HP Ships 64-Bit Product Lines

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HP introduced new computers today designed to take advantage of Microsoft’s latest and future operating systems.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP is shipping new business desktops,
workstations and ProLiant servers with the new Microsoft Windows x64
Edition operating systems, which are being introduced today. HP representatives are expected to tout their 20-year relationship with Microsoft during the opening day of Microsoft’s WinHEC conference in Seattle.

HP products are also now fully supporting dual-core architectures
from Intel and AMD , which became
widely available last week. The new HP products are also outfitted with the Trusted Computing Group’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
standard, which is one of the security enhancements planned for
Microsoft’s upcoming Longhorn operating system.

“We’re trying to avoid any kind of disconnect between hardware and
software,” Brian Schmitz, worldwide director of business desktops at HP,
told internetnews.com. “We collaborate on consistency by
demonstrating this kind of solution and even line up third-party
partners.”

One key partner in HP’s Longhorn longevity strategy is
chipmaker Broadcom . The company is making network
interface card (NIC) for HP that embeds the TPM 1.2 security functions
in the new HP Compaq dc7600 business desktop. Available this summer, the
dc7600 is a follow on to the current HP Compaq dc7100 product and is
expected to ship with an Intel processor with the corresponding Lakeport
945G chipset or Glenwood 955X chipset for workstations.

The dc7600 also has a personal secure drive HP calls its ProtectTools
Security software. According to Schmitz, the software is a virtual drive
that uses 2048-bit encryption to protect files.

“It flags any of your documents so that if the computer is stolen or
someone gets access to your computer, they will not get access to the
data,” he said. HP’s other software additions for the dc7600 include
support for smart cards and fingerprint readers.

The desktop PC will also be the first from HP to meet the European
Union’s Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. The
regulation requires all PCs sold in EMEA to meet strict environmental
requirements by July 2006.

In addition to business desktops, HP is supporting the new Microsoft
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition on its new AMD-based HP dx5150
Business Desktop PC. The units are priced at $470 apiece and come with
dual-channel DDR400 memory, high-performance serial ATA hard drives, and
an x16 PCI-Express slot.

HP said it would also support Microsoft’s new 64-bit operating
systems in its entire lineup of professional workstations, including the
high-end xw9300 Workstation and the new HP xw4300 Workstation. HP will
also offer the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions on its entire
line of 64-bit HP ProLiant servers based on AMD Opteron and 64-bit Intel
Xeon MP processors.

In addition, the company announced an affordable new entry-level
workstation – the HP xw4300 – with support for Microsoft Windows XP
Professional.