Audrey-what's good, what's not
Written: Sep 06 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap way of getting Internet access, simple to use for newbies, small size, great price
Cons: No further support from 3com (but read review), not as portable as it looks.
The Bottom Line: Do it, great second machine (for when the hard drive crashes on the old Compaq). Go get a seat on the bus that is the 21st Century.
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| hunter112's Full Review: 3Com Audrey-Linen Handheld |
I saw the Audrey Internet Appliances on sale at TigerDirect.com for the blowout price of $89 each, plus shipping, and said, "Wow, cool!" Hey, I like gadgets, and this one has "major gadget factor" as a friend of mine put it. But what was I going to do with a hundred bucks worth of cool parts?
Use it, as it turns out. While one of the kids is on my computer, I can still keep up with email, and go hit an eBay bid on a Seattle Seahawks card that I'm in danger of losing, or go see what's happening at my favorite bargain deals site (where I found out about Audrey). The touchscreen works well, and has a pretty good resolution for its size. It's fairly clear to read with my aging eyes. I can use my own Internet Service Provider, so I'm not tied to someplace that can decide to charge me $30 a month for service some day. I've got a printer coming for this (it needs a special model of Canon printer with its own built-in drivers), and I should be able to make nice little maps and such to get me where I'm going from Mapquest.
First on the list of negatives is the lack of formal support from 3com. I figured out a way around that, I set up a forum over on Delphi to solicit ideas and tips on how to get the most of this machine. Just go over to Delphi Forums, search the forums for "Audrey", and you'll find it.
I'm hoping to find some of the original project people from 3com to see if they will contribute ideas, I'm sure they had a vision for their product that exceeded the six month life that 3com gave Audrey before they pulled her plug.
About the negatives: Yes, this is a small (one woman in my office called it "cute") machine, but don't think of it as the poor man's laptop. It has no battery power supply, and I haven't the foggiest idea how one would wire it up to a cel phone to use for Internet access. A friend has reported that the plastic on the back that holds the bracket which serves as a prop is weak, and his kids easily broke it. Also, the power cord has a plug that seems to have pretty weak pins in it. There's no little plastic "pin" sticking out of it to guide you, like on a mouse plug. So, you pretty much want to leave this little girl at home.
But, if you want simple, cheap Internet access, and can figure out how to make the most of the organizer functions, go for it. Where are you going to find anything like it for a hundred bucks? Or even two hundred bucks? It would make a great gift for that relative or friend who has so far refused to buy a computer ("They're too big" "It doesn't go with my decorating scheme" "I could never figure out something that complicated") The cuteness factor alone would win them over, and in no time, this person would be enjoying the benefits of surfing the Web and sending email that you and I now enjoy with our full-fledged computers.
There's 40% of the US population that does not yet use the Internet, Audrey could work for probably 75% of them. The keyboard is pretty small, they did away with a lot of the keys (how often did you use your "Home" key, anyway?), and scrunched up the others, all to make a keyboard that tucks away and hangs off the back of the machine when not in use. It's a bit burdensome for me, with chunky male fingers, but I find that it works just fine when I "hunt and peck", which your old Uncle Arnold is going to do anyway ("Dang it, why didn't they put the 'A' next to the 'B' next to the 'C'? Why'd they have to go mess it all up?!!") Just when you think that there's no hope for Uncle Arnold, he sends you an email message that grudgingly thanks you for the Audrey, and you'll get one from Aunt Betty, too, thanking you for finding something that gets Uncle Arnold off her back all day!
In conclusion, if you think you can live with the machine's limitations, you are probably right. If you want a "real computer", then pass this by, and put the hundred dollars away as a down payment to your savings account toward the day when you can afford one. In the meantime, don't be surprised if you see Uncle Arnold gaining on you in the rear view mirror!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 90
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Epinions.com ID:
hunter112
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Member: D. R. Hunter
Reviews written: 15
Trusted by: 20 members
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