SAN FRANCISCO – The bidding war for 3Par ramped up this week when HP raised its offer to $30 per share, a $3 increase over Dell’s bid, bringing the bidding to $2 billion. Dell had launched the opening salvo in mid-August when it had offered just over $1 billion to buy 3Par. As of this writing, 3Par had deemed HP’s bid “superior” and Dell was mulling over its response.

The unlikely battle of these PC behemoths over a small Fremont, CA data-storage company emphasizes the storage market’s continuing shift toward enterprise cloud computing. Thanks to the recession, more corporate clients are embracing the kind of affordable virtualized storage that companies like 3Par provide.

The fight for 3Par is undoubtedly fueled by the fact that Both Dell and HP have seen their “beige box” business falter as personal computing evolves toward handheld devices. At the same time, however, both companies have lead the growth in the server market. As that business migrates toward the promise of cloud computing, it’s not hard to see why the two companies are vying for a seat at the table.

Cloud computing offers several indisputable advantages for small businesses. It reduces upfront costs, as the initial infrastructure is paid for by the cloud storage provider – no small break for small business owners, who constantly struggle to keep costs down. As it negates the need for vast on-site data centers, it also reduces the need to employ a large in-house IT staff. And because multiple customers share resources in the cloud model, it further lowers ongoing costs.

Whichever company ultimately comes out on top in the bidding war will undoubtedly incorporate 3Par’s virtual storage solutions into its already robust storage portfolio. The acquisition will position either HP or Dell as a one-stop storage solution with greater production and cost efficiencies, which should make it pretty attractive for cash-strapped customers looking to pare down the number of physical servers and decentralize their data in the cloud.

It’s still not clear which PC giant will end up owning 3Par. Dell has three business days beginning Monday to announce whether it will counter HP’s $2 billion bid or concede. Regardless of which company triumphs, ultimately, small businesses may come out the winner.

For enterprises seeking to improve their business results, HP is offering its Thin Client Family. Since these products entail less costs when compared with traditional PCs, businesses, according to HP, can immediately reduce their expenses and risks without sacrificing the efficiency of their operations.

The HP Thin Client Family can be categorized into four series: The Essential series is designed for task-oriented workers. For businesses looking to execute their tasks more efficiently, HP is recommending the HP t5145 and t5325 Thin Clients. As HP’s most affordable and manageable client, the t5145 and t5325 offer highly secure access to traditional server-based computing, HP VDI, blade PCs, and blade workstations. The Essential Series models can even be used in idle mode without exposing the profiles until the user signs in.

The Mainstream series, on the other hand, is ideal for users who require enhanced features like a local browser, media player and mainframe access. Those who need more functionality will find that the HP t5540 with Windows Embedded CE and t5545 with ThinPro Linux can deliver an advanced desktop experience especially for office applications and line of business software. Most BPOs in the country will find the Mainstream Series ideal for their operations as they allow access to Windows, Citrix, mid-range servers, UNIX/Linux hosts, VDI environments, mainframes, a local Web browser, and a media player, HP said.

Meanwhile, the Flexible series is recommended for users who are looking for optimal performance and peripheral flexibility. A fusion of the flexible performance of a PC and the dependability of a Thin Client is what the HP t5630w, t5740, and t5745 is touted to offer. Users can customize their OS between a customizable Windows Embedded Standard 2009 and Linux, and get an expanded portfolio of features. With the Linux OS, the Flexible Series comes with local application support, full-featured browser, media player and broad peripheral support. Users can even add the integrated enterprise-class wireless and PCI expansion – which are sold separately – to enhance their business computing.

Finally, the Specialty series is recommended for those who need higher performance or mobility through an enhanced security. For businesses that need to operate in a remote network, HP offers the HP gt7720 and gt7725 to create a powerful and dynamic workstation. Compared to other traditional Thin Clients, these two offer professional graphics performance which enables outstanding remote client experience. Another breakthrough in the Specialty series is the HP 4410t mobile Thin Client that offers reliable mobility coupled with the security assurance of a Thin Client.

The new Thin Client Family is available from HP resellers worldwide.

August 11, 2010

Affirming its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of printing, HP is offering a portfolio of cost-efficient and eco-friendly HP Designjet and Scitex large-format printers that were displayed in a series of open house tours and interactive demonstrations at 11FTC Enterprise (sales@11FTC.com), one of the country’s leading print service providers (PSPs). The six-day open house had discussions and product demonstrations on the advantages of ink type, print quality, eco-friendly media selection, software solutions, unique print applications, and environmentally-responsible innovations.

HP Designjet and Scitex printers use HP Latex Printing Technology that offers PSPs with more environmentally-sound digital print options. Water-based and odorless HP latex and UV inks use low-solvent ink technology as opposed to hazardous solvent inks. These water-based inks do not produce ozone emissions during printing and do not contain harmful air pollutants, allowing enterprise customers to protect the environment while delivering superb customized outputs to clients.

The six-day event featured the following HP printers:

• HP Scitex FB7500. Designed for fast-paced, industrial printing environments, this printer is a versatile UV flatbed printer for high-quality exhibition graphics, signage, backlit displays and posters. With maximum speeds of up to 500 m2/hr (5,380 ft2/hr), a low cost per sheet, media versatility and automated workflow, the HP Scitex FB7500 printer delivers the highest productivity of digital flatbed printers in its class.

• HP Scitex LX600. This printer offers rich, saturated, and high-resolution prints over a wide range of media. Whether printing outdoors or indoor applications, this printer delivers high quality and fast results every time. It also helps reduce the impact of printing on the environment with its water-based HP latex inks, odorless prints, and original HP recyclable media.

• HP Designjet L25500. Delivering outstanding versatility for a variety of outdoor and indoor large-format applications and ease of use, this printer features HP Latex Printing Technologies that offer PSPs top-notch print durability. The newest addition to the HP Latex Printing Technologies portfolio, it is an ideal solution for small-and-medium digital print and sign shops as well as copy shops and photo labs that aim to increase their competitive advantage.

• HP Scitex FB6100. This printer delivers the speed and robust performance required of industrial print environments and broad media versatility, allowing PSPs to expand their customer offerings. It also shortens turnaround time and increases productivity with production print speeds of up to 100 m²/hr (1,070 ft²/hr), fast-drying UV inks and a print resolution of up to 1,270 x 800 dpi on a broad range of media including ceramic tiles, glass or acrylic boards, wooden doors and acoustic ceiling tiles.

• HP Designjet Z3200. This photo printer expands HP’s professional printing portfolio for creative professionals and PSPs by delivering long-lasting gallery-quality prints in black-and-white and color. Ideal for photographers, photo and fine art PSPs, graphic designers, ad agencies and commercial printers, it achieves print permanence of more than 200 years on a range of HP creative and specialty printing materials.

• HP Designjet Z6100. Combining speed, image quality and color consistency, this printer is ideal for PSPs and technical customers looking to reduce their turnaround time. This printer series can produce any number of impressive applications, including photo and fine art pieces, exhibition graphics, point-of-purchase displays, maps, and presentations as well as short-term outdoor signages.

August 3, 2010

July 07, 2010

July 05, 2010

June 23, 2010

HP recently announced innovations in its supplies portfolio that are designed to deliver greater energy savings, enhanced monochrome print quality, gloss and gamut improvements, and significant cost savings. Touted as “key breakthroughs,” these include:

•    Original HP LaserJet print cartridges with energy-efficient toners that enable energy savings of up to 35% on every page:
•    A new HP ColorSphere Toner for the new HP Color LaserJet 4525 printer that delivers 40% higher gloss and 158% wider color gamut;
•    A new monochrome toner HP LaserJet CE278A that increases the precision of toner placement and packs more technology into a smaller cartridge, allowing a smaller overall printer footprint which enables HP’s smallest auto duplex laser printer, the HP LaserJet P1566;
•    A new HP 60L ink cartridge that delivers up to 33% cost-per-page savings as well as a lower upfront purchasing price;
•    A new HP LaserJet toner dual pack offering that delivers up to 37% in cost savings; and
•    A new HP glossy paper, the company’s most affordable photo paper to date,  that is now available at local HP resellers.

HP also announced the results of new third-party studies that it commissioned, confirming the superior quality and reliability of original HP inks and toners versus refilled brands. A 2010 TÜV SÜD PSB study found that original HP inkjet cartridges deliver twice the number of pages compared to refills, and that 42% of refill ink cartridges fail. A separate 2010 QualityLogic study on original HP LaserJet cartridges versus refilled laser jet cartridges found that, on average, more than 60% of toner cartridges from refilled brands tested were found to be dead on arrival (DOA) or of low quality (LQ). In addition, it also found that, on average, sample pages from refilled toner cartridges tested exhibited over seven times more issues with toner adhesion than HP.

June 9, 2010