HP Launches New TouchScreen Desktop PCs

Hewlett-Packard, whose new CEO says he wants the company to become known as a "cool" computer maker, unveiled its new spring line of desktop PCs Feb. 7. There are certainly some new features in these machines that fit his description.

CEO Leo Apotheker said recently in an interview with the BBC at the Davos international financial summit: "I hope one day people will say 'This is as cool as HP,' not 'as cool as Apple.'"

That day might not be that far off. There's no question that the big corporation, long known for respected enterprise and consumer products but also for being a bit on the bland side, is getting there -- computer by computer.

HP now has put a great deal of corporate emphasis on product design, appearance, user experience and ergonomics to go with its existing under-the-hood power. This sense of style in addition to substance is starting to break through into the public consciousness.

HP's newest desktops all offer a combination of HD touchscreen and keyboard/mouse operation. There are a couple of interesting new differentiators: A patented new ergonomic feature that enables the desktop monitor to slide down to a 60-degree angle to accommodate many different types of use cases; the other is a new HPLinkUp application that allows a user to operate the desktop of another computer within Wi-Fi range.