HP today unveiled three new Chromebooks and other mobile solutions for enterprise workers in lockdown. HP says the new laptops are designed to help businesses and remote workers stay productive wherever they are.
It hasn’t taken long for big companies to target mobile products at people working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. And companies could see the wisdom in getting new gear for employees to help them stay productive and secure.
Chromebooks, based on Google’s Chrome operating system, are designed to make people more productive online while keeping costs low. Many businesses have been adopting cloud-centric solutions and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to increase security and save costs, but the recent pandemic has cast a spotlight on those who primarily work with web applications and virtual desktop tools.
In a recent survey, HP found that 60% of users working from home during quarantine are doing so with personal machines, which presents significant security risks. The average employee is also using 22 cloud-based apps to do their job, HP said.
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise, HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise, and HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6 are built for remote workers. The HP mt22 Mobile Thin Client and HP ThinPro Go are also new products that will help workers transition to virtual workspaces, said Andy Rhodes, global head of HP commercial systems, in a press briefing.
The products are designed for privacy, mobile performance, cloud-based work, and sustainability, Rhodes said. After the pandemic is over, he believes more people will be working from home permanently.
“Security of working from home has become a huge topic for our enterprises,” Rhodes said. “And if you’re using Zoom all of the time, it’s a big burden on the system. That has an impact on your multitasking.”
John Solomon, vice president of Chrome OS at Google, said in a briefing that health care, financial services, tech, medical, and other industries have had real challenges maintaining their essential businesses while 90% of their workers are at home.
“That’s resulted in a surge of demand for Chromebooks,” Solomon said. “It allows for rapid deployment at scale with very [few] resources required for deployment. Companies can get 50,000 or 60,000 Chromebooks deployed in a matter of weeks.”
Solomon said trends were already favoring remote work and deployment of Chromebooks, so he believes the increase in demand related to COVID-19 is not simply a bubble.
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise
Above: HP’s new Chromebooks for the enterprise worker at home.
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise has an edge-to-edge screen with optional HP Sure View Reflect, which makes it harder for someone to peek at your screen. It also has LTE connectivity, in case you need an alternative way to get on the internet.
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise has a 13.5-inch diagonal 3:2 display with a 90.1% screen-to-body ratio, the highest ever on a Chromebook. The latest 10th Gen Intel processors combined with an active-cooling system enable intensive multi-tasking, Rhodes said. Battery life is up to 12 hours.
The Chromebook’s integrated fingerprint sensor and built-in webcam privacy switch provide additional security for users and IT. It has Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking and optional LTE. The lid is made of 75% recycled aluminum, and the keyboard is made from 50% recycled plastics, while speakers use ocean-bound plastics.
HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise
Above: HP’s Elite Chromebooks let you work on multi-screen monitors.
The HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise is HP’s thinnest 14-inch business Chromebook. It has Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors and can get up to 12 hours of battery life. It uses HP Fast Charge, which recharges the battery to 90% in 90 minutes. The device is sturdy enough to meet MIL-STD testing for durability and has a backlit keyboard that resists spills up to 350 milliliters of water.
It also has the HP Privacy Camera with integrated shutter to help protect from camera hacks, while an optional integrated fingerprint sensor provides fast access. It works with HP’s proprietary extended range LAN and has a 180-degree hinge lay-flat design and an integrated HDMI port. This Chromebook also has a wipeable keyboard to reduce the spread of germs.
The HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6
Also new to the portfolio is the HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6, redesigned to deliver performance and value for frontline worker productivity. The laptop’s keyboard can be wiped with popular household wipes.
Users can easily expand their workspace with HDMI and future-ready USB-C. It has 13.5 hours of battery life and includes both HP Fast Charge and HP Privacy Camera.
The HP mt22 Mobile Thin Client
Above: HP’s mobile thin client
The HP mt22 Mobile Thin Client can handle cloud mobile experiences for users of VDI, such as Citrix and VMware. HP’s ThinPro OS provides multi-layered security to user data, device, and identity in combination with a self-healing BIOS and HP Privacy Camera.
Designed for durability and dependability, the mt22 is the world’s first mobile thin client with a 180-degree lie-flat hinge and has a solid stamped-aluminum chassis that undergoes MIL-STD testing. It uses Intel Celeron processors.
And the HP Thin Pro Go is a USB boot device that turns an older PC into a secure device for work. HP also announced HP ThinPro Go, which enables secure work to happen anywhere by allowing employees to boot up in an HP ThinPro OS environment on PCs from a USB for instant, secure access to business applications and corporate data.
Sustainability
HP said it has the most sustainable PC portfolio in the world and is using ocean-bound plastic material in all new HP Elite and HP Pro desktop and laptops launching in 2020. The Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise is the latest addition to the company’s sustainability innovations and is the first Chromebook with ocean-bound plastics. HP recently announced what it claims is the world’s first mobile workstation with ocean-bound plastics, the HP ZBook Studio and HP ZBook Create.
Pricing and availability
The HP Elite c1030 Chromebook Enterprise is expected to be available in August. Pricing will be announced closer to product availability. The HP Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise is expected to be available in June, again with pricing shared closer to product availability. The HP Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6 is currently available, starting at $399.
And the HP mt22 Mobile Thin Client is expected to be available in May, starting at $495. The HP ThinPro Go is also expected to be available in May, starting at $135.
Author: Dean Takahashi.
Source: Venturebeat
