HP announced a new hybrid computer that blends a laptop and table for the workplace, as the company says people’s work lives and private lives are increasingly blurring together.
The new HP Pro x2 612 G2 is aimed squarely at the workplace, but for a generation that wants a more stylish gadget that can be used at home as well. The new device will be sold online as well as through HP partners who target industries like field services, government, healthcare, and retail verticals. The company announced the gadget today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
“We’re living in a very exciting time,” said Carol Hess, HP’s vice president of product management for mobility. “Our personal lives and professional lives are merging. More and more people are using detachable products for this ‘blended life’.”
June 5th: The AI Audit in NYC
Join us next week in NYC to engage with top executive leaders, delving into strategies for auditing AI models to ensure fairness, optimal performance, and ethical compliance across diverse organizations. Secure your attendance for this exclusive invite-only event.
Hess said the trend is being driven by millennials, who have higher standards for the design of their gadgets and also want a more personal feel. For them, the notion of an IT department choosing a one-size-fits-all laptop is unappealing. The days when everyone got the same “brick” are over, she said.
“They think about the product as an extension of themselves,” she said. “There are a lot of changes in terms of how these employees want a portable from a design standpoint.”
Offering options like detachables, Hess said, allows IT people to be seen more as “heroes” to employees.
The HP Pro x2 612 G2 comes with a longer battery life and can be charged 50 percent in 30 minutes. It also offers an upgraded HP Active Pen, a stylus that has more precision for on-screen drawing and is connected by Bluetooth to serve as remote control for some apps. And the kickstand can be adjusted 165°.
