New HP DeskJet Printers Redefine Print-Quality and Speed Standards; New Home and Professional Series Printers Offer Enhanced Performance, Best-in-class Print Quality.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 8, 1997-- Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced the HP DeskJet 720C home printers and HP DeskJet 890C Professional Series printers, a new class of versatile inkjet printers that deliver brilliant photo-quality printing on any paper. These printers replace the best-selling HP DeskJet 820C and HP DeskJet 870C printers in the United States.

The new printers offer multiple technological breakthroughs, design improvements, increased duty cycles, network connectivity options and versatility that is superior to other inkjet printers.

The DeskJet 720C and DeskJet 890C printers are expected to sell for about $349 and $449, respectively (U.S.).

SHARP, REALISTIC COLOR WITH NEW HP TECHNOLOGIES

The DeskJet 720C and DeskJet 890C printers use several new HP-developed technologies to deliver the sharpest, most realistic color.

PhotoREt II uses a new color cartridge to achieve brilliant photo-quality color on any paper:

-- smallest ink drops in the desktop inkjet

printers category deliver less visible dots;

-- more shades of color for clear, vibrant,

natural-looking results; and

-- most realistic color printing with

HP-developed inks.

ColorSmart II technology, which automatically adjusts color output, includes the following:

-- HP SmartFocus for optimized printing of

Internet and multimedia images;

-- sRGB, a new color-space-definition standard

developed by HP and Microsoft(R), which

delivers superior color matching between

software applications, monitors and other

peripherals; and

-- Intel's(R) MMX(TM) technology support for

faster, more productive color-image

processing with compatible PC systems.

SPECIAL PAPERS

The new printers carry the KODAK Image Enhancement (KIE) logo and support a new photographic paper co-developed by HP and Kodak -- HP Deluxe Photo Paper. When used with the KIE printer driver, the new glossy photo paper delivers the most realistic photo-quality images available.

The new paper, scheduled to be available in October, is expected to sell for about $14.99 (U.S.) for 20 sheets of one-sided glossy photo paper.

DESKJET 720C PRINTERS DESIGNED FOR THE HOME

The DeskJet 720C printers print up to 8 pages-per-minute (ppm) for black text and up to 4 ppm for color. These new printers also sport a sleeker, more compact design with a silent-printing feature that makes the printers ideally suited for any room in the home.

"You might call the DeskJet 722C printer the sports car of home printers," said Pradeep Jotwani, HP vice president and general manager of the company's Consumer Products Business Organization. "The DeskJet 722C is sleek, fast and versatile -- with print quality that will turn heads."

The DeskJet 722C, which is sold in the retail channel, includes the HP creative solutions project kit, with special software for printing creative, colorful family projects. The DeskJet 720C is available in the commercial reseller channel.

DESKJET 890C PRINTERS BUILT FOR BUSINESS

DeskJet 890C printers deliver the speed businesses need, producing up to 9 ppm for black text and 5 ppm for color with a hardy duty cycle of 3,000 pages per month. The printer can be shared by several users in a network using any of HP's JetDirect external print servers and is compatible with Microsoft Windows NT(R) 4.0, 3.1x, 95 and MS-DOS(R). The DeskJet 890Cse is available in the retail channel. The DeskJet 890Cxi is sold in the commercial channel. Both printers ship with software applications designed to help businesses produce professional-looking documents.

"This printer gives small businesses the optimal combination of speed and print quality that they need for all of their professional printing needs at an affordable price," said Jotwani.

WARRANTY

The DeskJet 720C printers come with a one-year limited warranty. The DeskJet 890C printers come with a one-year limited Express Exchange warranty. The Express Exchange warranty provides users with a replacement unit within one business day.

The information in this release pertains only to products available in North America.

ABOUT HP

HP is the world's leading supplier of hardcopy products that set the standard for technology, performance and reliability. HP's market-leading products include LaserJet and DeskJet printers, DesignJet large-format printers, ScanJet scanners, OfficeJet all-in-one products and the PhotoSmart family of PC photography products.

Hewlett-Packard Company is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament.

HP 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. HP has 120,500 employees and had revenue of $38.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com . -0-

Microsoft is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

Windows NT is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

MS-DOS is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

MMX is a U.S. trademark of Intel Corp.

Information in this release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets. -0-

NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Sales information may be obtained on the World-Wide Web at http://www.hp.com or by calling 1-800-752-0900. Please do NOT use the editor-contact or corporate telephone numbers for sales information.

If you choose to review this item, your readers will receive the fastest response to their inquiries by mailing them to Hewlett-Packard Company, Direct Marketing Organization, P.O. Box 58059, MS511L-SJ, Santa Clara, Calif. 95051-8059.

CONTACT: Copithorne & Bellows for HP

Kris Wilen, 408/988-2100

[e-mail]

or

Michele Spring, 408/988-2100

[e-mail]