HP Blackbird 002 Lands in Select Retail Stores This Summer

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced that the award-winning HP Blackbird 002 will be available in an exclusive configuration at Amazon.com, Newegg.com and select Best Buy, Circuit City, J&R and Micro Center retail stores and online shops this summer.

“While Blackbird has been well-received online, we know there is a large segment of consumers who crave a hands-on experience before making a purchase decision”

This is the first time HP Blackbird 002 will be available in retail stores, making it more accessible to consumers and allowing them the chance to experience it up close and personal. The retail configuration will include the cutting-edge design and performance elements that set this machine apart from other desktop PCs in its class. The retail displays will include video demonstrations of the system and offer live game play.

Since its introduction, the HP Blackbird 002 with Voodoo DNA has attracted accolades for features including the ability to handle extreme computing challenges, from next-generation games to demanding professional applications, as well as its isolated thermal chambers, tool-free accessibility, and cable-free hard drive installation. Recognized for its ground-breaking design, the HP Blackbird 002’s attention-getting shape combines a stylish sensibility and cool practicality.

“While Blackbird has been well-received online, we know there is a large segment of consumers who crave a hands-on experience before making a purchase decision,” said Mike Perkins, vice president and general manager, Voodoo Business Unit, HP. “We are introducing the HP Blackbird 002 to a new audience and anticipate a fantastic response to this one-of-a-kind fragging machine.”

The HP Blackbird 002’s exclusive retail configuration is priced at $3,299,⁽¹⁾ and includes:

• Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Processor Q9450⁽²⁾
• Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium 64-bit edition with Service Pack 1⁽³⁾
• Quiet, liquid cooled CPU
• NVIDIA nForce SLI motherboard with RAID support
• Dual SLI NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT graphics cards with support for Microsoft® DirectX 10
• 4,096 MB Corsair Dominator system memory with DHX technology⁽⁴⁾
• 500 GB 7,200 rpm SATA hard drive⁽⁵⁾
• Five internal, hot-swappable hard drive bays
• 7.1 onboard HD audio
• Concealed USB, FireWire® and audio ports, plus 15-in-1 memory card reader
• 900 watt power plant
• One-year HP limited warranty and toll-free phone support⁽⁶⁾

On June 29, a list of availability dates and retail locations will be available at www.hp.com/go/bbretail. Customers can also continue to purchase and configure the HP Blackbird 002 online at www.hp.com/voodoodna or via phone by calling +1 877 776 4752.

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2008. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.

Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

⁽¹⁾ Estimated U.S. street price. Actual price may vary.

⁽²⁾ Dual/Quad Core is a new technology designed to improve performance of certain software products. Not all customers or software applications will necessarily benefit from use of this technology. 64-bit computing on Intel architecture requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, operating system, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel 64 architecture. Processors will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on your hardware and software configurations. More information is available at www.intel.com/info/em64t.

⁽³⁾ Certain Windows Vista product features require advanced or additional hardware. More information is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/hardwarereqs.mspx and www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx. Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can help users determine which features of Windows Vista will run on their computers. This tool is available for download at www.windowsvista.com/upgradeadvisor.

⁽⁴⁾ Actual available memory may be less. Up to 1 GB may not be available due to 32-bit operating system resource requirements.

⁽⁵⁾ For hard drives, GB = 1 billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity is less.

⁽⁶⁾ HP warrants the full functionality of systems with shipped components at factory settings. Overclocking beyond factory settings may cause system instability and reduce the operating life of system components. See product warranty for details on support and warranty information.

Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft and Windows Vista are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. FireWire is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.