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.
Wow! Incredible giveaway. I would put this beauty in my office, which I am in the midst of setting up now.
I just got married on November 21st. We just moved and right before his computer died! WE don’t have one! I haven’t blogged in 3 weeks! This would help SO much!!!
Thanks!
I would most definetly put it in the study/family room. My 4 year old has a hard time with the mouse, but I think the touch screen thing would be AWESOME!
Thank you, BooMama, for the opportunity to participate in your awesome giveaway!!! I would most likely put this computer in our living/family room.
In my tiny, tiny office, and it would take up so much less room than the current computer!
What a great giveaway! I would love to win this computer! We really need one!
OMG !! This would be perfect, me and my husband have 5 children and one lap top computer (HP) and let me tell you I would love to have this computer in my room and give them the laptop so they can do thier thing and I can do my husband business on this purty thang !!!! I just cant keep from looking at it…..I will for sure have my fingers crossed and thanks for the one in a zillion chance….
Love it, Love it!! This would be sooo perfect in our house! ;)
WOW!! I would totally LOVE to win this computer! I would put it in the kitchen so that I can be in the middle of my house and still keep an eye on what’s going on!! WOW!!!
I would put it in my bedroom where the kids can’t get to it…lol…would be so nice to be able to replace my ancient dell that gets tired and just turns itself off every now and then…
Def. my room!! It’s the only room really without a computer!
It would be AWESOME to win this HP computer because:
1. I am a teacher and what a wonderful tool this would be for me and my students
2. My laptop’s motherboard just failed me before Thanksgiving
3. HP is an awesome company – my BFF is a marketing analysis for them
4. It would be totally cool to win something!
Monelle
As much as I would like to keep this computer all to myself-I would have to put it in my kitchen where my entire family could use it. I have a 1st grader who is REALLY interested in using the computer now. I would absolutly love to win this-it looks amazing!!
I’d put it in my bedroom!! Thanks Boo Mama!
I would put the computer in our family’s office – we all use one computer and it is open to all of us. I guess I am saying I would be really nice and share!
This would definitely go in our office! What an awesome computer!
I will tweet about this giveaway at
http://www.twitter.com/monelle
I would love this computer to replace my 7 year old mac… it’s definitely on its last leg! I would put this in our built in desk in the kitchen!
I would put it in my guest room/office. I so hope I win! :)
Oh my gravy are you serious! It’s reads the recipe OUT LOUD to you! AWESOME. I think for that reason i’d find a way to put this bad boy in my kitchen. I’ve always wanted a little Mama office in my kitchen :) This is so awesome! thanks for the chance to win.
I am thinking that I definitely need this! Can we just say “Windows 95”????? My computer is archaic! I would love to replace it and it would go in my little office nook in the upstairs bedroom.
Thanks, Sophie!
Melita
I would put this in my kitchen/den where I can keep an I on it…don’t want any grimy kids touching it!! loL! ;)
I love the look of this PC! I’ve been a laptop snob for 10 years, but I think with the TouchSmart I could get past all that…
we would move our old one to my daughters room and the NEW one would be in our family room. THANKS!
oohhh..i would totally put it in my “office” which is actually a spare bedroom..on top of a old desk that I have had for years :)
I would definitely put this in our family room and then I would get a Netflix account for the whole family to enjoy it!
It looks really neat! I think I’d put it in the kitchen where the whole family could use and enjoy it.
I would love to find a nice place in my kitchen for the computer. That way all the recipes would be right there and I could keep an eye on little fingers.
I would put it on the desk in the kitchen where all of us could enjoy it!
I’d put it in our “office area” or as we like to call it, that corner of the living room where we can pretend we have an “office area!”
I would totally put it in my playroom for my boys to enjoy too!:O)
I would put this on my desk in my office- we call it the “study”.
I would put the new computer in the family room. Thank you.
I would give it to my fiancee as a wedding gift to thank him for making me the happiest girl in the world!
I work from home and my laptop just crashed. This would be perfect!
after losing my job and my husband losing his job we were lucky to come live with my parents. their computer is losing its life and i would lvoe to share this with them as a small thank you for all they have done for my family.
AWESOME!! I most likely would put it on my desk/office in the basement. But I don’t know if I would actually get work done on it since I’m sure my girls would be clamouring up in my lap to play with it. But it would totally be worth it!
I would put it in my office/craft room – my mom cave! Thanks!
Ooooh…awesome! This baby would go in our office quite nicely. Thanks for the opportunity!!
Our computer is in our family room so I can see the pictures as they come up on the screensaver. They’re totally distracting, however, when I’m trying to watch TV!
I think I’d put it in the kitchen. It is the hub of the house. OH – or maybe the classroom. (We homeschool.) How cool would it be to have this computer?!
Ooooh, either the living room or the master bedroom. Selfishly, I’d like to keep it in the master bedroom. :)
Our office is actually open to our living room. And our current computer is ancient and horribly ugly. This would help the asthetics a lot! Not to mention how great it would be to have a computer that actually works all the time!
I would put in my family room.
wow and wow! this would motivate me to get rid of this horrible old desk and redo the office! OR give it to my mom who needs one worse than we do! thanks boomama:)
I think this would be a kitchen computer. We’re buying a house (our first house!), and I anticipate that we will all be hanging out in the kitchen.
It would be lovingly adored in my home office.
I would put it in a place of honor in my upstairs den!!!
Hmm, I think it belongs in the kitchen, and MINE would be the best for it!
Thanks! I would put it in our spare bedroom.
it would go in my kitchen since i spend most of my day there. nmbr1angel77@yahoo.com
I would LOVE a new computer.
Merry Christmas-Roxie
we would put it in our guest room to replace the computer we have now. :)
I would put it in my den to replace the old laptop that may not be long for this world. What a giveaway! Thanks BooMama and HP!
It would fit nicely under the Christmas tree :)
The kitchen! I’ve always wanted one in my kitchen!
I would use this computer for my online graduate classes that are taking over my life!
This is totally awesome! Sounds perfect for me and my busy family. My husband would flip with this thing. Thanks for the chance!! =)
I would LOVE a new computer! :)
Merry Christmas-Roxie
I would so put this in my office to replace my own wheezing laptop. It would be so cool to have a 2nd TV too because a mom can watch only so much PBS Kids before she wants to scratch out her eyeballs.
Would love it!!
I would put this on my desk in place of my very ancient and slow computer.
This is just what my nerdy self needs! It would fit perfectly on my desk – which is skinny, no room for a regular PC there!
I would mount it in my kitchen
I’d probably put it in my office so I could shut and lock the door when I am busy else where. I am sure my youngest would love to get his grimy little hands on it. LOL
Thanks!
So fun! I would put it in my 2nd bedroom..
My husband has his own business and we were just talking about how he (we) need a new PC. That would be an amazing win!
We would put it on our antique desk…which was an amazing garage sell find at $20
Wow! That is awesome and so generous. I would have to put it in the family room since my son tries to use his finger on my current screen, he thinks everything works like the I-phone.
DarlaRWinters@yahoo.com
This would be great as I plan to homeschool our girls.
I would love this awesome new computer! It would definitely replace my ancient desktop in my office!
WOW thanks!! This would be a wondeful addition to the house- we need a new computer an this one would be super fun!!!
Blogged it!
http://lifewithjack2.blogspot.com/2009/12/little-contest-happy.html
I would place this in the kitchen until my husband can clean up the office enough for it to go in there.
I would LOVE a chance to win this computer! We dont have cable and only my husband has a functioning computer which he does his work on…this would be great for us!Lauren Rockafellow
I have a very small apartment, so there are not too many choices! But I’d put it smack dab in the middle of the desk and replace that 10 year old Gateway that currently lives there!
WOW!! Totally in the family room, so we can all use it!
In our office. Definitely need to head to the thrift shop for a new desk to paint! :)
I would put this computer on top of the desk that I purchased two years ago that has yet to have a single computer on top of it! Thanks!
I would put it in our family room on the desk my husband built! :)
I would put this in our computer room to replace the one that currently is slower than molasses.
This would be amazing to win! Thanks :)
Where to put it – the question, the question. Should it go where I do the serious stuff, pay bills, or where I really live? Yep, the kitchen, breakfast nook. I live to cook. I have a little tv, a pile of recipe printouts from my computer and a portable dvd player for shows I record off cable. I stand and cook to Julia, Ina, and cry along with Jane Austen while kneading loaves and loaves of bread. The grandkids hang out here with me, cause there is always something good to eat, so lets throw in some learning games too.
I would love to win this!!!
my husband really needs a new computer. his laptop is literally falling apart, and like most families today, we cannot afford to replace it right now.
I would put it on my hand me down desk I painted silvery grey!
This would go in my craftroom! We are converting our office back to a guestroom and our desktop is going to be moved to my personal space! I am dreading it because it will take up a ton of space. This HP would be PERFECT!
Oh! I’d LOVE that – and it would be in our kitchen where EVERYONE can use it!!!
Blogged it!!! http://mandysandifer.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/trying-to-win-a-new-computer/
I would put this sweet baby in my computer armoire. Our computer is not working at home so this would be a great big huge blessing!
i’d put this in our living room for all to enjoy – both mine and my husband’s computers are on their last legs, so this would be great!
Thank you for making our Christmas a LOT merrier! I thank you, my husband thanks you, and my little man Noah thanks you. Merry Christmas
Would. Love. New. Computer. Need it for grad school!!!! Bring it on HP!!
My husband is in school and takes some internet classes so this would be perfect for his desk. Our desk is in the dining room so that’s definitely where this puppy would go if I won! Thanks for this contest!!!!!!
Tweeted it! (which is really special because I rarely tweet!)
http://twitter.com/stephanienb
Wow great giveaway!! Thanks to you and HP. I’ve LOVE a new computer and it would be fab for our family. I would put it in our basement/den where we spend the majority of our time. We homeschool, I work, we play, and do everything as a family in the den!
Thanks for the chance to win :)
I would just love this new shiny computer under my tree for Christmas.
I would put it in my laundry room/office so I could use the computer when everyone else was using the one in the office.
In the office!!
I would actually put it in my momma’s sewing room at her house!! I want to win this for her! 2 of my brothers have moved back home, my younger brother still resides as well as my father. Their computer is pushed to it’s limits and my momma hardly ever can get on EVER!! So I want this for her to put in her sewing room and not let the men in the house touch it! She has lovingly taken care of them through these hard times and is amazing for it! Her patience is something I need to learn!! Hope I win even though I’m not lucky at all… so hopefully someone from above is looking down on my momma this season! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
I would put this in my family room. On the other side…so we could all compute…while sitting by the fire!!!