HP INTRODUCES LOW-COST LASER PRINTERS

First to Offer Wireless Communication

Palo Alto, California. March 6, 1995 -- Hewlett-Packard Company today
introduced the first HP printers to offer support for wireless
communications. Equipped with built-in Infrared (IR) technology, the new
low-cost printers allow users of IR-compatible computing devices to print
files without first having to establish a physical connection between
printer and device. The IR capability of the LaserJet 5P and LaserJet 5MP
printers highlights HP's commitment to technological innovation and to the
company's pioneering role in wireless computing.

As one of the founding members of the Infrared Data Association (IrDA), HP
has worked to establish industry specifications for wireless
communications that help ensure interoperability between devices,
regardless of product type or brand. With membership of over 100 companies
to date, the IrDA is made up of leading PC, peripheral and software
providers, many of whom already are shipping or have announced solutions
supporting the IrDA standard in current or future products. Member
companies include HP, IBM, Microsoft, DEC, Texas Instruments, Gateway,
Sharp Electronics, Extended Systems and Adaptec.

"The new HP LaserJet 5P and LaserJet 5MP printers represent a significant
milestone for proponents of wireless computing," said Carolyn M. Ticknor,
general manager of HP's LaserJet Printer Group. "Now it's possible to
print documents in much the same way you change TV channels using a remote
control. In addition, the low price of these printers provides proof that
wireless computing can be easy and affordable."

With street prices expected to be under $900 and $1,100 (U.S.)
respectively, the HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP printers offer 6 page-per-minute
(ppm) print speed, flexible paper-handling capabilities, true 600 x 600
dots-per-inch (dpi) output, expandability and added features such as
infrared wireless printing and font-management software. These printers
replace the popular HP LaserJet 4P and 4MP printers.

"Wireless computing will eventually pervade throughout all computing
environments; however, it will prove to be particularly beneficial to
computer users on the go," said Ticknor. "IR technology allows sales
people, frequent travelers, those working out of satellite facilities and
others who move from one office to another to print from their portable
systems without first having to bother with cables or transfer files.
Wireless computing offers convenience, time savings, space savings and
ease of use. All a person using IR connections has to do is point and
shoot."

According to Dataquest, portable computing products represent the
fastest-growing segment of PC sales. While desktop PC sales through 1996
are expected to grow by 19 percent, notebook PC sales are expected to grow
by 44 percent; subnotebook PC sales are expected to grow by 246 percent
and PDA sales are expected to grow by 100 percent. More than 38 million
portable PCs are expected to ship worldwide between 1994 and 1996.

Dataquest also estimates that 80 percent of portable PC users in the United
States use laser printers. At present, many of these users find printing
from portable systems difficult and time consuming. Typically, they first
disconnect their printer from their desktop PC. They then hook up a
portable unit. Often, they transfer files from their portable PC to the
desktop system before they can print. With IR technology, printing from a
portable system becomes effortless.

Expandability/Connectivity

Targeted as a primary business printer for small offices, the HP LaserJet
5P and 5MP printers also were designed to meet the needs of a growing
business. The printers come equipped with industry-standard SIMM slots.
These slots can be used for additional memory, other printer languages or
customizing options available from HP and other third-party vendors. The
printers are upgradable to a total of 50MB and 35MB, respectively.

Both printers are designed with two IEEE 1284-compliant parallel ports for
easy sharing by small work teams (or multiple computing devices by a
single user), (one large, standard B-type; one small, new C-type
connector). Each printer also has one LocalTalk port, the IrDA-compliant
infrared port and automatic interface switching among all ports.

The high-speed, bi-directional parallel ports of the HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP
printers also allow for direct network integration when used with HP's
JetDirect EX external print servers (Ethernet or Token Ring). These
servers support multiple protocol stacks and 13+ Network Operating Systems
(NOSs), such as Novell NetWare, IBM LANServer, MS LAN Manager, MS Windows
NT, MS Windows for Workgroups, UNIX and EtherTalk.

The new printers have a maximum supported duty cycle of 12,000 pages per
month, as compared with their predecessors' 8,000 pages per month.

Print Quality

The HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP printers offer true 600 x 600 dpi resolution
with HP's Resolution Enhancement technology (REt). REt, along with HP's
microfine toner, further improves print quality by providing crisper text,
finer lines, "blacker" blacks and more detail. The printers' advanced
halftoning capabilities offer superior-looking photo-like images, and
smooth gray-tone transitions. The printers produce 120 shades of gray in
Windows at 106-line screens. A newly designed all-in-one toner imaging
cartridge ensures that print quality will remain at its highest level
throughout the life of the printer.

Performance

The HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP printers provide print speed of up to 6 ppm and
are driven by a powerful, energy-efficient 20MHz Motorola Coldfire MCF5102
VL RISC processor. Multiple, high-speed interfaces support more than just
one user with automatic switching among all ports.

Fonts and Languages

The HP LaserJet 5P printer, which is designed for use with (IBM compatible)
PCs, uses HP's enhanced PCL 5 printer command language. HP's Memory
Enhancement technology (MEt) virtually doubles its available 2MB standard
memory to print even complex pages and scanned images at true 600 x 600
dpi in base memory. The printer also includes 45 built-in scalable fonts
(10 TrueType(tm), 35 Intellifont) and offers an additional 65 TrueType
scalable fonts to choose from on disk for Windows.

The HP LaserJet 5MP printer includes Adobe PostScript(tm) Level 2 software
to support Macintosh or mixed PC/Mac environments. It has 3MB standard
memory, further enhanced through Adobe Memory Booster technology, and
includes 35 built-in scalable Type 1 fonts, with an additional 75 TrueType
scalable fonts on disk for Windows when using PostScript.

Software Solution

The HP LaserJet 5P printer PCL Windows printer driver -- allows users to
access features such as EconoMode, tray selection, media size and more.

HP FontSmart for Windows -- a font-management utility that allows users to
manage Windows fonts (TrueType, Type 1 or bitmap) easily -- works with
both printers. Together with the standard Windows fonts, HP FontSmart
gives users access to up to 110 different TrueType fonts. HP FontSmart
fonts reside in a highly compressed database until the user decides to
install them. A typical installation installs the matching screen fonts to
the built-in printer fonts of the HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP printers. Once
installed, fonts can be added to or deleted from this selection easily. HP
FontSmart gives users a convenient, one-stop way to customize the fonts
they use and have quick access to a large variety when needed.

The HP LaserJet printer Status Window -- reports printer activities to the
user's computer screen, including messages such as "out of paper" or "top
door open" and on-line help.

The HP LaserJet 5P printer also ships with DOS printing utilities and
printer drivers for WordPerfect and Lotus. Additional DOS and OS/2 printer
drivers are available from HP distribution or from software
manufacturers.

The HP LaserJet 5MP printer includes PostScript printer software for
Macintosh and Windows. The Macintosh printing software supports Quickdraw
and Quickdraw GX environments. The Windows printing software includes an
Adobe PostScript Level 2 printer driver, HP FontSmart and the HP LaserJet
printer Status Window. All of the software that ships with the HP LaserJet
5P printer also is available for the HP LaserJet 5MP printer through HP
distribution.

Environmental Features

The HP LaserJet 5P and 5MP printers have earned the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Energy Star designation for low power consumption.
Unique in their class, both printers have a new, instant power-save mode
requiring no warm-up time. Immediately after printing a job, the printers
drop to their lowest-possible power-consumption state (5 Watts, Energy
Star compliant). The printers recover instantly when new print data is
sent, avoiding a lengthy warm-up period before they can print another job
(instant-on fuser technology). The benefit for the office is a lower
electricity bill without any sacrifice in performance.

Other environmental features include manuals and packaging made of recycled
and recyclable materials; all plastic parts in excess of 100 grams are
marked for recycling. HP toner cartridges can be recycled through HP's
recycling program.

Support

The new printers come standard with a one-year limited warranty. HP also
provides customers with a toll-free customer-information line, (800)
752-0900, for access to automated voice responses to commonly asked
questions, helpful hints on getting started, driver information and
application notes. Users also may obtain information and support by fax
from HP FIRST (800) 333-1917. A toll number, (208) 323-2551, connects
users with an HP technician.

HP also offers SupportPack, an affordable, three-year support package
available from HP resellers worldwide. HP SupportPack is an
express-exchange service that provides customers with a replacement
printer within 24 hours or less in the event of printer failure.

U.S. Prices and Availability

The HP LaserJet 5P printer is $1,109. The HP LaserJet 5MP is $1,299.  Both
printers and all accessories are expected to be available in April from
HP-authorized dealers and distributors.

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