HP Eyes Businesses, Schools With Updated Sprout Pro

HP's rather odd Sprout PC arrived in late 2014 as a combination PC, projector, and 3D scanner. In our review, we found it to be an "innovative concept" that likely required some "tweaking to make it into the mainstream."

In the year or so since its arrival, the Sprout hasn't exactly set the tech world on fire, but HP is trying again with an updated Sprout Pro aimed at businesses and education.

On the outside, the Sprout Pro looks similar to its predecessor, but the device is getting an upgrade to the newest Intel Core i7 processors and DDR4 memory.

There are also new software options. Those with a Microsoft Office subscription can tap into Sprout Companion for Skype for Business, which lets users share a Sprout 2D capture during a virtual meeting.

HP External Display Mixer, meanwhile, allows users to share content from the screen, webcam, or downward-facing camera. HP Scan promises professional-level document scanning and optical character recognition, and HP Magnifier lets users "share live physical objects or documents with an audience, including zooming and capture," HP says. All three features come standard on the Sprout Pro.

On the education front, Sprout Pro "allows teachers to inspire in a more natural, intuitive, and creative way," Gus Schmedlen, vice president of HP Education, said in a statement. "Students get a hands-on learning experience so they can take ideas from thought to expression like never before."

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Sprout Pro by HP for education and professional is expected to hit shelves next month for $2,199. The original Sprout by HP($280.00 at eBay) is on sale now.

Over the summer, HP updated its original Sprout, promising better scan quality, automated repositioning, and support for 3D printing.