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HP Wireless Audio streams audio from your PC, arrives next month for $100 (video)

Yep, HP's on a tear today. In addition to unleashing a trio of redesigned Envy laptops, a refreshed dm4 and one aggressively priced Ultrabook, it has some news to share on the accessories front. The outfit unveiled its Wireless Audio system, which lets you stream audio files from your PC to as many as four compatible speakers. In terms of setup, that photo up there says almost everything: you plug a thumb-sized dongle into your USB port and a larger receiver into the speaker. In the box, you'll also find a software CD to fill in the missing UI piece. The only caveat here (aside from the relative messiness of connecting two intermediary pieces of equipment) is that the system only works with speakers that are compatible with KleerNet's wireless audio technology, and it's likely yours are anyway. In all, the system uses three frequencies (2.4, 5.2 and 5.8GHz) to cut latency and interference, and also supports 5.1 audio. You can pair it with up to four speakers, as we said, so long as they're within 100 feet of your laptop. It'll go on sale next month for $100, with one receiver and transmitter per box. If you're curious, we've got the full PR after the break, along with a short promo video.



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HP Debuts New ENVY Notebook PCs
PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2011 – HP today introduced redesigned HP ENVY notebooks PCs that exude power, performance, advanced technologies and precision craftsmanship.

- The new HP ENVY 15 and HP ENVY 17 deliver blistering performance and optimal sound experience in a timeless design that includes an all-metal chassis with rounded edges in a classic black and silver finish, accented by subtle red details.
- The HP ENVY 17 3D offers the best 3-D visual experience in a notebook PC.

The company also introduced two wireless accessories – HP Wireless Audio and the HP Wi-Fi Touch Mouse X7000.

Timeless design, powerful performance
Featuring a new HP Radiance Backlit keyboard, the HP ENVY notebooks provide outstanding illumination using individual LEDs dedicated to each keycap. The keyboard also works with an advanced proximity sensor to illuminate when it detects a user approaching the notebook and deactivate after the user leaves.

With six powerful speakers and a subwoofer, the HP ENVY notebooks deliver an optimal sound experience, featuring Beats Audio, an exclusive, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre. A new aluminum analog volume dial acts as a visual design cue, working seamlessly with the Beats Audio Manager so users can easily and precisely adjust audio levels.

The HP ENVY 15 and ENVY 17 provide the powerful performance needed for even the most demanding tasks, with optional Intel® Quad Core and AMD Mobility Radeon HD graphic processors. With optional 3x3 wireless technology, the HP ENVY notebooks offer up to three times the speed and twice the range of typical network connections.

The ENVY 15 and ENVY 17 are available with optional Radiance Full HD Infinity displays – either 15.6-inch diagonal or 17.3-inch diagonal, respectively. Radiance displays offer higher resolution, richer color, better brightness and wider viewing angles than traditional notebook displays. The ENVY 17 display boasts 50 percent greater brightness than standard.

With support for HDMI and full-size DisplayPorts, users can connect up to three external displays. The ENVY 17 also offers an advanced option with support for a 128-gigabyte mSATA SSD and up to two 1-terabyte hard drives. The ENVY 15 boasts up to 9 hours of battery life, while the ENVY 17 can achieve up to 9.5 hours in ideal conditions.

Other innovations featured in both ENVY notebooks include HP CoolSense technology, which automatically adjusts performance and internal fan settings for a noticeably cooler PC, and HP ImagePad, for precise multifinger touch navigation.

Fast boot and resume times, a performance-tuned software image that includes two full years of preinstalled Norton Internet Security, and a dedicated concierge phone line for technical support deliver a premium experience to ENVY users.

Superb 3-D viewing experience
For those seeking the ultimate multimedia experience, the HP ENVY 17 3D offers the best 3-D visual experience in a notebook PC. In addition to all the features of the ENVY 17, the ENVY 17 3D provides 1080p full high-definition (HD) viewing along with improved viewing angles and color gamut for all 2-D and 3-D content.

HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses provide a seamless viewing experience by wirelessly synchronizing each frame of the 3-D content between the display and glasses, resulting in crisp 3-D Blu-ray viewing as all 3-D content appears in full HD resolution.

Superior wireless technology
The new HP Wireless Audio and HP Wi-Fi Touch Mouse X7000 deliver the best in convenience and design.

Using the same technology integrated into the new HP ENVY notebooks, HP Wireless Audio transforms a notebook or desktop PC into a full home audio system. Users can stream uncompressed audio to up to four external devices or directly to any KleerNet device. Advanced tri-band connectivity reduces interference, lag time and latency for the highest sound quality. The thumb-sized dongle attaches to any PC and the tiny receiver attaches to legacy speakers through its two analog or two digital ports.

An ideal companion to the new HP ENVY notebooks, the HP Wi-Fi Touch Mouse X7000 features a sculpted shape and glossy black finish. The standard-sized wireless mouse comes equipped with an innovative capacitive-touch scroll and six customizable buttons, including a button for one-touch uploads to Facebook. It stays connected up to 30 feet away with no wires or USB dongle required and has a battery life of up to nine months – twice as long as that of comparable Bluetooth® models.

Pricing and availability
The new HP ENVY notebook PCs are planned to be available in the United States on Dec. 7.
The HP ENVY 15 has a starting price of $1,099.99.
The HP ENVY 17 has a starting price of $1,249.99.
The HP ENVY 17 3D has a starting price of $1,599.99.

HP Wireless Audio is expected to be available mid-December for $99.99, and the HP Wi-Fi Touch Mouse X7000 is available now at the HP Home & Home Office store for $59.99.

Additional information is available at www.hp.com/go/envy or by calling the HP ―Reserve Now‖ line at +1 888 291 7996.