HP planning to 're-landscape high performance computing' at CES 2009

Given that for the last couple of months our inbox has been full of companies screaming at us that they're bringing "the next big thing" to CES in January, maybe I should be more cautious about Rahul Sood's hints for what HP are planning to unveil.  Then again, as Chief Technology Officer for the HP Global Voodoo Business Unit, Sood certainly sits at the helm of some of the more interesting hardware the company puts out.  So when he says to expect something with "the potential of re-landscaping the high performance computing space", our collective ears prick up.

"We're also launching a really crazy new product, something that I believe has the potential of re-landscaping the high performance computing space.  I'm serious – this thing is truly awesome.  If you're just as tired as [sic] the typical gluttony and excess in the gaming/high performance space as I am – then prepare to weep with joy" Rahul Sood, CTO for Voodoo Business Unit, HP

It's obviously going to be some sort of new PC, but Sood's dismissive comments about "gluttony and excess" in gaming PCs – something you could accuse his own group's Voodoo computers of – suggest they're looking at targeted performance, i.e. that actually makes a difference rather than just throwing huge PCMark scores at a game.  It's certainly got us intrigued.

Sood also reveals that HP will be demonstrating a new concept design during Phil McKinney's keynote, something that the Voodoo business group have been working on recently.  He's careful to point out first that most prototypes "we know will never be released to the public", but considering how often CES is used as a gauge for public interest, if we all scream loud enough whatever it is might just get built.

[via PCLaunches]