Desktops and Notebooks: HP Laptops, Desktops Offer New Style, Features Such as Beats Audio

Hewlett-Packard wants in on the consumer game. The manufacturer's new laptops and desktops offer not only an all-new design language, including a brushed-aluminum chassis for the HP ProBook 5330m, but high-end features such as Beats Audio. A company of HP's size also has the ability to offer products to a broad audience: Whether you're looking for a colorful, netbook-size laptop for a teenager or a hybrid laptop that'll look handsome in the boardroom, chances are that most consumers will find something of use among this newest array of products. HP is also bidding to expand the connectivity of its devices with the HP DataPass, a prepaid mobile broadband service that is also contract-free. Despite the popularity of laptops and tablets, HP also hasn't given up on the desktop market. The company's retooled Pavilion desktop towers come in three different sizes, and aspire to be something sleeker and smoother than the stereotypical "beige box that's defined the desktop for much of its history. The Pavilion series features design touches such as sliding panels to hide ports, and even a gently sloped top to hold objects. The world may be transitioning to a mobile-friendly, cloud-centric model, but for many users—particularly those who want the sort of firepower that a tower can provide—something like the Pavilion could still serve as the mainstay of their workday life. At least, HP hopes that's the case.??í