HP has signed a deal with Chinese search outfit Baidu to preload its portal onto PCs it ships to China. The tie-up will last a year to begin with, starting October 2006.

HP China consumer PC director Wee Kee Yeo said: "The trend of individualisation is spreading quickly through the entire IT industry. HP is trying to achieve the ideal integration of innovative technologies and individualisation to bring true individualised experience to its users."

China is of course the growth market in search. Baidu's courting of HP can be viewed as its response to Google's handing a reported $1bn to Dell in May to preload the Google toolbar. ®

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