Rhys Darby of Flight of the Conchords fame (he played Bret & Jemaine’s boss Murray) stars in HP’s latest ad campaign.  The $40 million “Let’s Do Amazing” ad campaign includes a series of commercials that appear to reintroduce the HP brand to consumers in a new, different, and quite humorous way.  Dr. Dre lends a helping hand, making sure to promote his Dre Beats line of headphones and HP laptops.  Look after the break for a second commercial.

UPDATED: You’ll find all the current HP “Let’s Do Amazing” commercials featuring Rhys Darby, plus an interview with the FOTC alum and the “Internal Launch” video, after the break!

[Via Engadget]

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This HP-branded Envy laptop wears the Dr. Dre Beats logo proud.  It is the first in a series of products Dre and HP have in the pipeline for music-oriented consumers looking for solid sound at an affordable price.  This limited edition Envy 15 features a 15-inch screen and comes in at 1-inches thin and 5.18-pounds.  It will include a ‘future’ Core i7 processor and will have the capacity for 16GB of RAM and two solid state drives.  Although official specs are limited for now, expect the Beats-inspired Envy 15 to cost at least $1,799, as its counterpart (the standard Envy) costs that much.  I will keep my ear to the ground and watch for updates on this and other Beats-branded machines.  The time for a revolution in better sound quality is now, right Dre?

[Via Engadget; Tom's Hardware]

Gaga’s performance, which involves only her voice and a piano, is actually quite good.

Remember the announcement of the new Heartbeats by Lady Gaga headphones I reported on last week?  Well, if you were at all intrigued by the new headphones in the Dr. Dre Beats lineup, be sure to check out the Heartbeats Daily Giveaway on Facebook.  “To celebrate the launch [of Heartbeats], Beats by Dr. Dre is giving away a pair of Heartbeats every day for 30 days, so enter..for your chance to win.”  Good luck, ladies (and guys, I guess).

Thanks, Aaron.

Adding to yesterday’s news of Lady Gaga’s Heartbeats is today’s announcement of a smaller, cheaper version of the original Studio Beats headphones.  This product finds its home between the Tour Beats ($149) and the Studio Beats ($299).  The Beats Solo is smaller and lighter than its older brother and will cost a mere $220.  They will be available in black and white this November.  According to Monster, the Beats Solo have the same sound quality as the Studio Beats.  If Dr. Dre and the team at Monster Cable found a way to create the original Beats in a tinier form factor then all the power to them.  However, I’d play it safe and wait for initial reviews before going out to make a purchase.

[Via Gizmodo; DVICE]

Fashion and music maven Lady Gaga has teamed up with Dr. Dre and Monster Cable to create her own line of Beats headphones.  Heartbeats is designed by Lady Gaga herself.  They will be available in October in pink/white, silver, white, and black color variations and price will range from $99.95 to $149.95, depending on body type and jewel design.  Included are multiple ear tips, a red travel case, and Monster’s tangle-resistant flat cable design, and Monster’s ControlTalk connection that allows you to swap between music and phone calls.  For more information about the Heartbeats, see the press release after the break.  Check out the gallery below for some product images and more.

[Via Engadget; ChipChick; Beatsbydre]

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Computer-maker HP, musical genius Dr. Dre, and Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine have announced a joint collaboration to make audio sound better, from what you hear on your computer to the earbuds or headphones you use on the go.

Iovine to CNET News: “We have to fix the entire chain.  Our position is to go to all the sources and try to improve sound and educate people…We can’t put anything weak in the line. Whoever puts out things that sound bad shouldn’t be as cool as something that sounds great.”  Iovine added: ”I just want our product to sound better.  The record business committed many, many mistakes in the last 10 years, and I’m right in there.  One of them was letting its product get degraded.  It’s one thing to let it get stolen, it’s another to allow it to be degraded because then you really don’t have a chance…video games and TV quality are getting better and the quality of our work is getting lower. If that happens, then music will become disposable. That’s something we can fix.”

This is very interesting news for the music industry.  In today’s digital age of the MP3 format, iPods, and computers, it is very important that the sound of music quality does not disintegrate.  The iPod earbuds that ship with every iPod, for example, do not produce good enough sound for the listener.  Also, many computers are not constructed with speakers than can boast the proper bass and sound required for MP3s to be played at their potential.  In the end, it is all about music being played the way they were meant to be heard and I believe that this alliance between HP, Dre, and Interscope will lead the way in incorporating premium sound capability in all mediums from MP3 players to PC laptops.  Sources spilled to CNET News that “HP will release premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the “Beats by Dr. Dre” brand sometime this fall.”

[Via CNET]