I have been using (and truly enjoying) my HP ENVY 23 TouchSmart AIO computer for over a month now. Even though I use it daily I am always discovering new things I can do with it, or more apps I can download for it (I’m crazy for apps!). My kids, especially my son, has taught me a lot about the computer. I’m not as tech savvy as they are. It’s funny when they teach me things.
There are so many things I love about this computer. Where to I begin?
First and foremost the Windows 8 with the tiles that can give you real time updates on things like news and your Facebook and Twitter feeds is a must. Instead of having to bounce back and forth between websites to get updates everything I need to know is right there in front of me. These apps update in real time so I never miss out on anything important. Plus I have the luxury of visiting the various site (such as Facebook) with just the touch of a button with either my finger (since the monitor is touchscreen) or the mouse.
Having the ability to move tiles around and group them in ways that make sense to you has been helpful. If I can do that on my phone it only makes sense to be able to do that on my computer. Now I can gett my favorite apps in one group, utility apps in another group, and “fun” apps (games, shopping…) in another section.
I tried to take some videos of my HP ENVY using my phone. The quality is far from perfect. However I hope you can see well enough to appreciate just how amazing this computer is.
Here is a brief video where I talk about the real time updates and share my son’s favorite app which he checks each and every day (including the weekends).
There are hundreds (if not more!) apps, from games to programs to help you work for efficiently. I could literally spend overs looking over all the available apps (most are free too) but I can’t since I usually have work to do.
Sometimes I like to take a break from work and play around with the map app or Google Earth. I just pick a random place, zoom in and explore. Sometimes I pick out popular destinations like Paris or Los Angeles. Other times I’ll “visit” a foreign land or find some tiny island in the middle of the ocean to check out.
Because the monitor is a massive 23″ you can really get a good look at even the tiniest images on the map. The quality and color of the computer’s display make some things seem to pop out of the screen. Take for example the utility (?) poles that I zoomed in on in this video (below). I don’t know how well is shows up in the video but when I looked at them from my view they seemed to pop out of the monitor.
My kids fight over who gets to use the HP ENVY all the time. They are not allowed to use the computer during the week (school work is more important) but I do let my son check the weather only because it helps the entire family know how to dress for the day. When Friday afternoon rolls around, oh boy! They fight over who gets to use it first. They have to take turns (1 hour at a time).
My son loves to use the computer to play games and explore. He’s the one who teaches me the most about the computer. He seems to figure things out quicker then I do or he’ll stumble upon an app or a computer function that I didn’t know that I had. He’s like my own little personal HP ENVY tutor. LOL! He also likes to watch YouTube videos.
My daughter loves to use the computer to surf the web. She desperately wants to use the built in camcorder to video chat with her friends. However the computer is located on my desk, which is in the living room, so there is no privacy. She is a teenager and the last thing she wants is for her parents to be sitting in the same room with her when she’s chatting with friends.
My daughter also loves to listen to music on the I Heart Radio app. It’s a cool app that not only allows you to create your own stations but it also gives you the ability to listen to radio stations across the country. I mostly listen to the NY stations but I have dabbled in other stats radio stations too.
The HP ENVY 23 TouchScreen AIO comes with built in Beats Audio. Its a high quality audio system that makes music sound so much better then it does on other platforms (computer, cellphone, stereo). It optimizes everything you are hearing.
Beats Audio was created by musician Dr. Dre. According to Dre, Beats Audio allows people to “Hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way they should: the way I do.”
Not only does the Beats Audio work great with CDs, purchased music and apps like I Heart Radio, it also optimizes the audio for movies and television that you can watch on the HP ENVY.
During the holiday season I was able to listen to holiday music while I worked around the house or at my desk. I cannot wait for this holiday season. We are hoping to move and buy a house. That means I could host holiday get togethers in my home. I am going to take full advantage of the exceptional sound quality on my HP ENVY and put on holiday music so that it’s playing in the background for my guests to enjoy. 🙂
I tried to capture some music in this video. Sadly it does not due the sound justice. It’s must nicer in person.
My apologies only the quality of these videos in this post. My camera does not take the best video. Some day I need to invest in a better video recorder.
I do a lot of movie reviews. I would sometimes watch DVDs on my laptop, especially when my husband wanted to watch something on TV. We only have two TVs. One in the bedroom that the kids share and the one in the living room. This arrangement worked OK most of the time, but not when I had a Blu-ray to review. We only have one Blu-ray player which is in the living room. If I had a Blu-ray to watch and review that my husband had no interest in I’d have to wait until he was at work.
The HP ENVY 23 TouchScreen AIO has been a lifesaver! Now if I have a Blu-ray movie to review I can pop it into the HP ENVY. This computer allows you to watch movies in both DVD and Blu-ray. I love it! The huge 23″ monitor/screen is a plus too. Instead of watching a movie on my little 12″ laptop screen (the clarity is not that great), I can watch a movie on the big screen. The color and clarity is just like our HD TV.
The video resolution and eye popping colors on the HP ENVY are ideal for playing games too.
I tried to capture the video quality in this brief clip but it really does’t do the screen justice. You really can’t tell just how wonderful it truly looks.
I think I really need to invest in a new video camera.
I love that I have the ability to video chat. The holiday season was a bit crazy trying to schedule chats with relatives (even some across the “big pond” – England).
Last summer our daughter spent the week in Pennsylvania with relatives. She plans on doing it again this year. Last year I had to do Face Time with her on my cellphone because I didn’t have a webcam. It was not easy, especially holding the phone the whole time so she could see me. This year when she goes I can just hop on my HP ENVY and chat with her with the built in webcam.
Not only does the webcam allow you to connect with family and friends and virtually chat with you but you can also take photos with the webcam and even set it up to snap images when you are not around (kind of like a spycam).
For all you tech savvy people out there who are interested in the specs, here is some additional information for you.
Blazing performance, edge-to-edge glass, multi-touch all-in-one PC with Intel quad-core performance, Beats audio, two-year warranty
Operating system – Windows 8 64
Processor – 3rd Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3330S quad-core processor [2.7GHz, 6MB Shared Cache]
Memory – 6GB DDR3 SODIMM Memory [2 DIMMs]
Hard drive – 1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
Graphics card – Integrated graphics – Intel(R) HD
Optical drive – Slim slot load SuperMulti DVD burner
Display – 23″ diagonal HD touch-enabled widescreen LED
My whole family has been over-the-moon ecstatic about this computer. It’s great when we discover something cool and interesting about the computer, or something we can do with the computer. We huddle around it so we can show each other our great find.
This computer has been so much fun to play with, as well as to work on (homework). It’s become a part of our daily lives. I think at this point I would be lost without it.
Make sure to check out my initial review for the HP ENVY 23 TouchScreen AIO too. I provided even more information and plenty of photos and screen shots on that post.
In case you were wondering who won the HP ENVY giveaway that I had last month, the winner is Tracy I. Congratulations Tracy!
We ♥ our HP ENVY 23″ TouchSmart AIO computer!
For additional information about the HP ENVY 23″ TouchSmart AIO computer (there are several ones available) visit the HP Home & Office store.
Kimberly
* I wrote this review while participating in a program on behalf of HP and received an ENVY 23 TouchSmart AiO and other products as a thank you for my participation. In addition is was also provided with a Netflix account to use during this program, however I am already a Netflix subscriber.