HP NOT launching new PC brand this year

We were at an HP gaming event today, presented by Rahul Sood (former CEO of Voodoo, before HP bought 'em). Rahul wanted to let the world know what HP had all their peoples working on, since not much has changed around Voodoo's business since the acquisition. The answer? HP's launching a new high-to-mid tier PC brand in 2007, which will sit beneath the Voodoo brand and above HP brand in terms of price / performance. They didn't go into much more detail than that, but it's obvious HP thinks the PC gaming space will continue to be a money-maker. Let's just hope they don't resurrect, say, Packard Bell in that slot, or some other flagging PC business. We think it's about time for some fresh blood up in here, don't you?

Update: It took a hella long time to trickle down to us, but HP isn't, in fact, launching a new PC brand this year. According to Sood, "We don't plan to, nor have we considered, bringing on a fourth [brand]." That's certainly not the impression we got from his presentation; what the mystery yellow block in the diagram above (which we mocked up to recreate the slide he showed) actually happens to be is still anyone's guess.

[js @ Apr 4th 2007 10:06PM]

Acer?

[mortythebaker @ Apr 4th 2007 10:09PM]

Pear?

[Gabriel Jordan @ Apr 4th 2007 10:19PM]

HooPoo?

[eb @ Apr 4th 2007 10:25PM]

Gateway?

[dsquared @ Apr 4th 2007 10:29PM]

Apple?

[Deezee @ Apr 4th 2007 10:30PM]

Tandy!

I cant wait for this. I cant afford VooDoo, and I dont want HP. This should be perfect for me.

[dagamer34 @ Apr 4th 2007 10:31PM]

HP Elite!!!

[Ayle @ Apr 5th 2007 12:50PM]

HP 1337

[K @ Apr 4th 2007 10:33PM]

commodore

[Dan @ Apr 5th 2007 7:19AM]

"commodore"

Already done: http://www.commodoregaming.com/pcshop/Home.aspx

[John Doe @ Apr 4th 2007 10:35PM]

Amiga?

[Ignatius @ Apr 4th 2007 10:47PM]

Jesus?

Sorry, couldn't help it.

[Anthony @ Apr 4th 2007 10:48PM]

Shouldn't Compaq be above HP on the image since now it's a sub-label of HP?

[schlomo @ Apr 4th 2007 10:51PM]

i think most people that read this site are smart enough to stay away from HP computers as it is. I know when I'm in the PC realm I either buy Falcon NW (when price is not a concern) or build it myself (when I need the best value).

[Travis Bell @ Apr 4th 2007 10:51PM]

I was talking with one of the Voodoo guys here in Calgary about 6 months ago and he told me about this. Voodoo is actually (atleast at that time) going to be making the machines for HP. I thought that was kinda neat since Voodoo always did MAKE great PCs.

Anywho, looks like he wasn't full of shit ;)

[BloodFalcon @ Apr 4th 2007 11:04PM]

IF anyone from HP is listening to me:

I think the market is RIPE for a good automotive based Personal computer.

Due to the availability of TOM TOM and other Chinese made GPS components, the market for in car entertainment is inflated with GPS systems, but, lacking in automotive email, downloadable content,etc.

IF I was HP, I would forge deals with Toyota, Ford and GM to put auto PC's in as many luxury cars as possible - either that or offer a low cost in dash solution. LCD touchscreens, hard drives and flash memory is DIRT CHEAP nowadays...HP could literaly steamroll the competition.

[John Doe @ Apr 4th 2007 11:25PM]

Bad idea. first time someone gets into an accident....wham....Lawsuit city.

[BloodFalcon @ Apr 4th 2007 11:08PM]

I woulda called my automotive HP innovations center "iDRIVE" but BMW already Fckued that up.
{ my father has a 750li and the cpu is the worst piece of crap ever - the S550's COMMAND is better}

[Jason Brown @ Apr 4th 2007 11:30PM]

Some of this is old news and the chart is sorta new news. My guess is that the new computer brand will be what goes up against Dells gaming machine and Voodoo is and always was alienware and falcons main competition. As to the quality of HP I have learned from Rahuls blog that hp has been holding back tons of new technology for just this type of arrangement. The department Rahul heads creates computers and new ideas based on this new technology. Also, the perk for Rahul is the most extreme of this new tech will find itself in a Voodoo is order for that machine to push forward as the most extreme pc available. They already are known for putting machines with best parts before the parts show up in retail. Now they can put out parts no one will have until hp officially releases them. As to what that tech is it has been a secret for almost 6 months now. I would keep an eye out for voodoopc.com announcements.

[KazO @ Apr 5th 2007 12:40AM]

DEC?

I'd be happy if HP would make consumer machines that are halfway as good as their business models. My job supports HP business notebooks/desktops/servers, but all their consumer stuff is such garbage I won't go near them.

As for the Compaq brand being at the bottom, it's pretty ironic since at the time of the merger, the vast majority of business products that continued forward were Compaq products, and HP's equivalent product lines basically disappeared.

[onin @ Apr 5th 2007 1:11AM]

MDG! LOL

Canadas MDG! =D

www.mdg.ca

[design4use @ Apr 5th 2007 1:51AM]

They bought the rights to the "Amiga" name a while back, so I bet that is what it will be.

[Jay @ Apr 5th 2007 5:18AM]

FYI Packard Bell's not dead (somebody said unfortunately?) they're alive and kicking outside the US
Desktops http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/271889
as well as laptops http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/188054
Commiseration anyone?

[johnny @ Apr 5th 2007 7:22AM]

Packard Bell is owned by NEC. I think its the NEC consumer brand over here in the UK.

[advwar @ Apr 5th 2007 8:49AM]

Packard Bell have been selling poor quality computers over here in the UK for years, as Dell's retail competition.

[sdsdv10 @ Apr 5th 2007 10:50AM]

Voodoo + HP = VP!
They can start out by sending one to D Cheney...

[aStopperBy @ Apr 5th 2007 8:39PM]

I don't know what everyone is saying about HP consumer products being so bad. I have a year old ze2000 that is just fine, and the dv6000 looks great.

On a second note, did anyone else notice that HP introduced a new look on their slimlines? Is there any plan to introduce this look on all their consumer computers?

[Jay @ Apr 6th 2007 6:31PM]

Chuck Norris, of course.

[Thomas Vanderslice @ Apr 7th 2007 5:46AM]

Here is the brand and you can quote this comment when it happens:

Apollo

HP already owns the name and it used to be associated with high-end workstations. Don't bother mentioning the low-end inkjets, smart alec! HP stopped using the name for those back in 2002.

[Brant @ Apr 9th 2007 12:21PM]

Please, please let it be Wang.

[Adam @ Apr 26th 2007 2:47PM]

HP claims that they are not going to be launching a new line, and that these are really just rumors.

http://www.gadgetell.com/2007/04/new-hp-gaming-pc-in-2007-probably-not/