Best Laptops Under $500-2
The Virus-Free One: Zonbu Notebook
Zonbu provides inexpensive PCs together with a service that automatically provides all the software, storage, updates, and maintenance you need without any of the hassle (or viruses) typical of other computers. The Zonbu Notebook – essentially a bargain-basement, mainstream Everex notebook with the Zonbu service installed -- is the company's entry into the mobile market.
Who it's for: Virus-downloading parents, grandparents, and kids.
What we like: The "Zonbu OS" is based on Linux, which means that even on a budget notebook like the Everex, computing is generally fast and smooth (the same computer would be super slow if it were running Vista, for example). Provided you have basic media and entertainment needs and mostly want to use your PC to surf the Web and create or edit office documents, you'll find the Zonbu notebook to include more than enough apps – it has, for example, Open Office (for word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation documents), Banshee (for organizing and playing your music files), MPlayer media player (for DVDs and CDs), Skype (for Internet calls), F Spot and Gimp (for photo organizing and editing, respectively), and Pidgin (for instant messaging), among other software programs. It works with iPods, provided you set them to "enable disk use," though the only downloaded music we could purchase was from the Amazon MP3 store. Also, laptop accessories such as Webcams, mice, and external keyboards worked like a charm.
What we don't: Though it works with many computer peripherals, the Zonbu Notebook doesn't let you install anything at all – which is good if you're not the installing type since the restriction also means you're fully protected from computer viruses. In principle, the walled-garden approach is innovative and reassuring, but we just wish we could get music from eMusic or movies and TV shows from places like Amazon Unbox. Also, we experienced some playback issues with DVDs and some CD-burning issues with MP3s we bought at the Amazon MP3 store. We found little in the way of online support (nor did our help inquiry e-mails get responses), which could use some improvement. Lastly, if you add up the $14.95 charge over the course of a couple of years, the Zonbu notebook will eventually cost you more than $500.
Verdict: Despite our complaints, we still think this is an excellent solution for anyone who wants to safely go about their basic computing tasks with total security and absolutely no hassle in terms of updating software.
Price: $279, plus $14.95 per month for the Zonbu service.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Spel Check @ Feb 19th 2008 6:42PM
Why dont you geniuses over at AOL spell check before you report on consumer products? The verdict section, "despite out complaints".
Very professional. How can we take your advice on a laptop if you cant even work a keyboard?
ludwig @ Feb 19th 2008 6:45PM
actually I'm okay with the responses from Zonbu so far, that I cann't install additional software is a bummer, but otherwise the machine works okay. a bit troublesome on the wireless control panel, but they promised to fix that. I would like to see more of the open software installed, especially the Banshee software does not really cover all the other do.
Mark @ Feb 19th 2008 7:13PM
Hey Spell Check,
What about you? You left out your apostrophe in "can't".
brian c @ Feb 19th 2008 7:15PM
spellcheck- you are a j.e.r.k off. get a life.
tod the hot man @ Feb 19th 2008 7:39PM
i love u
tod the hot man @ Feb 19th 2008 7:44PM
hey girl hey this laptop is hot and sexy it works perfectly, dont b haten sista cuz i got some big wawahs and u dont.
Fred @ Feb 22nd 2008 9:35AM
Spell check? That's not included in the AOL data entry contract with India.
Not surprised @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:00AM
Spel Check,
"Despite our complaints" is not spelled incorrectly but "Despite out complaints", which was your post, is.
I think a $279 laptop, regardless of quality, is amazing compared to how much they used to cost.
TAGM @ Feb 22nd 2008 10:30AM
You people just crack me up!
Arnie of Antelope @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:55PM
We can forgive your few short-comings as the positive is overwhelming. Thank you.
Wellton Diplomat