In the last month or so I’ve been blogging and living with the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition laptop, or more affectionately referred to as TamTam. I’ve carried TamTam around in my purse for various Meet & Greets with folks (I’m still updating my flicker feed too, so you’ll have to check that out as well) and just seeing how user friendly she really is in my life. So what’s my final verdict?

First the specs:

Operating system: Genuine Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3
Processor: Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processor N270 (1.60GHz)
Memory: 1GB DDR2 System Memory (1 Dimm)
Hard drive: 60GB 4200RPM PATA Hard Drive
Graphics card: Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Display: 10.1″ diagonal SD LED BrightView Infinity Widescreen Display (1024 x 576)
Personalization: HP Mini Webcam with HP Imprint Finish (Vivienne Tam)
Networking: Wireless-G Card
Keyboard: HP Color Matching Keyboard
Primary battery: 3 Cell Lithium Polymer Battery

But how do I feel about it?

I love it, I honestly do. My entire life I’ve been a die hard Mac girl and this was the first computer that made me think otherwise. For me, I love the convenience of the size – it honestly fits into one of my shoulder bags and it’s not heavier than what I normally carry around. For internet access on the go I can either tap into free Wi-Fi at places like Caribou Coffee or I’ve been able to plug in my BlackBerry and access my Verizon Broadband. I’ve downloaded Microsoft Office, my Blackberry Software, Picassa, TweetDeck and all the other software programs I use on a daily basis.

Someone asked me about the memory since it doesn’t have as much as my MacBook. I actually have not stored a lot on my computers since I had one crash, I always save my iTunes library and everything that’s important to me on an external hardrive (I’m thinking of picking up this one in yellow for TamTam) so to me, memory isn’t an issue. If you travel, you’ll love it because of the size and how easy it is to pull out of your bag for security scans and for when you need to put it away quickly. HP is marketing it as a better alternative to dragging your big laptop everywhere and better access to everything you need and easier to type on than a smartphone.

The price tag is $700 and I know there are HP mini’s that start at $399 but you’re paying for a piece of artwork too. It’s like buying a designer handbag, it’s a piece you’ll want to keep forever. And even at that price, it’s a little bit less than buying other computers. Send this link to your husband/partner/boyfriend and ask for a treat: HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition

And if you buy one, send me a picture with your TamTam and I’ll definitely welcome you to the club.

This has been way too fun!
dwj

Someone asked me about the other bloggers who also got a TamTam of their own (her siblings). Here are a few of the folks who also blogged about their experience too:
Morningside Mom
Moosh in Indy (She has video!)
Tech Starlet
A Mom in Red High Heels
Notebooks
Techdiva
Tech Mamas
Mobile PC World
The Mama Bird Diaries

dwj

Again, I can’t even begin to tell you how special this event was and how fortunate I felt to be a part of the 20 female bloggers chosen to play with the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition! Somebody pinch me.

After already seeing a fashion show and then getting a gift from the Vivienne Tam boutique, we headed off to the Daily Candy HP Mini Vivienne Tam laptop Launch Party / Cocktail hour.

Not only did I get to take yet another pic with Vivienne Tam. She autographed our laptops! Unfortunately by the next morning my autograph only said Dear Dan…but I have a picture to remember it by!

My laptop fit very nicely inside of my Vivienne Tam handbag along with a pair of ballet flats (I knew I was walking home from the restaurant later that night and my 4 inch platforms would have not been the best walking shoe…), my long Coach wallet, my large makeup bag and my Nikon P80 camera. I swear that bag is like Mary Poppins’ carpet bag – things just kept coming out of it!

I also made a new blogging BFF with Morningside Mom. So that made the trip even better! We totally bonded and I hope we’ll be blogging buddies for a long time to come. You’d think that was enough out of the trip, right? The next evening I ended up at Sirius Satellite radio on Make It Plain with Mark Thompson!

Mark is my cousin and he invited my sisters and I up to sit in on the show. So we talked politics AND about pretty things (the laptop included). I’ve included a slide show from the Daily Candy cocktail party and my trip to Sirius below. Tomorrow, my final review.

I feel like this isn’t my life, really. A month ago I was asked if I wanted to try out the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition. I could play with it, blog with it and use it to get a better feel for my review for you guys. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would take me to fashion week!

HP and Vivienne Tam gave me and 19 other bloggers the HP Mini Vivienne Tam edition before it really hit the market and then they flew us to NYC to go to Vivienne Tam’s fashion show and to meet Vivienne Tam!

They invited us back to the boutique the next day to take pictures of the clothes, check out the studio space and just browse (that’s Tierra Wilson blogging above)…so we thought. As a thank you for our time and giving such great feedback to HP about the laptop we were allowed to pick out anything we wanted in the store!?! I was standing next to Caroline of Morningside Mom and she just blurted out, “can I hug you?!” to the manager of the store – she’s such a mom. I think I actually said, “I’m going to vomit…” and then I made a beeline for the item I wanted in the store…

A gorgeous lambskin and embroidered clutch that’s big enough to hold the laptop (and a pair of ballet flats, my wallet and makeup kit – I put it all in there for the cocktail party the next night!). I was truly overwhelmed and totally caught off guard, but very excited. I just keep saying I can’t believe this is happening to me! All because of my little blog.

I’ve included a slide show of the boutique below and from the fashion show below that. Tomorrow I’ll talk about the cocktail party and my trip to Sirius Satellite Radio to talk politics and pretty and then my final review of TamTam…I can tell you right now – I’m not giving her back, but I’ll definitely let you know if you should add her to your handbag too!

I’ve left Las Vegas (more on that next week) and I’m in NYC for the end of fashion week. So what all did this blogger get to do? Go to the Vivienne Tam fashion show last night! TamTam got to meet her maker up close and personal!

Caroline from Morningside Mom and I grabbed a photo with Vivienne Tam last night and I took lots of pictures of her collection and you can check them out on my Flickr photostream. Vivienne was super gracious and she was definitely a proud mama of her collection and the laptops. It was so cool to be there! The show was in her boutique and they had large HP touchscreen computers all over the room and they were even webcasting the entire show and party. Who knew?! Vivienne is really into technology and loves bloggers – and I think I kind of lover her right back! One of the things I loved that she said last night was that she was so excited about the large group of women bloggers and that we were women supporting other women…so true.

We’ve got more events and more stuff going on with HP and the Vivienne Tam crew today (did I mention how nice she is and how excited she was to meet a huge group of women bloggers?!) so I’ll take more pictures and let you know what all happens. I just wanted to make sure I gave you a little nugget so you’d realize I’m not slacking on you guys, I’m just busy, busy, busy!

More tomorrow (or late this evening).
dwj