THE COMPUTER is now so powerful, it can basically play all your music, and all the latest Hollywood blockbusters.
Yet it still requires a mouse, a keyboard and a desk in order to access the content and applications inside.
That is, until the Lenovo AV/PC from Chinese PC maker Legend. The Lenovo Slimia series are PCs that can now replace your hi-fi and TV, and also serve as your desktop computer.
The Slimia 800 is a PC powered by a Pentium 4 processor running at 2.4 GHz. It also comes with 256 MB of DDR memory, combo 16xDVD/CDRW drive, 15-inch LCD monitor, GeForce4 MX440 8X 3D graphics card, a 6-in-1 card reader that supports multiple portable media format (CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and so on), and many, many extras.
The Slimia also includes a state-of-the-art stereo system with 3D sound, and the CD drive can play back both music and movies. What's more, there's a remote control so you can enjoy the couch potato experience.
The slick design of the series certainly makes it a worthwhile addition to any living room, but it has its faults. TVs represent a communal experience, and it is pretty hard to share a PC with someone else. This contradiction and the fact that you need a chair in front of the desk to use a computer, which would inevitably block your view when watching a movie, makes it less appealing.
Personally, I have a 29-inch TV, and it's been more than five years since I've bought a new stereo. In that space of time, the PC component of the Slimia would seem like a dinosaur, which would leave you with a bulking and expensive piece of hardware that doesn't do much except play some music and movies on a tiny screen. Price: $10,788.
