Rumors Fly of HP Axing Voodoo
It's a rumor that's flown around the block before: HP shutting down the VoodooPC label, which it purchased in 2006. In fact, we wrote earlier when the VoodooPC line was sort of sucked into the regular HP catalog. Even then things seemed to be getting a little iffy around the VoodooPC portion of HP's landscape. At the time, however, it was sold as an easier, faster way to buy VoodooPC hardware through HP channels.
At any rate, Techgage wrote a piece in which they cited the typical 'insider close to the situation.' According to that article:
An e-mail is apparently being circulated throughout the company noting layoffs, although the number of people to be culled is unclear. However, VoodooPC itself wouldn't have that many employees to begin with, so any layoffs could be a sign of what's to come.
The article also noted that VoodooPC was returning product, such as power supplies to their suppliers.
Now, unlike Dell and Alienware, HP and VoodooPC never seemed to be a good match. It never felt like the two got "comfortable" with each other. However, dumping a premier brand such as VoodooPC just doesn't seem like a smart move.
Crave managed to pry information out of HP, receiving the following:
HP is working on a plan to better leverage its existing resources to bring Voodoo products to market faster and make them more accessible to consumers. I can assure you that Voodoo employees and champions of the brand will continue to work on the conceptualization, design and development of Voodoo products.
Hmmm. But wasn't that what they were doing earlier? Based on these items, it looks like something is happening. Whether it leads to layoffs or the shutting down of VoodooPC as Techgage posited, will remain to be seen.
But as they were definitely makers of "hot hardware," how would you readers feel if VoodooPC were to be put out to pasture?
At any rate, Techgage wrote a piece in which they cited the typical 'insider close to the situation.' According to that article:
An e-mail is apparently being circulated throughout the company noting layoffs, although the number of people to be culled is unclear. However, VoodooPC itself wouldn't have that many employees to begin with, so any layoffs could be a sign of what's to come.
The article also noted that VoodooPC was returning product, such as power supplies to their suppliers.
Crave managed to pry information out of HP, receiving the following:
HP spokeswoman Marlene Somsak said it would be "incorrect" to say HP is shutting down Voodoo, but didn't offer a denial that jobs will be or have been cut.
"We continually assess and rebalance the size of our work force relative to the business environment and market conditions," she said. Beyond that, she said HP had no comment.
At the same time, Gizmodo got the following response, from no less than VoodooPC founder Rahul Sood:HP is working on a plan to better leverage its existing resources to bring Voodoo products to market faster and make them more accessible to consumers. I can assure you that Voodoo employees and champions of the brand will continue to work on the conceptualization, design and development of Voodoo products.
Hmmm. But wasn't that what they were doing earlier? Based on these items, it looks like something is happening. Whether it leads to layoffs or the shutting down of VoodooPC as Techgage posited, will remain to be seen.
But as they were definitely makers of "hot hardware," how would you readers feel if VoodooPC were to be put out to pasture?
