Price

Starts at $1,050 on October 22nd. $1600 as tested.

Our Configuration

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, slot-load Blu-ray player/DVD burner, NVIDIA GeForce GT230M with 1GB dedicated RAM, 23-inch 1080P multitouch display, and a slew of inputs, including 6 USB, a card reader, coax, S-Video, HDMI, audio and composite.

What's New

This is the third generation TouchSmart. The two-point, IR-based multitouch PC remains thematically unchanged, but the combination of hardware and software is finally gelling. The new stuff includes:

• Windows 7
• HDMI-in
• Updated TouchSmart UI
• Custom Hulu, Netflix, Twitter and Absurdly Cool Recipe Book Apps
• HD Tuning (not CableCard)
• Fully customizable LED under-lighting
• Tilting webcam

The Hardware

You'll recognize the body design as almost unchanged from the last generation, but that's not necessarily a strike against the TouchSmart. While the body is mostly plastic, the high gloss black is unoffensive, and good for making screen colors pop like an HDTV. A majority of the TV-style input set is cleverly hidden behind a panel, should you prefer the seamless look.

As for that screen, it's as good as any low to mid-tier LCD HDTV, but its multitouch is not quite perfect. If you pace your movements, it's about 95% accurate at tracking your fingers. If you don't, that number drops to 85%. And should the system be strained with a lot of multimedia tasking, the touch only gets worse. But I make this all sound a lot worse than it is. No, the screen isn't as accurate/wonderful as capacitive tech, but it's a lot better than resistive.

The wireless low profile keyboard and mouse are both understated and completely functional. And a decent remote gives the whole package that home theater feel for when you need to do a little IR blasting.

Audio dribbles through a soundbar sits under the screen. The quality is passable for television, but there's potential here for improvement—the highs are tinny and there's not real bass. Music lovers will want standalone speakers (which is too bad, because everything else is great.)

But again, I almost hate saying bad things about the build because what the TouchSmart does right is sooo cool: the software.

The Littlest Media Mogul

If you just want to multitouch your way through Windows 7, the TouchSmart allows that. But to really take advantage of the system, you'll want to use the TouchSmart interface and the wonderful, custom apps. Sure, you can mess with photos, take hand-drawn notes and watch video clips, but here's the more notable stuff. (Check out the video above to see some of these apps in motion.)

Netflix
I couldn't enjoy the Netflix interface more. Flick through your library, click a movie and just wait for the server to stream it. It's probably the slickest Netflix skin I've seen to date.

Ambient Lighting
It's technically a series of LEDs under the monitor, but Ambient Lighting makes its way into the apps section since you can choose from the entire spectrum of colors through a touch interface. The glowing effect, while a tad cheesy, is incredible customizable.

Twitter
Tweetie is my client of choice on Mac. Most all of the advanced functionality is duplicated here. And if you really want to, you can type on the onscreen keyboard. It works, but I'll take the real thing, thanks.

Live TV/DVR
It's easy to get mixed up in the submenus and the software is obviously resource intensive, but otherwise, you're working with a fully-functional HD DVR (sitting on top the core of WMC, as I understand it). Flicking through programming guides is surprisingly natural.

Hulu
Stuck in an update loop, I couldn't test Hulu. Given the quality of HP's other bundled apps, especially Netflix, I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Music
The music app is super smart because it incorporates MP3s, Pandora and Rhapsody into, well, not exactly one interface but at least one basic app. Browsing albums is smooth in a Cover-Flow-like spread. Pandora is a bit disappointing in that most of the UI is spent on the Pandora logo. But it works.

Recipe Box
Despite the failings during my tech demo above, this little app is embarrassingly fun. Through a built-in browser, you can rip any recipe containing "directions" and "ingredients" from almost any webpage. With one button, the recipe appears in your own book, formatted like everything else in your collection. Now, should you have your hands full, the system supports voice commands to read you the recipe. It didn't work in my demo video, but even when it did, the system fulfilled all the stereotypes of poor voice commands and text-to-speech. Still, Recipe Box is a clever way to bring an all-in-one into the kitchen.

The one downfall here is that HP has designed TouchSmart to run all of the bundled apps at once. You're truly multitasking, and that means stacking HDTV, Hulu, Netflix, photo editing, a browser, Twitter, and even more video playback. The system generally handles itself admirably, but the TV tuning definitely tips the scales on occasion (just watch the video for interface stutters). If I were to use the system as my DVR on a regular basis, I'd probably cut down the fat on HP's apps and buy myself some resources.

Another point to mention is that, while you can customize HP's dock with any apps you like, those not designed by HP (say, Microsoft Word) will merely link you to the full app in Windows. So you can't work on a term paper in the fancy media interface, but then again, you probably don't want to.

Oh, and for some reason, the back button within apps often brings you back to the same information in a different view than you started with. That's a perfect candidate for a patch if I've ever seen one.

Like, Not Love

I want to love the TouchSmart 600, but I just really, really like it a lot. The functionality is all there; no one can question the full media suite of apps, like Netflix, Hulu, and Twitter, let alone the full Windows 7 OS sitting right behind HP's optional software. It's the light performance hiccups coupled with a less than 100% touch interface that stop me from screaming at the top of my lungs, "YOU SHOULD BUY THIS RIGHT NOW OR GIVE UP ON LIFE COMPLETELY."

But maybe you should buy the TouchSmart 600 right now. Other than Sony's upcoming Vaio L, there's no all-in-one quite like this on the market. Coupled with a netbook, you'd have portability and an entire media center at your disposal. The combo, for something like a dorm room or small apartment, would be unquestionably wonderful.

Versatile media platform

Neat, functional apps

Full Windows 7 sits a click away

A reasonable home theater replacement

Imperfect, but decent multitouch

Speakers sound pretty lousy

DVR tends to slow the whole system

The Gadget

What the hell is it? It's a $400 Wi-Fi printer all-in-one (yes, this includes fax). It has a touchscreen that includes a string of different branded widgets. The widgets do many things you can do on your cellphone or a computer, but they all center around printing. So you don't just order movie tickets, you print them out, along with weather reports, blank to-do lists, Google calendars, coloring book pages from Nickelodeon and Disney, news synopses from USA Today and coupons for everything from Hasbro toys to Yoplait yogurt.

The Price

$400. Count 'em. That's more than twice what most similarly classed all-in-ones cost.

The Widgets—and What's Missing

In case you're not picking up on this, regular Giz readers may not be the target audience. It's as much an arts-and-crafts hub as it is a don't-want-to-mess-with-a-computer resource, full of easy-access widgets that scream out "overworked mother of five," with barely anything for "twentysomething nerd." (Honestly, I can picture Kristin Wiig using this and making one of those weird smiles of surprised satisfaction.) Still, I was impressed by the diversity and wealth of resources this thing has—at launch.

Here's what it still needs though, and has the SDK to provide, so listen up, developers:

• Driving directions - Google Maps is included, but for now you can just print the actual maps. A note says that driving directions are coming soon, and that just isn't soon enough. Hurry!

• Boarding passes - Airlines widgets would be glorious: With all the emphasis on printing out boarding passes at home, how about a way to log into Delta or United and pull up your latest boarding passes?

• Email - I swear HP had some device that printed emails out for old people who didn't like computers but liked hearing from their grandkids. Why isn't that app on here?

• Epicurious - There's already a recipe widget, and you can already sift through nearly 600 dishes, but that's not satisfactory. Let's have proven content from the culinary maestros.

• Sesame Street - As a dad, I am impressed with all the coloring and crafts that you can do with this thing, but if there's no Elmo, someone's gonna cry.

The Performance

I realize I've used up most of your attention talking about the services, and that's because the printer itself works fine. I have criticized HP's color palette in the past, but ever since my Epson blowout, I have given up on trying to find "the best printer" in all aspects. Epson may still have the absolute best color representation, but here I found a printer that jumped onto my Wi-Fi network faster than anything I've seen from Epson or Canon, and soon started spitting out out perfectly usable snapshots—not just from my computer but from my iPhone, using HP's simple but effective iPrint Photo app. It's a quick printer, if you don't count the painfully long "one-time" ink initialization period or inkjet head calibration.

An odd, random note: In the gallery you may notice that it comes inside of an eco-friendly reusable bag. I was like, oh, I see, HP gets it, but then I noticed that inside that bag was another, plastic, eco-not-so-friendly bag. One or the other, HP. Pretty sure wrapping old-fashioned plastic inside newfangled recycled bags is like worse, not better.

The Verdict

Do I think you should spend $400 on this printer? Not for your bachelor pad, dorm room or group home, that's for sure. But do I think you and the rest of the fam chip in to get this thing for mom for Christmas? To quote one of the more famous moms of our time, "You betcha."

Possibly the easiest Wi-Fi setup experience I've had to date

Fast, decent print quality using HP premium print paper

Amazing diversity of widgets for printing coupons, coloring books, movie tickets and more

Designed for a full house, with kids in need of boredom relief, and parents in need of quick data and services—it's not for everyone

The $400 price is twice what other all-in-one printers in this class cost, so basically the widgets cost you $200

Launch was great, but there's a lot of fluff in the content lineup, and it's missing key applications that would make it a must-have appliance

In my first go-around with Win 7 touch, I didn't feel so much ooh-aah as I felt relief, relief that Microsoft had actually baked intelligent touch controls directly into the new operating system. Once again, my touch experience is with the optically driven HP TouchSmart PC, this time running Windows 7 Release Candidate build 7100. Nothing you see is third-party, except for the beta TouchSmart multitouch drivers by NextWindows.

Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a roundup of six demo apps directly from the Surface team that make it clear that the days of the big-ass table are numbered. Surface will finally go anywhere there's a multitouch PC running Windows 7. Here's me, showing off the Surface Lagoon, Surface Collage and Surface Globe apps:

In certain cases, as you can see in the video, "multitouch" just means two simultaneous inputs. This is a programming decision, not a fault of the screen. However, the TouchSmart's optical screen isn't the sort of thing you'd want to use to play a lot of games on. The other three apps in the Pack are games: Blackboard, Garden Pond and Rebound, shown in gallery below. I am not going to say that they were totally lame, they would just benefit from a capacitive touchscreen like those found in some high-end laptops and in top-tier smartphones.

Microsoft says: "The Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 will be available to PC makers who will have the option to pre-install some, none, or all of the applications available in the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 on PCs designed for Windows Touch (PCs that meet the logo requirements for Windows Touch)." In other words, buy a touch-enabled Windows 7 machine and you might see this stuff pre-loaded.

HP loaned me the TouchSmart knowing full well that it wasn't originally developed to run Windows 7 touch apps, and as such, it can't be judged for its gameplay or minor hiccups. In the main Surface apps, it does a great job, and as for the OS, it runs Windows 7 smoothly with a spring in its step. But am I waiting eagerly to see Windows 7 running on a touchscreen with more dexterity? You bet your ass. Meantime, this beats a clunky $20,000 Surface table any day of the week. Keep the Surface apps coming, Microsoft—the age of touch is upon us. [Windows Team Blog]

[Back to our Complete Guide to Windows 7]

The software is all very much still in development, but the home screen and surface level feature of many of the widgets were polished enough to get an idea of how this thing will work. And it's nice. The screen responds to your finger about as well as any capacitive-touch smartphone.

Google Maps is still really early in development, so panning and zooming is still unpolished, but it pretty much looks and functions like it would in your browser. You can enter addresses and locations using the spacious, on-screen keyboard. There was even a brief mention about possible multitouch functionality, though that was entirely unconfirmed.

If you're one of the stubborn ones who still likes to read the news on actual paper, USA Today lets you print news stories out direct from the TouchSmart Web UI. This works fine, but the font used on paper looks like it's straight out of the DOS era (gross). I'd like to see publications like the New Yorker create widgets to print out some of their longer stories.

The Fandango widget lets you scroll through movie poster thumbnails, or search for the title you want, then you can look up movie times, watch trailers, and purchase/print tickets—all from the printer. Having access to coupons is great I suppose (RECESSION!), but I'm not sure I've used a coupon. Ever.

As far as photos go, HP has their Snapfish app among the initial widgets, but that is it so far. This seems like a niche where this platform could really take off. Provided they get support from the Flickr/Picasa/Photobucket lot, being able to login to your account, highlight a handful of photos, and properly arrange themselves on the page would be amazing.

It's convenient to be able to walk up to your printer and order movie tickets, or print maps/coupons/photos. But if you spend alot of time in front of a computer, it's also just as easy to do it from there. So for now, at least, it seems like the HP PhotoSmart Premium with TouchSmart Web will be a neat—but not entirely essential—product.

I installed Windows 7 Beta on an HP TouchSmart PC over the weekend, getting cozy with the new touch and multitouch features, then loaded up a sweet two-handed Air Hockey demo. Have a look:

[When you're done here, check out our complete Windows 7 coverage]

The basic touch and multitouch actions found native to Windows 7 are nothing to oooh and ahhh over, but there are a lot of little intuitive moves and conveniences that work well, even in the beta stage. More importantly, developers in and out of Microsoft are now getting all touchy, and we plan to track that pretty closely. But first, here's the starter menu of touch and multitouch maneuvers:

Tap: The quick screen touch doesn't reveal an arrow cursor, but the screen ripples outward, like water, plus there's a tiny crosshair where you are actually tapping. The TouchSmart makes a beep (and when you tap with a second finger at the same time, that touch emits a higher-pitch beep).

Tap and hold: The "right-click" behavior is very well constructed: You tap and hold, and a circle swirls around your finger. Let go to reveal the right-click menu.

Flick: When you enable flicks, you can swim through longer pages and menus a lot faster, both vertically and horizontally. When you reach the end of the menu or screen, the window recoils a bit, indicating the termination.

Type: There's a surprisingly MacBooky on-screen keyboard lurking just off frame in Windows 7. You tap the screen's edge for it to stick out just a bit; tap it again and out it slides to center screen, sizable to your fat-fingered liking.

Zoom: In spite of new concerns over multitouch patents, this zoom behavior is pretty much identical to the one seen in Apple products (and on Microsoft's Surface as well). You put two fingers on the screen and move them together to zoom out, and separate them to zoom in. I will note that this was easier to do with two hands—one-handed pinching was probably too micro for the TouchSmart screen.

Rotate: Same as zoom, this is straight out of the basic multitouch playbook. Just move two fingers in a circular fashion, and the photo rotates. And again, it was easier to use two hands than one. (I found that amazing bee shot in the video on Flickr—it's by a user called aussiegall who has some beautiful nature close-ups.)

Draw: Two-fingered drawing is a multitouch phenomenon I don't fully understand, but that's probably because I'm not much of an artist. It's cool to show off—and at this point, it's the epitome of the finger Paint interface, because three or more fingers is still apparently taboo—but it seems to be a function awaiting a purpose.

The Windows 7 Media Center touch interface is really cool, especially if you're using MC in a cramped dorm or kitchen, where the "10 foot" remote-control experience just ain't happening. I ran the following video back in November, showing pretty much the same experience I can now pull up on the TouchSmart I have here, only they had more content, so it looks cooler:

A multitouch interface designer called IdentityMine created, among other things, a simple two-person multitouch Air Hockey demo to run at PDC 2008. Since it's still available for download, I grabbed it and challenged my wife to a duel. We're both out of shape, hockey-wise, but man was it a bloodbath:

In case you were wondering, I installed Windows 7 Beta in two ways on the TouchSmart PC, both which had different advantages. First, I upgraded from Vista, keeping all the drivers, etc. intact. Though I was able to get going quickly, the experience was hampered by touch software that HP ran on top of Vista. To get at the control that come native in Windows 7—which I highlight above—I had to partition the drive and do a clean install. Though I had to gather up some drivers and install them manually with some trickery, I got the more honest Windows 7 touch and multitouch experience.

I am happy that HP is pushing its TouchSmart platform to consumers with such enthusiasm, and I'm happy that Microsoft decided to weave touch into the fabric of its OS. One day we may even take it for granted, like keyboards and mice now. The real question is, what will developers do? I'm going to spend the next few days investigating more touch and multitouch applications and interfaces, because while Microsoft and HP should be praised for supplying the capabilities, the goodness will come in what developers do with them.

This wasn't the first—Dell's Latitude XT took that honor—but HP had moved further ahead with touch interface design, and could have really knocked this out of the park. But the touch interface has two problems, according to Laptop's review: The software isn't as good as it could be, and the screen itself isn't responsive enough.

The MediaSmart software was half-baked. It loaded slowly and when it was running, there was no easy way to toggle between music, photo and video, because they're all separate applications. Thankfully the touch controls worked in non-HP apps such as IE and Word. And while fun gestures like forming the McDonald's arches launched the MediaSmart browser, intuitive gestures like two-fingered scrolling (found on the Dell Latitude XT) were not enabled here.

The responsiveness of the panel was also a concern, though this might have been less to do with the touchscreen itself and more to do with the power of the system. Though Laptop got sent a high-end build, it seems to have struggled with basic Windows functionality. With regard to touchscreen peformance, Laptop has a few examples like this one:

When we used two fingers to zoom in and out of Web pages in Internet Explorer 8, the page looked jerky while resizing, and the response was delayed.

We may check this thing out ourselves, at some point, but Laptop's review doesn't really make me so thrilled about the prospect. That's right folks, you may have to wait a little longer for a decent reason to put your oily, smudgy fingerprints all over your computer screen. [Laptop]

1. Get a company's flagship phone
I understand that Scooter Smiff's audience is probably as young as he is and doesn't buy many massive smartphones, but if you've got to shill for a BlackBerry, hope it's not the Pearl Flip. Matt—notably a gadget blogger, not a rapper—said it was kind of uncool, looked inconsistent, and even called it a "fatass". Next time beg for a Storm, or at least a Bold.

2. Don't include an incredibly boring product
So imagine you're a tween, just browsing YouTube, and you notice Scooter Smiff's teacher grading (UPDATE: fabricating, more like. Scandal!) his paper on an HP Touchsmart PC, with her fingers. This is the least exciting thing you've ever seen. It doesn't even make sense in context—it's like HP just edited a few seconds of their press materials into the video. Same goes for the inexplicable printer cameo.

3. Refrain from using devices that make you look even more like a child
Riding a miniaturized Cadillac Escalade will not help you look older, and will probably make those few people who actually have a toy like that return it as fast as they can drive it back to Sotheby's. See also: catcalling obviously older girls.

This song might not be as embarrassing as the iPhone's prominent role in a certain inauspiciously-named (and NSFW) track from earlier this year, but a difference here, and an important one, is that HP and BlackBerry actually wished this on themselves. [CrackBerry]

Visiting Microsoft's Media Center posse in Redmond, I just caught a glimpse of the Windows 7 Media Center interface with integrated touch control (no third-party software) on an HP TouchSmart. All I can say is, I've always loved the MCE user experience—it really is a highlight of Microsoft design—but adding smooth touch interaction makes it even better. The only thing missing here is multitouch, but I'm told that's coming. Check out the vid. [Windows 7] Update: At Microsoft's request, we have removed the video, but will soon publish a walkthrough of Windows 7 Media Center features.

The Mediasmart 2.0 software lets you watch movies, look at photos, play music, listen to radio and watch TV on demand. HP is partnering with MTV networks to bring IPTV content in from MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. On the hardware side, you can carry out a variety of gestures on the tx2 including select, drag, double tap, pinch, zoom, arc, rotate and flick. In addition to working with the MediaSmart software, the multitouch gestures will also work with a variety of Windows software out of the box including Microsoft Office, most internet browsers, and most photo applications.

In addition to the 1200x800 multitouch capability, the 4.5-pound tx2 has 2.1GHz AMD Turion X2 processor, ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD (5400 RPM), Bluetooth, integrated webcam, 8x DVD burner, VGA out and a digital pen.

As far as Windows 7 Beta compatibility goes, the tx2 currently will not work with the new OS, but HP says they are working with Microsoft and they can't comment on unreleased products. The HP Touchsmart tx2 is available for pre-order beginning today over at HP, starting at $1150. It will begin shipping at the end of November. [HP]

HP Brings Multi-touch Innovation to Consumer Notebooks

Powerful multimedia software puts digital content at people’s fingertips

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 19, 2008 – HP today announced the industry’s first convertible notebook PC with multi-touch technology designed specifically for consumers.

Building upon the touch innovation HP developed for its TouchSmart desktop PCs, the HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC was developed for people on the go who value having their digital content at their fingertips – literally.

The enhanced HP MediaSmart digital entertainment software suite on the tx2 allows users to more naturally select, organize and manipulate digital files such as photos, music, video and web content by simply touching the screen.

“Breezing through websites and enjoying photos or video at the tap, whisk or flick of a finger is an entirely new way to enjoy digital content on a notebook PC,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “With the introduction of the TouchSmart tx2, HP is providing users an easier, more natural way to interact with their PCs, and furthering touch innovation.”

The tx2 is the latest result of HP’s 25 years of touch technology experience, which began with the introduction of the HP-150, a touch screen PC that was well ahead of its time, in 1983.

Digital media powerhouse

The tx2 gives customers the choice to set aside the keyboard and mouse in favor of a more natural user interface – the fingertip.

HP’s multi-touch display delivers quick and easy access to information, entertainment and other social media. The tx2 recognizes simultaneous input from more than one finger using “capacitive multi-touch technology,” which enables the use of gestures such as pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press and drag, and single and double tap.

The convertible design with a twist hinge allows consumers to enjoy the TouchSmart in three modes: PC, display and tablet. With a rechargeable digital ink pen, users can turn the tx2 into a tablet PC to write, sketch, draw, take notes or graph right onto the screen – and then automatically convert handwriting into typed text.

Starting at less than 4.5 pounds, the tx2 possesses a 12.1-inch diagonal BrightView LED display and an HP Imprint “Reaction” design.

The tx2 notebook’s HP MediaSmart software lets customers enjoy photos, listen to music and watch Internet(1) TV or movies in high-definition.(2) The software is optimized for multi-touch input while also making it simple to search digital content.

In an effort to provide consumers with rich content through the Internet, HP has expanded its partnership with MTV Networks (MTVN) by offering video content from 10 television channels and online brands within MediaSmart’s TV module.

Beginning in December, users can enjoy all the best content from Nickelodeon, the No. 1 entertainment brand for kids; MTV, the premier destination for music and youth culture programming; and COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network and the No. 1 network in primetime for men ages 18 to 24. MTVN also plans to make content from Atom, CMT, GameTrailers, Logo, Spike, The N and VH1 available within MediaSmart’s TV module.

The MediaSmart software was first brought to HP HDX notebook PCs in September, using the interface first popularized on HP TouchSmart PCs. HP plans to include the software in the tx2 and all future HP consumer notebook PCs.

Powered by the AMD Turion™ X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor or AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor(3) and built on Windows® Vista Home Premium, the tx2 will be made available worldwide in an array of configure-to-order options.

Additional features, accessories and service

The HP TouchSmart tx2 series is ENERGY STAR® qualified and EPEAT™ Silver registered. Mercury-free LED display panels are included on the tx2 as part of HP’s ongoing commitment to reduce its impact on the environment.

The HP tx Series Notebook Stand elevates the tx2, enhancing its usability while stationary, including making it possible to put the PC in an upright position for full interactivity with the touch screen.

HP Webcam with Integrated Microphones allows users to see brighter, cleaner images when chatting over an Internet(1) connection.

The tx2 offers access to a variety of self-help tools built in and online. It also is supported by HP Total Care, which enables consumers to reach support agents 24/7 by phone, email or real-time chat.

Pricing and availability

The HP TouchSmart tx2 is available for ordering today in the United States at www.hpdirect.com with a starting U.S. price of $1,149. (4) More information about the tx2 is available at www.hp.com/go/touchsmarttx2.

HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC

THE WORLD'S FIRST MULTI-TOUCH CONSUMER NOTEBOOK*

• Experience intuitive, two-finger control of entertainment within HP

MediaSmart.

• Enjoy music, photos, movies and TV programs within HP MediaSmart.

• Get fast, direct access to an HP tx2 Support Specialist @ 866.408.5408

(U.S. only).

• Twist the display up to 180° to share content and watch films — or fold it

flat for writing.

• Surf the Web(15) and use applications intuitively by touching the screen

with a finger.

• True Tablet PC: Write, draw and erase accurately with the included pen.

• Simplify your password management with the optional integrated

fingerprint reader.

• Engage in live video chat using the HP Webcam(15) and

integrated microphone.

• Enjoy the ultimate audio entertainment experience with SRS Premium

Sound.

* All disclaimers shown on the bottom of page 2.

KEY SPECS

• AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-64 (2.1 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7) OR,

AMD Athlon™ X2 Dual-Core Processor QL-62 (2.0 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache (3)(4)(5)(6)(7) OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-74 (2.2GHz, 1MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-72 (2.1GHz, 1MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-80 (2.1GHz, 2MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-82 (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-84 (2.3GHz, 2MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

OR,

AMD Turion™ X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86 (2.4GHz, 2MB L2 cache) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate(1) (2) OR,

Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium(1) (2)OR,

Genuine Windows Vista® Business(1) (2)

• 12.1-inch diagonal WXGA (1280 x 800), Integrated touch-screen, Convertible display

• ATI Radeon™ HD 3200(9) available

• Up to 8GB DDR2 SDRAM System Memory (2 SODIMM; 64-bit OS)

• 160/250/320/400G/500B(8) 5400 rpm SATA

• SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support(10) (11) OR,

LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±RW with Double Layer Support(10) (11) (12)

• 802.11b/g WLAN OR,

802.11b/g WLAN and Bluetooth(15) OR,

Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN(14) OR,

Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n with Bluetooth(14) (15)

UNSURPASSED STYLE

HP’s innovative notebook PC designs truly integrate fashion and technology. High-gloss HP

Imprint finish encases the elegant forms and is more durable than traditional painted

surfaces. The tx2 Reaction Imprint reveals an energized pattern inspired by the circular

elements found in audio equipment. HP notebooks have won coveted International Red

Dot and iF material awards.

MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT

Providing more choices than ever, HP MediaSmart enables access to DVDs, videos, photos,

music, games(25) and Internet TV(15) at the touch of a button. Built-in demos show you how

to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag-and-drop functionality – and much

more. Dual headphone jacks enable you to share films and music without disturbing

others. Muvee Reveal makes creating films complete with effects a snap! And the included

HP Mini Remote Control can be stored in the ExpressCard slot. It’s time to play!

WORLD-CLASS SUPPORT

• One-year limited hardware and software warranty with 24/7 phone support with

numerous extended service plan options

• Toll-free phone support during warranty @ 1.800.HPINVENT (1.800.474.6836) in the

U.S. and Canada; online support for the life of the product by clicking on the “?” icon

• Easy-to-use dashboard for system diagnostics and updates with preinstalled HP Advisor

MOBILITY YOU CAN TOUCH

For those whose active lives demand a device for note capture, entertainment,

communication and robust computing that's easy to carry everywhere, the HP TouchSmart

tx2 Notebook PC delivers. The tx2 combines powerful ultra-powerful computing with Tablet

PC capabilities and entertainment features in an attractive design light enough to go

anywhere. With multi-touch support within HP MediaSmart, it is the first notebook PC for

consumers that enables the use of two fingers to navigate HP's entertainment applications.

HP has developed a specific set of gestures to help you get the most from your TouchSmart

tx2.

• SINGLE, DOUBLE TAP: Select objects by touching them once (single tap), or double tap

to open objects/programs.

• FLICK: Scroll or pan within an application either horizontally or vertically. For example,

in MediaSmart Photo, flick your finger to the left on the display and the inertia from your

flick will move the photos leftward, just as if you pushed a piece of paper to the left on a

table.

• PRESS & DRAG: Touch an object on the display and hold and drag it to the desired

destination.

• ARC: Allows you to move tracks to/from playlists without having to make a straight line.

• PINCH: Touch an object on the display once to select the item then place 2 fingers on

opposite corners of the object, then move them closer together to decrease the object’s

size or to zoom out. Move fingers away from one another to enlarge the object or to

zoom in.

• ROTATE: Rotate photos by touching the object once to select the item then use 2 fingers

on opposite corners of the image and rotate the image either clockwise or

counter-clockwise.

• LAUNCH MEDIASMART: Touch the screen with two fingers together and write the letter

m on the display to launch the MediaSmart Smart Menu.

• ENERGY STAR® qualified to conserve energy

• EPEAT SILVER registered

• Recyclable box for less waste

• Exclusive use of EPA SmartWay carriers for reduced transportation-related emissions.

• Replaceable battery for longer life span

• Free recycling for your old computer hardware**

Please recycle your computer hardware and printing supplies. HP recycling services make

responsible disposal easy. Visit www.hp.com/go/ecohighlights for more information. **

Shipping charges apply.

Digital ink pen

Exclusive HP Reaction Imprint finish

HP Mini Remote Control

HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC

HP recommends Windows Vista® Home Premium.

While this could just be another iPaq with Windows Mobile and a touchscreen, there's no reason to completely rule out Android here, or at the very least a snazzy TouchSmart-esque alternative WinMo interface. As for the touchscreen notebooks, even HP admits that past attempts "haven't done that well," so it'll be interesting to see what they bring to the table. [WSJ]

Other new features include a drive bay for HP's Pocket Drive line of portable hard drives, Nvidia GeForce 9600M video card and a multi-color light that illuminates the space under the computer for the keyboard (previously it was just fluorescent white). Other than that, the technical specs and touchscreen technology remain the same, as does the general design. Also available is the IQ804, which lacks the Blu-ray drive and NVIDIA 9600M.

The Touchsmart IQ816 starts at $2100 and will ship on October 12, while the IQ804 starts at $1900 and will be available on September 21.

The next generation touch computer

The next-generation, touch-enabled PC combines a 25.5" diagonal hi-def27 widescreen with a powerful energy efficient Intel® CoreTM2 Duo28 processor in a single, integrated design. Includes HP Touchsmart software, webcam29, media card reader, and premium speakers for fast, easy access to photos, videos, music and applications. HP recommends Windows Vista® Home Premium.

Your digital life at your fingertips
•Touch-screen technology puts your digital life at your fingertips with fast, easy access to info, entertainment and social networks.29
•Next-generation HP TouchSmart software simplifies access to photos, videos, music and applications.
•Quick and easy touch access to your digital world.

The slim, stylish, next-generation PC
•Sleek, next-generation design combines a 25.5"
diagonal hi-def1 widescreen with a powerful energy
efficient Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo28 processor.
•Plug one power cord into the wall and you’re ready to go.
•Wireless keyboard and integrated WLAN30 offer a truly wireless experience.
•Low profile wireless keyboard stows away when not in use, freeing up valuable desk space.
•Colored HP Ambient Light lets you select a color lighting to set a mood, or see your keyboard in the dark.
•Sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights.

Watch your photos, movies and music come to life

•Next generation HP TouchSmart software brings a new
level of fun to your photos, videos and music.
•Watch your favorite shows on the integrated 25.5” diagonal hi-def27 widescreen–makes for amazing slideshows too!
•Enjoy high quality sound through the integrated premium stereo speakers.
•Watch and burn your personal videos with the built-in DVD burner.31
•Add an additional hard drive (HP Pocket Media Drive6) easily and without any tools.

HP is committed to behaving in an environmentally responsible manner

HP is committed to reducing our own environmental impact, as well as that of our customers, partners and suppliers. We do this by providing products and services that are environmentally sound throughout their lifecycle and by conducting our operations in an environmentally responsible manner.

•All HP TouchSmart IQ 800 series PCs have earned ENERGY STAR® and EPEAT silver qualifications.

•All HP TouchSmart IQ 800 series PCs use HP power management technology providing up to 45% energy savings compared to PCs without power management enabled.32

Award winning service and support (touchsmart) HP stands behind our products and protects your investment with award-winning service and support
available around the clock by phone, e-mail, and online.29

•Every TouchSmart PC comes with special HP Total Care.
- 24/7 service and support for the first year via our North America call center.
- Dedicated toll-free telephone support at 1866.408.5408 in English and Spanish in the United States or English and French in Canada.
- Real-time online chat.
- E-mail, usually answered within one hour.

•A desktop icon offers one-click access to online technical support, troubleshooting and downloads.

Price: $1500 (The IQ504, sans TV-tuner, sells for $1300)

The Verdict: The TouchSmart comes with the standard array of features you'd expect in an all-in-one PC—22-inch widescreen, 2.16 Core 2 Duo Processor, ATSC tuner, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, 5 USB ports and an SDHC reader. These are all solid features, though not mindblowing. The real hook here is whether or not the touchscreen features are as good as advertised. The short answer is that they're satisfactory within the custom interface, and not so great in the normal Vista environment.

The touch interface has a homescreen with a row of giant, oversized tiles up top, and smaller ones underneath that display various widget-like apps. Examples of these apps include a music player, photo browser, movie player, RSS feed, calendar, weather, chess, solitaire, notes, etc... Both rows can scroll fromside to side, similar to that of the iPhone, and tiles can also be exchanged between the top and bottom rows freely.

Once inside individual apps, they take advantage of using pan and scroll features for lists and thumbnails. The movie player even has a record feature that lets you create a short movie with the webcam that you can email out when finished. The photo browser lets you perform basic adjustments, or even use the touchscreen to crop your photo.

Some apps are better than others. Apps like the photo browser, and weather widget are perfectly suited to the touch interface, because the menus are simple and typing is hardly ever required. The RSS reader and Web Browser are not so great because they both use Internet Explorer as its backbone (you have to enter your RSS feeds as bookmarks in IE). The calendar app is decent if you just want to check your schedule, but you ultimately need the keyboard and mouse to do anything more.

And while the touchscreen works well within the interface, trying to control the rest of Vista (Media Center notwithstanding) can be maddening. Buttons and icons in Vista are too small for fingertaps on the screen, resulting in hitting the wrong button, or not hitting anything at all. I basically gave up on navigating Vista with the touchscreen after the first 30 minutes.

But even within the interface, though it functions competently, you can't help but feel like it needs a bit more polish. Sure, it looks great, but sometimes its choppy or laggy in reacting to your touch, making it feel less than intuitive.

Part of this is due to the fact that the touchscreen isn't a real touchscreen, but rather an IR ring around the front of the monitor that tracks the position of your finger on a 2D plane. When the plane is broken, it interprets that as a mouse click. It isn't microscopically precise, but the big buttons of the custom interface help compensate for that to a degree. While I'm sure this helps keep cost low, It doesn't have the same smooth feel.

The Touchsmart IQ506 is a good computer, both in design and features, but is a little rough around the edges when it comes to it's touch features. If you want a kitchen computer that looks nice, functions well with a keyboard and mouse, and has a few neat touch functions to boot, this $1500 machine, or the IQ504, isn't a bad deal. But if you're expecting to be blown away by the touchscreen experience, you may want to hold off. [HP Touchsmart]

One of the calendar interfaces features drag-and-drop notes that accept written input (via stylus or, if you're talented, finger) and audio recordings from the machine's built-in microphone.

The main UI is quite similar, full of cute graphical widgets for things like weather, TV and other media controls. An HP PhotoSmart printer and basic photo editing software are attached and included to round out the entertainment package. – Karson Thompson