HP DreamScreen– Mobile Tech Not Intended to Go Anywhere
HP sent word about a new product for the home that I’m having a hard time getting my head around how useful it might be. The DreamScreen is a wireless screen for the home that defies definition. It comes in two sizes– 10 inch and 13 inch, and it is essentially a computer screen without the computer part. It will be available for the holidays for $250 and $300.
The DreamScreen is basically a digital frame that has Wi-Fi, so it taps into the home network to perform basic tasks. Basic is the key concept here; aside from clock functions and photo displaying, about all you can do with the DreamScreen is check your Facebook friends. It’s a screen without YouTube, a connected device without a web browser. It does have a remote control so you can leave it on the nightstand and still control it, whatever that means. It can stream audio from Pandora so it has some value, but I’m not sure about how much. Maybe I’m missing something. It does have a touchscreen, or at least touch buttons, so it’s almost a tablet. It would be great if it could be used with a PC as an extra display over Wi-Fi. Now that would be cool, because as it is, it’s a mobile device not intended to go anywhere. Honest.
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James,
Actually, I’ve been wanting a device like this, and the price isn’t bad. Have you seen the prices of wireless digital picture frames? They’re about as much as this device.
I want a device in the hallway near the kitchen where I can touch the screen and get the weather forecasts. The advantage is that I don’t have to sit down at the computer, log in, and wait for the web pages to load.
And my wife rarely uses the computer, but wants to stay current on our facebook friends. She could take 5 minutes to check recent photos and updates on this device where it would take 3 times as long to log on to the PC. And then you get to checking email and newsfeeds, and your 5-minute check turned into a 45-minute session.
Jerad, sorry to dash your hopes, but no touchscreen. Just buttons on the frames & a remote control.
What I think is that it is a big FLOP idea ..my phone can do most of this..and I believe most smartphones can do this…why another device…why HP cannot figure out something innovative…
I think this is an awesome product. . . if it can automatically steam photos from my Windows Home Server. I’ve been looking for a digital photo frame that can do this for years, and the few current offerings with integrated wireless fail to do this well. I want a photo frame that updates itself, no card swapping/updating involved.
I agree that most of the other features are useless. Weather might occasionally be nice, Facebook pictures are be nice (it is the largest photo sharing site on the internet), but Flickr integration is sorely lacking. Snapfish is just not that common. Why can’t it just pull photos from any RSS steam?
Still, pulling photos over the local network is the killer feature that makes me want to buy one.
I’m actually looking for something like this but with A/V inputs. I’m planning on buying the Nokia N900 (which has TV out) and want the option of using a slim, portable 10″ screen + BT Mouse & Keyboard with it.
I got a Chumby almost 2 yrs ago and I love it, though it probably doesn’t have this device’s resolution.
Man, I am so glad I stopped by here to get your take on this. It was hurting my head this morning, reading the specs and having WTFs popping up all over my brainplane. It STAYS IN ONE PLACE! No battery — it’s plugged in to work, like a TOASTER! And wireless transfer video to it? Well how long would a 700MB video take? What, I should put it on an SD card first? What’s the point of that?! I didn’t even think of the lack of YouTube, that’s how much this thing was hurting my head trying to figure it out. Glad I’m not alone in my confusion!
At least it has a remote.
I was really hoping this was going to have the windows remote desktop clinet like the old Viewsonic Airpanels and Windows CE tablets.
As it is now, I just don’t see what I’m getting in this product.