The hip-e wants to get down with your children

We spotted the teaser site for this last week, now Digital Lifestyles Group is now publicly pimping the hip-e, their new PC for teenagers. Turns out this bad boy is going to cost $1,699 (which fortunately won't take most teenagers more than a few days of working at the Sunglasses Hut to save up for), which gets you a PC with a 120GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, a built-in TV tuner, speakers that can be removed and turned into a "beatbox" (whatever the hell that is), a 1.5GHz processor, a supposedly more teen-friendly front-end for Windows XP, a 17-inch display, and a DVD/CD-RW combination drive. Should be out in November, with everyone's fave non-blonde Ashlee Simpson helping promote it at malls across America.

[Thanks, Marc]

[rjyan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

forget the teenagers.. i want one asap.

[swarmster @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

"I think what Apple did with iTunes and the iPod is great. But that's just one application," he said. "We are doing that -- on steroids. It's all of these applications, all on one platform."

You mean...like OS X?

[ras esther @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

They may have used real teens to help with the prototype, but what age bracket came up with the name "Hip-e" ????

[Aero @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

If I were a teenager, this would insult my intelligence.

[SickPuppy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Like I said on the other piece, what a complete waste of time.

1.5GHZ, what the hell??
OK, I don't know dollars from deutchmarks (I'm in the UK) but I'm damn sure $1699 could buy you a much better spec'd PC that could do all the 'hip-e' (who the hell thought up THAT) can and more.

[Jake @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

This looks pretty eXtreme, to the maX! I'm sure that Poochie (of I & S fame) will make a great spokesdog!

[dvd-software.info @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Because it looks cool, that's all

[run.dll @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

do they know we are teaseing them? i think someone should tell them we are. haha...

[Eduo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

This machine is not cheap. It's not supposed to be cheap. I personally believe it's tacky but teenagersw rebel in tackiness with glee.

Other than the name (which is shameful) the machine has some good ideas. The design is horrible (looks like one of those "Learning PC's" sold in walmart that mimick an actual PC but have a small LCD and fake keyboard and mouse (for all intents and purposes).

The good ideas. tho', probably come from the teenager group. They haven't been mentioned here in the article, comments or the original article, but they're there in the webpage for it.

1.-Customizable bezel: You can put your own printout in the monitor screen to customize it, as well as in the keyboard/trackpad combo

2.-Integration (with cradle) of cellphone and MP3 Player (probably via USB

3.-An attempt to make the Windows interface better (probably won't work, as they're still using the same end programs, but the effort should be applauded)

4.-Dettachable monitor (can be tacked to the wall)

5.-Wireless, skinnable, extended keyboard/trackpad with charging cradle.

6.-8in1 memory card-reader integrated to the same cellphone/mp3 player/keyboard cradle/charger

7.-6 (!) USB ports PLUS firewire.

8.-TV-IN with remote control. This is a biggie. The ability to watch TV while using the computer, as well as play Console games (attaching an Xbox or Gamecube to it) is a big deal for teenagers.

There are more, but I think I may be making my point.

Again, the design is tacky, but the ideas are sound and not many teenagers care about design if it at least LOOKS different.

Some extra notes:

-The "detachable sound system" is actually a set of speakers with an amp and volume control. You can plug it in any player with a headphones jack and it should work (I think the "Blast your music!" part is a little over-the-top

-The company not only makes a laptop as well (with ports for sync'ing the phone and the mp3 player) but they also make their own cellphone and mp3 player for integration.

I'm a mac user and Apple lover, but I don't think we should fail to see what this company is trying to do here and congratulate them for it. The teenager market is INDEED ignored (as in "made for teens" products, at least) and these guys are making an effort with several sound ideas.

Eduo

[Who_Cares @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

This is junk. A piece of Shet. Tricking computer illiterates into buying a piece of JUNK. ROFLMAO. WHAT THE FUCK?

[momurda @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

1600 dollars..... and all you get is a 1.5 processor...512 megs of ram..and a 120gig hd.. for 1600.. i could build a machine that would be among top of the line for that kinda money..rofl. id love to hear these speakers. and ATI puts out that same vid card plus has many more features. this computer is a complete joke. but whatever floats your boat.

[mom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I took my 13 yr. old daughter and 12 yr. old son to the mall for "Simon Dtour" tonight. The Hip-E was being promoted via inserts in the "goodie bags" and a booth where you spin a wheel to win a prize. My kids thought it was great. Sure, it looks cool and has some convenient features (I loved the fact that it's super sleek and wall mountable), but I started having serious doubts when I found out that its pseudo-ipod thingy could only hold 150 songs! I think we'll stick with the bulky pc, buy the multi-thousand song ipod, and save our money. Heck, we could get each kid an ipod with a couple hundred downloads each and still come out ahead! I like the ideas behind this thing, but the price needs to come waaaay down.

[dfd @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

It looks like the physical manifestation of a marketing buzzword. Like someone put together a focus group made up of Millhouses and designed a computer around their needs.

If I were sixteen (and it hasn't been too long a while since I was sixteen), I'd be doing some serious eye-rolling right now.

Oh well, what the heck -- for old times' sake: *ROLLS EYES*

[Luke @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

First off I'm 14 and if you disagree with my opinion you are wrong.

I discovered this piece of shit while looking through a skateboard mag, and said to myself, "This thing looks mildly amusing. I think I will go on my superior computer to find out more." I was deeply offended.

Idiots will be the only poeple who buy this because they don't know any better. They may be parents who don't understand computers. They will buy this for their 16 year old, not realizing that they are already too old for it, they would rather have the money for a car, they will lose interest if they don't break it before then, and they will abandon it when they leave you in 2 years. If you don't understand the value of a real operating system, you may not realize how shitty this is. This computer seems very similar to the iopener, another shitty computer that can only perform limited functions. Teenagers will require much more than this can offer. The first time they want to do something that isn't offered, they will be frustrated and hate the computer. This is more of a toy than a computer. There is no group this will appeal to. Teenagers will think it is stupid. little kids will think it is for older kids, and even if they want one, it's too expensive, adults have no use for it. Also, this computer is limited to one user, and no teenager deserves such an expenisve computer for themself. Finnaly, the name is shit. Hip-e!?! WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THAT. I've seen boner pills with better names than that. If you have to tell teenagers that your product is hip, then it is immediatly not.

If I see anyone who owns one of these I will ridicule them and kick their ass.

[Thomas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Hahahaha.
Ah
The sad thing about this computer is it's not really an computer,it says it has windows,but it dosent,you cant do anything on this,
it has a wheel(whoopie what big fucking fun)
the wheel is like windows start menu except the wheel is fucking gay.I am 16.If my parents bought me this i would think WTF.i hate dell,i would rather have a dell than this.Jesus.I have a very nice computer its Custom WinXp pro.
Anyways,The gameing machine for Teens and media.pffft.
It says you can only play a few games i looked at them on the website,HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.those games are sadder than pong.why did they let "kids" design a pc,They are gonna fuck it up anyway.
Also what i find really sad about this is the cell phone.WHY THE FUCK DO I NEED A CELL PHONE ON MY KEYBOARD,AM I GOING TO MAKE A CALL INTO It.Huh am i going to type it,555-55555 oh Woopie
Any one who buys this for thier kid should be shot.
This is WORST excuse for an computer(its not a damn computer)

I cant help but point and laugh and who buys this.
they will be screwed in a month
It has no firewall or antivirus
Hello Learning to hack.
(not really)
and you cant download anything or format the hard drive or de-frag
ALso all that shit is onboard.

GoodBye
This Pc will die
Thomas

[Zero @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I went to www.hip-e.com and there's a message there that as of 04/25/2005 they've closed their operations and won't supply support anymore, etc. (???)

[Build a Website @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Well apparently they've pretty much gone belly up.

Maybe they should have hired a bunch of teenage consultants that weren't related to them to see how it would go. I mean really why the heck would anyone want an over priced computer that's kinda like a laptop but isn't portable or really even that good.

[amanda @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

can u still get these things?

[jazzyj @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

what is the main website for the hip-e

[Sherri @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I'm really not surpirsed this computer was discontinued, any who bought one should sue

[Jen Freking @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I love it. it fits my personality. Everyone at school is jelous of me..just because i have rich parents. haha. omg omg i really recamend thiss product, it helped me get my bf max. but maybe i can get another bf from it..he comes over and plays on it all the time. i wanted to give a shout out to ma gurlss. MARIE MOLLY AND ME THE UGLY ONE. haha i love you all and put this on your xmas gift and santa will be coming to your house heheh. thanks for you time and i hope you love it justt as i did. thanks again mom and daddy for getting this for me. love you all.

[matthew @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

ppppppppbbbbbbbbbtttttttt....

ahhh.... what a great shit