Hewlett-Packard wants to make it easier for its users of Compaq nc6400 notebooks to work on the road.
The Palo Alto, Calif., computer maker is announcing Dec. 11 that this notebook will be its first to integrate Cingular Wireless UMTS/HSDPA (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System /High Speed Downlink Data Packet Access) technology, which will allow users faster connections to a users corporate network, e-mail and the Internet.
The nc6400 notebook comes with a tri-band modem that supports data rates of 3.6M bps both in the United States and in several international locations.
The nc6400 was one of several HPs Compaq Business PC notebooks that the company introduced Sept. 6 that would now include Intels Core 2 Duo processor. The announcement also included several updates to HPs desktop line, which included added processor power and security features aimed at capturing a larger part of the business users.
In addition to several Core 2 Duo processors built into the notebook, the nc6400 was also designed with dual-antennas and Cingulars communication manager that helps establish the wireless connection to Cingulars 3G network.
HP, along with other OEMs such as Dell and Lenovo, have been trying to offering more and more wireless options in their notebooks as way to attract business uses that are increasingly finding themselves on the road and away from the office.
Those users that have already purchases a nc6400 can upgrade the 3G network by adding an HP wireless broadband module, said Harold Merkel, the marketing product manager for notebook wireless technology at HP.
"We really wanted to give users a notebook that allows users to go virtually anywhere they want and work," Merkel said. "This is about expanding the limits of mobility."
HP has started to take orders for the notebooks, which have a starting price of $1,599, and the PCs will ship later this month, Merkel said. The company has not set a price on the module upgrade.
In addition to offering a number of Intels Core 2 Duo processors, the nc6400 notebook comes with a 14.1-inch screen display and wireless LAN and Bluetooth wireless technology.
Despite an ongoing legal battle about the use of controversial methods to find the source of media leaks, HP has managed to continue its profitability, and its fourth-quarter results showed a 7 percent increase in revenue and strong sales of its notebooks.
HP has had on ongoing relationship with Cingular and on Oct. 31, the two companies announced that HPs iPaq would use Cingulars network in the mobile device.
In addition to giving users wireless connections throughout the United States, the Cingular wireless network in the nc6400 also offers 142 UMTS networks and 72 HSDPA networks worldwide, HP said in a statement.
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