HP Developing Hybrid Tablet PC / Coffee Table 187
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."
Re:"Misto"? (Score:1, Informative)
The top of the table... (Score:3, Informative)
Actual tablet PC's don't have you writing on the mushy LCD, there's a sheet of tempered glass over the display to protect the LCD.
Re:But... (Score:3, Informative)
I'd rather have a robust touch-screen coffee table display that I can connect my laptop to.
Well, just in case you were thinking of placing your laptop on top of a coffee table display, never keep a drink on the same surface as a laptop!!! [slashdot.org] Honestly, it's a horrible accident just waiting to happen, the kind where thousands of dollars just disappear in the blink of an eye, along with all your data.
Desktops are fine. All you replace the keyboard if you accidentally tip a drink over, maybe a mouse. But just understand that laptop keyboards also have an unintended alternative function; as a drain for liquids to thoroughly saturate and damage all the internal components of you're highly priced hardware!
philips announce this last month (Score:1, Informative)
http://www.research.philips.com/initiatives/enter