HP Targets Small Business and Graphics Professionals with Expanded Imaging and Printing Portfolio; New Partnerships, Offerings Provide Flexible and Affordable Options for In-House Marketing and Graphic Design

Business Wire, May 10, 2005

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- HP (NYSE:HPQ)(Nasdaq:HPQ) today announced new imaging and printing solutions and collaboration with industry leaders to offer small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) and graphics professionals new capabilities for general office printing, in-house marketing, and color management.

Highlighting the news is the HP Color LaserJet 2600n printer which, starting at $399,(1) sets a new standard for its class with a combination of exceptional affordability, fast print speeds and impressive print quality.

With speeds up to 60 percent faster than comparably priced color laser printers(2) and proven HP LaserJet performance and reliability, customers no longer have to sacrifice price, speed or quality when purchasing a color laser printer for their home office or business.

According to Gartner analyst Peter Grant, the SMB marketplace is at an ideal point for the adoption of low-cost, high-quality printing solutions. "Color has been growing in popularity because of lower prices and faster print speeds for monochrome and color, which in turn will open up market opportunities as customers try color printing for their home or office for the first time," said Grant. "If they have the same reliable experience with color that they get with monochrome, they may just switch."

Research shows that many small businesses are eager to move from monochrome printing to in-house color printing to promote their services, products and image. A study released today conducted by International Communications Research for HP found that 60 percent of all SMBs are currently using color marketing materials to promote their business. A detailed look at HP research regarding SMBs and color printing is available in the online press kit at www.hp.com/go/2005hpimagingandprintingconference.> "The connection HP has with its small and medium business customers continues to drive innovation," said Cathy Lyons, senior vice president, Business Imaging and Printing, HP. "The new HP Color LaserJet 2600n is just one example of this collaboration, answering the call for an extremely affordable color printer that boasts brilliant print quality with a quiet, lightweight, network-ready and energy-efficient design."

In-house marketing and graphic design solutions and expertise for SMBs HP provides SMBs access to the graphic design expertise needed to compete in a competitive marketplace as well as a wide variety of reliable imaging and printing solutions available through multiple sales channels -- from retail locations to hpshopping.com.

HP's new relationship with LogoWorks, a company that specializes in affordable, web-based logo design services, enables SMB customers to get a customized, professional-quality logo created in just a few days. Logo packages start at $265 and are accessible through HP's website at www.hp.com/go/logoworks. In addition, LogoWorks is consulting with HP to offer a free course on logo creation and business identity available through www.hplearningcenter.com.

HP also has expanded its relationship with StockLayouts, a company that creates agency-quality graphic design templates in Microsoft(R) Word and Microsoft Publisher for in-office printing. Through this relationship, HP now offers customers a special edition CD of StockLayouts templates packed with professional-looking brochures, flyers, newsletters, business cards and more. The CD can be purchased online at www.hp.com/go/stocklayouts.> HP also announced a variety of imaging and printing solutions for the SMB customer, including:

Solutions for the small office, home office or small workgroup:

--HP LaserJet 1020: Ideal for small business or home office use, this printer offers exceptional value at a low price. It is HP's most affordable laser printer and is simple to set up, prints its first page fast -- even from a cold start -- and has a multi-purpose paper input tray that supports a wide variety of media types and sizes -- starting at $179.(1)

--HP LaserJet 1022: Small businesses that need to print high-quality documents quickly and affordably can benefit from this printer, which is capable of printing up to 19 pages per minute (ppm). Wired and wireless models offer flexible networking options for a variety of business needs -- starting at $199.

--HP Business Inkjet 1000: This low-running-cost color printer delivers up to 4,800-optimized dots-per-inch (dpi)(3) printing while also offering laser-quality text, printing at color speeds up to 18 ppm and monochrome speeds up to 23 ppm. An optional two-sided printing feature reduces paper usage -- starting at $149.

--HP Deskjet 9800 series: Fast print speeds, flexible paper handling options and quality output with HP Vivera Inks make this wide-format printer (13 x 19-inches, 4,800-optimized dpi(4)) an ideal solution for home offices and small businesses needing affordable desktop color printing. The sleek and compact HP Deskjet 9800 series features breakthrough speeds up to 30 ppm monochrome and 20 ppm color output, borderless prints up to A3 / 13 x 19-inches, optional six-ink color capabilities and an optional two-sided printing function(5) -- starting at $299.