[March 03, 2011]

HP Creates Hands-on Experience for Youth Athletes at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney

Expanding on its long-standing relationship with Walt Disney (News - Alert) World Resort, HP (NYSE:HPQ) today unveiled the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a project designed to deliver an immersive technology experience to the 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators that visit the complex each year.

The newly named "HP Field House" at ESPN (News - Alert) Wide World of Sports Complex. (Photo: Business Wire)

The 165,000-square-foot complex - now branded the HP Field House - is a multipurpose facility that has been the cornerstone of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex since it opened in 1997. The facility will now deliver an elevated experience for sports enthusiasts through a variety of HP enhancements inside the facility and beyond.

From the HP Photo Creation Center, to the touch-enabled desktops and digital signage that deliver interactive park experiences, to the HP TouchPads that will be used for on-field stat collection, the HP Field House enables athletes, coaches and fans to have a hands-on experience and completely customize their visit in ways that can only be done at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

"Continuing HP's decades-long collaboration with Disney, the HP Field House captivates audiences through state-of-the-art athletic facilities with a rich, interactive technology experience that extends the spirit and passion of sports beyond the field of play," said Carlos Montalvo, vice president, Innovation Program Office, Personal Systems Group, HP.

"Today's youth athletes are extremely tech savvy and HP is the perfect partner to help them better capture and savor the lasting memories of their unique sports experience in ways that no other sports venue can," said Ken Potrock, senior vice president, Disney Sports Enterprises.

Personalized avatars, applications and concierge services

Customized concierge kiosks featuring the first-ever deployment of HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PCs allow athletes, coaches and fans to access and print a wide range of sporting event information using HP TouchSmart technology. Based in seven convenient locations throughout the complex, the kiosks guide users to field assignments and provide schedule updates, access to event highlights and general complex information such as maps, weather and dining options.

The TouchSmart kiosks also host a custom application that allows sports fans to create personalized avatars for thir official ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex credentials. Able to generate 37 billion uniquely tailored avatars, the application offers a wide array of preferences and design tools, including a range of sports uniforms, jersey colors, team numbers, facial features, skin and hair tones, and accessories.

Users also can enjoy one-click access to print, email or share their designs with a personalized message, or upload them directly to Facebook (News - Alert). Special HP product offers for guests also will be provided in the same sleeve with the avatar.

HP Photo Creation Center creates lasting memories

The centerpiece of the HP Field House, the HP Photo Creation Center enables sports fans and athletes to download, design, enhance and print commemorative game day and event images such as matte or glossy photographs for purchase. Guests also can upload their content to the HP Photo Creation Center to create a variety of custom keepsakes, such as photo cards, multipage calendars and photo CDs. In addition, guests can print large-scale posters with the option to print single image or collage posters, wallpapers and banners for purchase onsite.

The ESPN Idea Lab showcases the future, today

The Idea Lab provides HP, Disney and ESPN the opportunity to collaborate on 3-D, custom application development and new HP products offering visitors an exclusive opportunity to interact with HP's newest products in a way they have never experienced them before.

Champion Stadium suites

HP is installing a range of PCs, printers and displays in the Champion Stadium suites, home to Atlanta Braves Spring Training. HP also will update the concession areas throughout the venues with digital signage - including a four-panel display scoreboard in the rotunda of the HP Field House - so fans will never be far from the action on the field.

Overall, the integration of HP technology bolsters the growing list of innovative features added to the 220-acre complex in recent months, including the ESPN Innovation Lab, a high-tech Production Center, several high-definition cameras and video screens, and a 20-zone audio system.

About the HP Field House - home to a world of indoor sports

The HP Field House is a multipurpose indoor arena reminiscent of a classic 1950s style field house, with room for six full-size collegiate basketball courts and a seating capacity of 5,500. The facility can accommodate most indoor sports, including basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, roller hockey, cheerleading and dance, in addition to concerts and conventions. Regular events include AAU basketball, College Cheerleading, Dance Team National Championships and the Old Spice Classic, a leading Division I NCAA men's basketball holiday tournament.

Photos of the HP Field House and HP technology installations are available at http://wdwpress.com/hp.

Making magic together for more than 60 years

HP's presence at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex extends the company's long-standing relationship with Disney, which began in 1940 when HP worked with Walt Disney to enhance the acoustics in movie theaters before the release of the Disney film "Fantasia." Currently, HP sponsors Mission: SPACE in Epcot and is one of the sponsors of the Disneyland Dream Home at Disneyland Resort. Disney is a large HP customer and utilizes thousands of HP business PCs, servers and managed print services, in addition to technology services and storage.

About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 300 events a year, is the leading multisport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, accommodating 60 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 220-acre facility features ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology group to develop ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom, as well as development of its new 3-D television channel. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 hand-held and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art Production Center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.wdwnews.com for press releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world's largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the competitive pressures faced by HP's businesses; the development and transition of new products and services (and the enhancement of existing products and services) to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2011 Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert) Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6633556&lang=en

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