Slashdot Mirror
HP Developing Hybrid Tablet PC / Coffee Table
StrongGlad writes "HP has been working on a different take on the home entertainment PC. "Misto" is a hybrid of a coffee table and a tablet PC, featuring a large, built-in touch-screen display. The idea is to allow a group to congregate around the table and share pictures, play board games, or peruse a map. Misto uses a standard desktop PC as its engine, but comes with some specialized HP software for managing the interface. Pricing, availability and style of coffee table are all undetermined, but Misto gives people some idea of how HP wants to develop products that expand on its existing businesses."
Husband:"Seriously, we need this!"
Wife:"You're really not joking are you?"
Husband:"But, we can have rotating screen savers with pictures of the kids..."
Wife:"Or you can just sit there flipping channels on the tv while checking scores on EPSN.com"
Husband:"yea, or that too..."
Wife:"It doesn't go with the the furniture we have - no."
PC + liquid = spectacular failure
really? my old Toshiba toughbook I use for emptying CF cards and writing in my journal during hiking works just fine sitting there in the rain, with a diet coke spilled in it, etc....
If this thing is going to cost what I think it will, it will be trivial to make it as protected as a toughbook is.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
"So what happens when you spill coffee on it? half joking, but half serious too... I have two small children, my guess it this wouldn't last 5 minutes in my house!"
Oh yeah? I have 3 (all boys). I bet *my* kids could destroy it in only 2 minutes.
Seriously though, this does look very cool. Would be a great way to play Risk.
Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder.
Ummm...why not use existing TabletPC active digitizer technology? The working surface is a piece of glass, which is hard, spill-proof, easy to clean, and replaceable.
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.