HP Expands Reach With New All-in-One Notebook PC, Aggressively Priced At $1,499; Value-Priced HP OmniBook XE Notebook PC to Appeal to Full Range of Businesses

Business Wire, Feb 1, 1999

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 1999--Hewlett-Packard Company today announced the HP OmniBook XE notebook PC, marking the company's expansion of the OmniBook notebook PC line to appeal to users in companies of all sizes by offering a value-priced, all-in-one notebook that is easy to use and operate right out the box.

The new HP OmniBook XE notebook PC, with U.S. estimated street prices expected to start at approximately $1,499, is designed for users who require quick Internet access, multimedia capabilities and a sleek, industrial design.

"The development of the HP OmniBook XE notebook PC is a strategic move to add a new dimension to our award-winning line of notebook PCs," said Laura Demmons, product marketing manager for HP's Mobile Computing Division. "We can now address the needs of an even wider customer base by offering an array of notebook PCs that run the gamut from this new high-performance value line all the way to high-end desktop replacements. The HP OmniBook XE notebook PC is a reliable mobile-computing solution for companies of all sizes."

Innovative Design

The new HP OmniBook XE notebook PC boasts an all-in-one design that incorporates a hard drive, floppy disk drive and CD-ROM drive into the computer, eliminating the need to transport and swap additional components. Mobile executives will appreciate this simplified approach to computing, as well as the product's noteworthy weight of 6.4 pounds, a built-in 56Kbps modem that provides instant connectivity and dual display capabilities for presentations. The notebook's external control buttons enable users to play music CDs without powering up the computer, and the contoured surface makes it easy to remove the computer from its carrying case. The new HP OmniBook XE notebook PC comes pre-loaded with the newly designed MyYahoo! business Web site, allowing users to personalize a virtual office, complete with relevant news, stock quotes and a free e-mail service.

World-Class Service and Support

Building upon HP's tradition of world-class service and support, several programs have been developed specifically for the new HP OmniBook XE notebook PC. Easy-to-follow electronic registration makes it simple for customers to receive proactive product notifications, and an HP OmniBook XE-specific Web site will include information ranging from technical support to availability of accessories. Users also will benefit from a comprehensive set of customer-focused service and support programs that HP offers across its entire OmniBook notebook PC line, including worldwide technical phone support 24 hours a day, seven days a week; service repair tracking; and rapid response time.

The new HP OmniBook XE notebook PC features the following: -0-

--   Intel Pentium(R) II 333MHz, 300PE-MHz or 266PE-MHz processors or
     Intel Mobile Celeron 266MHz processor;

--   6.2GB or 4.1GB hard drive;

--   64MB or 32MB, expandable to 256MB, SDRAM;

--   128-bit graphic controller with 2MB embedded DRAM;

--   13.3-inch XGA TFT display or 12.1 inch SVGA TFT or HPA display;

--   built-in 24X CD-ROM and floppy-disk drives;

--   built-in 56Kbps V.90 standard compatible modem;

--   Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 98, McAfee VirusScan and System
     Diagnostics by Guardian pre-installed;

--   weight: 6.38 pounds with lithium-ion battery; and

--   optional port replicator and enhanced port-replicator accessories
     available.

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Specific information about HP OmniBook notebook PC products can be found on the World Wide Web site at http://www.hp.com/omnibook.> About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 124,600 employees and had revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

NOTE: Web links in this release may take you outside the Hewlett-Packard Company Web site. HP does not control and is not responsible for information outside the HP Web site.

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