My husband went outside this evening with his laptop to work, I eyed up ET and thought “Ohhh can you go outside?” The monitor has a handle which makes it very easy to move, the keyboard and mouse are incredibly light so in theory yes and I was rather excited to imagine ET’s little blue lights as daylight faded, but then I’d need to get an extension lead and that seemed to much effort when I realised all extension leads were in use, which one to ‘borrow?’
Too late the feeling had gone ET stayed inside. Is it missing the battery back up like a netbook or laptop? Easy to carry yes but it would need a special case to transport it more than just moving it room to room. I do like the idea of taking it out as a mobile office, I imagine the odd looks in McDonalds as I start unpacking it but the power supply is an issue.
If you want a computer to commute with this possibly isn’t for you although I believe it is more comfortable to work with even with battery power your neighbour on the train to work may object to holding the screen for you! When our children were younger this would have been ideal for us with husband working from home the set up of a PC which we could move upstairs when children were playing and downstairs at afternoon nap time.
I do prefer it over my laptop and I never ever thought I’d say that, I like the screen, the ability to position the screen and keyboard independently. The book that accompanies the ET1602 says the monitor is wall mountable, I like that idea if it was staying in one place but for moving around I am too fussy to have occasionally used brackets on my walls.
For me this computer would be ideal to open as a family PC and a perfect gift at Christmas, it provides entertainment, an interactive sharing element that a normal desktop PC does not offer. I also think it could have a great future in education, the touch screen does make activities seem more fun, I can’t imagine my children to have been enthralled by some of the tasks we have used ET for, I think I’d have had suspicious “Oh no not more work” looks.
The down side being for all I love it I do find it a bit slow, sorry ET but it’s true. I think for the price of around £400 it looks great, more expensive than its price I would choose this design over boxy looking processors and monitors every day. For those worried about a sticky touch screen don’t be, the fun outweighs an occasional wipe over now and then. I am glad we have had this opportunity, for me such a clever piece of computing screams out “Try me then buy me!”
I will shortly be eloping to Birmingham with ET, Birmingham because there is a chocolate factory, chocolate and ET what more could I want and we don’t wish to be separated, I would be very sad to see the back of ET, and at the risk of sounding like someone who walks away with 1p on Deal or No deal I have met some lovely people whilst writing this blog and above all it’s been fun and for those worried I am longer daunted by self serve checkouts, in fact I actively seek them out!
I shall leave you with this fascinating fact that ET may also be the only PC you can take out and about with you on your bike, you’ll need a long extension lead but fitting it on the handlebars but it was like it was designed to sit there!
