Teen Machines: Targeted Laptop Design

"We've used this teen council to help us with everything from the design of the products, the user interface and the box design, even including how the Web site will look," Karim said on a panel of executives talking about marketing to the younger generation. Representatives from Sun and Microsoft were also panelists.

"That's a major transformation for a company like HP, which has been much more focused on an older crowd," Karim added.

Karim did not detail what devices the company will unveil this fall. Ann Finnie, an HP spokeswoman, wasn't familiar with the product line that Karim referenced. But she said the company generally has been trying to cater to a younger audience with products like the TouchSmart PC, a desktop with a touchscreen interface that's designed as a home entertainment hub. It was introduced in January 2007.

Karim's comments came during SD Forum's second annual Teens and Tech conference, a one-day event focused on how teens are using technology to innovate, start companies, and organize around causes. The event also delved into marketers' approach to the market, given that kids are spending more and more of their time online.