New HP Desktop Releases :

HP TouchSmart 300-1007 :

HP launches touch-enabled All-in-One PCs

The HP TouchSmart 300-1007 ($900 list) is a compact, 20-inch all in one desktop with wireless keyboard, mouse, and networking. You can think of it as the baby brother to the HP TouchSmart 600-1055, which has a 23-inch screen. The TouchSmart 300 has enough power to do edit videos and photos, and it's small enough to fit on most kitchen counters. It has the power to do most of the multimedia tasks that a digital camera or camcorder enthusiast would do, plus it can become the social center for your family. It can work as the primary PC in an apartment or dorm room, or equally well as the third or fourth PC in the central location of a larger house.

Features :

The TouchSmart 300-1007 comes with an Athlon II X2 235e processor, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, DVD burner, and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi networking. The keyboard and mouse are also wireless, so you'd really only have to hook up a single cable: the power plug. The version of the TouchSmart 300 I looked at didn't have a TV tuner or Blu-ray but you can add a TV tuner as a configure to order option for an extra $60. If you want Blu-ray you'd either have to add a USB-based drive or move up to the TouchSmart 600 series for a built-in drive. At this price, the absence of either feature is negligible. One feature I do miss from the larger, more expensive TouchSmart models is the HDMI-in port; you can use the HDMI-in port to use the system's screen as a display for a console gaming system like Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 or use it with a cable box.

Typing on the on-screen keyboard is just as responsive as using the wireless physical keyboard. In fact, the touch screen response seems to be even more responsive than on the TouchSmart 600. This isn't a surprise, since the TouchSmart 300 only has to keep track of a 1,600 by 900 resolution screen, while the TouchSmart 600 has a 1,920 by 1,080 resolution screen. You wouldn't want to type a novel on the virtual keyboard, but it's better than the on-screen keyboard we used back in the TabletPC days. It is a glossy screen, so finger smudges will eventually cover your monitor.

In addition to the TouchSmart software, the TouchSmart 300 doesn't have too much extraneous bloatware on it. I'm thankful that the usual shortcuts for eBay, Snapfish, etc. are missing. HP Games by WildTangent is still there, and the Norton Internet Security subscription is only for 60-days instead of the 12-month subscription I'd like to see on all systems. However, this is still better than some HP and Gateway PCs that have shortcuts cluttering up the desktop and in the start menu. Speaking of other plusses, it has a two-year warranty standard, courtesy of Costco (though it's administered by HP), a full year longer than most.

Specifications:

• Type: General Purpose, Multimedia, All-in-one
• Processor Family: AMD Athlon II X2
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• RAID: No
• Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 3200
• Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
• Monitor Type: LCD Widescreen
• Screen Size: 20 inches