September 2010

HP creates racist computer

Submitted On 2009-12-24 by Pete Klein

Hp racist computerTwo employees, Wanda Zamen and Desi Cryer, both sales people in at Toppers Camping Center in Waller TX, found an interesting bug in the software of a new HP laptop: it doesn't work for black people. The HP targeted shitstorm started recently, after the two employees, Wanda and Desi, posted a youtube video demonstrating multiple times that the HP face tracking software would pan and zoom properly for the white Wanda, but not the black Desi, who bought this laptop as a gift for his wife. This lead some to pose the question, "did this computer run off a 400 watt white power supply?"

Quoth white Wanda, "Desi purchased an Hp pavilion laptop for his wife for Christmas which was the same one that I had recently purchased. I brought my laptop to work and Desi and I were basically exploring the various features of the computer. We decided to try out the webcam when we noticed the problem with the facial tracking not working when Desi was in the frame. After about 30 minutes of trying different angles, lighting, and settings we still could not get the camera to track Desi’s face."

We decided to use the webcam to film this issue. We thought the video was funny and decided to post it on You Tube. It was our intention to provide a good natured chuckle to our fellow man, and honestly we did not imagine that so many people would watch and react to the video."

Consumer reports recently did a follow up to this issue. They encountered the same type of issue with an African American test subject, but with appropriate lighting added, they were successfully able to get the software to track and zoom.

Here is the videos:

 

 

Associated press link: http://video.ap.org/?f=AP&pid=mz3XMfJ_kg6syvZ4s_TrGrG4WuhRhgJq

Article Keywords: hp, racist, computer



Comments


Tony: 2009-12-25

Racist my ass. That camera is trying to get away from the ugly chick. It feels perfectly comfortable with the cool black guy though. Watch it again and see what I mean. It's like a first person view from a scared monkey.
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