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.
Awesome! I would put it in my dining room or downstairs area that we use like an office.
i would put it in my kitchen where i am the most. i really would like to win this, haven’t won anything ever.
Oh please, how we would love it and use it in our study …. 4 kids ages 16,15,13,and 12 all writing papers, doing power points, I can never find my laptop bc a child is using it, homework takes for ever bc we all have to take turns. Thanks so much for a chance!!
It would go on our desk in the guest bedroom!
I would put this lovely computer on my desk to replace to old one!
I would put it in the office, taking the place of the old old computer that crashed.
I would put it in my husband’s church office. NOT.
I would put it on my desk and give him my old Dell..:)
We’d put it in the office. I think our laptop is about to crash so we could really use this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hmmmmm….If I won something for the first time in my LIFE I would put it in my office/ guest room perched upon my great grandmothers writing desk:)
My almost-3yo is a bored pest during the time when I homeschool my 6yo, but she can’t use a mouse yet. She’s great with an iPhone, though. I’d put this in the homeschool area to keep her busy!
I just blogged about it at http://designsbypraterblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/win-free-hp.html. thanks!
I would put it on my bedroom bc I dont have space anywhere else!!!! :)
I just tweeted about it, too :) twitter.com/designsbyprater
I’m thinking bedroom, or it might just replace the main computer
I would put it in my kitchen.
I would put it in the family room, where we all study and do homework.
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/AMarriedFish/status/6538093969
I would put this computer in my room on a nice little computer desk.
Cheryl Martens – JCMartens@juno.com
Would love this computer! I would put it in our family room! Thanks for the chance to win!
This looks awesome! I would put it in our den. Thanks for the offer!!
I’d throw out my old PC (that wheezes upon start-up) and place it ever so lovingly on my desk.
Wow! What an amazing giveaway! We have a hallway nook that is right by the kitchen and living room. It’s designed to hold a computer. So I would put it there, to make it easy to cook and hang out on forums while the kids play. But I can see myself lugging it to the bedroom so that DH and I can watch 24 and LOST and some of our other “scary” shows that we don’t want the kids to watch. I’m crossing my fingers!
I would put this computer in my living room, similar to where Mckmama seems to have hers =)
I would put it in my kitchen (we have a desk area) and I WOULD LOVE IT!!!
I would put it in my kitchen! How fun!
I would put this beauty in my study.
What a fabulous contest! Thanks! Have a wonderful holiday!
I would keep it in whatever room that I’m in, to protect it!!!!!!!
My husband and I are expecting our first baby in February. I plan to stay home with our son rather than returning to work. Our MAC laptop has had some major problems (it is pretty old) and isn’t working anymore. This leaves us without a home computer! Our family is 7 hours away and I desperately want to share pictures, videos, and video chats with them once Ranston joins our family! Going to one income doesn’t leave us much room to get a new computer. Thanks for the opportunity!
I would put it in the family room where I would unfortunately be forced to share it with the rest of the family.
ooh…my husband and i were just last nite talking about how we need a new computer! i would want to keep this with me at ALL times, regardless of what room i’m in, but i would probably keep it mostly in the kitchen so i could keep an eye on the kids while i’m using it :)
I’d love to have an extra computer to keep in the kitchen when I cook. Our desktop is all the way across the house and I have to run back and forth when I’m following a recipe!
I would put this in the bedroom that we use as an office/craft room.
I think this would sit very nicely on my desk, in my office (which is also the laundry room!)
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Merry Christmas
It would go in my office nook and the dinosaur I have now would be thrown out in the front yard, where I could dance on it with childlike glee!
I think we would create a new computer area on the landing, in the kids’ play area – especially if I can put it on the wall. That sounds awesome!
We would use the HP Touchsmart 600 in the front study, because it is as beautiful as a decoration, and the whole family could have access to it, from me for grocery lists and bills to my husband for work related stuff to the 3 kids for school and fun!!!!
I would put this in the family room for all of us to use!! So cool!
I think I’m going to have to go with the kithcen. That recipe feature sounds awesome!
I would put it in my family room and a beautiful desk that we received as a wedding gift years ago. Love it!!!
I would put it in my office and probably stay in there 24/7!
That would be awesome to win.
well, i would be tempted to put in mama’s closet where no one else could touch it, but i think this one was meant to be touched. so i would chuck the old ready to die tv and replace it with this! *Ü*
I would LOVE to have this computer so I could get rid of my junky laptop! I’m so afraid it’s going to crash soon. I love taking pictures of our 7 month old and I could do so many neat things w/ this amazing computer.
Family room, no, my room, no, kitchen…umm…yes, my room. Thanks –
I think I would put it in our downstairs den! My girls would love having a computer where they can play Webkins all.day.long!
Thanks for a great giveaway!!
Would big time love to have this in our family room – DH isn’t well and this would be big time fun for him to sit upstairs and rock out with a touch screen!
I would put that baby on my desk in my office which is open to the rest of the house…proudly displayed for all to see!!
I just tweeted!
I would put in kitchen…. the perfect place…because that is where i homeschool…
I would be very happy to put that pretty thing in my kitchen. Just one question….does it have the letter D? My “D” was removed by my oldest about 5 years ago and I don’t know what a real “D” feels like!!!! I could figure though!
I think it would look lovely in my computer armoire in my office. Thanks!
Would be oh so helpful in a house with an ancient computer, with 3 boys that seem to always need to get school work done on the computer that does not want to keep up or even work some days!
Would love one and I’d have it in our dining room to share with my 12 yr old foster son.
I would probably put it in my living room. The kids would love it!
Leslie
We are finishing a new family room and that is where I would it.We were planning to get a new one soon but this one is much better!!!Thanks!
OMG fab giveaway….I would love to put this in my Family room so everyone could could experience this fab computer!
I would give this baby to my husband for his office because I’m all sweet and wonderful like that.
I would put the TouchSmart in our office where my family would have access to it.
What a great giveaway! I would love to have this in my kitchen!
Wow that is awesome. Our computer is in the kitchen/eating area where everyone can use it. This would be great!
I would put it in our breakfast area that doubles as an office.
How awesome!! I would definitely have to find a turquoise desk to put it on if I won. :)
I would replace the one I’m on right now!!! Lost the hard drive a while back and am encountering more and more issues with this one. It would look great here on my hand me down desk that I stained too many years ago and its needing it again!
I would SO use this in my kitchen!!
i put it on our second-hand desk in the living room of our third of an ancient-1800’s-built-house apartment, which is complemented by a missing corner chewed off by some previous tenants dog. our current desktop takes up that space, but makes loud annoying noises which we try to muffle with blankets to keep from going insane, so a new sweet computer would definitely take that spot!
I would LOVE this!!!!!!! The practical side of me says put it on the brand new computer desk that I just purchased/hasn’t even arrived in the mail yet. But the daring side of me says to put it in the kitchen. It had me at hello when I read that it calls out the recipes to you.
Hi! I would put the computer in our upstairs den to replace our old, s-l-o-w one!
ooh i would find a way to put it in my livingroom so i could just stare at it. actually with 4 home schooled children and a husband who is deploying 4 weeks after our move it would be used more than any other electronic in our house.
I would put it in our kitchen so that everyone could enjoy it.
I would SOOOOO put this in my craft room. How ironic is this? My laptop has been just cranky lately. Perhaps the random number generator will land on me (here’s wishing!). : )
Great giveaway. I would put this in the study and get rid of the monster currently occupying that space!
I never win stuff like this, but what the heck. It’s worth a shot, right?
I would put this in my new home office. My husband let me move my office into the spare bedroom from its old home in the basement next to the washer/dryer. I now have a clean space where I don’t have to reach over and fold clothes while I’m working.
Great contest!
I would put it on the table. And I know you’re confused and saying, “Why the table?” But when your husband’s law school homework/books/notecards fill up the desk, the dresser, and the coffee table, there aren’t a whole lot of options left.
I’d put it in my office of my new home! Perfect for photo editing.
Oh I would probably mount it in my room over a little desk or something so that we could watch movies at night and YES the kids could not touch and destroy it!
This would replace our old slow HP PERFECTLY!!! Looks like it’d be really easy for our 3 year old to use also.
This is FOR SURE on my wishlist now!!!
chair28@msn.com
Ohmygoodness! I would LOVE to have this computer to put in my kitchen! I have a small desk in my kitchen that is currently a housing spot for all of my children’s “stuff”. My pc is too big for the desk space…this would be PERFECT!!
I tweeted (Twitted? Twittered? Tweetered?)
http://twitter.com/SincerelyJenni
I would love to win this. I would put it in my kitchen so I can cook and blog at the same time!
I would put the HP Touchsmart in our office room! Love it!
Also, I tweeted about this:
http://www.twitter.com/htownroyalty
I’d put it in my daughter’s basement for my grandkids – this would be AWESOME for them!
I just facebooked about it!
I also blogged about it. I’m a sucker for a free computer.
http://sincerelyjenni.com/yes-you-need-to-enter-this-contest.html
Oh, I want to win this for my twin sister. She has had a rough year and is disconnected from the world a lot of the time. This would keep her little chin up!
I also twittered about it under my screen name : mylifeblessed
I love this computer. As much as I would love to be selfish and keep it for myself, I would put it in the den for my husband to use. He would love the wireless aspect of it. I also blogged about this and linked your blog to my blog at leeleesplace.blogspot.com
My email is linda2457@gmail.com
I also blogged about this giveaway!
http://flipflopbride.blogspot.com/2009/12/giveaways-in-blogland_10.html
I’d hide it far, far away! :) Seriously, I’d keep it in my bedroom, away from sticky fingers!
I had to think just a minute since my house is full of little girls with sticky fingers but I think I would have to put it in my sewing room, it’s the only room in our home that is just mine!
I think selfishly I’d want it to go in my room where no one else could touch it. But in reality I think I’d share it with the whole family in the den where we keep the community computer for the whole family to enjoy.
If I won the computer I would put it in the living room.
You know, oddly enough.. I’d love to have it in the kitchen. Touch screen? Recipes? Cooking videos? Or watching my favourite MTV trash TV while I make dinner? It doesn’t get better than that!
I am in desperate need of a new computer! Mine died two weeks ago and my husband’s is on the way out as well! The iPhone can only do so much for me, and my blogging has suffered greatly from my lack of computer access. :(
I also spread the word on my blog and on twitter :)
http://tinyurl.com/yeygqua
http://twitter.com/betsyyow
I would trash my old computer and put the new one in my office room on top of my cherry table.
Where would I put this??? Hummmmmmm, the bedroom where only I could use it and hog it all to myself!! No, seriously, probably the kitchen or the play room where the kids can really get the opportunity to use it!!
I blogged about the giveaway!
http://soicansleepatnight.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-600-computer-giveaway.html
i tweeted the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/linzrc
my office for sure