HP has made clear this week that it has every intention of getting itself out of the consumer electronics market. It's killed its webOS products, which included the TouchPad and various cell phones, like the Veer and the not-yet-released Pre 3. HP also acquired software maker Autonomy for $10.2 billion, and plans to spin off its PC business. In one fell swoop, HP went from being one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer electronics to a company with a clear focus on business and software, with barely even a passing interest in the consumer side of things.
Such a shift is surprising, because HP has a long track record of making excellent consumer products, from desktops and laptops to printers and even tablets. There's a reason, after all, that the company has led the industry in global market share four years in a row, owning as much as 19.3 percent of the global PC market. HP's been the recipient of numerous Editors' Choice awards from PCMag, and even the TouchPad, killed after all of 48 days, had real potential to be great. HP's future making these products is unknown: HP says it is "exploring options" and that little is final, but the writing is on the wall for its consumer business. If HP really does get out of the consumer game, it's a serious loss to buyers.
We've rounded up 10 of the best products HP has made over the last few years, as we wait to see the future of these products and the company that made them.
HP TouchSmart 610-1065qd
Thanks to some amazing innovations, the quad-core-equipped HP TouchSmart 610-1065qd all-in-one desktop moves the touch screen from the novelty phase to the seriously usable phase, and that's worth full marks our my book.
HP Blackbird 002
This one’s an oldie, but it’s too good to leave out. Sleek like its reconnaissance-plane namesake, the HP Blackbird 002 was poised to excel on a specialized mission: ruling the game grid.
HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl
In terms of looks, features, and cost, the HP Pavilion dv6-6013cl was already a great laptop, but the addition of a second generation Intel processor and dramatically improved graphics and gaming capability make it a winner.
HP Pavilion dm1z
The HP Pavilion dm1z is the next step in netbook evolution, as its new AMD Fusion APU proved you can have great battery life without sacrificing speed.
HP PhotoSmart eStation
The excellent HP PhotoSmart eStation's 7-inch touch screen is detachable and doubles as a basic tablet and eReader.
HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One
The HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One is a well-rounded inkjet MFP, combining a wide range of features (like wireless printing) and good paper handling with solid text and image quality.
HP Pavilion p7-1067cb
If you want to replace your old PC, including that old CRT monitor from the late 1990s, the HP Pavilion p7-1067cb will get you started fresh with a huge 25-inch monitor and a powerful PC. It should last for years, and is easy to buy at your local warehouse store.
HP TouchPad
With solid hardware and a user-friendly operating system based around multitasking and intuitive organization, the HP TouchPad is the best non-Apple tablet we've tested. There aren't a lot of apps yet, and there probably won't be now, but it's a good tablet with big potential.
HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer
HP's portable printer, the HP Officejet 100 Mobile Printer, is a little slow, but delivers on output quality, cartridge yield, and battery life.
HP Envy 14 (Sandy Bridge)
Other laptops may be slightly better performers, but good hardware choices, bundled software, and interesting features help the HP Envy 14 (Sandy Bridge) stand out.