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’d love to win it and use the touch screen features with photo editing. Sounds so simple! I think I’d put it in the family room.
What a computer!!! Would so love to have one!
So cool. Would love to have it on my nightstand. Do my best work at night.
I think I’d put it in the kitchen.
I would put this in the family room so we could all enjoy the great features and I could still hear recipes being read in the kitchen!
I would love to put this in my kitchen!! We have been thinking about a tv under the cabinets, but this would be even better!!!
OMG!! I need this, mine is soooo OLD and my daughter is going off to college!
I would put it on my desk in my office…and I am sure it would be moved around to be used in the kitchen and the living room too. Thanks for the chance to win!
Put it in the kitchen!
This would totally go in the kitchen. I would love it.
I would have to put this in my kitchen so everyone can see it and use it.
melodi.west@gmail.com
Wow! I would put that in my room, even though I would have to share with my husband. But if I put it in the living room the kids would never leave it alone and there would be weeping and crying and probably some violence in deciding whose turn it was. Best to keep it to myself as much as possible.
I would totally put it in my bedroom, to replace my ancient third-hand machine. So helpful for the schooling.
I would put it in my spare bedroom/office!
Kitchen
I would put it in my living room.
I would put it in the playroom right where the old HP was sitting until I won this new one!!
In the family room where I can tell the boys to keep their fingers off it, over and over and over and….
This computer would go in our living room, where our computer from the stone age currently resides. :)
I tweeted….thanks for the chance to win.
http://twitter.com/aliciasuer
I would put it in my kitchen and use the receipe feature to try to finally learn how to cook!
This is an incredible giveaway!!! It sounds like a great computer, and I would LOVE to win!!
On my bed where I do the majority of my internetting.
I would put it in my home office.
I would put this in our office. Thanks for the chance to win!
My HP is on its last leg at home. I would LOVE to have a new computer, especially this one!!
I would put this beautiful computer on the roll top desk in our den/playroom/office. Thanks BooMama!
I blogged about this giveaway! http://lovelyinpinkbecca.blogspot.com/2009/12/you-could-win-new-hp-touchsmart.html
I would put it in our media room to replace our current computer.
I’d put it in the living room…or maybe my bedroom!
Wow! That little beauty would reside in my living room (on a table/desk I would need to purchase!!!!!) for my 11 yr. old and myself (OK maybe my husband) to share. At least try to share.
I am in the midst of empty nest syndrome so I have decided to redo a bedroom and make it my own little place. I currently have a hand-me-down computer and I would absolutely love to have this one! Thanks!
My kids could really use this for school work. Thanks for doing this!
I NEED this computer! It would go in my kitchen where we have our family desk…thank you so much!
This looks great! I would definitely keep it tucked about far from the little hands that could get to it.
i would be putting it in my new photography studio/office space, aka my spare bedroom since i am just starting out :)
I would definitely put it in my very small office/storage room, where currently my very outdated laptop lives.
Wow it would be so awesome to be the lucky winner!!
I blogged about it!!
I would probably find a spot in my living room for this beautiful computer!! Of course, that would mean buying a new desk and all kinds of pretty things to put on it since you can hang the monitor on the wall! How cool is that?!
I’d put it in our office. It would be perfect there!
How fun is this!!! I would LOVE to win!!! I think it would really benefit introducing my children to computers. I would put it in our family room, for sure!!!
welshcrbb@hotmail.com
You and Me Plus Three
I blogged about it. The perfect spot would be at my kitchen desk. It has never been used as a desk since I’ve lived there. But I’d love to kick out the deep fat fryer and move the nu-wave oven so I could make a good use of that area again.
This would be the perfect reason to buy that desk that I been eyeing and turn that spare bedroom I have into that home office I’ve always dreamed of.
If I won this computer, I would be magnanimous and share it with the family, IF they could pry me away from it. We have a great little built in computer nook that actually acts as like a family room sometimes because it seems to draw us all together when we’re laughing over You Tube videos or Boo Mama’s blog!
I would put it in our office/den where the whole family could use it!
I would LOVE to win this fabulous gift!
I would love this computer. the features look amazing!!
I would probably put it in the kitchen because whenever I cook from online recipes I have to hop back and forth between bedroom and kitchen to cook – this way I wouldn’t have to!
Thanks for this great chance. I would LOVE this, but my husband would be so excited that he would not know what to do!!!!!! Merry Christmas.
I would love an extra computer; I really want to give the one I have now to a friend, but don’t have the money to buy them one, and can’t really be without mine either.
Sweet! I would put it on my $20 Craigslist desk in the corner of my bedroom. I work part time from home, and most of the time my laptop is in the family room–with one of my teenagers using it! It would be GREAT to have a computer ALL OF MY OWN. (Worthy of all caps, even!)
I would put this sassy super powerful machine in MY room! No kids allowed! Yeah!!
I would love to have a new computer and I would put it in our office. It just looks so fun to use!
I’d put it in my living room where I could work on it AND watch tv at the same time (kinda multi-tasking thang going on). And ONLY I would use it. My poor husband would trash it in about a week, so it’s for my hands only!
I really need a new computer, so I can kill EVEN MORE precious hours surfing the net. And keeping our family on the WORLD’S TIGHTEST BUDGET. Go spreadsheets!
I would put it in my offive!!!
I would put this lovely computer in my kitchen! On the counter. So it could read the recipes to me. How cool is that?
I’d love to win a new computer. Our is starting to run slow.
This is AMAZING!!!! I would love to be able to present this to my husband as a Christmas surprise…He would completely flip out and drool and hyperventilate and quite possibly wet himself….hmmmm, perhaps that doesn’t sound so appealing?? I still would love to give it to him! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would definitley put this in my scrapbooking room. i have just started blogging and this would be a wonderful addition to my work space. I really need my own computer as my husband and son are always on the one in the family room.
I could definitely use one of those!!! I would put it somewhere where my three little munchkins couldn’t get it. I just have to figure out where that is…
This computer looks amazing! I would put in the family room to share w/ the hubby and kiddos. However, once my hubby saw it…I’m not sure how often the “sharing” would happen.
I’d put this awesome machine on my computer desk. The desk would be so happy to be used again. It’s been lonely for over a year now. :)
Oh my gooooodness….I would LOVE this. My little grandson has been begging for his own computer. I’d give it to him.
Warm blessings,
Spencer
I would totally put this in our family room and replace our 5 year old computer! I can’t even believe ours is still working.
I would *love* to have this awesome computer. I’d put it in my dining room (that’s not being used for it’s intended purpose). I have a fabulous computer desk that sits empty at the moment and it would be great there!
I would put it in my office that so needs a new and improved computer!! Thanks for the entry!
I would LOVE to put this in out Family room so that I can blog and spend time wiht my hubby all at the same time!
I will put this in the kitchen and work away while my children play! Thanks for this incredible opportunity.
I could mount this on the wall and use it to teach–in the dining room, of course, because all home learning is done at the dining room table, right? :o) Of course, our dining room is part of our living room and the screen on that thing is larger than our television, so that would make it great for watching online videos, too…
My husband and I were just saying we’d like to have a computer for Christmas! We’d put it in our extra bedroom/office. Thanks!
I posted a blog post about the giveaway!!
http://blog.babydixon.com/2009/12/10/what-win-a-new-hp-computer/
My computer blew up. This would be wonderful. I’d keep it on my desk.
I would put the computer in my eating area…that is where my dinosaur of a laptop resides now. Off the kitchen (but open to) and probably on the wall! ooh so neat! I hope to win! :)
Brie
tysonandbrie@gmail.com
I want it so bad, and will be dreaming of winning it or hoping Santa delivers it to my door. It will look great in our office/living room.
I would love that! I’d love to figure out how to put it on the wall in my kitchen!
I would love this computer. I would put it in my family to replace my failing old Dell workhorse.
We would put this computer in our office…which is a junk storage room right now, but having a computer in there would help us to finish it! Right now, we use my work laptop in the living room. We so need a home computer!
Fingers crossed! We could use a new one!
I would love to win this HP to help out my sis, whe desperately needs a new computer!
Love this thing-great space saver which is critcal for us. It would likely stay on our dining room/homework table for all to enjoy!
What a great opportunity, and so generous! My husband will be going on his first deployment before we know it, and we are anticipating him being away from myself and our two daughters for several months. We do not have a laptop yet, but we would love to have one before he goes so he can stay in touch with us while he serves our country from afar. Thanks for this!
I would put this fabulous computer in our family room…where everyone could see it in all of its glory! I absolutely love, love, love the concept of this computer. What a wonderful Christmas gift it would be for the whole family.
I would put it in my guest room/ sewing/crafting room/ man cave. We live in a small apartment, so our extra room has multiple personalities!
OH MY GOD! THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!
I have been looking for a good Dell desktop for DAYS!
Dear God and random number picking software: PLEASE PICK ME!
Thanks for hosting the giveaway
I would uses this one at work and do I ever need it! I work for a local government agency and we never have funds for new equipment. It would be great for work…so it would go in the place of honor on my desk.
This would be for my sons so it would go in the family room for us to share. :)
I would put this in my new art room. I’ve been dying for a new computer and the size of this would be perfect!
Jen.Doctor32 (at) gmail.com
My husband is studying for his cpa exam and our computer has crashed on him recently so this would be a great blessing to have! We would use it in our office and it would also be helpul for my side business.
Keeping my fingers crossed!
This would be a GREAT gift for my hubby!
I would totally love to have this computer in my bedroom!!! Of course, more than just me would have access to it of course! :)
Prayers and blessings,
Rebecca
I almost feel selfish but I would love to have it!
Tweeted this! http://twitter.com/haugebee
Wow this computer looks so great. My hubby would be ecstatic to get one of these. We are computer nerds too :)
If I won this great computer, it would go in the living room, since that is where we spend most of our time.
I Blogged about the it here:
http://katie-wolff.blogspot.com/2009/12/who-wants-to-win-new-computer.html
Heck yes, I’d want one! :) Looks like a lot of fun and I would actually have a screen that worked (my $15 screen we got at salvage has a bit dent mark on it). lol!
AHHHH! What an amazing giveaway. Well, if I won, I would put the HP touchsmart in our loft/office on my makeshift desk that used to be a tiny dining room table. Or wait, maybe I’d throw out our ugly old TV and put it in the living room. Yes, much better idea, especially since the keyboard and mouse are WIRELESS! Oooo, what fun!
I would put this in our playroom so that I could use it while the kids played, and so that my 4-year-old could use it for her phonics and reading games. What a great giveaway!!!
I’d put it in the study of our home. Too cool!!