Zonbu, the $99 Desktop PC
john posted in technologies on January 7th, 2008
A review of the Zonbu desktop PC, written for everyday users.
What do you hate most about personal computers?
They’re expensive and half the time make more work than they save.
When something goes wrong it is so frustrating. Then I have to pay somebody to come out and help me, which is worse than calling the plumber.
They are so much trouble, they become an end-in-themselves rather than a helpful appliance.
What if you spent some money on support (warranty and help) , but almost nothing on the computer? What if the money you spent on support also paid for storage space for your files and automatically backed them up?
How about a tiny, silent, desktop PC, that only costs $99 plus $14.95/ month and comes with lots and lots of software?
What is it?
It’s a small desktop PC with no hard drive, no fan, and very little power usage. It does not run Windows, but you may not be able to tell much difference, and it comes with all the software you can use. It uses network storage provided by Amazon to keep your files.
Is it any good?
It is terrific for the price. It’s the best value I’ve seen in a long time.
Who is it good for?
Secondary school students ( college students need a laptop).
Folks who just want to read some email, look at some pictures, and use the Web.
People who want minimal electric usage and noise.
Perfect for Grandma and Grandpa.
Anybody who needs a hassle-free PC for a simple use.
Storing all your music and playing it on the stereo.
Second computer.
An Internet radio.
Who should NOT get a Zonbu?
People who cannot get a broadband network connection.
People who need a powerful PC to do multiple things at once, like download music while playing a DVD, or writing a book while editing a photograph. Or doing something that requires a lot of memory, like editing video.
Gamers look elsewhere. You need a $2000 PC not a $99 one.
People who know they just absolutely have to run a Windows or Macintosh program on it.
What else do I need?
Like any desktop you need a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and optionally, a USB CD/DVD drive. Well duh, it only costs $99. It uses VGA video and has no Firewire. Standard PC keyboards and mice and monitors work with it, I used whatever I had lying around the house. You must have an Internet connection and a broadband network, either wireless or with a wire.
You need: 
and 
(opt) USB CD/DVD drive 
What software does it come with, what software do I need to buy, do Microsoft Word and Outlook come with it?
It comes with a huge amount of software, much more than Windows or Macintosh includes. It runs Gentoo Linux and uses special free software called Open Source which runs on Linux computers. What that means to you, is the software is free of charge. You don’t buy software for Linux computers, except when you need something scientific or commercial, and even then it’s often free. Windows or Macintosh software like Quickbooks, TurboTax, Garage Band, or iMovie will not run on the Zonbu.
Just go to their very good website for more details.
Here’s a demo on YouTube:
It sounds too good to be true.
Zonbu works very smoothly: just plug in the monitor, mouse, keyboard and connect to your wireless or wired network. Power it up, and it asks for an account, which you get from Zonbu. If you are using a wireless network, then you’ll have to choose your network and enter the password or key. Then, you’ll setup your email. That’s it.
All of these steps are required with any PC you buy.
Once it’s setup, it will run fine without the network, but you won’t be able to save large files or get to your network-stored files. Since most personal computers exist to connect to the Internet, this isn’t going to be a problem.
Here is the news: for various technical reasons you likely don’t care about, it has recently become possible to make a very small desktop computer with no moving parts ( no fan! ) very cheaply. Some clever folks called Zonbu have packaged one of these tiny computers with a support system that warranties your computer and supports your programs ( applications) that run on the computer. Zonbu has two products at the moment, the desktop PC I am reviewing here and a more expensive laptop. I found that the desktop works very well.
The Company:
Zonbu is brand new, and so we know little about them. I do know:
They responded very rapidly to me. Their website is really first-rate. I think the business idea is terrific. (as it happens I was thinking of doing a similar system) I really like the way they have integrated the system of hardware and software. The performance is really quite good. So I feel sure they are some smart, level-headed folks. If you can’t stand the risk, then by all means buy an Apple, Dell, or a Compaq/HP PC for more money, then buy the warranty for more money, then buy some software for more money.
The Gotcha:
You must have a broadband network connection, at least some of the time. No, a modem ( dial-up) isn’t going to work.
I am sorry, there is just no way around it, you have to get a broadband connection. These days they cost little or no more than a dial-up anyway, and they are far far better in every way. A few people who live out in the country still can’t get broadband. The Zonbu will connect to either a wireless or a wired broadband connection.
Some Questions and Answers:
What about reading and writing Microsoft Word docs?
No problem, Zonbu comes with OpenOffice. I use OpenOffice to create complex 400 page books, it’ll work for you, and it opens and writes (.doc) Word format.
Can I watch youtube videos, and play music?
No problem, Zonbu comes with Firefox, music and video players, you can do everything you can do with your Windows or Macintosh. It does not come with a DVD drive, so if you want to watch DVD movies, or burn CDs, you have to buy a separate USB drive.
How about viruses and spam?
Zonbu runs Linux, which is much more secure than Windows, and has far fewer attackers. Spam, alas, has nothing specifically to do with your type of computer, rather it is endemic, like flu.
Can I still get my email?
Oh you bet. And even better you can get your mail, and all your files anywhere you take the computer. It’s all stored on the Internet at Amazon.
What happens when I lose my work?
Amazon backs it up for you. Just contact support and have them restore it.
Can I print?
Of course, either network printers ( you have a printer on some other PC in the house) or directly connect via a USB cable.
If this thing is so great how come they aren’t everywhere like those iPod things?
Well they just came out. Zonbu is a small company, I’m sure they can’t afford a lot of advertising. The market for these is with the most conservative computer users who don’t rush out to buy the latest thing. ( yes Computer People behave just like little kids with new toys).
FUD- The Great Microsoft Windows Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt:
For almost twenty years Microsoft Windows has been the standard computer system. It was and is frustrating, expensive, fragile, and difficult to use. But people used it at work, and so felt, mostly correctly, that they needed it at home. The computer world changed a few years ago, and the Web became more important than the documents that dominated computer work. Email was always independent of the operating system, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that free Open Source software became Good Enough. In fact over the last few years all the essential desktop programs in the Linux world have crossed the Good Enough threshold.
If you really have an important program (application) that runs on Windows, you still need a Windows computer to run it. But 90% of people do writing, printing, Web surfing, email, photographs, and spreadsheets on their computer, and it really truly doesn’t fundamentally matter whether you use an Apple, a Windows, or Linux operating system.
Why am I qualified to write this review?
Well aside from wit and charm, the fact that they loaned me a Zonbu, and Cody The Hungry Beagle, I have two Linux home computers and a third on the way ( MythTV box) a Linux computer on my desk at work, plus I manage a small herd of Linux servers at a company which sells a Linux-based product. I write books, watch movies, listen to podcasts, make drawings, do email, write code, use the Web, and a lot of other things, all with Linux computers. I have used and managed all kinds of Windows computers in the past.
In order to get an Apple user’s viewpoint, I also called in a certified Mac expert, who was also very enthusiastic about Zonbu. Remember, Apple sells an equivalent sized box, the Mac Mini, which has a faster processor and better video and a hard drive, but costs $800 and doesn’t include as much software (note: some, but not all, of the Open Source software on the Zonbu, can be also downloaded for use on the Mac) Last, before the Zonbu came out, I had already been thinking and writing on Jawfish about how to bring low-cost extremely easy-to-use PCs to market.
Cody gives Zonbu four biscuits. 
Leave a Response