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HP Introduces Upgradable Platform to Help Test and Diagnose Automotive Systems

25 February 1998

HP Introduces Upgradable Platform to Help Test and Diagnose Automotive Systems

        HP TestBook 5000 can be Upgraded Easily as Faster Motherboards
 Become Available; Platform Specially Designed for Use in Harsh Environments

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 25 -- Hewlett-Packard Company
today announces that HP TestBook, a portable, upgradable computing
platform that can be integrated with electronic test tools to test and
diagnose electronic-based automotive systems and components -- from factory
floor to service bay -- is now available as a standard product for the
automotive industry.  Previously, it was available only as a custom-designed
system.
    The HP TestBook 5000 computing platform is rugged, modular, and designed
to withstand the harsh environments of the automotive production line and
service bay.
    Special features for high performance and flexibility include the
following: standard option and open-systems configuration for universal
compatibility; Pentium(R) technology for faster data processing; easy-to-use
color touch-screen user interface; and Year-2000 compliance.
    To keep pace with rapid changes in processor development, the automotive
industry requires that the computer platform that supports the test process be
upgradable.  To meet this need, the HP TestBook 5000 motherboard connects to
the computer via the EISA bus and can be replaced easily and quickly as new,
faster motherboards are introduced.
    "The HP TestBook 5000's technology-refresh feature extends the life of
this product to give our customers a very competitive cost of ownership," said
Dave Miller, marketing manager at HP's Integrated Systems Division.  "This is
a particularly welcome feature in a marketplace in which computer technology
advances so quickly."
    The HP TestBook 5000 platform can be powered by a vehicle's battery or,
for short periods, by its own internal battery.  The LCD color screen is
attached to the HP TestBook 5000 platform by a 17-foot cable, allowing the
user to move about the vehicle under test or the work area while placing
commands via the touch screen.  The HP TestBook 5000 can be equipped with an
external power supply, an HP DeskJet printer, a keyboard and mouse.  A
roll-about four-wheel equipment trolley is available for housing the unit.

    U.S. Price and Availability
    The HP TestBook 5000 is expected to be available in May for about $5,000
-- significantly less expensive than comparable harsh-environment computing
products.  The HP TestBook 5000 platform is backed by HP's outstanding global
technology repair and support service.
    Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing,
Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and
measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality
and support.  It is the second-largest computer supplier in the world, with
computer-related revenue in excess of $35.4 billion in its 1997 fiscal year.
Hewlett-Packard has 123,300 employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its
1997 fiscal year.
    Information about the company's test and measurement products can be found
on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com/go/tmdir.

    Pentium is a U.S. registered trademark of Intel Corp.

SOURCE  Hewlett-Packard Company