their new High Speed Internet service.”
To encourage even more consumers to leave their cable provider and select Verizon, the company announced Monday (June 22) the launch of a compelling new promotional offer: New customers who select voice and High Speed Internet service and sign up for a one-year, double- or triple-play bundle that includes either the up-to-3 Mbps/768 kilobits per second (Kbps) or up-to-7.1 Mbps/768 Kbps** service will receive their choice of a free Compaq Mini netbook or Flip Ultra camcorder.
Existing Verizon voice customers who add either the up-to-3 or up-to-7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet service will receive their choice of a Compaq Mini netbook for $99.99 or a free Flip Ultra camcorder. These promotional offers continue through Aug. 15.
Verizon also announced on Monday higher FiOS Internet speeds and a similar camcorder and netbook incentive offer for new FiOS customers. See companion release.
“In addition, this new offer provides additional incentives for consumers, particularly cable company customers, to sign up with Verizon,” Retta said. ”The offer enables consumers to use their Compaq Mini netbook or Flip Ultra camcorder on the road, around town or anywhere on campus.”
Triple-play bundles that qualify for Verizon’s new promotion start at $99.99 per month for one year, while qualifying double-play bundles start at $69.99 per month. Features of the Compaq Mini netbook include:
10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display.
One-inch-thick, 2.35-pound design that fits in a backpack, briefcase or purse.
Intel Atom™ processor.
Windows XP Home operating system.
Features of the Flip Ultra camcorder include:
Pocket-size design with one-touch recording and digital zoom.
Up to 120 minutes of high-quality video.
4GB of built-in memory.
Two-inch anti-glare screen.
Built-in USB arm for direct connection to PC or Mac.
Pre-loaded FlipShareTM software that allows easy video organizing, editing and e-mailing, along with simple upload to social media sites such as YouTubeTM and MySpaceTM.

Additionally, Verizon will continue to offer its price guarantee for non-bundled High Speed Internet service (up to 1, 3 or 7.1 Mbps speeds), ranging from $17.99 per month to $39.99 per month with a two-year agreement. Pricing will remain the same for customers as long as they continue on the same High Speed Internet service plan and retain local voice service.
Verizon High Speed Internet, which uses digital subscriber line technology, is the company’s most widely available form of broadband data service. More than 25 million households in parts of 24 states and the District of Columbia can order the service. Verizon High Speed Internet subscribers are not subject to bandwidth caps that some Internet service providers assess, so there’s no penalty for heavy usage.
According to PC Magazine’s 2008 readers’ survey, Verizon High Speed Internet beat the average cable provider’s score in reliability, the likelihood of a customer choosing an Internet service provider, as well as the associated costs and fees for the service.
Verizon High Speed Internet customers also receive access to an extensive portfolio of value-added services, including 250 MB (megabytes) of free Verizon Online Backup and Sharing, which provides useful disaster-recovery support.
The company’s popular Verizon Internet Security Suite provides comprehensive online protection from spyware and viruses for as little as $5.99 a month and includes a firewall, parental control, a pop-up-blocker and privacy manager software to help keep customers safe from hackers and phishing attacks.
Customers can also obtain a combination offer of Verizon Online Backup and Sharing and Verizon Internet Security Suite for $8.99 per month.
In addition, customers can protect their home-entertainment and communications investments by subscribing to a comprehensive suite of device protection plans such as Protection Pak Enhanced, which, in cases of a malfunction, covers the repair or replacement of all eligible computers, telephones and TVs in a customer’s home, regardless of the device’s place of purchase or age. Coverage is less than $1 a day.
Consumers can obtain more information about Verizon’s High Speed Internet service by visiting www.verizon.net/highspeed or by calling 1-800-483-4000.
VERIZON PROMOTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
NEW VOICE + NEW HIGH SPEED INTERNET CUSTOMERS
Customers establishing new Verizon service who select a double- or triple-play bundle featuring either the up to 3 or 7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet service and Verizon Freedom Essentials qualify for a free Compaq Mini netbook (customer pays taxes, shipping and handling charges of approximately $50) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder (customer does not pay taxes, shipping and handling charges).
*Compaq Mini netbook available with $299.99 coupon redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of activation date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt. For residential customers new to Verizon voice and High Speed Internet service.

Flip Ultra ™ camcorder available while supplies last. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days with no past due balance to qualify. Gift will be sent within 90 days of activation date. Other terms and conditions apply.
One-year agreement required for bundles; a $120 early termination fee applies if the High Speed Internet or voice component of the bundle is cancelled or downgraded before expiration of term.
EXISTING VOICE CUSTOMERS
Existing voice customers ordering new up to 3 or 7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet in a double or triple play bundle qualify for a $99.99 Compaq Mini netbook (plus tax, shipping and handling charges of approximately $50) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder (tax, shipping and handling included).
* $99.99 Compaq Mini netbook available with $200 coupon redeemable online at HP Home & Home Office while supplies last. Valid credit card required. Customer pays taxes, shipping and handling. Must sign up by Aug. 15 and activate service by Sept. 30, 2009. Must have service for 60 days and no past due balance. Coupon sent within 90 days of activation date and requires redemption within 60 days of receipt.

Terms and conditions for the Flip Ultra ™ camcorder apply as presented for new voice plus new High Speed Internet customers.
One-year agreement required for bundles; a $120 early termination fee applies if the High Speed Internet or voice component of the bundle is cancelled or downgraded before expiration of term.
** Internet speeds refer to the connection speed between the user’s location and Verizon’s central office. Actual surfing speeds will vary based on many factors and be lower than connection speed.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving more than 86 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 237,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

The Compaq CQ2000M has a SuperDrive DVD burner, 1GB of RAM, Intel’s Z230 1.6GHz CPU and a 160GB 7,200rpm hard-drive.  There’s also 10/100 ethernet (no WiFi), a multi-format card reader, GMA950 graphics with a single VGA output and Windows XP Home.  Full specs here [pdf link; French language]

According to a scan of a French catalog, the Compaq CQ2000M will retail at €349 ($441) complete with a 20-inch LCD monitor.  Still no word on a US release, however.

[via Netbook 3G]

If the Vista-based 2030 is a little to speedy for you (what, really?) there’s always the mini-Q 2020 which uses a 1.6GHz single-core Atom 230, 1GB of DDR2 RAM and Windows XP Home.  The 2030 weighs between 1.5 and 2kg and has four USB 2.0 ports, two PS/2 ports, ethernet, VGA out (no DVI) and audio ports.

The HP mini-Q 2030 will go on sale in Taiwan for around 12,900 NT$ ($386).  The HP mini-Q 2020, meanwhile, will come in at 9,900 NT$ ($296).  No word on a US launch.

[via Engadget Chinese]

And the reason is what you would expect. It seems the Lithium-ion batteries have the tendency to overheat, catch on fire and pose a burn hazard to people. And this is no joke. Apparently, 19 people have already reported problems with overheating. 17 reports involved actual flames and 2 people received mild burns from the faulty batteries.

While the recall is merely voluntary at the moment, it wouldn’t hurt to give the list of affected laptops a good perusal, which includes HP, Compaq, Dell and Toshiba laptops. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want my laptop battery to suddenly burst into flames. Just doesn’t sound fun to me.

And while the biggest obvious difference is the Compaq logo, it also provides consumers the option of an HSDPA modem, which the HP model does not have. We can also get our hands on the Compaq model quicker than the HP, since the Mini 700 will be released in the UK in December and the Mini 1000 will be released in February of next year.

It is also rumored that when these models come to the US, the HP Mini 1000 will sport a 1024 x 600 resolution and the UK one will have a 1024 x 576 resolution. Interesting. The Compaq Mini 700 is also a bit cheaper at £299 or about $387 compared to the HP model’s £399 or about $517 price tag.