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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