This is a compensated review by BlogHer and HP.
A few weeks ago I got an email asking if I’d be interested in reviewing a new HP TouchSmart 600 computer. And yes, I was interested, because I am a nerd and always terribly entertained by anything that plugs in and has a screen, but since I’d never seen the TouchSmart before, I had a mental image of a big, clunky desktop coming into the house. Besides that, we haven’t owned a PC in about ten years, and part of me wondered if accepting the HP was some unforgivable act of Mac betrayal.
But then I remembered the 10 year-old Mac desktop in my office (that, bless its heart, can’t run more than two applications at a time before it starts to wheeze), and I got over my reservations. BRING ON THE HP.
The new TouchSmart arrived a few days later, and y’all, I cannot tell you how impressed we have been by this computer. We love it. It looks great (do you see how skinny it is?), and when David was setting it up, I actually asked him where the rest of it was. It’s essentially the same size as a flat-screen TV. In fact, it can work as a TV – you just plug in your cable and you’re good to go. It can also work as a DVR (CAN I GET AN AMEN?) or a BluRay movie player. There’s even a remote. Be still my heart.
And I wish y’all could have seen my husband’s reaction when he realized that you can mount the TouchSmart on the wall. Suffice it to say that his eyes lit up and then glazed over and I thought for a brief moment that he might need to sit down and put his head between his knees.
We started using the TouchSmart approximately 53 seconds after we set it up, and while I didn’t know how much I’d use all the bells and whistles in our day-to-day routine, I have to say that the touchscreen features are actually my very favorite part. Besides the fact that it makes me feel like Tom Cruise in “Minority Report” when I move my finger around the screen and resize pictures and create collages and pretend like I’m some sort of technological wizard, it’s just so EASY. I can write notes, save recipes, browse the web, play a movie via our Netflix account, laugh at something on Hulu, listen to my Pandora playlist, edit photos and so much more – all without touching a keyboard or a mouse. The computer HAS a keyboard and a mouse, of course (they’re wireless!), and you can use them with any of the TouchSmart applications – but once you get the hang of the touchscreen, it’s oh-so-convenient and fun.
I really could go on and on – about how Alex loves it, about how the touchscreen is COMPLETELY intuitive for a child, about how I adore the Recipe Box feature that lets me add any recipe I happen to run across on the web and will even READ THE RECIPE OUT LOUD TO ME while I cook. But I’m going to quit talking now because we need to get this giveaway started. I think it’s time.
So.
If you’d like to win an HP TouchSmart 600 computer, leave a comment below and tell me where you’d put the computer if you won. Family room? Office? Playroom? Kitchen? Inside Mama’s closet where NO ONE ELSE CAN TOUCH IT? On top of a thrift store desk that you overhauled with turquoise spray paint?
Or, if you’d like, you can leave a comment with a link to a post about the HP on your blog.
And whatever you do, please make sure that your email address is correct.
This contest will begin December 9th and end December 24th.
Before I forget:
1) If you’d like more information about this computer, just click on over to HP’s official site.
2) Rules!
• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on Twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older (I’m so sorry, Canada).
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
• You have 48 hours to get back to me; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
• Please see the official rules here: Official Rules.
The winner will be selected using random.org.
Also, there are four other bloggers giving away the HP TouchSmart 600 (that means there are five free computers up for grabs, people), so check out the BlogHer.com special offers page for links to their sites. You can enter to win on all five blogs.
Happy TouchSmarting, everybody!
Thursday 12/10 at 8:40pm – comments seem to be working just fine again. Thanks for your patience!
This giveaway is now closed.
I would put this computer on my table that doubles as my desk! Thanks!!
I tweeted about this too.
http://twitter.com/susy_homemaker
I tweeted …
http://twitter.com/jjwest25
Um, yes please?
And it would go in our living room…we have a desk tucked off in the corner.
readingtoknow (at) gmail (dot) com
I would use it for my monogramming business!! Mine it’s on it’s LAST leg and I NEED is!!! PLEEEEEEAASSSEEE pick me, Mr. Random Generator Man!!!
I blogged about this too!
I would put it in the kitchen – I have a perfect spot for it! AND maybe now hubby will actually eat at the kitchen table to watch tv instead of on the coffee table :/ ha!
This stupendous machine would go in our den/office and be used by all 4 of us! How cool would this be for Christmas!
Oh, this computer is so pretty and just simply wonderful! I can’t decide if I would put it in our office or our bedroom since it serves as both a marvelous computer and tv. Our desktop in the office is dead and my laptop, too. It would be great to have in ANY room of the home.
Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!
Jessica K.
We would put this computer in our computer room, to begin with, but I can imagine it will be toted all over the house.
Well, I would put it on my desk in my classroom (I just about live there, anyway). I teach at a “no budget” private school, and it would make all the difference to my classes!! During summer break? In the family room for my boys and I to enjoy (after a day of playing outside, of course! : )
I would love to put this in my kitchen but I have a feeling my husband would veto that and make me put it in the office.
Besides, I do own the laptop I suppose I could share :)
I would put it in my family room for all to see! Love it!
I’ve read about these and would loooove one! thanks!
http://arobinsonphotography.blogspot.com
That beautiful computer would be going in our bedroom so I could use it in peace to do school work!
This would be the best Christmas gift to my family ever! We are in desperate need of a new computer. My husband and I are still using our old college laptops from like 8 years ago. Here’s hoping!
Lori
scubagirl78@hotmail.com
Thanks for the offer!
WOW! What a great giveaway!
I’d probably put it in the kitchen or living room. It’s one big long room, so it probably wouldn’t matter. But that’s where I spend my days, so that’s where it would have to go. :)
amandabroadway at hotmail dot com
I would love this computer! I would put it in my kitchen in the designated office space! I hope I win!
I would definitely put it right next to the kitchen, in the family room, where I could touch it every time I passed. I think I’d get nothing else done for a few days. Except, you know, blogging.
butlerswife@gmail.com
What an awesome giveaway! I would love to win this nifty touchsmart computer to upload and edit pictures the millions of pictures I take of my 14 month old! I don’t have the best camera as it is, but I’m sure with a better computer, amazing things can happen! :) This would go right in my bedroom for easy access after bedtime. Thank you and Happy Holidays!
mkdaiger@gmail.com
I would put it in my kitchen/dining room so we coul all enjoy it!!!!! what a great prize!!!!!!!!!
Definitely the family room, but that thing might even deserve a new desk!
I would totally give this to John, who would lock it in his office! That man deserves it after all he has done for me these past few weeks of the “in the wheelchair” experience ;)
I tweeted :)
http://twitter.com/meltonbritt/status/6507299965
I would put that pretty new computer in the kitchen, so I could ignore all my real responsibilites while I played.
I would put this in my room where my 2 year old wouldn’t be able to touch it. He can break anything!
i need this computer!!! what a FABULOUS giveaway!!!
Would love to win this!
This is the coolest new gadget ever! I would put it in the family room on our desk so the whole family could enjoy it. We have a small house and that would take up very little room!
way cool…i’d put a new computer at my workstation!!
It would go in our playroom which is right off of our kitchen/family room! It looks AWESOME! Thanks!
and I blogged :)
http://soontobemeltons.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway.html
I would put mine in the guest room/office…it would look so lovely!
In the computer hutch in my family room – a place of honor for all to see!
Wow! What a great contest! I am going to be graduating from college this year, and will be embarking on a new job in a new city, teaching preschool in Chicago with Teach for America. This computer would be a great assett for me…I’ll be doing lots of paperwork, creating lesson plans, inputing goals and achievement, and it would be great to have a functional computer is that is reliable and fast, unlike my current one! Plus, this giveaway would just be perfect for my “on my own with a teacher’s salary” budget. I would put it in my room at my apartment, away from the sticky fingers of my preschoolers! :) Thanks!
Mallory (malmorse (at) aol (dot) com)
Well, since I am graduating in a week and currently don’t know what I’ll be doing, I’m not sure where I’ll put my new HP TouchSmart. But probably somewhere close to my bed so when I roll out of bed in the morning, it’s the first place I go. (After the bathroom, of course.) (Was that TMI? Sorry.)
in my bedroom :)
I would put this in our office. It would be so great for when I work at home on stuff from work!
I would put it in my room where I could keep a watchful eye over it…and my little 21 months old fingers :)
She would make her home in our downstairs corner office, and she’d love it there!
I’m torn! I can’t decide if it would be better in the kitchen so I (my husband) could use the fancy read to me feature from the Recipe Box or my bedroom, where I could use the wireless keyboard to blog in bed. Either way, it would get plenty of use wherever it is in my house!!!
I would HANG IT ON THE WALL in our office! How cool is a computer you can hang on the wall?!? Pretty cool I tell ya!
Thanks!
I tweeted!!
http://twitter.com/cviel21
I would LOVE to win this computer! I would put it in our office. My husband works on websites on the side and he would love this computer!
I would put this in the computer room (how clever) that is currently housing a limping, slow machine. Hubby would be sooo happy!
I blogged about this! Thanks so much!
I have twittered about it as well!
Ohhhhhh . . . i would put this in a special place in my heart! And for realz, i would probably be putting this one in a place of honour on my desk while i donated my old one!
And I’d love to win because it would make my life as a student sooo much easier!!
I blogged too!! http://www.mom-wife-triathlete.com/2009/12/i-want-to-win.html
This would be the perfect addition to my family room!
— Meg
Definitely the family room!
While I am leaning towards the Mama’s closet idea, : ), I would probably put it in my room. My sanctuary. My haven. My place I play on Facebook. :)
I love to have a new computer. the touchscreen would be great! I would put in it my offfice/crafting room.
How fun! I would love to have a computer in my kitchen…so cool that you can mount the monitor and use the keyboard on a remote feature. Technology these days…
I guess I would have to put it in my office – such a boring place for such a cool product!
I would put it in a lovely gift bag, load it in the car, and drive it on down to Houston and give it to my mom where it would find it’s new home. Her computer just bit the dust, so this would be great! If I had to guess, she’d probably put it in her office/spare room.
I would definitely put it in our study so the entire family could enjoy it!!! : )
I would put it in my office.
I would put in my office
I would put this on my kitchen desk, and also in my bedroom!
It would sit proudly on the desk in my bedroom. Of course it would be protected by the new deadbolt that I’ll have installed on the door and the guard dog I’ll be getting.
This is a great giveaway. I would put this computer in our dining room on the computer desk replacing the ancient desktop we have that runs like the one that you had before this one. I’d love to win this computer it would make life alot easier.
catrisha{underscore}tittle{at}yahoo{dot}com
Would it be too creepy to say I’d totally put this in my bathroom?! Seriously…I am in there all of the time! :-)
That or the office…it’s a toss up…
whoa…it would be all mine…
I would put it by my chair for multi tasking during football
I would put in my room
I would put it in the den in our master bedroom… and I’d gladly say goodbye to the big clunker taking up our entire desk!
I would put this in our study. Love HP! This computer looks great!
Awesome computer!
She’d go right into the home office….mama needs a new computer!
I’d reorganize my room completely all so the computer won’t block the window when I put it on my desk, haha. It looks so nice!
Oh I need one of these. My poor laptop is ready for retirement!
This would go in my bedroom! Who couldn’t use and all-in-one in the bedroom? So awesome!
I’d totally put it in my office and give this one to the sticky fingered-children. I’m a cool mom. :)
Ours would go on my side of the bed, attached to the headboard.
Oh, I’m kidding….sorta. It would really go in our “office” area by the table.
We would put it in the dining room/kitchen area :)
If I win this, it’s going in the office, but will probably be moved to the kitchen often….love the recipe feature!
I would put it in our master bedroom!
I would most definitely put it in the living/dining room on our computer desk where our ailing PC is now. My children would be thrilled to do research for homework on this beauty! I would also be able to keep an eye on them and we could all share in the fun!!
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/hudsonckal
This looks amazing! My family would love to use one of these!!!
If I won this computer it would be in my room- I am about to graduate college and enter grad school (crossing my fingers!) so it would be awesome to start a new chapter with an updated computer!-
willi4jl@gmail.com
I also blogged about it!
http://hudsonckal.blogspot.com/2009/12/most-amazing-giveaway-ever.html
Well I’m not sure if it would make its home on my desk or my husband’s, but I’m pretty sure we’d find a place for it! Merry Christmas!
It would go in my mom’s kitchen. I know I would have a hard time parting with it – but I think a computer like this would make my mom more inclined to use the computer! My dad has been looking at one for her for a while, and I’d love to surprise her with this!
I would add on an extra room on to the house just for this baby.
Oh my. I think I’d be putting it on my desk downstairs.
Thanks so much for the chance to win!
I’d put it in my kitchen with a sign that says “Do not touch!” ha
I would probably set it up in out bedroom. It would be a good excuse to get a desk!
This IS exciting! My teenage son has been asking for this, now I see why! If I won, I would put it in the kitchen so I could see what is going on in the world while I am cooking and washing!
momgraf
I would put this computer in our kitchen for everyone to enjoy. We have the perfect spot. Oh.my.word.
Merry Christmas, Sophie and family!
GA Jan
Where to hide, uh, I mean put the computer is a good question. Where can I put it where I can use it blissfully without my family knowing I have it…?
I would put this computer in the office in MY NEW HOUSE since hubby was just transferred for work!
I would love it in my kitchen. Kids could use it for homework and I could use it for recipes…
I’d put it on the desk in the dining room!
I would put it in my new office space! This would be amazing!
I would put this little gem in our toy room. Right now I have to trek out to the cold office in our garage for any computer time, which is difficult with a 4 year old and 1 year old.
I would put in the kitchen!
Awesome! My family would love this!