Many people think the latest Microsoft "Laptop Hunter" ads are
directed at Apple, but what if they weren't?
What if we held HP to this same pricing requirement? What happens to
HP's line up of laptops if only those under $1,000 are okay, any
between $1,000 and $1,500 are on notice for canceling, and any above
$1,500 have to be immediately eliminated?
Let's start with the Home & Home Office section on HP's website.
There we find four groups of laptops to choose from. If we look only at
starting prices, we can give the thumbs up for the
Mini Series,
Everyday Series, and the
Ultra-Portable Series.
The prices on the
Performance & Entertainment Series start to balloon up. The HDX
16t Premium laptop is creeping up on pricing. It starts at $1,300,
which is above our $1,000 limit, and therefore it must be put "on
notice".
When we leave the consumer world and head over to business class,
the number of computers above $1,000 is ridiculous. Most of these
computers need to be axed or dropped in price.
Everything in the
Performance category is at least "on notice". The two big offenders
are the Compaq 8710p at $1,799 and the Compaq 8710w at $3,149. The
Compaq 8710w is particularly overpriced and should have a requirement
for sending a refund to all those who foolishly spent more than $3,000
for a laptop.
The
Balanced Mobility group is mostly safe, with only the EliteBook
6930p - $1,199 having to go "on notice". I guess "Balanced Mobility" is
code for cheap business laptop.
The final category is
Ultralight. Here there are two more laptops that are on notice,
EliteBook 2530p for $1,449 and EliteBook 2730p for $1,479. At $2,192,
the Compaq 2710p must be "immediately canceled".
So there you have it. HP has a lot of models where it needs to bring
the price down, and there are several that must be canceled.
These are tough standards, but if we are going to judge Apple by
these standard, it only makes sense that HP and other PC vendors
comply.
We are only picking on HP because their models have been the
highlights of the first two "Laptop Hunter" commercials, but Dell is on
notice. Dell must drop prices, or the next commercial will be about how
overpriced its computers are! 
