Just in time for going back to school, HP today announced a new generation of consumer desktop PCs and an updated HP TouchSmart PC software suite.

The PCs feature stylish new looks that complement any room and give consumers a fast and powerful computing experience with plentiful storage for digital content. The redesigned consumer desktop lines include: HP Slimline, HP Pavilion, HP Elite and Compaq Presario.

The new HP TouchSmart PC software suite provides an enhanced touch experience for enjoying photos, videos, music and more.

“This new generation of desktop PCs features a fresh and modern design, unbeatable performance and tremendous value,” said John Cook, vice president, Worldwide Consumer PC Marketing, HP. “And with matching monitors and accessories, it’s easy to customize a desktop solution that combines performance with style.”

Perfect balance of form and function

When creating the new line of desktop PCs, HP focused on refinement and detailing – from buttons and ports to the classic glossy piano-black finish with silver accents and touches of chrome.

The HP Slimline, HP Pavilion and HP Elite lines of desktop PCs include the HP MediaSmart software suite – a one-stop solution for multimedia and entertainment. HP MediaSmart software offers a fun and easy way to enjoy digital content, from watching TV(1) or Blu-ray movies(2) and sharing photos via Snapfish to burning music, slideshows and playlists to DVDs.(3)

* HP Pavilion Slimline s5000 series desktop PC – Stands at half the size of a conventional PC tower and is small enough to fit neatly on a desk or in a small office or dorm room.
* HP Pavilion p6000 series desktop PC – Provides a rich and rewarding experience when surfing the web,(4) mixing soundtracks or creating home videos.
* HP Pavilion Elite e9000 series desktop PC – Delivers performance and style for the most demanding multimedia tasks, from video editing to gaming and multitasking.
* Compaq Presario CQ5000 series desktop PC – A reliable and efficient PC for everyday use at an affordable price.

To complement its desktop PCs, HP offers the 20-inch HP 2009m Monitor and 21.5-inch HP 2159m Monitor, as well as matching keyboard and mouse.

HP TouchSmart PC software suite enhances entertainment

HP now offers an updated software suite for HP TouchSmart all-in-one PCs. New TouchSmart software features include Pandora Internet Radio service,(4) improved photo and video editing and searching, and the ability to burn music CDs. In addition, consumers can now stream content to the TouchSmart from an HP MediaSmart Server or any home server.(5)

HP SimpleSave drives and calculator applications make travel easy

HP will soon introduce the HP SimpleSave external hard drive series to offer customers simple and automatic backup for photos, video, music and data. Protecting personal content with SimpleSave hard drives is as easy as plugging the drive in to a USB connection, so families can feel confident that their precious memories are safe.

The hard drive family consists of two products, HP SimpleSave Portable, available in 320- and 500-gigabyte capacities, and HP SimpleSave Desktop, available in 1- and 2-terabyte capacities. Both devices feature preinstalled backup software.

HP also announced new calculator software for PCs, Apple iPhones and Apple iPod touch devices. The HP 12c and 12c Platinum software will be available for iPhones and iPod touch devices through the Apple iTunes store and for PCs at www.hp.com/buy/calculators. HP 15c calculator software will be available for the iPhone and iPod touch. HP 20b and HP 35s calculator software will be available for PCs.

All are exact replicas of the original calculators and perform identical functions. The software is designed for business professionals and students who have relied on these calculators and is built with the same algorithms and calculation sequences users trust.

Most of the software is available now from the iTunes App Store and through HP at prices starting at $9.(6) The 12c Platinum calculator solution is expected to be available in late summer. More details are available at www.hp.com/buy/calculators.

Pricing and availability(7)

The products below are available for purchase through www.HPDirect.com. Additionally, now through June 27, HP Direct will offer hard disk drive upgrade promotions as well as monitor promotions on selected platforms for compelling solutions.

* HP Pavilion Slimline s5000 series desktop PC starts at $289
* HP Pavilion p6000 series desktop PC starts at $269
* HP Pavilion Elite e9000 series desktop PC starts at $599
* Compaq Presario CQ5000 series desktop PC available for $379
* HP 2009m Monitor and HP 2159m Monitor start at $119 and $239, respectively
* HP SimpleSave hard drives are expected to be available in August starting at $119