HP refreshes its line of Pavilion notebooks, adding flashy colors, premium audio and enhanced security features.
Technology giant Hewlet-Packard unveiled a redesigned consumer
notebook PC portfolio designed to enhance the user experience with
sleek looks, bold colors and a premium sound system. The notebooks draw
inspiration from culture, art and fashion, and build on the company's
MUSE (materials, usability, sensory appeal and experience) design
philosophy.
Available in a dark umber metal finish, the Pavilion dv6 and dv7
use design elements from the company's Envy line of notebooks, such as
sleek metal finishes and HP's Beats Audio technology. They also
incorporate HP CoolSense Technology, USB 3.0 and on-board quad
speakers. CoolSense technology combines advanced hardware and
intelligent cooling software for a notebook that feels cooler. The
technology automatically adjusts cooling levels according to a
customer's personal preferences.
The Pavilion dv6 and dv7 feature 15.6- and 17.3-inch diagonal
high-definition (HD) BrightView displays, respectively, and are
available with an optional integrated Blu-ray disc player and a
built-in HP TrueVision HD Web cam that offers clear video chatting in
low-light conditions. The notebooks are expected to be available in the
spring in the United States, with pricing to be determined.
Available with second-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and
optional AMD Radeon 6000M graphics, the Pavilion dv6 and dv7 include
USB 3.0 for faster sharing and transferring of files and offer
multimedia storage with up to 1 terabyte (TB) of storage for the
Pavilion dv6 and up to 2 TB for the Pavilion dv7.
To protect personal information and simplify password management, the
Pavilion dv6 and dv7 include HP SimplePass, which provides enhanced
security for access to online accounts and passwords with the swipe of
a finger. In addition, all HP Pavilion dv-series notebooks feature HP
ProtectSmart, which locks the hard drive to protect photos, music and
memories in case the notebook is accidentally dropped.
Beats Audio, which was created by Beats by Dr. Dre co-founders Dr. Dre
and Jimmy Iovine, aims to restore the "emotion that is missing from
digital music." Working in collaboration with HP, Iovine and Dr. Dre
tuned and applied the signature Beats sound profile across HP's
notebook and desktop lines to provide the optimal sound experience when
playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers.
Available in a variety of colors and patterns, the HP Pavilion g4, g6
and g7 offer full connectivity for surfing the Internet and connecting
with contacts. The notebooks also include a HD BrightView display with
Altec Lansing speakers and SRS Premium Audio for enhancing multimedia
content. The HP Pavilion g4, g6 and g7 are expected to be available on
March 13 in the United States, starting at $499.99, $449.99 and
$599.99, respectively.
Introduced last May, MUSE includes a mix of materials such as metals,
alloys and plastics, user-friendly features for improved usability, a
blend of artisan elements for sensory appeal and intuitive features for
simple experiences. The notebooks also can be personalized with a
choice of 17 wallpapers designed by six artists from around the world.
These wallpapers and more are available to download from HP's Facebook
page, a company release stated.
"HP's new Pavilion notebooks provide world-class audio, stylish metal
and gloss finishes, and advanced cooling technology," said Stacy Wolff,
director, notebook design for the company's personal systems group.
"The result is a line of notebooks that provide the best combination of
power, entertainment and style available."
Nathan Eddy is Associate Editor, Midmarket, at eWEEK.com. Before joining eWEEK.com, Nate was a writer with ChannelWeb and he served as an editor at FierceMarkets. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.