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 this in our schoolroom. Thanks for the great prize.
My apartment is very small, so I’d put the computer in the living/dining/play/tv room. i’d love my kids to be able to use their own computer. My son has pdd-nos and still doesn’t know his letters, i hope this could really help him.
thanks,
single mom in nyc
I would put it in my living room. I’m teaching my 4 year old how to use the computer (so she can color on coloring.com and such) She’s already got the gist of it so a touchscreen would be awesome!
I would put this in our kitchen. It’s where our computer is currently, so that we can monitor what all the teenagers are up to. It’s a great place to hang out, too. Thanks for the review and the chance to win!
If I won I would put it in our family home office! Thanks for offering the giveaway!
Oooooh – I would put it in my kitchen. I can watch shows while I cook, pull up and reference recipes and then upload the pictures I take of my food! It looks soooo cool. Thanks for sharing!
Twittered http://twitter.com/tellmeastory/status/6877700965
Thanks again!
While I’d like to hide the computer in my room, I’m sure I’d be forced share and put it in the kitchen. :o)
I would put it downstairs where the dinosaur of a computer little dude plays on is. I may even let the weatherman use it too, if little dude will let him! lol!
Wow..it sounds awesome! I would put the computer in the kitchen. I am always out there cooking and I miss things like touchdowns and weather reports and fun stuff! I will blog it! http://www.mybusyneedle.blogspot.com
Homeschooling 4 teenagers is challenging enough. Add an old desk top computer and it really becomes loads of fun. Pick me!
Can’t wait for the email letting me know that this ultra chic pc is coming home to mama and finding its new home on the desk in my bedroom.
Wow…I love it. I have blogged about it and wanna win it so bad. I would put this in my kitchen. I am always missing out on the good stuff while I’m in there cooking!Thank you!
Looks awesome!!! I would put it in my living room… it is nice to be able to be in the same room as the family! :)
oooh! I have been admiring this computer. I would put it on my desk in the living room. I’m afraid my HP laptop would have to take backseat to this desktop!
I would love an HP TouchSmart Computer! With 5 people in our house and only 2 computers, a 3rd would make it so much easier especially when it comes to school work.
Lisa
lm823@comcast.net
What an awesome giveaway and fantastic Christmas surprise
I would put in on my desk right in our family room!
Kathy
This would go in our play/school room for use during home school. What an awesome prize!!
I would put it in my studio. Thanks for the chance to win.
I would love to be able to do my photo editing and blogging, etc. without monopolizing the family computer.
I would put my fancy schmancy new computer in our office area. I know, not really a spectacular answer, but we don’t have much room elsewhere in our tiny, little house!
If I won this AWESOME computer, it would go on the mantel, like a trophy!!!LOL just kidding I don’t have a home office:{ So I would have to put it in the family room, which isn’t bad, because then I can sit my happy bum at it while I am cooking, watching t.v. helping Chucky with homework and whatever else:)
Thank you for the opprotunity!
I’d love to win. It would go right on my desk in my living room!
I would place this beauty in my living room…for all to enjoy! :)
hi, gotta say this is so cool!! of course i want to win!! would put this in the front room corner on my lil desk i picked up from the side of the road one day.
I have an empty wall in my dining room. Heck, I could even go for a thrift store turquoise desk!! lol
What a great giveaway! Thanks for this opportunity! We are involved with a a charity that is desperate need of computers for their after school tutoring program.
They would use it in their borrowed space for the after school program.
http://lot318.wordpress.com/
I would put it in my living room. It would be so fun!
I would put it in my moms house in her living room! At 70 she discovered computers and its her new passion. She has an old stickered covered computer on a small desk in there now, though she loves it like one of her children (no joking, she told me this), she would be ecstatic over this one! Though I doubt any of her human children would be allowed to touch it…
Go Mom!
I would put it in our school room and use it for homeschooling!!! The labtop the girls use now is on it’s last leg
If we were to win the HP TouchSmart 600 I would put it in our Sitting Room. The kids could then have the computer in the family room to use all to theirselves. Right now it is haywire for all of us to get computer time and as much as we truly need another computer we just can’t right now. This way only me and hubby would compete over the HP TouchSmart 600. LOL We would love having the versatile functions and features this computer has to offer. & Yes, we would have to allow the kids to use it occasionally too. Between the 3 older ones all needing computer access to get their homework done it would help greatly to have a second computer. Thx for offering this!
LuvMoeDog2@ aol dot com
My Tweet
http://twitter.com/Luv2CUSmyle/statuses/6882452259
LuvMoeDog2@ aol dot com
Love this…we are Homeschoolers so it would go in our schoolroom.(Fingers crossed) :-)
I would put this in the kitchen. Where I could have my recipes handy.
Well, for me it’d have to be on my computer desk in the dining room … though I might want to display it in my living room, lol. I’ve never had an aversion to PC’s, and have owned two HP’s (that just out-dated themselves to require replacement), and am totally due for a new one! :) Thanks for the chance!
I am 5 months pregnant and have just been told I have to stay under complete bed rest for the remainder of my pregancy because I am having early contractions as well as incompetent cervix. The keyboard seems so convenient/light weight especially since I have to stay with my feet elevated and usually find it hard to stay comfortable with my current laptop (cant keep it on my belly for long). Also, I had to withdraw from classes and am looking into taking some online to make up for lost time/ money and to keep me from going crazy from being in bed/couch all day. Good luck to everyone. I love HP they have great products that don’t give you a headache.
Vanessa <3
ms._vee@hotmail.com
I would love to put this in my office where I would replace my very old computer and my daughter could do her homework.
Susan
I would put it in my art studio with all my other masterpieces! :)
I think this baby would look beautiful on my soon to be new desk from IKEA :)
I would put it in my bedroom, which currently seconds as my glamorous office. Oh joys. I think the touchsmart would give it a unique “homey” little touch, don’t you? Thanks :) – Wendy
From all your comments, this sounds like a fun way to learn new applications on a PC. My favorite room is my bedroom. Where
it is just me and my PC, surfing threw the
w.w.w..
I would love to have this! Our family computer has had it! I would put it in our office.
I would put this computer in our living room, so anyone who needed to use it could!
I would put it on my big green desk after I cleaned up all the piles of paper that are covering it now. With something that sleek, I’d keep my desktop all nice and neat too.
I would put into the space vacated by my current, cruddy computer which is not worth its weight in peas.
I’d put it in our new office! My husband and I have a new business so we’d love to have it there!
I would put this baby in my craft room and have my OWN computer for once! Fingers crossed!
I’d put it next to my bed!
In the kitchen! We have a built-in desk that would be perfect for this! I think computers should be in high traffic areas just for your kids’ safety sake.
I’m literally drooling over this computer. If I win … *ahem* … WHEN I win, I will be putting this sexy PC right here on my cherry wood executive desk. I may even splurge and buy a new office chair to sit in front of it in :)
And I’d invest in a HANDS OFF sign for all of my kiddos :)
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/KatJRobertson/status/6886354244
I would put this on my lovely office desk where the sun shines so perfectly in the morning! Thanks for this and Merry Christmas!
I would put this on my library table in the living room. This computer is so cool! I am so excited!
I think I’d set this up in my storage room! Sounds weird, but I want a space dedicated to photo editing, photo printing, and geneology research and I have a lot of room in there. That’s also where I keep all my photos, photo cds, and paper files. This would be the perfect machine with all it’s “abilities” and that awesome monitor!
I tweeted this giveaway!
http://twitter.com/someluckydog/status/6886549056
someluckydog at gmail dot com
i would put it in the office, so we could actually start using the office! (it’s a really nice room!)
I blogged about this giveaway.
http://someluckydog.blogspot.com/2009/12/hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway-at-boomama.html
someluckydog at gmail dot com
I would put it in our work station in the living room where I study and write papers for grad school.
I blogged: http://senilemomentia.com/reviews/2009/12/win-an-hp-touchsmart-600/
I would put this in my living room. I would love to show everyone everything it can do.
i have arthritis in my whole body and i amcan support my son and me only 45 years old, with a 16 year old boy who is bi-polar. we are both on disability but i think the touch computer would be a great help to us, i’m trying to get work at home over the internet so i can support my son and me better i hope i win.
Where ever you want me to put it! (just kidding) In front bedroom.
This would be our first family computer, and would take up residence in our soon-to-be-completed multi-purpose room (crafting, sewing, computer, preschool arts & crafts and learning fun, scrap-booking, and anything else that comes to mind and includes creativity). It’s a labor of love, and I sacrifice sleep to work on it at night, while everyone else is sleeping. During the day, it is locked, so it will be a big surprise when it is completed and I get to finally share it all with them! I got an IKEA dressing table on a killer clearance sale, and this would be the perfect adornment for it!
http://twitter.com/PickleSugarPlum/status/6887606141
I’d put the computer in my office/bedroom because it allows me some space alone to do my computer stuff.
ShawnaMichelle@ymail.com
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/ShawnaMichelle2/status/6887643831
ShawnaMichelle@ymail.com
This computer would look really great in our family room! good luck everyone!
I would put it in our living room. It’s too beautiful not to have it on display! What a great giveaway!
I would put it in our living room. It’s too beautiful not to have it on display! What a great giveaway!
Kaylee114 (at) aol (dot) com
It will probably go into the kitchen where my niece and nephew can enjoy it when the family is gathered… but I might hide it in the bedroom and move the old machine out into the kitchen for them :-)
Blog entry
http://mlcsweeps.blogspot.com/2009/12/prize-goal-c-and-c-fun-hp-touchsmart.html
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/mlcottingham/status/6890619047
Oh, this would be mine, all mine. ha, ha! I work at home and this would be a fantastic addition to my home office. I currently work on a laptop that is fairly new, but a touchscreen???!??!??! Ahhh….it would be so nice.
I would LOVE to win this computer! I have been using my same old slow computer for the past few years and it Sucks! I would put it in my living room for my whole family to enjoy! THANKS!
I’d put this on my lovely wife’s desk. She deserves an upgrade. =)
Ooooh, I just saw one of these at the store! I would put it in my kitchen, either next to the pantry or on the fridge.
Oooh, oooh, this would be so awesome for our homeschool room!! Or I might keep it for myself and put it in my room, or I might keep it in the kitchen…so many possibilities!!!
Thanks for the giveaway!
It would be in my bedroom (under lock and key!).
OK I’m thinking designating a complete room for it….maybe call it “Touchie Feelie’s” Room!!
Merry Christmas Everyone! I’d put my new HP in the family room.
I would put this in my husband’s “man cave” to replace the clunker he’s had for way, way too long!
I would put it in my little nook of the world -I wouldnt know what to do with myself –having a mountable screen–and no kid prints!
Thanks for the chance to win this computer. My husband and I are starting a business and this computer would really help.
Where would I put it? Hmmm… Probably in the living room or kitchen. Cool computer / great review!
I would give it to my parents so they could SYPE with my two teenage boys! It is time for them to enter the 21st Century!
I would put the computer in my home office… that I don’t have yet. I can dream.
A.W.
It would find a wonderful home in our den. Happy Holidays and thanks for a neat opportunity!
http://twitter.com/jssvd/status/6895325573
I would actually give this to my son…he is a school teacher…and he could surely use this!!!! So it wouldn’t be in my house……I think it would be in his living room!!!!
I have NO idea where I would put this…my computer is on the kitchen counter right now…but I am not sure I would want all the little hands to have access to this…but let me tell you, that screen is HUGE and I am loving that…not that I am getting OLD or anything…I mean watching a movie on that would be SO SWEET!
I also need all the techy help I can get…so I would love to win this baby!
C~
I would put this computer in our living room so that the whole family could enjoy – hope we win!
I would give this computer to my husband and I would put it in his office for him only—hes not tech savy but this computer actually caught his eye and interested him at the store!
This would be wonderful for my kitchen, no more dragging my laptop in and having it take up my counter space.
I would put it in the computer room so that I could use it with our pc.
I would put this in our kitchen… then I could read recipes off of a huge screen instead of my netbook! Thanks!
I would put it right in the kitchen where I can find my recipes, watch hulu while I am cooking, chek on the weather before I leave the house and maybe I will let the kids use it too!
tuesdayef at aol dot com
It would be great to have a computer that I could watch tv shows on as I have recently downgraded to a cable-less lifestyle.
I would keep it in my room, possibly surrounded by a shrine of ‘do not touch this or else.’
I would love to have it on a swing-out arm next to my chair…on the other hand, it would be nice to have it in the kitchen to use while cooking…So many options!