'iPods r us' claims HP

Hoping to make a big bang in consumer electronics, Hewlett-Packard is to unveil its long-awaited HP-branded iPod, along with its first televisions, an entertainment hub and the usual array of new printers and cameras, sources said.

Also among the dozens of new gadgets that HP CEO Carly Fiorina will introduce at a Miami press event is the company's first digital projector for consumers, a product the company has been developing for some time. HP has been working on the projector, already a business staple, for more than a year.

Positive news on the consumer front wouldn't hurt after a disappointing quarter on the business side. The iPod, expected to be similar to Apple's version, is important both as the company's entry into the music market as well as a part of HP's strategy to become cool enough to be allowed in the living room.

Gary Peterson, an analyst with San Diego-based market research firm Gap Intelligence, said: "There is nothing hipper and nothing cooler than an iPod. [HP has] to stop being a boring old printer and server company."

That's especially key for HP's desire to sell things like televisions, where having an appealing brand matters.

HP is expected to introduce 42-inch plasma televisions in both extended definition (ED) and high-definition (HD) formats, along with 26-inch and 30-inch LCD televisions.