Business Notebooks

OK, I'm sure that I'm not the only person around here who has been THOROUGHLY dismayed to discover that HP has employed a BIOS level device restriction control in recent laptop models, i.e. a "white list", for supporting only a limited set of installed device models.  Yes, HP felt the need to not only prevent owners from installing ANY WiFi card of their own choosing, but to leave the list TIGHTLY RESTRICTED.

I can understand that HP forged relationships with only certain WiFi card providers like Atheros, Realtek, Ralink, Intel and Broadcom, and that for an AMD chipset there would be prevention of using Intel WiFi cards because... God forbid that AMD and Intel hardware work together.

But what really gets me mad is that of the brands "allowed" to work on a given laptop, the restriction is focused to allow just a few WiFi cards.  But what about PROGRESS?  Several years later, there are new WiFi cards on the market that provide greater speeds.  Yet HP laptop owners cannot use them because of this "white list" enforcement!

WHEN... when is HP going to issue BIOS updates to at least accommodate some of the newer WiFi card models so that users aren't left "stuck in 2nd gear"?  For my dv6-6145dx, the last BIOS update was in late 2011 (F21).  NOTHING SINCE.  I would like to know when HP will provide a BIOS update to allow more WiFi cards in my laptop.

In fact, I would like to make THIS PLEA to HP:

[quote]Dear Hewlett-Packard laptop management team,

I understand your need to promote business relationships with certain hardware vendors and decided to establish a "white list" protocol that will prevent a laptop from functioning when attempting to be used with an "unsupported device"... not because it physically can't be used, but because there is a BUSINESS DECISION to prevent the usage.  This isn't a big problem for new laptops, because a WiFi card installed is most likely one of the newer technologies and will be sufficient for the owner.

HOWEVER, in time the technologies change.  I humbly request that you either put a built-in time limit on the usage of the white list, or provide a BIOS update approximately 2 years after a laptop model has been released so that the owner can enjoy IMPROVED device technologies in their HP branded laptops.

If HP doesn't feel this is prudent, and believes that limiting device usage might prompt a customer to buy a NEW laptop in order to enjoy the latest technologies, then think again.  If I do not see HP making any effort to address this issue, you can bet that my next laptop will be from a vendor that is not called "Hewlett-Packard".

Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter.[/quote]