Hewlett-Packard on Tuesday unveiled five business notebooks and initiatives to help corporate users stay connected everywhere they go. The biggest spotlight at the HP Mobility Summit in San Francisco was on the smallest new notebook, the HP Compaq nc2400 Notebook PC, which is less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick and weighs less than 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms). It includes a full-size keyboard and an internal optical disc drive. The company also rolled out the HP Compaq nc6400 Notebook PC, which is based on Intel Core Duo processors and can be equipped with modules for two types of third-generation (3G) mobile data modules. An evolution-data optimized part will be available when the PC ships in mid-May, and a high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) module will come later this year, the company said. The company has teamed up with Vodafone Group to integrate the mobile operator’s 3G service, based on HSDPA and universal mobile telecommunications system, into the nc6400 and cooperate on future notebook designs, HP said. The systems are designed to support international roaming in many countries. Mobile devices and applications are the key to future IT growth, said Todd Bradley, executive vice president of HP’s Personal Systems Group.“As we look to this next phase of growth, clearly we see it driven by mobility, clearly we see it driven by connectivity, and we believe that HP has an enormous set of assets to bring to bear,” Bradley told reporters and analysts at the San Francisco event, where HP kicked off a marketing push that includes new mobile consumer devices and advertising as well. Notebooks are leading the growth in HP’s PC business. “Our notebook business is smoking hot,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager of HP’s Notebook Global Business Unit.The company’s notebook business grew 54 percent since last year, and HP has gained almost 2.5 percentage points of market share over the past year, he said.Built-in 3G capability, which HP first introduced in products last year, is a key business feature, said Creative Strategies analyst Tim Bajarin. Offering two different types of 3G technology, used in different parts of the world, could be even better for some executives, he said.“The freedom to have the ability to connect anytime is really critical,” Bajarin said. “We’re moving to a much more global IT society in which working in just one location isn’t the norm anymore.” Also in the lineup Tuesday was the HP Compaq 4400 Series, which converts from a notebook to a tablet PC and will be available in early June for US$1,649. The series is based on Core Duo chips. HP also unveiled two systems with 15.4-inch widescreen displays. The nx7400 is based on Core Duo processors and starts at US$749. The 8400 series, a desktop replacement with ATI Technologies graphics and an antiglare screen, starts at $1,599. Both are set to ship in mid-May. The nc2400 is scheduled to ship in mid-May, priced starting at $1,599. The nc6400 should also ship at that time, priced from $1,549. -Stephen Lawson, IDG News ServiceCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content opinion Website spoofing: risks, threats, and mitigation strategies for CIOs In this article, we take a look at how CIOs can tackle website spoofing attacks and the best ways to prevent them. By Yash Mehta Dec 01, 2023 5 mins CIO Cyberattacks Security brandpost Sponsored by Catchpoint Systems Inc. Gain full visibility across the Internet Stack with IPM (Internet Performance Monitoring) Today’s IT systems have more points of failure than ever before. Internet Performance Monitoring provides visibility over external networks and services to mitigate outages. By Neal Weinberg Dec 01, 2023 3 mins IT Operations brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler How customers can save money during periods of economic uncertainty Now is the time to overcome the challenges of perimeter-based architectures and reduce costs with zero trust. By Zscaler Dec 01, 2023 4 mins Security feature LexisNexis rises to the generative AI challenge With generative AI, the legal information services giant faces its most formidable disruptor yet. That’s why CTO Jeff Reihl is embracing and enhancing the technology swiftly to keep in front of the competition. By Paula Rooney Dec 01, 2023 6 mins Generative AI Digital Transformation Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe