Hewlett-Packard's Thursday-released device, the DreamScreen, touted as a "new category" in home entertainment hardware, will essentially perk up the idea of placing smart screens within the house to display content from the Web and PCs.

Available in two sizes, 10.2 inches and 13.3 inches, the 'smart screens' - the $249-priced DreamScreen 100 and the $299-priced DreamScreen 300 - are compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and Windows XP. The devices, available from HP's website, will hit the US markets in October.

Featuring an ARM processor, 2GB flash memory, card reader, 802.11 b/g wireless connectivity, and a 800 by 400 widescreen display, the DreamScreens can display Web content sans a PC hook-up, and play music or video stored on any computer within a home. In addition, they can also serve alarm clocks; and help check the weather and play nearly 15,000 global radio stations.

The new HP products, which can also display photos like a digital picture frame, make use of a remote control and a touch panel for input.

Noting that the DreamScreens can be hung on a wall or put on a table, Ameer Karim, director of worldwide marketing with HP's futures and innovations group, said: "What we're really trying to do is bring a simple, user-intuitive device that's always on, always connected to the Internet, to bring Web applications that don't require PCs."