New York – Hewlett-Packard began rolling out its Windows 8 products today with the introduction of the HP Envy X2 hybrid PC.
The X2 is a Windows 8 tablet paired with a combination docking station/keyboard. HP said this configuration will allow users to both consumer and create content.
The X2 is expected to ship in time for the holiday selling season, and pricing will be announced closer to the ship date, the company said.
HP is adamant that the X2 is a notebook that also can be used as a tablet. HP entered the tablet market in July 2011 with the Palm TouchPad, but quickly retreated from the category by late August. Eventually, the company sold most of its TouchPad inventory by resorting to rock-bottom prices.
Unlike the TouchPad, which used the Palm OS, the X2 is running a full version of Windows 8.
The X2 has an 11.6-inch touchscreen, and is powered by Intel’s Clover Trail processor. It has 64GB of internal memory and a 32GB SD card slot. The tablet detaches from the keyboard so it can act as a stand-alone tablet. It attaches to the dock with two magnetic slots and a spring-loaded clip.
A battery has been fitted into both the keyboard and tablet. By itself the tablet has 10 hours of battery life, but this is doubled when docked.
HP also revamped its Ultrabook line with the Spectre TouchSmart UltrabookXT and Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4.
TouchSmart is HP’s sub-brand, indicating the product is equipped with a touchscreen.
The Flagship Spectre TouchSmart Ultrabook XT features a 15.6-inch display, is 0.7 inches thick and weighs 4.77 pounds. It is expected to ship in December with a $1,399 starting price.
The Spectre is the first HP unit equipped with Thunderbolt technology. USB 3.0, gigabit Ethernet and HDMI ports are also included. The model can be equipped with a choice of Intel processors, an mSATA solid-state drive with Intel Rapid Start and a variety of Intel-developed security and anti-theft technologies.
Spectre, which is the name HP uses across its computer lines to indicate a top-end model, comes with a concierge phone line tor technical support and 90 days of complimentary HP SmartFriend Setup and SmartFriend Complete service for one-on-one customer assistance.
The HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 is a 14-inch Ultrabook measuring 0.9 inches thick and weighing 4.77 pounds. It has SSD options, Intel processors and an optional AMD graphics card with 2GB of graphics memory.
It will ship for the holidays with pricing to be set later this year.
