Spotlight

HP Introduces New Wares
With a nod to power and affordability, HP added new workstations and displays to its professional lineup, including the company’s first 14-inch mobile workstation.

Building on HP’s Z series of machines, the HP Z200 Workstation carries a starting price that rivals those of traditional desktop computing systems. The HP Z200 is ideal for engineers and designers using Autodesk AutoCAD, photographers using Adobe Photoshop, and power office users. Tapping the power of Intel’s newest technologies, the Z200 offers dual-core processor options based on the next-generation Intel processors as well as quad-core processor options based on the enterprise-class Intel Xeon 3400 series. The HP Z200 Workstation includes an 89 percent efficient power supply. Like all HP workstations, it is more than 90 percent recyclable by weight. It also features a breakthrough WattSaver feature, using less than one watt when in powered-down mode. Pricing for the HP Z200,  available this month, starts at $769.

HP also introduced the HP ZR22w and HP ZR24w Performance Displays, providing visual quality with a new brushed aluminum industrial design, making them a great pairing with HP Z Workstations both in looks and performance. Both displays incorporate super in-plane switching (S-IPS) panel technology and are available in 21.5 and 24 inches (diagonal). S-IPS technology provides a 10 times higher contrast ratio when viewed at a 60-degree angle as compared to mainstream displays, while maintaining prices near those of mainstream business monitors. The displays also deliver 16.7 million colors and up to 97 percent coverage of the sRGB gamut, the standard color space for the Web as well as the majority of engineering, creative, and professional applications. Pricing for the HP ZR22w and HP ZR24w begins at $289. Both are expected to be available this month.

Adding to its EliteBook notebook lineup, the company also rolled out the 15-inch diagonal-display HP EliteBook 8540w and the 14-inch diagonal-display HP EliteBook 8440w. The HP EliteBook 8540w and 8440w feature workstation-caliber graphics that are certified to run demanding professional applications for mobile power users. Engineered to meet military standards for dust, humidity, and temperatures, the EliteBooks include an LED-backlit, anti-glare HD display at 15 inches and 14 inches diagonal, respectively, and ship with a choice of Intel Core i7 or future Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost and vPro technology.

Other HP EliteBook innovations include HP QuickWeb, for accessing the Web in seconds when the notebook is shut down, and HP QuickLook3 for looking up and responding to e-mail, calendar, and contacts without having to boot the notebook. It also sports tools allowing users to conserve power, stretch battery run-time, and monitor reported power needs. Finally, the GPS uses satellite-based technology to determine 3D position (latitude, longitude, and altitude). Now available, the HP EliteBook 8540w and 8440w carry a starting price of $1299 and $1499, respectively.
Product: Workstations•Displays

Autodesk Smoke Software Comes to the Mac
Autodesk began shipping Smoke 2010 for Mac OS X, a software-only editorial finishing tool and the first Autodesk finishing product designed to run on the Mac. Autodesk Smoke helped define editorial finishing by combining the timeline workflow of a non-linear editor with advanced visual effects tools. As a software offering, Smoke easily integrates into existing Mac-based workflows using Apple’s Final Cut Studio or Avid’s Media Composer.

Among the benefits of Smoke on Mac is its all-in-one tool set for editorial finishing, such as editing, conform, 2D and 3D titling, sophisticated color correction, image stabilization, precision tracking and keying, 2D and 3D compositing, paint, rotoscoping, retouch, and design. It features advanced image-processing technologies, including Modular Keyer, Master Keyer, and Colour Warper.

Moreover, the offering supports popular files-based formats, such as QuickTime, Panasonic P2 HD, and Sony XDCam files, as well as uncompressed DPX, TIFF, and OpenEXR workflows.

Smoke 2010 for Mac OS X is available for $14,995; Autodesk Subscription can be purchased with the product license for $1995 per year, giving users software extensions, version upgrades, product support, and access to exclusive training materials. Smoke 2010 on Mac OS X is also available for a free 30-day trial download.
Product: Postproduction