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.
What a fabulous gift! Being a full time mom and student this would come in SO handy. I would put this in the office area.
So now I have put you on my blog too. Fun, fun, fun!
http://jeneanflanagan.vox.com/
Oh WOW WOW WOW!! I would totally put it in our office area (on the desk that was once our dining room table when it was just the 2 of us)–that is separated but opens up to our family room–and there would be barbedwire all around it so my kids won’t touch it’s beautifulness (just kidding–kind of) So–pick me!!
This is a beauty! Sure could use a new computer!
It would replace my old computer on my office desk. I am just starting nursing school, so I could really use a nice computer!! Pick me, pick me!! :)
I posted on my blog!
http://www.myfavoritethings-michele.blogspot.com
oh, I would so love this! Pick me, pick me, pick me!!!
It would go in my craft room where I can get ideas like the ones you are always posting links to!
WOW, with over 2900 comments already my chances are slim, but our dinosaur desktop crashed over Thanksgiving and I sure could use a desktop for the kids to do homework and such. Keeping my fingers crossed I’m the lucky one! This lovely computer would go on our empty computer desk.
Melissa – noboty@gmail.com
I would put it on my computer desk, which is in my bedroom. Boo! I wish I had room for it elsewhere, but I would love to have it no matter where I put it!
I think that I would have to share with the family, so it would go on the bar in the kitchen. Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow I would love a new computer! Right now our old computer is in our guest room/office, but Baby #2 will be here soon so that will soon become a nursery. So I would have to find a new spot for this fancy computer, but it is so pretty I would have to find some spot that it was on display!
In our kitchen at the cute little built in desk that is sitting very lonely right now!
would love love to win one of these awesome computers, thanks for the opportunity~!!
jscmkturner@yahoo.com
I would put it in my kitchen/morning room!!
This computer would go on our computer desk but I love that it could be moved anywhere. Since we canceled our cable, it would be so awesome to be able to watch shows on hulu as a family.
I’d put this in my office & it would be a wonderful replacement of my old Sony Vaio desktop that I bought in 2001 in my first year of college! I’d love this awesome HP especially for my venture into grad school!!
I’d put that piece of heaven on my desk in my bedroom and guard it with my life.
Oh.my.gosh…LOVE IT! You had me at “reading recipes”… I would put it in the kitchen so it could talk to me while I bake! :)
I am in LOVE!!!!!!!!! I would put it on my desk in the family room where my old HP now sits….we’d just move that one over so the kids can use the dinosaur and I get the cool HP touch! :-)
I would put it in my (sort of) child free living room!
I would put it in our office.
I would put it in the guest bedroom/piano room/office! Would LOVE to win this!
I posted this on my blog so hopefully you get some more visters and contestants!! HA! like you need anymore ;-)
In the study
I would put it in the basement so the whole family would be able to use it. We could really use it for our 12 yr old to be able to do school work.
I would put it in the kitchen for sure.
I would put it in my basement/workroom. What an awesome giveaway!
i am totally taking your idea of hiding it in my closet. assuming i win :-)
Family room and oh my, it looks awesome!
babelshelton@hotmail.com
i would put this in my kitchen/breakfast room where i spend all my time!
I would absolutely love to have this for my granddaughter for Christmas…
And you are tweeted about…
http://twitter.com/jeneanf
It would be a gift for my husband so that he could put it in his office. ( but he still has to share;)
How fun!!
I would put it in the computer room.
I would put it in my office where I will soon be working from home!! What a great giveaway :)
This is way too cool!!! PICK ME!! I have a birthday on Sunday and this would be a great birthday present!! =)
DROOOOOOOOOOOL.
I’m thinking I might just sleep with it.
Either bedroom or kitchen. Or attach it to my hip.
We would probably keep it as far away from sticky fingers as we can. Love this computer.
I would love to keep this is my kitchen. It is such a hub of the house!!
I do believe I’d put it in our basement where it would look just lovely. :o)
I would definitely give my kids the “old one” and take this for my very own…how cool of a computer! It would probably be in the living room so I could touch it every time I walked by with laundry!!
I’d put it here in my spare room/computer room to replace my aging HP desktop!
I would put this in my living room … what a great thing to win!!!
I would love this computer to do emabroidery with. It looks like it would totally rock!
I would totally put it in my kitchen where my kids could be SUPERVISED while the play, (er, LEARN) on it . . .
I had to blog about it too!
http://imnotabloggermom.blogspot.com/2009/12/free-computer.html
this would be awesome for the family. it would serve as an ent. unit, comp for homeschool highschooler, family business……..and more!
pax – lena
We have four daughters and two sons (six years and under) and would the opportunity to own this beautiful piece of technology. There is something for all of us wrapped up in a sleek package! Thanks for the chance to win! :)
I love HP computers and I love all things touchscreen too!
Oh my oh my oh my…I am SOOO excited after reading your ‘review’ of the HP! I think I would (initially) put it on my scrapbooking desk in our office….but may move it to the kitchen since it is touchscreen and way more compact and versatile than a regular computer. I want a computer that reads my recipe to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy holidays and thanks for the opportunity!!!
We’d put it in the family room, where everyone could enjoy it.
just tweeted about it!
http://www.twitter.com/mrsashcake
Its home would be the family room. Couldn’t keep this one all to myself.
I would sooooo love to win this computer and put it my kitchen. Watch TV and cook and have it read my recipes out loud! That is awesome!
Oh, I would put it on my desk in my office! Love, Love, Love it!
What fun it looks like. =)
I would put it in the only spot we have for a computer. On the little rinky dink desk we bought at a garage sale for my daughter 4 years ago. haha! in our living room right next to the T.V.
annaanna_44@hotmail.com
That is so SCHNAZZY!!
I’d put it in my office. But then I’d totally figure out how to put it into a more public space because it is just that cool.
kitchen, definitely. unless my husband steals it for his office.
I would put it in our office/grandkids’ room. My 10-year-old grandson, who suffers from autism, would be the main one using it. He has amazing computer skills and it helps him to express himself.
3000 comments and it’s only the first day. wow. Honestly, I’d give it to my niece. We have good computers and she really needs one and doesn’t have a way to get one. So, I’d put it on her desk in Dallas.
I would put the new computer in the family room! I want to win!!! Thanks!
I would LOVE this. I love cooking and I also run back and forth from the bedroom to the kitchen, I would definately put this one in my kitchen!
I’m a student and would love to win this computer for homework and other fun stuff!
It will go in my kitchen!!
Oh how I could use this!! I would put it back in my bedroom!!
I would set it on my desk in my office- and hang the screen under my favorite picture of Mt Fugi-
2 beautiful things hanging on my wall….
I work from home but our home computer just got a nasty virus, so this would be a GOD send and such a blessing if we won!! YAY!!!
Tabitha McNulty
tb0213@aol.com
I would put this at MY desk in our school room and let the kids continue to use our dinosaur for games.
What a great giveaway!! I would love to replace the ancient computer we have at the time. lol
I would put it on a new desk that does not yet exist in my house!
I wrote a poem to show how much I want this:
Merry Merry Christmas
I want to win this.
I have a new boy
who brings his grandma joy
But we live very far away
and she misses him every day.
With this computer I could write
about his life both day and night.
All night and day my husband studies
On his computer so in the future he can make us monies.
So I stay up late to get a chance
to blog, email, sell my headbands.
If I win I will help others overcome their trauma
Cuz I will tell them to visit “BooMama”.
I love this computer, yes I do
Pleas make my christmas wish come true!
I want to put it in the living room. I love that it won’t take up as much space as our clunky desktop (that’s on its last legs!)
We are using the same computer I had in college (over 7 years old!) and we need an upgrade!
Oh my….anywhere in my house would be a good spot for it simply b/c my current computer is on the blink and I’d just be grateful for so to work on! Seriously, I’d like to put it in my bedroom, away from little fingers, snotty noses, and dirty hands. Thanks a bunch!
jawanmcginnis AT yahoo DOT com
I would put it on MY DESK, in MY OFFICE! Woohoo!
I think I am dreaming! I had NO IDEA there was a computer this amazing!!! I want it!!! :)
I’d put it in my office or maybe in a secret hiding place that way I would be the only one using it.
My computer is so old! What a giveaway- I would put in the the kitchen so the everyone could have access to it!
My goodness. This is every college students dream so OF COURSE I’m going to enter!
It’s totally my birthday today, so that should make for some good mojo! If I won, I would put this beauty in our office, where my hubby could just salivate over it!
This computer is a dream!!! Would SO LOVE IT!
I would love to win this. We currently only have a laptop. We would put it in the family room since we have no office.
I would put this awesome computer in my spare bedroom, since we converted our old office into my baby girl’s nursery. I currently use a ratty old laptop that’s about to fall apart, which definately serves it’s purpose, but this would help me get organized with all I do on the computer (pics, music, recipes, crafting/blog reading, etc.) and it would be nice to set up shop on my cute little desk in the room and chill after my sweet pea is in bed!
I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/MoneywiseMoms/status/6520256618
It would go on MY DESK, in MY OFFFICE! Woohoo!
i would put it in my office on the desk! :)
This thing is huge and looks amazing! I would love to have one for my very own. What a blog help!!! I bet we’d be fighting over it around here!
I tweeted about it here http://bit.ly/82JxeA
Tweeted about it too!
http://twitter.com/miss_sarahjean
Good luck everyone!
I would LOVE to win this computer! I have a nice laptop but have not had a desktop in years. I am on my computer ALL the time. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE choose me!!!
I would put it in my dining room on my newly painted (yes, it’s turquoise) dining room table. This is where I am homeschooling 4 children. What a gift this would be!
I would put it in place of the current dinosaur I’m trying to take online college classes on!
I would definitely put it in our office area. I’m getting ready to start my masters in January. This would be so helpful!! Especially since my current one is about ready to die! Thanks for the give away!
This is a GREAT Prize! If I win I would put the computer in my room. What a dream. Thanks again for the chance to win this.
This would be awesome! It would go on my desk in my office! Woohoo!
For a computer like that, I would build a new place to put it! For real, maybe a nice little computer niche in the kitchen. :) Thanks!
What an AWESOME computer!!!