Right on schedule, HP has taken the wraps off its latest desktop PC, the ambitious 3D-scanning Sprout, and while it has a focus on design, it could also put an end to the physical keyboard as we know it. Apple on the other hand, is just going for sheer eye popping resolution with its latest desktop, the 27-inch iMac with Retina display, but it might not be the revolution we've been waiting for. Join us as we take a look at HP's newest innovation, and how it beats out Apple's latest take on home computing.
A projected keyboard
Your Minority Report-style future is slowly becoming a reality, as HP's Sprout ditches the keyboard for a fully projected one. HP has packed in a software keyboard into its futuristic machine, which lets you type using a combination of its large touch surface and projected mounted to the top of the contraption, and all you have to do is press the dedicated keyboard button on the desktop to enable it. That's not all though, as HP has also incorporated a musical piano app that provides you with projected keys to dazzle on, while the main 23-inch display shows you the sheet music to play. You don't even need to use a keyboard or mouse with the Sprout, as its touch pad will let you do almost anything you want. Apple's latest desktop has nothing on that, and the closest you'll be able to get is using your iPad as an input device - and the Cupertino giants even wanted to make a projected keyboard in the past. It looks like HP's beaten Apple to the punch here.
Manipulate objects with your hands
One of the Sprout's key points is its large touch surface, which lets you draw, doodle and move around objects in creative apps with your hands, just like with a tablet. The only difference is that you have the full power of a desktop PC behind it, letting you play with much more powerful applications with your hands, and it even applies to 3D too. To even get that kind of functionality with Apple's latest iMac, you'd have to use a 3rd-party solution such as the Leap Motion controller, and as we've discovered in the past, it's not the most accurate input tool. Combining a projector and a touch surface gives you much more versatility and accuracy than what Leap Motion can offer, as well as what the iMac can give you out of the box.
Scan in 3D objects
HP's proud of the Sprout's ability to scan in 3D objects, making it even easier for designers to create real life objects. If you wanted to do the same with your 5K iMac, you'd have to invest in expensive 3D scanning equipment, where as it's built right into the Sprout. The thing is though, while Apple's 27-inch iMac with Retina display will set you back £1,999, HP's bonkers PC is £1,175 in comparison, giving you an extra chunk of change while also presenting you with even more creative options. Not bad, right?
Second screen gaming right from the get go
While Apple's eye popping 5K display is one of the best in the business, it's still only one display, and you can forget about having enough power packed into the iMac to play the latest games at the native 5120 x 2880 resolution. HP's Sprout has its main 23-inch screen up-front, but its projected touch pad can also be used as a second screen, and we can imagine it'd give you plenty of extra bonuses when gaming. Flight sims would be able to make extra use of the touch buttons, while shooters could no doubt make use of the extra projected input to make switching weapons or viewing a map even easier. The iMac? Forget about it.
Say goodbye to external scanners
When was the last time you scanned something with your flatbed scanner, or all-in-one printer? We're guessing it's not been too recently, and not very often at that. Even still, when you've needed to scan something onto your computer, you've had to plug in an external scanner, install its software and then get around to actually scanning what you need. With the Sprout though, the built-in 3D scanner be used as just a regular scanner too, letting you throw documents, magazines and anything else you can think of, and it'll handle it like a champ, automatically cropping out the background too. Apple bills its computers as being creative, but we can't see things getting much more imaginative than what HP's Sprout brings to the table.
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