January 6 - 12:00am EST   HP's CES introductions are being headlined today by an entirely new entry to its desktop line. The Firebird 800 is built with help from the Voodoo sub-label and aims to take up the minimal amount of space of a small form factor desktop with the performance of a full tower, thanks to new Intel processors: new set of Core 2 Quad chips consume just 65W of power without losing features over previous 95W versions. A custom liquid cooling setup also cuts back on fan noise from the chip and simultaneously frees up space for accessing RAM and the two drop-in notebook hard drive bays. [full story]

January 1 - 11:55pm EST   HP will reveal a concept notebook at CES that acts a showcase for the future of desktop replacement notebooks, Laptop reveals in a hands-on preview. A prototype known as the Firefly carries the 17-inch display typical of many notebooks its size but centers on a multi-touch trackpad borrowed from the Voodoo Envy 133 placed in an unusual location. Rather than ahead of the keyboard, the pad is placed at the side in a reportedly more comfortable position. The pad supports more complex gestures like pinch-to-zoom and scrolling but also supports left- and right-clicking and is said to be closer to a true mouse in terms of input. [full story]

December 26 - 8:50am EST   HP is developing its first mid-size Voodoo PC-branded notebook since the reinvention of the label earlier in the year, a slip from within the PC builder claims. The system would be HP's first known high-end portable to carry a 15.6-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio display and will use an LED backlight that should both slim down the display and improve battery life. The system is reportedly due to ship during the summer and so is a candidate for Intel's mobile Core i7 processors. [full story]

December 24 - 12:50pm EST   A leak of a 45W power adapter on Wednesday has revealed key details of Dell's Adamo notebook ahead of its official debut. Since changed to anonymize the description, the entry has previously described the power brick as designed specifically for the "Adamo Thirteen," confirming that at least one Adamo model will carry a 13-inch display and that the future system won't use any processor more demanding than the low-voltage Core 2 Duo chips used in Apple's MacBook Air, Lenovo's ThinkPad X301 or similar systems. [full story]

December 23 - 12:15pm EST   A new leak floated by Engadget has revealed both a new compact HP gaming PC as well as new technology by PC. Supporting hints by HP's Rahul Sood of a Voodoo-influenced new gaming PC, the Firebird 803 appears targeted at gamers who still hope to have relatively compact desktops and should provide gaming-level performance using a new low-power video array: the system will carry two previously unknown GeForce 9800S chips that take up less space and power than regular desktop chips but should perform better than mobile chips. [full story]

December 19 - 4:15pm EST   Voodoo PC founder and HP Global Gaming Business CTO Rahul Sood announced on his blog this past Tuesday that the press can expect the launch of a "really crazy" new product at the CES exhibition in less than a month's time from the company. Sood's excitement about whatever this new product will turn out to be is evident, as he goes on to describe it as "truly awesome" and with the "potential of re-landscaping the high-performance computing space." [full story]

November 11 - 3:45pm EST   Not satisfied with the three-pound weight of the almost exclusively aluminum MacBook Air, Apple is investigating the possibility of building some of the ultraportable out of carbon fiber, a reported source of AppleInsider claims. The contact, which has allegedly proven reliable on MacBook updates in the past, notes that Apple would use the ultra lightweight but very strong material to replace the underside of the notebook, which is the second-heaviest component of the system. No changes would be made to the unibody aluminum top shell or the lid. [full story]

November 4 - 4:30pm EST   HP has recently dropped prices on two of its products, including the Envy 133 from its Voodoo PC line and the HP Blackbird 002 gaming desktop PC. As of Tuesday, both computers are now $200 less expensive, with the Envy 133 now priced at $1,899 and the Blackbird 002 at $1,799. In addition, those who order the Envy 133 will get a second battery for the notebook free of charge. [full story]

September 9 - 11:00pm EDT   HP on Tuesday announced it is shipping the Voodoo Envy 133 notebook, while Voodoo co-founder Rahul Sood alludes to a mystery product on the company's blog. CNET reveals that the MacBook Air and Lenovo X300 competitor saw an exclusive rollout event in Germany, easing concerns that HP would roll the Voodoo line into its consumer products. The Envy offers users a sleek computing experience, reminiscent of Dell's Alienware line of computers. [full story]

August 12 - 5:00pm EDT   Electronista on Tuesday had an opportunity to listen to Dell executives on camera following the PC maker's Latitude introduction that reveals the company's approach to targeting systems such as the MacBook Air. The firm says it isn't worried about the competition from Apple, Lenovo, or other rivals as the Latitude "brackets" these systems; the E4200 is smaller and lighter than the Air through its use of an ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo processor, while the 13.3-inch E4300 uses a full-power Core 2 Duo and has an optical drive bay absent on these competitors. [full story]

July 28 - 4:25pm EDT   Apple is dropping Intel's reference platform in favor of custom circuitry, according to a new rumor floated by AppleInsider. Although every Intel-based Mac has to date used Intel's stock chipsets but with a custom layout, Apple is now purportedly using little to none of Intel's own components in favor of outside parts. Whether this involves licensing components from an outside firm or even custom-designed chips is unknown, though Apple would keep using Intel's processors. [full story]

July 23 - 11:05pm EDT   HP's Voodoo PC business has been merged into its main business division and may discontinue the use of the Voodoo brand name as the company tries push the products through its mainstream and worldwide channels. HP said it would likely retain Voodoo as a brand name, but had not reached a final decision yet. Until now, HP had operated the Voodoo PC division as a standalone business unit and sold its PCs independently. Following the announcement, the Voodoo-branded products will be sold alongside HP's consumer Compaq Presario and Pavilion PC lines, HP told PC World. [full story]

June 11 - 12:00pm EDT   Users should expect multi-touch displays in notebooks well before the release of official operating system updates like Windows 7, Hewlett-Packard's consumer notebook general manager Kevin Frost says. The feature won't officially appear in Microsoft's software until 2010 but should be available "long before" then in shipping products, according to the executive. Technical marketing head Kevin Wentzel supports the notion and mentions that the advancement is more a question developing software than any limits in current hardware. [full story]

June 10 - 4:00am EDT   HP's performance label Voodoo PC today launched a complete overhaul of tis designs with systems that directly challenge the design aesthetics of the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro. The Envy 133 notebook joins both the Air and the ThinkPad X300 in the newer class of ultra-thin but still fast portables: the use of an LED-backlit screen and a carbon fiber chassis help the Envy measure 0.7 inches thick at every point while weighing under 3.4 pounds. A new generation of Intel's notebook platform helps reach these dimensions while still supplying speed, the company says. Voodoo's design is also the third after those from Apple and ASUS to sport a multi-touch trackpad with ... [full story]

June 5 - 3:55pm EDT   HP's Voodoo PC gaming division today hinted at a planned major update to its lineup through both its website and a teaser video (posted below). The company's website appears consumed by flames, suggesting a complete overhaul of what customers are familiar with in Voodoo's gaming-oriented systems; the video points to a much more refined look for the company's desktops and notebooks with aluminum, carbon fiber, and much more seamless, minimalist designs. [full story]