Lenovo wants to be in your living room

Chinese computer maker Lenovo intends to announce its first home theatre PC today.

The IdeaCentre Q700 from Lenovo, which has a headquarters in Morrisville, features high-definition graphics that can be used in conjunction with digital cameras, smartphones and other gadgets. Add an optional TV tuner and you can watch and record digital TV, too.

Digital surround sound also is part of the package.

Who would want such a device?

Lenovo points to a recent Forrester Research report that found that roughly two-thirds of the nation's living rooms include a PC and an Internet connection -- as well as TVs and DVD players or digital video recorders.

"This presents an interesting opportunity for the consumption of video and music on PCs connected to entertainment devices," Forrester concluded, "as consumers are interested in using these devices interchangeably for the consumption of digital content."

The price tag of the Q700, which is available immediately, starts at $499.

Among other new products Lenovo is announcing today is its first home server for setting up a home network of several devices, such as PCs and smartphones. The IdeaCentre D400 is aimed at users who need to store and share large amounts of data, including videos, music and photos.

The D400 also starts at $499. It will be available in mid-September.

Lenovo entered the U.S. market in 2005 with the acquisition of IBM's PC division. In the latest quarter the company's global market share rose four-tenths of a percentage point to 8.6 percent, its highest ever. But revenue fell 18 percent to $3.46 billion as competition forced it to cut prices.