HP Unveils Second-Gen TouchSmart PCs

Card Reader Mouse Like the IQ770, the new TouchSmart PCs unveiled today—theIQ504 and IQ506—feature a natural interface that can beactivated with a finger tap, and are focused on digitalentertainment media with an emphasis on photos, music, TV, andgames. Significant changes in the new generation are larger screensizes—from 19 inches to a 22-inch, high-definition widescreendisplay—and double the RAM, from 2GB to 4GB. Other specsinclude an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a memory card reader, a DVDburner, a 320GB (IQ504) or 500GB (IQ506) hard drive, and anintegrated WLAN. Like the IQ770, the new models will come loadedwith Windows Vista Home Premium. The IQ506 (but not the IQ504)comes with a dual-format NTSC or over-the-air ATSC high-definitionTV tuner. The outside of the TouchSmart PCs is just as slick as the inside,with a piano-black finish and espresso side-panel highlights, and abuilt-in webcam and microphone. Unlike the original model, HPmanaged to compact the entire unit into a tablet-like, stand-up,tilt-adjustable monitor, with a wireless keyboard and optical mouse(and a remote for the IQ506) included. The keyboard can be slippedunder the monitor to keep it out of the way when not in use. External ports include a 5-in-1 memory card reader and five USBports. In addition, the new TouchSmart models are Energy Starcompliant. It's unclear whether one of our main beefs with the originalTouchSmart—the lack of a high-def optical drive—has beenaddressed. The HP SmartTouch IQ504 and IQ506 are expected to start at $1,299and $1,499, respectively, and will be available in retail outletsJuly 13.