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 set it up in the family/play room so I can have fun with it while the kids play with their toys and occasionally let them have fun on PBS Kids using the touch screen capabilities.
I would put the computer on my desk in the living room where we could all have fun with it!
I would buy a turquoise desk for it and place it in the living room!
I would place that beautiful thing in my family room so we could all enjoy it.
ooh I hate be selfish but I would put it in my creativity room (aka scrapbook,photography, dogs room) I would love to paint the walls a lovely shade of soft lilac and paint a desk to be shabby and girly and put a new computer in there.
I would place it in my kitchen or maybe my den. I need for it to be very handy!! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I would put it in the family room, even though I probably wouldn’t let anyone else use it!
I don’t think it’d be able to have a spot, because I’d be so excited about it I’d just carry it around all the time! Eventually, though, I think it would settle down in our guest bedroom.
I blogged about it too!!!
www,daveclark4@gmail.com
That’s awesome! My computer crashed! We would put it in our office at our house. Just moved in and it hasn’t been used as anything except a junk room so far. Would love to have that sitting on my desk and I may just go and buy a new desk at the thrift store to match it! Send it this way!
I would love to use this in my office! It would be great to help get my shop up and running :)
In our master bedroom!!!!!
I would put it on my desk in my kitchen.
I would put it in my office to replace my outdated computer.
wow if I by some slim chance won this computer I would have to pinch myself for starters as I’ve never won anything sooo valuable but as to where I wouold put it–the schooling room as we homeschool and having a touch screen for a 6 yr old would be the greatest thing. Some kids are born with a mouse in their hands-others not. Good luck to everyone
I blogged about it!
http://armsfarmsandfam.blogspot.com/2009/12/thursday-giveaway_10.html
I blogged about it too!
http://tylerandkristi.com/2009/12/10/new-computer-anyone/
I’d put it in my bedroom – away from 3 sets of little hands. :)
I think I’d set that bad boy up in the kitchen so I could use it while cooking :)
I would put this slim HP TouchSmart PC in my office and would love to win to organize pictures etc when our new baby arrives in May 2010. How exciting I have also posted about this giveway on my blog @ http://staffordmoments.blogspot.com/2009/12/wouldnt-you-love-to-win.html.
I would put it on my new white antiqued desk I just got. I think it would look fabulous!
It would definitely go in my kitchen….the center of my universe!
We turned a large closet in a spare room into our office area. This would be the perfect place, if I was the lucky winner of this free computer.
Thanks!!
I would put it in my den.
This is so cool! I am in college majoring in electrical engineering! I have a realy old computer! This would be so beneficial to me!
Gentry Tubbs
gtubbs@atu.edu
I need a new computer so badly! Ours is about to croak.
I would put it in our family room. Wow! What a great prize!
Oh my word! I would love to win and if I did I would place the beauty on my desk in the guest room!
Who wouldn’t want to win this beautiful computer. I have new twin grand babies and want to do digital scrap booking. I also love the recipe features. Thanks for your blog–so fun to read.
I would love this computer. I don’t have a computer at home, only rely on work computer so this would be amazing.
I would put it in my office/guest bedroom. Then I would finish out law school in style.
I would put it in my guest room/office space and replace my other computer that is now outdated
I would put it in our family room so that we could all enjoy not only the company of each other but also the pure awesomeness of the HP 600 Touch Smart!!!
Oh my goodness, the possibilities are endless but I would definitely have it in the kitchen! That is the most perfect place for it in our home! We rely on computers all the time and my hubby and I could so put this to great use – afterall, we’re still using our computers from college and they are old! Pick me pick me! Thanks for posting this and for the chance! :) Merry Christmas!
If I won this gorgeous machine it would go in our bedroom. Within locked doors. For no one but me to touch. :) Thanks for the chance to win!
I would put it in my loft/office. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
I would LOVE to have this computer!!
I would love to put this in my family room!
I would put it in my son’s Ft. Hood home so that when he is deployed to Afghanistan in April, his one year old son and his precious Japanese wife will have the best resources possible to communicate with him for the following 12-15 months as he tirelessly and bravely serves our country in that region for the 3rd time since 9/11. This will be the first time since his marriage and the birth of his baby.
in the kitchen where it would read recipes to me!! i don’t believe it!
You are linked on my blog ;) http://bustanoby6.blogspot.com/
I would put it in my office. I have NEVER had a new computer before….
I would put this on the counter between my kitchen and living room so we could use it as a recipe box AND a tv! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Oooohhhh! Excitement! I want to play “Minority Report”, too! Hee hee hee! Anway, I would set up this beauty on the little counter top next to the fridge in my kitchen where I currently keep my toaster and planner and whatever other random items land there. Then I would ask it to read recipes to me. Fun!
I twittered about it here: http://twitter.com/stacy_hope
I would put it in my tiny living room which would be perfect as we have no TV. We are having to watch everything on the computer so the fact that we could mount it to the wall would be excellent!
I blogged about it here:
http://thedukedivas.blogspot.com/2009/12/boomamas-giveaway.html
I linked to it here:
http://helpingmeup.blogspot.com/2009/12/tis-season-of-giveaways.html
I would put the computer on my desk.
That is amazing! Would definitely put it in my kitchen, our new (to us) house has a desk area there that’s just perfect…can double-check recipes, keep an eye on the twin teenagers as they’re online, do a little online banking, plan some menus – OH we would have a great time with this!! Thanks!
I would love this computer and I think I’d put it in my bedroom. I could work, watch tv, work on pictures, etc and keep it to myself!!
This bad boy would go into my kitchen since I have one very old, very cranky 13″ TV in there and I would love the DVR of this – plus reading the recipes for me. Can I get it to do that in PW’s voice??! Thanks for the chance!
I seem to live in the kitchen so I would definitely put it there ;-)
I would surprise my wife with it in the kitchen. She could blog, surf the web, shop on line, watch videos, or jam to some cool music while taking care of the kiddos or just chillin.
I would put it in the family room:)
I would put it in my kitchen on the wall so I could see the recipes while I’m cooking instead of running back and forth to the computer.
i would give it to my sister because her mac sounds like yours lol. she is also about to have her first child (my first nephew and the first grandchild) so i will need her to be able to be on skype whenever possible since she lives 300 miles from me and my parents lol.
I would put it in our family room where both hubby and I could use it. We have two old computers that are limping along and will fall down any day now!!!! The touch screen would be wonderful. Thanks for this great giveaway.
OK, I live in an apartment the size of a shoe box (well maybe a boot box, but still!). So I would put this amazing computer wherever I could find a spot for it. WHEREVER. It looks amazing!
I would put in the corner of the kitchen, right under the hot peppers. Since we spend most of our time in the kitchen, doing homework, reading, cooking, etc. this is where it would get the most use.
We have a little nook under the stairs in our kitchen that is the perfect spot for the kids to be on a computer that’s out of the way, but still open for anyone to see where they’re going. (wink*wink*)
They’re only 8 and 9 and we trust them, but no point putting curiousity in their way. I’d LOVE to win one of these computers and putting the monitor on the wall would save so much space! Both our laptops are HP!! They ROCK!
I would put the computer in my family room. I need an at home computer in adddition to the laptop I use at work. Plus I love the fact that it can be used as a TV, since mine is from the ice age. Please random generator, pick me!
I have a fabulous spot in my kitchen that would be great for this computer!
The office!
It would be perfect in my living room in my antique roll top desk. Fingers crossed!
I would love to have this in my kitchen. There are some devotionals that we could listen to while eating dinner. LOVE IT!
I would definitely put that in my kitchen! When I read the post about your desk I showed my husband because I was so amazed by that slim computer, little did I know I could WIN ONE!
Thanks for the great giveaway.
Boy, howdy! If I win this baby, it’s going on a thrift shop desk that’s sitting by it’s lonely self. Thanks for the giveaway.
I would put this in my bedroom so I can give my old laptop to the kiddos and they can play on their “new” computer in the family room and I can retreat to my bedroom during naptime and have fun learning how to use the new computer!!!
Please enter me to win this!! I need a new computer soooo bad and this one is awesome!!!!!!
I would let the family have access to this thing and might consider putting it in the “front room” (it’s a living room that we use as a family room) so that we could watch movies on it as well as use it for computer work. That screen is awesome!
I would put it on our wall TV mount/stand in our bedroom that has been empty since we moved in 3 yrs. ago. I would LOVE to win!!!
I don’t know yet where I’d put it, but somewhere the kids don’t even know about it for a while. They’re getting COAL for Christmas this year!!!
I am starting a ;ministry to moms and their special needs children…would LOVE to have this as a tool.
We would put it in our family room, or as Jack calls it “his office”, he is 3 and needs his own office like his mama & daddy :)
I’d LOVE to have it in the kitchen. How fun!
I think this computer would find a new home in my living room. The house we are moving to has a very long livingroom and one end is going to be completely empty as we have nothing to put there, that is until I win this computer, lol.
I would put this computer in our office. It is pretty empty since we just moved, with the exception of our ancient computer!! With this faster, better computer, I could get my photography business started! And this way I’d be able to work from home and still watch my baby boy! :)
-Noel Dangerfield
jeremyandnoel@gmail.com
I don’t know! My husband will want it in his man cave. My oldest son starts college next month. My daughter starts college in the fall. My middle son would want it, too!
My step-daughter got a computer last Christmas and doesn’t have internet at her house. The babies are too young and I spend all day on a computer at work.
I know I won’t win so – finally something I don’t have to stress about!
I have a corner desk that has been aching for a computer. :) What a wonderful Christmas present!
I would put it in our office downstairs so that everyone would have access to it!
I would put it in our guest bedroom/office, or possibly the kitchen.
I would put this in my kitchen. A place where I can cook dinner, check email, and still see the baby while he plays! Fingers crossed!
I would put it in my bedroom to keep it away from my boys. I think I want it all too myself.
i’d love one please! i’d put it in the kitchen so i could cook with it! :-D
I would put it in my family room to replace the old 1996 dinosaur desktop computer that is the size of an old cadillac. I’d love communicating with all of my distant relatives who live far away. I’d love to toss the old dust catcher that no longer works.
Love this contest! Thank you for sharing with us.
I would love to win this and making editing photos quicker and easier!
I will put it in the kitchen!
I tweeted.
http://twitter.com/ashleynthames.
I tweeted!
http://www.twitter.com/dcanoli
I blogged.
http://joshandashleythames.blogspot.com/2009/12/most-amazing-giveaway-ever.html
If I won that I would put it at my kitchen desk…how fun! :)
I would totally want this upstairs if just for the recipe factor but it would probably end up in the basement where I currently sit. Although I think this would be a wonderful excuse to do that kitchen addition so that we’d have a nice central place to house such a beauty.
This would be awesome!
I would totally use it as a TV and mount it on the wall in our bedroom. My husband would be overjoyed.
This computer would look lovely in the kids’ playroom, so we could all use it. :)
I’d put this computer in my kitchen, no doubt. As much as I wish I had a desk area in my kitchen, this beauty will just have to adorn my lovely counter top!
This giveaway is amazing. Thanks for the opportunity!
This would be a great way to get myself more organized!
http://twitter.com/heavensent30
I would put it in MY room & let the kids use the slug of a pc that I have ;)
I tweeted, too!!