HANNspree intros six Vista-certified widescreen monitors

While you may know HANNspree best for their fire truck or sheep-themed TVs, it seems that the company is also quite capable of producing some decidedly blander fare, as evidenced by its latest batch of thoroughly run-of-the-mill widescreen monitors. Standing out the most from the lot is the 22-inch HW-223DPB model, which the company claims to be full 1080p but then goes on to list the resolution as 1680 x 1050. That inconsistency aside, the rest of the monitor's specs look to be decent enough, with a 1,000:1 constrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 5 ms response time, and a built-in 4 port USB 2.0 hub. As for the rest of the Vista-certified line-up, HANNspree's got two 17-inch models in the form of the HW-173DBB and HW-173DB0 ($160 apiece), as well as three different 19-inchers, including the HG-191RPB, HS-191DPB, and HW-194DJB, which'll set you back between $200 and $230.

[paloooz @ May 11th 2007 12:44PM]

Vista-certified? What has this world come to...

[Samuel McConnell @ May 11th 2007 12:44PM]

Vista-certified? Does that mean that the DVI inputs support HDCP?

[paloooz @ May 11th 2007 12:48PM]

It means that it can operate as a computer monitor. As far as I can tell, Vista requires neither HDCP nor DVI. I am plugged in with VGA right now on a 21" Trinitron CRT and it seems to work fine. This monitor is 5 years old, and is not "Vista-certified" ... I think the certifications are just hit plugs for Microsoft that should most certainly NOT be mentioned in Engadget articles. It's pointless, any monitor works with any operating system. Period.

[LongshotX @ May 11th 2007 1:41PM]

I'm using a 19 inch Widescreen Hanns G right now for Vista Ultimate and gaming on my 360. Being Vista Certified doesn't mean anything. Vista accepts nearly every monitor. Mine works just fine. Just plug and play.

[paul34 @ May 11th 2007 12:52PM]

Hmm... does this mean I must also start buying Vista-certified mousepads?

[Damien @ May 11th 2007 1:05PM]

Vista-certified means that BSOD will be the correct, color calibrated shade of blue (PMS 2925).

[Uejji @ May 11th 2007 1:19PM]

I just bought one of these monitors for a client and she was very please with it. I bought the 17" widescreen model.

[Adrian Williams @ May 11th 2007 3:07PM]

why the low rank these things are already out
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254017

[RobFX @ May 11th 2007 1:38PM]

I thought "Vista-Certified" had something to do with Vista's DRM scheme. Like a special DRM chip or whatever.

[kaztm @ May 11th 2007 2:48PM]

What mountain/lake is that?

[Satur9nine @ May 11th 2007 2:51PM]

Can I be vista certified? That way potential employers will know I am vista compatible before hiring me.

[Kyrra @ May 11th 2007 3:46PM]

My guess what "Vista Certified" maens:
The company paid Microsoft to test that their product is compatible with Vista, and their product has been put on MS's list of "certified" hardware for Vista.

Does it mean it does anything special or different? Most likely, No. It's just that the company shelled out the cash to MS to get their product "certified".

[paloooz @ May 11th 2007 3:54PM]

Do they think that will help it sell? Vista-certified means absolutely nothing. The only thing that it does is add another sticker to peal off of the bezel.

[Kyrra @ May 11th 2007 4:00PM]

Hehe, with how Vista has been looked at by the Engadget community, it won't mean a thing. But you have to think about the unknowing public. They will know they have Windows Vista, and when they go shopping for a monitor, they will see Monitor A with a "Vista" sticker. While Monitor B doesn't have the sticker. They might think they have to have a Vista Certified monitor for it to work with their computer.

For these companies, it's a marketing strategy, and little else.