Edward C. Baig

USA TODAY

NEW YORK — The Hewlett-Packard Sprout computer that I've been evaluating passed one critical early test: My wife, Janie, who suffice to say doesn't always embrace new technology with the enthusiasm of her husband, thought it was very cool.

I think so, too. Sprout is potentially the most exciting change to come to desktop computing in a very long time.

But I must emphasize "potentially." This is not a machine you should necessarily run out and buy just yet, unless you're willing to fork over $1,899.99 and put up with buggy behavior. There's a small learning curve, too.

Indeed, this unique Windows 8.1 desktop computer — HP is reluctant to even call it a PC — feels much like the version 1.0 product that it is. That's disappointing, because HP's immersive "Blended Reality" vision for Sprout is intriguing. The main idea is that you can go back and forth between the physical and digital worlds. It's a vision that will eventually also tie into 3-D printing. Though aimed at consumers, business people can collaborate virtually in real time using Sprout with HP MyRoom, a feature still in beta that I had demonstrated to me but did not test.

Sprout needs to be seen to be best understood. It is now on sale at B&H and select Best Buy and Microsoft stores. It has two multi-touch displays, plus an overhanging armature called Sprout Illuminator, which combines a scanner, depth sensor, high-resolution camera and DLP projector.

One of the screens is a 23-inch, high-definition touch-screen monitor built into an all-in-one computer, the kind of Full HD display you might see on any Windows PC. The atypical second display is a flexible 20-inch touch mat, which lies flat in front of the computer and can double as a large mouse pad, though that's not its main purpose. It always lies perfectly because it docks magnetically into the monitor.

Flexible circuits are embedded inside the mat enabling it to become a complementary workspace that you can manipulate with gestures, a stylus or a virtual keyboard. Controls on the dock let you project the virtual keyboard, summon the Sprout Workspace and turn the touch input on the mat on or off. HP says the mat can survive the inevitable spills — I didn't intentionally spill liquids to test it.

When you place a physical object on the mat — a TV remote control, an egg, scissors, eyeglasses, a container of Altoids, even a woman's hand in my tests — the Illuminator can produce a 2-D digital representation of the object, which you can then store on your computer until you need it for a creative project. At that point you can literally "flick" the object off the main monitor and back onto the mat, which is really cool. You can manipulate digital objects on either screen.

You can also capture a 3-D representation of various objects, but the feature is also still in beta and at this stage not very useful, at least with the objects I tried.

Naturally, you can use Sprout to scan conventional documents, too.

My unit was loaded with seven apps. In the kids-oriented Color, Draw & Sing from Crayola you get to choose a virtual crayon from a crayon wheel on the main computer monitor and then "paint" a drawing on the mat with your finger.

In the Piano Time app, one of my favorites, the notes you're meant to play for a given song appear on the monitor; on the touch mat is the actual virtual multi-touch piano that you play with your fingers.

I also enjoyed HP Spruzzle, in which photographs are randomly sliced into different size pieces or tiles that you have to drag into place (on the mat) to solve a puzzle.

Among the other apps are Martha Stewart's Craft Studio for producing invitations, greeting cards or thank-you notes. There's also StoryProducer from DreamWorks, in which you get to direct scenes from How to Train Your Dragon 2. HP hopes to make more apps available in the Sprout Marketplace, but the initial selection is slim.

On the hardware side, Sprout comes with a conventional physical wireless keyboard and mouse. The system is configured with a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce graphics, 8GB of memory, and 1 terabyte of storage. Separate from Sprout Illuminator is a 1-megapixel webcam. There's a full complement of ports.

Alas, there are also those bugs. I'm already on a second test unit because the first one HP supplied failed the very afternoon that I got it, apparently a busted hard drive.

That's not exactly a great sign, though HP claims my experience was an aberration. But I encountered snags with the replacement computer, as well, though not as severe. One time, I couldn't summon the virtual keyboard until rebooting. On another occasion, I couldn't move images from the monitor to the mat. Meanwhile, a 3-D scan error came with the following less-than-illuminating message: "The pipe is being closed (232.Oxe8)." Ugh. The latter is a known issue that is being addressed in an upcoming software update.

Sprout is cool and promising — I know because my spouse agrees. But it could be more intuitive in spots and less buggy. It has some growing up to do.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Sprout by HP

$1,899.99, www.hp.com

Pro. Cool, innovative and unique. Immersive dual screen setup blends physical with digital.

Con. Buggy and pricey.

Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow @edbaig onTwitter.