Business Answers

[#1]

Is it time to trade in your old notebook for a new HP ProBook? It could make a big difference to the way you work. Here are ten reasons to make the upgrade:

1. See more. Widescreen, high-resolution screens on the HP ProBook range let you open bigger spreadsheets or work on a couple of Word documents side-by-side. With bright, non-reflective displays, they are ideal for business use.
2. Video conferencing. With HD screens, stereo microphones and built-in webcams, you can use technology such as Microsoft Lync or Skype to set up video web conferences with customers and colleagues. This can cut out a lot of travel time and improve teamwork.
3. Longer battery life. With a typical battery life of 4-5 hours, HP ProBooks don’t need recharging so often.
4. Powerful processors. With powerful 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors you can speed through you work, even if you are running multiple applications at the same time.
5. Improved security. Built-in HP ProtectTools software can protect your business secrets against theft by encrypting you hard drive, securely erasing deleted files and restricting access to authorised users.
6. Microsoft Windows 7 Professional. Microsoft’s latest operating system has features, like desktop search and the taskbar, that help you work more productively and intuitively.
7. Positive impression. We think our new notebooks look great with stylish metal finishes and neat design details. Check out my video of the HP 4530s to see the new styling up close.
8. Cool James Bond stuff. HP ProtectTools software (included with HP ProBooks at no extra charge) lets you login using face or fingerprint recognition.
9. Money-back satisfaction guarantee. We are so confident in our products, that if you buy a HP ProBook or EliteBook and are not 100%
   satisfied, we will give you your money back. All of it. (Built for Business Guarantee.)
10. Trade in your old laptop. Trade in your old laptop and get a minimum of £150 cash back. (Cash back details.)

[#2]

I love the idea of being able to replace passwords with fingerprints or facial recognition (passwords are one of my most-hated bits of business IT: http://www.itdonut.co.uk/blog/2011/09/six-pieces-business-it-we-could-do-without).

But I've been sceptical about facial recognition ever since reading a couple of years back that some systems can be fooled by simply holding up a photograph of the person in question. Is HP's facial recognition more robust than this?

[#3]

I have to admit that I haven't tested it with a photograph. Last time I was in Houston in the HP testing labs there, we did have some fun testing facial recognition with glasses and other disguises and it seemed pretty robust. I've since tested it on a few different HP computers and it seems to work pretty well. Of course, you always have the option of using the fingerprint scanner which works pretty well and is harder to fake.