The Sprout by HP is Perfect for Families and Creative Projects!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in conjunction with Hewlett Packard for their new product Sprout by HP. I received compensation for participating in this campaign.
Sprout by HP

Yesterday HP made a huge announcement and showed the world their innovative new device, the Sprout! I was given the top secret mission of playing around with this machine over the past few weeks and I am so thrilled I finally get to talk about it. You know that I am passionate about showing parents new products that can help make their lives easier. The Sprout has changed the way I think about editing pictures, creating graphics, and how my kids interact with the digital world. It is a dual screen device with a Touch Mat that acts as the second screen. There is also a built in projector and camera that captures 2D and 3D images. I know, it sounds like something out of science fiction, so instead of just telling you about the Sprout by HP features that make me excited, I thought I would show you. 

After you watch the video below, scroll down so you can see see more about this family friendly creativity station. For the next few months I will be regularly posting more about the Sprout, from project ideas to how my family is using it, on my social media sites and here on Lunchbox Dad. I don't want you to miss anything.



As you can see from the video, the Sprout is unlike any device you've ever used. There are so many ways that families and creative types can use it. Here are a few of the features that I've enjoyed about it so far.

The Sprout setup is simple. No busy parent wants to spend hours setting up a new device like this. Snap together the plug in the monitor, snap in the Touch Mat, and you're ready to go!


HP Sprout installation

The Sprout makes it simple to scan in physical objects. You just place the item on the Touch Mat, push two buttons, and it's done. We have been scanning in lunchboxes, superhero action figures, and pretty much anything else we can fit on the Touch Mat! From there the pictures can easily be edited using your finger or the included stylus. You then combine these objects with your digital projects for what HP calls "blended reality." We have had so much fun with this feature. In fact, for the picture below, I scanned in actual food made in the shape of the different letters "REIMAGINE."


Editing photos and graphics is ridiculously easy. I have worked with all sorts of photo editing software and the is the most intuitive program I have seen. It is a snap to crop, remove shadow, add backgrounds, and create layers. Even if you have never used a photo editing program you will be able to pick up the basics of this right away.



The kids apps are so fun and creative! My children love playing with the Crayola drawing app. They color in pictures while creating music at the same time. The color and tool combinations seem to be endless. Their favorite part is the stickers feature. They are constantly scanning in Legos, dolls, or even their own hands to add to pictures. Did I mention my 8 year-old and 4 year-old can do all of this on their own? This is a parent's dream!


Sprout by HP

The Touch Mat is washable! If you are a parent you know that no matter how careful you are, accidents and dirty hands happen. Most kids have the superpower of somehow destroying an entire house using only a blueberry muffin. You can just wipe down the Touch Mat using a damp cloth and it is ready to be used again.



The Sprout's technical specs are stunning. From the beautiful 20" touchscreen display, to the powerful Core i7 processor, to the 1TB SSD hybrid drive, this thing runs like a finely tuned sports car. HP also included 4 USB ports and a built in memory card reader just because they never want you to run out of ports. To top it off there is a built in HD webcam for all of the video calls your parents want your kids, I mean you, to make to them.

These are just a few of the many features that I have discovered with the Sprout. I encourage you to go to the Sprout by HP website to see more details and videos that demonstrate what this device can do. I can't wait to show you more of the projects I am working on so keep remember to checking back so you don't miss any of the fun!

#parentproductreviews

22 comments:

  1. What fun! Can't wait to see your creations :)

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    1. For details and review check out https://reyep.com/sprout-pro-by-hp-g2--3793/

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  2. Thanks Lovin Lunches the Sprout truly is an amazing product!

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  3. Thanks Sarah, I'll be writing about it a bunch. Check back soon for new ideas!

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  4. I played with this at the Microsoft Store yesterday for #FitnessDayDC. As a graphic designer, it was the first non-Apple product I ever wanted to buy! :)

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  5. It has serious capabilities that's for sure! cant wait to try out the real-time project collaboration on it.

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  6. This is such an amazing idea!!!! :) My son is extremely picky and I'm hoping that something like this will get him to at least taste other foods. Thank you for the awesome inspiration! !!

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  7. I own the Sprout and this is nothing more than a marketing video showing. The machine is limited and currently doesn't currently justify the price in part because of limitations in hardware and software. The software is geared towards young children and maybe scrap bookers. The projector and touchpad would be better server with a second touchscreen on the horizontal. I think this should be developed into a more refined products aimed at the prosumer media design market.


    2D document scans are limited if the paper isn't perfectly flat, so a paper feed scanner is much better choice then Sprouts flat bed. 3d objects 2d scans are fine but not something you would use beyond a small group newsletter.

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  8. Timothy, maybe you didn't read the title of the post? I wrote this from the stance of a parent, not a graphic designer who uses complex options in photoshop. My kids love this and it has helped them be super creative in a mixed media format. I disagree that the software is geared toward children only. I think it is great for adults who don't know photoshop either. Why would you want a second touchscreen monitor horizontally? That would take up more desk space than most people have. I don't know what HP or third parties have in store for more apps but I think they will be pretty great. Also, in regards to scanning we scan in objects all the time that are not flat. I don't really know where you are going with that argument. We are overall very happy with the Sprout and are excited to see where it goes.

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  9. Beau, the touch screen monitor would replace the mat and projector giving better resolution and touch performance. In most cases my all-in-one printer useful for scanning then the overhead scanner on Sprout. 3rd Parties have have just started looking at developing software for the Sprout so it will be a long wait if they decide it's worth the effort. As it sits right now my iPad, S5, or Nexus 7 are better creative devices than the Sprout because they have good simple software.

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  10. I am considering this or the base model of the new 5k iMac for my family. Users would be my wife consuming digital media and Facebook, my 5 year old son and myself using Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere. Any thoughts on if the Sprout is the right choice? I'd be interested in hearing all sides as we are overseas so I can't walk into a store like Best Buy or B&H to compare.

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  11. Designer Dad I posted this above but am interested in your input as well. I am considering this or the base model of the new 5k iMac for my family. Users would be my wife consuming digital media and Facebook, my 5 year old son and myself using Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere. Any thoughts on if the Sprout is the right choice? I'd be interested in hearing all sides as we are overseas so I can't walk into a store like Best Buy or B&H to compare.

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  12. I'm not really sure if this alone could work in the place of an entire laptop or desktop computer. I only used it for a bit in the store — I already have a pretty extensive set up and am not able to make any purchases right now. However, I just googled "compare sprout to imac" and got quite a few helpful articles. Good luck!

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  13. I guess I'm just going to have to disagree. I have owned all of those devices and I find the Sprout to be much more useful.

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  14. Qatarvim the great thing about the Sprout is that it is also a very powerful all-in-one computer with a touchscreen monitor. You can see all the specs at http://sprout.hp.com. It includes a core i7 processor and 1 TB hybrid drive among other things. It has plenty of power for what you described. The difference is the programs. If you feel comfortable in a Windows environment you will have no problem with the Sprout. My 4 year old loves this thing and it is very intuitive for him to use the touchmat and I dont have to worry about him messing up settings or anything very easily. I hope this helps. Any other specific questions about features or uses and I would be glad to answer them.

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