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 would put it in my living room. Only two choices in my two room apartment!
I would put the new computer on my desk for ME and move the dinosaur to the family room!
This Beauty will go in the hub of our homeschooling home, our Kitchen!!!
What a Great Offer and Thank You for this opportunity.
Blessings to you,
Cheryl Moore
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/SarahFurman
Oh PLEASE oh PLEASE let it be me!
I want to win!
If we got this computer right now it would be put on top of a plastic folding table, in our spares rental house. Our family of four packed our bags, with the bare essentials, in two day and moved 1,000 miles away from home during the holiday so my husband could accept an unexpected internship. We love our adventure and an awesome computer for Christmas would be wonderful.
I would put it in my guest room which is hopefully on its way to becoming my home office.
What an awesome computer. It has so many nifty features, and I have three kiddos, and myself, that would love to play with it.
It would definitely have to go in the dining room so the whole family could enjoy it!
Thanks for this giveaway!
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a computer!!! Please Santa Please!!!!
I don’t deserve this computer more than most other applicants– but I am a single mom and I work for the public schools. This is not something I could buy myself, but I would LOVE to have it so that my son and I could play on it together!
What an awesome givewaway for the holidays! I’m so crossing my fingers!!! I want to use it for my blog design business :)
Happy holidays!
I would put it some where in the kitchen….reading a recipe to you while you are cooking. That is so amazing!
I’d put it smack dab in my family room! I hope I win!
I would put it where my OLD HP sits that grinds and grinds away when I try to open any program. My son says I have way too much on it and it can’t handle it. Oh well…I need all that stuff that’s on there! Merry Christmas to all!
Happy Holidays to all.
My children desparately need a computer.
God bless.
This would be such a blessing right now and that computer looks awesome!! What fun my husband would have with it!
I would put it in my bedroom so I can quit sneaking out in the middle of the night to check out peoples blogs! :)
I would put the new and beautiful treasure in our front room in place our dinosaur sitting on the desk! My teenage daughter (and honestly, our whole family!)would simply LOVE something that doesn’t take an hour to open up! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
I would put it in our kitchen on our desk. This would come in so handy for a Military husband, one teen, one pre-teen and a work from home Mom. LOL
Cecelia
Definitely on our bookshelf — where nobody’s fingers could get to it but mine!
I will put it on out over sized computer desk in the living room. lol Amazing giveaway!
I would put in our study to replace the one we have now.
this baby would go in our office!
I would fashion a bracket that would allow me to wear it continually in front of my face. I would look like Wilson on “Home Improvement” standing behind his fence.
If this proves impractical, I would put it in our family room.
I would remove the mountain of clutter on my kitchen desk. The clutter that includes, a son’s rock collection, a variety of broken or dried out pens, a mountain of junk mail, a heap of coupons, etc. I would then set up the fantastically sleek computer in hopes that it would guard the desk and keep it clutter free. I figure I will be the only one that knows it exists because that would mean my family would have to enter the kitchen and take a turn doing dishes!
I would put it in my livingroom so the whole family could use it. Yes, I would share. Please oh please! I need a new computer more than ever!! Thank you!
This would go into our spare bedroom so when we needed to study we could retreat to the spare room for peace and quite from the kids. :p
I would put it in the family room.
I would love to win this so I can have a working desktop at our house again!
~Amy
Aha! It is working. I would love to win, I LOVE touch screen thingys, so please pick me. :)
Definitely in my office! I love it!!
Definately the kitchen! Not only great for recipes, but it would relieve my laptop from some of its duties. Poor thing is CONSTATNLY in use by me, hubby, or the boys!
i’d put it in a locked glass case and just look at it! ok not really. probably the kitchen. though my husband might try to convince me to put it on top the entertainment center…
I would put this in my bedroom. That way I could have it all to myself!!
I’d put it in our office- to replace an old one!!
I also blogged about it!!
http://theconstantfamily.blogspot.com/2009/12/giveaway.html
My dad was diagnosed with leukemia, had a kidney removed, and had a knee replacement – all within a three week period. He’s now bedridden for a while waiting on chemotherapy for the leukemia. My mom also keeps her great-grandchildren during the day – one of which is severely autistic – so this computer would not only be a God-send for my father during his rehab but also for the grandkids to keep them occupied when grandpa is having his in-home nurse and rehab visits – or simply taking a much-needed nap. The touch screen and voice commands would make things like simple solitaire games accessible to him again, not to mention the fun the kids would have and the learning experience too. Thanks for the chance to win!
Me, Me.. I want one!
tweet here
http://twitter.com/tnshadylady/status/6675610202
blog link here
http://tnshadylady.blogspot.com/2009/12/boomama-hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway.html
I would put it in my bedroom I have a corner perfect for it. This way the kids can’t use and mess up like they have this one. I would use it for school, blogging and work. I would also be in heaven cause the one we have is from 2000 never updated, slow and it freezes up all the tim which is really bad when doing school work and work.
misty_labean yahoo com
You know I would put it right in the kitchen! We are constantly googling things and in need of info. I too am a mac user, but always have a PC around for certain things. Our latest PC has experienced it’s final crash, so this new one that I have actually researched and would buy sounds great!
I’d put this in my main room so I can take full advantage of teh wireless keyboard.
I would love to win this computer. I feel a computer is a partial lifeline, and I currently do not own one that works. A few months ago mine up and died on me. It had around 5,300 of my most precious pictures on it. I am so scared to lose them I haven’t even attempted to restore or recover it. It was a huge blow to my heart. I loving taking pictures, captureing those moments of my children that I may never experience again. I also used the computer to keep in touch with my family who mostly live far away from me. Please choose me to win this awsome machine that looks as if it filled with power. ~Dawn
Thanx so much for you consideration.
I would put in in the living room where I can access it convienantly yet be accessible to my family.
I would like to put it in my kitchen because I use a lot of recipes that are on my computer, so to have one that will actually read it to me would be awesome!
Our family could really use this awesome computer, because my husband is a full-time student and is always needing the use of the computer and internet. I also homeschool 3 of my 5 children. Much of their school work requires the use of a computer and I also hope to get a program that will help me put my music on to CD so I can sell it and bring in a little extra money to pay the bills. This computer looks AWESOME! Would love to have it in our home!
I would love to put this in my kitchen where my husband and I could both use it! What a great giveaway!
I would put it in my living room!! Maybe in place of my old TV! :) Haha
I would love to have this computer. I would definitely put it in my kitchen to use the Recipe Box feature. My husband and I both love to cook so this would be awesome! Plus, then my daughter could play on it while I’m cooking!
As much as I would love to put it in my bedroom where I could selfishly keep it all to myself, I would fight that urge and put it in our office where the whole family could enjoy it!
I would put it on my craft table in my diningroom. It would make for great inspiration to be able to capture some of my inspirations!
I think that it is a must have in our kitchen/family room. Something this cool needs to be where our family spends so much time.
Merry Christmas to your family from ours!!!
I would benefit from this because I am graduating for Nursing School in May. My computer now is from highschool and its slow/miserable to do school and work on. I would LOVE to start a new with this! Thanks for the opportunity!!
We need one of these because our laptop just died :(
I also blogged about this! http://seanandlisasparling.blogspot.com/2009/12/computer-giveaway.html
I would LOVE this computer….it would stay with me in the family room!!
In our office.
I would love to win this computer. I would put it in our family room so my whole family could enjoy it. Thanks
We are cleaning out my son’s old room (21 years old and moved away) and putting an office. This would be perfect!
The computer would go in the living room so the whole family could use it…but I’d really love to tuck it in the closest all for myself. Thanks for the chance to win a great computer.
sorry 8yr old pc……..there’s a new guy in town.
It would go on my desk in my new, as yet to be designed office in my new, downsized home. It would be wonderful.
I would put the computer in my guest room/office!
I would put this computer on a desk so that I could use it after I retire from the Navy after 20 years in my pursuit of a degree in Culinary Arts!!!
I would put this in our office to replace the old computer we have.
How cool! It is definitely nicer than any TV we own, so probably would go in the living room to be used as a TV and computer. Just the thought of that blows my mind!!
It would go in our office. I know, boring, but it would definitely add some spice to that otherwise boring room!
We’d put it in our game/computer room which is supposed to be a formal dining room — but hey, we have our priorities in order as we don’t formally dine here. If we win this, we’ll gladly convert to HP and ditch the old, dying MAC!
I would put it in my home office where my nearly deceased laptop now sits.
I would love to win!!!
How awesome is this computer!! Wow, I would love to have this pretty little thing sitting in my living room :) Thanks for the giveaway! Now, I can’t wait until Dec. 24th to see who wins. Hopefully it’s me!!! ;)
I would put it in my mama’s kitchen, cause she’s never ever had a computer. OMGosh!!!
wow! in the dining room, if you have to believe it. because i work in there, you see.
How exciting!!!! What an EXCELLENT giveaway!!
I would put the computer in our family room. The touch screenlooks like a great idea for our 5 year old.
I would put this on a small desk I have in living room. I actually multi-task, watching tv and computing at same time. Thanks!
Wow, this looks awesome, particularly that recipe thing as I am forever trying recipes that I find online. I could really use a new computer to replace the ancient desktop that is so old my 10 yr old daughter cannot even search for school stuff online as it is very slow, always crashes on us and is very unreliable. I would put it in my living room so my kids could use it and I could monitor their usage and help them with their homework.
I would put it in my kitchen, near the family room — or more likely on a wall somewhere because we are pressed for space with 7 of us in 2000 sq feet :) Happy day that we could get a little more organized and simplified!
would be amazing to mount it on the wall, and have wireless keyboard and storage locked away from kids and exposure to everything else!!
The McNulty Family
http://www.mcnultyquads.com
I would put it on my grandaughters pretty pink and white desk because she wants a computer for Christmas and i dont think shes getting one … but if i win she would get one !!!! :)
Definately in the family room so the entire family could enjoy it!
I would place the computer in our “Play Room” where we have toys for my daughter, a wall of guitars for my husband, and craft bins for me!
This computer looks amazing! I would put it in my bedroom. We have a family computer but someone is always using it. It would be great to have one of my own!
It would have to go in our office to replace our very outdated computer!
I could totally use a new computer!
I posted a blog and link at:
http://downtownmrsbrown.blogspot.com/2009/12/computer-giveaway.html
This looks like such a great computer. Replacing our old desktop in the office makes sense but because of the recipe capabilities I’m thinking I would give up some counter space in the kitchen. Decisions. Decisions!
If I win this great computer I will put it in our family room. My son uses our present (ancient) computer for alot of his school work.
Sweet giveaway! If I win I will put that beauty in living room. mostly for me but I guess the kids could do starfall or pbskids occasionally!
I think I would hide this away and keep it for myself and tell no one else about it! With five in our house–all of us students–there is hardly ever a time when someone DOESN’T need the computer. It sure would be handy having another one and this one is Soooo handy! Thanks for the offer!
amiedanny@msn.com
I would love this and I think I would put it on my new desk I found at a thrift store for $30.
Here’s my blog link:
http://livinginthelandofpink.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-holiday-give-awaysyippee.html
I would put it in our bedroom at my desk so that I can edit pictures and watch my precious 7 week old girl snooze at my side.
I would sneak it into my cousin’s house and put it in the computer desk/hutch thingie while she is at her mother-in-law’s on Christmas Eve. When the family comes home, Santa will have already made his delivery and the glow of this lovely little wonder will fill the house with its warmth! Not to mention that they will finally be connected to the electronic world again. Their sorry excuse for a computer literally “SIZZZZZLED and DIED” last week…so that means no looking for employment, no homework help, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Thanks a million for the chance at this FAB giveaway!
This sounds so awesome, I would love to win one to blog from!
Would love to win! Of course, then I would spend ALL of my time reading blogs!
I would love to win this! I think it would go in our office/scrapbook area. I get excited just thinking of all the great stuff I could do with that! Thanks for the contest!
This computer looks awesome, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have one of my own! Hope I win :)
Oh wow – where to put it? I think it would have to go in the library so we could all share it for a school computer. I am in college, one son in high school and the other one is homeschooled. This would be awesome!! Happy Holidays!!