HP's notebook takes a tilt at the desktop

By MICHAEL FOREMAN

Hewlett-Packard believes its next generation of notebook PCs could consign the space-consuming desktop to the history books.

We've heard that claim before, of course, but research and development section manager Raymond Moskaluk, demonstrating HP's "Concept Notebook" in Auckland last week, showed how a simple hinge could extend a laptop's repertoire.

The Concept's hinged screen can be rotated by 180 degrees and then folded flat, transforming what was a conventional clamshell design into a tablet format. When you put this on to the easel-like docking station, with its wireless keyboard and mouse, you have dispensed with the need for a desktop box and a bulky CRT monitor.

"With a typical notebook it's very hard to use it at a desk because you're all scrunched up, but with the wireless keyboard and mouse you can position those wherever you want, and on the dock you can tilt, raise and lower the screen as required," Moskaluk says.

"Walkup connections" such as USB (universal serial bus) ports and a headphone socket are conveniently located at the front of the docking station, while more permanent network and printer connections are hidden at the back. But with wireless local area networking and Bluetooth [for wireless connection to a printer] the only cable many people would be looking at is the power cord."

By adding an optional touchscreen and stylus, the Concept PC could also be used as a standalone tablet PC, says Moskaluk. But neither of these components, nor the Microsoft "ink" system software, were available when the prototype was built.

Finally, the Concept could be used as a conventional notebook with the screen turned the wrong way around in what HP calls "presentation mode" - probably the least convincing of its transformations. Anyone making a presentation in this way would be fighting the urge to check the display, and most sales people would prefer the cosiness of a side-by-side presentation.

Moskaluk says it is unlikely that HP will launch a product exactly like the Concept Notebook, but most of the features are likely to appear in production models in the next six to 12 months.

He expects the price will be "competitive with existing notebooks if you include existing docking stations".