HP Unveils Next Generation of Industry-leading HP Kayak PC Workstations; New PC Workstations Deliver a Range of Workstation Features, Starting at Desktop PC Prices - Kayak XM600, Kayak XU800 - Product Announcement

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Sept 27, 1999

Hewlett-Packard Company Tuesday announced the dual-processing-capable HP Kayak XM600 and XU800 PC Workstation product family, which broadens the HP Kayak line's appeal to both business and technical users. The new models are engineered to provide a range of features, including lightening-speed performance with the latest Intel processors, chipsets and enhanced graphics, starting as low as an estimated U.S. street price of about $1,380.

Latest Features of the HP Kayak PCs

The new dual-processing-capable HP Kayak XM600 PC Workstation is designed for corporate mainstream users and technical specialists who require top PC performance and flexibility to complete their everyday tasks. The new dual-processing-capable HP Kayak XU800 PC Workstation provides a feature-rich computing solution for design engineers, software developers, financial analysts, multimedia professionals and others who require uncompromising performance.

Both PC Workstations include the following new features: * dual-processing capable systems -- All HP Kayaks provide users with a power reserve of computing performance and increased system reliability to match the needs of users in today's increasingly multitasking environments. HP Kayak PC Workstations equipped with two processors will start at an estimated U.S. street price of just under $2,000

* advanced graphics performance -- Advanced graphics performance provides users in both business and technical environments with leading 2-D and 3-D graphics features with the new Matrox Millennium G250 2-D graphics card for high performance at an aggressive price and the Matrox Millennium G400 card with the DualHead display capabilities. For the technical user who requires top-of-the-line professional 3-D graphics solutions, the new HP Kayak PC incorporates the Elsa Synergy II and 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 for increased performance, color resolution, texturing and photo-realistic displays; and

* The latest Intel processors and chipsets provide increased performance and flexibility.

In addition, the new HP Kayak PC Workstations offer customers choice in SDRAM or RAMBUS memory technology for heightened computing bandwidth. For faster and larger hard-disk-drive capacity, select HP Kayak PC models offer the Ultra3 SCSI, for dual-channel SCSI and FASTRAID capabilities.

"Increasingly we are finding that businesses require both the computing flexibility to deploy the right level of performance today, as well as systems that expand for tomorrow's needs," said Jean-Charles Miard, HP Kayak program manager for HP's Business Desktop Division. "Our new Kayak PC Workstations deliver award-winning graphics and dual-processing power while making these benefits more affordable to business users. We believe this strategy will further strengthen HP's PC Workstation leadership."

HP Kayak PC Workstations: A Complete Solution

The new HP Kayak PC Workstations come with best-ever serviceability features and have been designed to access hardware components easily for upgrades or servicing. With MaxiLife, an embedded monitoring system, HP Kayak PC Workstation users can proactively monitor key system components for potential failures. The combination of HP TopTools, HP's award-winning management software, and HP MaxiLife ensures maximum system uptime, rapid diagnostics, maximized user productivity and lower support costs.

The new HP Kayak XM600 and XU800 PC Workstations are slated to begin shipping next month.

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home -- is focused on capitalizing on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services.

HP plans to launch Agilent Technologies as an independent company by mid-calendar 2000. Agilent consists of HP's test and measurement, semiconductor products, chemical analysis and healthcare solutions businesses, and has leading positions in multiple market segments.

HP has 123,500 employees worldwide and had total revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.