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.
If I got an HP TouchSmart, I would donate it to my frazzled parents. Since the death of our old desktop, the children have resorted to hair pulling for a go at mom or dad’s laptop.
I’m certain they would put it on the family desk, for everyone to see. They would first, of course, have to clear it of dust and the years old corpse of what once was our family computer.
I would put this computer on my desk between the kitchen and family room!!! This would be a wonderfu Christmas present for our family!!!
I would put this on my office desk and put the antique Mac that is there now to rest.
I would put this in my bedroom on my desk. This would be used only by me!
I would love to win this. I would put it in my kitchen, up high where my little boy couldn’t get to it.
I would put it in the living room for everyone to see!
I would put it my bedroom away from my kids and their friends.
Are you kidding? That baby is going in the closet with Mama! My kids already took over the Mac…so this one’s all mine!
I would put it in my livingroom in my new computer hutch that my husband doesn’t know we’re going to buy!
This would go in my bedroom. No kids, no dad, just for me!!!
I blogged! http://tutuspartyoffive.blogspot.com/2009/12/is-this-cheating.html
I would sooo put this in my home studio! It would be so handy with my small little “business”. I think I would pee my pants if I won… seriously.
It would go in my room with an alarm system all around it complete with motion detectors! lisa dot samples@gmail dot com
This would fit perfectly in our craft/homework/computer room!
Thanks!
nicole
nicolasamarie8@hotmail.com
In my office- which I share with my kids!
I love this giveaway. I’d put it on the living room area, as it would be a family computer:)
I would leave it in my nook in my kitchen so that the kids could be close by when I’m cooking and cleaning!
I would put it in our office and replace our old Dell that is not working so well these days. Thank you!
oooh, ooooh, pick me, pick me, pick me!!!!
I would put this computer on my desk in the living room, with a barbe wire fence around it. For protection from my two year old!
our kitchen where all could enjoy!
I am remodeling my kitchen right now and it would look great on my new cabinets. Thanks.
This would be awesome to win then my soon couldnt climb on it.
I’d put it in my room and keep it allll to myself.
I would put it in my bedroom. Then when I can not sleep, it would be close by…Thanks for the offer.
Sign me up! What I most adore about the HP Touchsmart is that it brings so many features together into one place. Given my small living space, I would love to consolidate to one machine that does oh so much for our family. And the feature I want to use first? Definitely the recipe box!!
I would put mine on a thriftstore desk that we took some HORRIBLE green paint off of… It would look awesome!
Thanks for the contest! :)
I would definitely put this in our makeshift office/spare bedroom. There isn’t room for it anywhere else!
It would be amazing to have such a big screen, I am hoping to get a photography business going and that screen would be amazing!
That beauty would go in my bedroom! :)
I would put it in my living room.
I’d put it in my office and give my husband my old computer! Ha! :)
If I won, I would put it on my daughter’s living room at her apartment! Her computer from college is barely hanging on and with job-hunting underway, there can’t be a new one anytime soon.
I would put it in our living room area on the computer desk, right by the DSL modem.
I would put this in our family room. I would allow every one to use it and get the most out of it. Our family would love to win this giveaway!!!
I have created for myself a tidy, well ok not so tidy corner in my family room, a little desk. I think it would be rather nice there.
Hi there,
It would probably go either in the office or in “the everything room”…our kitchen, kids’ art center/hw center, and family room is an open area…no walls separating them. Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win one!
It would go in My sewing room which doubles as a den whenever another family member gets brave enough to come in :)
I would love to hide it-ha!- but I would be nice and put it in the family room for the entire family to enjoy
This beauty would definitely go in my office! Just redid it with new furniture last summer. It would look beautiful. Thanks for the chance, and Merry Christmas!
OMW! I would have it in the family room where the whole family could use it – and so guests could see it. It looks so COOL!
Thanks!!
As a new teacher, a laptop would really help me out! Thanks.
I want this to put in my new “office” in our new home!!! Then I will lock the door and keep the key around my neck!
I Tweeted about this: http://twitter.com/rnoelhaney/status/6833811068
Oh my word. This sounds heavenly. I’d put it in the living room, and then we’d just all have to figure out a way to share. But that would be a good thing.
That would look lovely on my desk–I’d love to write my next book on it!
I would put this on the floor next to my futon mat because I just moved into this apartment and have very little furniture! It would be awesome, though, because I would never have to get out of bed. Just roll over and get online. Sounds nice to me.
I would love this, and put it in my family room!
Merry Christmas. I would love this in my kitchen – always the center of the action.
I would like a 2nd computer so my kids won’t have to walk down to the library in the snow thru the winter to do their homework.
What an awesome computer! I would use it for school but my parents have a REALLY old computer so I would probably give it to them!!! Thanks for offering a giveaway!
This would be so awesome to win! I just recently was able to get back into my hobby of photography. Since I’ve been taking pictures for others and edit them at home it’s bogging down our desktop and it drives my husband nuts. This would truly save our marriage (okay – things aren’t that bad, but it would help us out :) Thanks!
Merry me, I have a new computer. Hooray!
TouchSmart to the best room in the house. The “kitchen” where if we can’t be there we will eat there. thanks and touch the sky
What a great Christmas present this would be! I wouldn’t have to keep running back and forth to the computer room from the kitchen when cooking a new recipe.
Oh, that would be a fight – I would want it down in my desk area located near the kitchen, but I am sure my hubby would win right now – he would have it up in his study. He deserves one too – he is working full time with troubled youth while attending college full time for his Masters/PhD. He tries hard to provide for our family – I am a stay at home mom to our two young children. He needs a computer that will be faster and easier for him to use – he has had 4 wrist surgeries in the past 4 years. A touch screen would be amazing! Thanks for the contest :)
oh my gosh! this is so awesome! I would put it in our family room for all to love…
I would love this for my kitchen!
I have been wanting this computer for a longtime. It has to go in my kitchen, because food and recipes are probably 90% of what I would use it for.
I would LOVE to have the HP Touchsmart 600 in my PLAYROOM! The kids would have a field day on this little gem, and I could get some work done while my bebes play. Perfection!
This darling gem of a technical tool would just LIVE in my kitchen.
I would keep it in my room!
If I won the new HP Touchsmart 600 I would put it in my bedroom. It would replace my ancient HP that I have now that really sounds like your Mac!! It is so old that it wheezes too when I try to run more than a couple applications!
Thisw beeeautiful HP Touchsmart would go in my newly remodeled office & would be fantastic as a replacemnt for my ancient desktop I have now! Thanks for the opportunity!
I’d love to put this PC on my desk, but then move it to the kitchen on scrapbooking nights, which I host at my house. It would be great to have a full-size monitor so others could see my design as I put it together!
It would definitely find a good home on my currently empty desk in the office area! Nothing beats an empty desk ‘begging’ to be filled, hehe! :)
Can I just say Wowzer! Everyone needs one of these in their home!!
As much as I would like to put this on my desk in my bedroom, I would put it in my sister’s house so that she and my niece and nephew could use it as they have just “lost” their computer in a divorce.
When I win this computer ;) it will be taking the place of my old very bulky computer that I have in my bedroom. It will sit (for the time being) perfectly and sweetly on my makeshift desk which is made up of two pieces of plasterboard that I placed together and covered with a sheet. And at one end of the plasterboard is a plastic 3 draw filing cabinet. And at the other end is a 2 drawer wooden filing cabinet. This has been my desk for the past 4 years. : )
melissap21702{at}aol{dot}com
I would put it in my “office,” which is so far a hypothetical place, but might become real when we move!
This computer sounds amazing! I’m 60 years old and sell on Ebay which keeps me pretty tied to my computer. I only buy HP computers because they have always given me exactly what programs I’ve needed and last sooo long. The one I have now is ready to be handed down to a Grandson. It’s been with me for years, but I seem to have tired it out. Good luck to everyone in this contest and Happy Holidays to you and your families! CJ
Great giveaway! Pick me – I’d give it to my husband in exchange for a year of footrubs. Everybody wins.
What a great giveaway! If I was lucky enough to win, I would put this in my office, which also doubles as our guest room. Thank you so much!
I would put it on a desk which I’ve refinished which my mother gave me. What an awesome computer!!
i would put this lovely computer in our living room, my husbands a graphic designer and we need a new computer. The economy is so tough and after having our daughter we havent bought much for ourselves. This would b a gift for his hard work. :)
This would be great for my daughters bedroom , Need something able to go on wall, so she has more space for her other stuff, she has alot of stuff..
this computer will go on my ring finger!!
i have been trying to save up for a computer for myself. i am starting over as a hairstylist and want to start keeping track of my clients and hair products on a computer. i also want my own computer so my boyfriend of 5 wonderful years, Ron can have access to his computer more and get more of his blog done for his drawings so more people have access to his amazing work! We are also trying to save up for engagement rings so, saving for a computer is going to have to wait!
thanks for this opportunity!!
I would put it right on MY desk. Out with the old.in with the new!
Ohhhhh…it’s so beautiful! I’d put it at the peninsula in my kitchen. Love it! Merry Christmas!
This would make my life so much easier. I have to replace my desktop that crashed and have no idea how I will afford to replace it….broke college student syndrome LOL
That bad boy would go on the small student desk between kitchen and dining room. Basically mine but useable by anyone.
I would replace the honkin’ big computer I currently have in the office with this sleek beauty! Christmas blessings
This would be perfect for my living room instead of a spare bedroom where my computer is now.
I would put it in our living room so that the whole family could enjoy it. We already have two laptops there (I’m writing on my new HP laptop right now, lol) for my husband and me…
That part about it READING THE RECIPES to me? That would be awesome.
I would give it to my wife to replace her aged computer. It would be come the storage vault for the thousands of digital family photos. Merry Christmas to all… and to all a good night!
This would DEFINITELY go in my kitchen. I love to cook and get most of my recipes online – I love to look at the pictures and the bigger, the better!
Sure is a sweet looing ‘puter….would love it!
My computer is so big and this would be a perfect replacement!
Tweeted here http://twitter.com/MrsDagenhart/status/6844541402
tweeted
http://twitter.com/bettycd/status/6844880601
I would put it IN MY HEART. Well, or on my desk. Whatever.
Well, I would put that lovely computer right in front of me, at all times of course!
It would go in my office to replace the computer I am currently using.
I would put the HP in the playroom/guestroom/office. It’s our multipurpose room :)
I would put the HP touch screen on my bed so that it’s next to the balloons. Or on my desk in my dorm room.
I would put this in my office – my room of one’s own as Virginia Woolf would say.
Would put it in our office/music/art room and it would be the prettiest thing there haha.
I would put it in my bedroom/office. It looks so cool!
I would put it in the lonely computer cabinet that use to hold my desktop.
My desktop died and I have been sad without her…
I also blogged about it…
http://mydiabeticchild.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-giveaway.html
I would make a spot for it in the living room, center of house/activity. Merry Christmas!