Subscription-based Everex Zonbu laptop reviewed

PC Mag wasn't exactly bowled over by the subscription-based Zonbu desktop, but that didn't stop them from coming back for another go 'round with the similarly subscription-happy Zonbu laptop, which they found a bit more to like about. While they again found the low upfront cost ($279, in this case) to be the laptop's biggest selling point, they also found it to be a good deal more capable than the desktop, thanks in no small part to its 60GB hard drive (as opposed to the 4GB flash drive and 25GB of online storage the desktop offered). As you might have guessed, however, they found the laptop's VIA processor and graphics chip to be more than a tad lacking, and those recurring monthly bills could have you thinking twice about your decision after a while.

[Buzzed @ Feb 14th 2008 12:35PM]

Why would I want to pay per month for a shitty laptop?

[striggity @ Feb 14th 2008 12:48PM]

if you gotta ask that question, you're definately not their target audience. lol.

[Joe @ Feb 14th 2008 5:59PM]

I could get a better laptop than that for the initial price only from a pawnshop, or ebay.

[Buzzed @ Feb 14th 2008 12:51PM]

=)

[SimonRichards @ Feb 14th 2008 1:26PM]

I like your picture.

[Buzzed @ Feb 14th 2008 2:00PM]

yeah, it's bad ass!

[Reader @ Feb 14th 2008 2:19PM]

Only saw it in the corner of my eye until I read that comment, thought it was a mushroom haha.

[Buzzed @ Feb 14th 2008 2:21PM]

lol.. =)

[JC @ Feb 14th 2008 3:03PM]

You two get a room.

[Buzzed @ Feb 14th 2008 3:06PM]

actually it's a picture of this chick with a t-shirt saying "i love my geek"

[BigD145 @ Feb 14th 2008 12:53PM]

Leasing and renting only benefit the business. Consumers get screwed out of far more than if they bought the unit outright.

[Karl Hackswell @ Feb 14th 2008 12:56PM]

Yeah I see no benefit for an individual to lease a computer, not when computers are so relatively cheap now.

[Hoos @ Feb 14th 2008 1:01PM]

Huh? Monthly fees for hardware? Well, if they're going to come to my home and upgrade my processor and video card, maybe. As long as it's at 3:00 a.m. while I'm asleep and it requires a reboot when I wake up! Husker du!

WTF? Obviously geared toward the "Hi, I'm Stupid and here's my wallet" crowd.

Ditto the above on rented software for future posts on that subject.

[Todd @ Feb 14th 2008 1:08PM]

A "subscription PC" sounds like a fancy way to say "rent to own."

[h8rain @ Feb 14th 2008 1:14PM]

Yea, but do you even get to "own" the pc though?

[Todd @ Feb 14th 2008 1:30PM]

I -think- you get to own the PC after you pay all of a 2 year subscription. Similar to the US cell phone business model.

[Joshua Walters @ Feb 14th 2008 1:17PM]

I know this is what alot of companies think this is the future (including Nick Carr, as described in "The Big Switch: Rewiring the World from Edison to Google") but I dont like it.

I will refuse to be forced to pay for computing like a subscription.

To me it subtracts from the over all ability. You are truly limited to what they will let you do, and that slows down inovation.

[Valgas @ Feb 14th 2008 1:23PM]

Why won't a company just go ahead and release a cheap [er than the EEE] subnotebook/notebook? "Subscription based Laptop"? W-T-F?

[Britt @ Feb 14th 2008 1:55PM]

What amazes me is the introduction of these solid state drives when the price point on them is still so high. The AirBook, the new ThinkPad X300, this Zonbu monstrosity... We really have gotten to the point that physical storage is going to cost us more than storing data remotely. Forget the solid state drive; GoogleOS anyone?

[m-p{3} @ Feb 14th 2008 2:35PM]

Well, I guess in order to have fairly cheap SSD oneday, somebody has to first purchase it right ?

[Macha88 @ Feb 14th 2008 1:57PM]

What happens if you load it with ubuntu?

[Karl Hackswell @ Feb 14th 2008 2:00PM]

And if you read the original article, it says that "root is locked down", which means they have restricted your use and access on (at least) a software level. This could be fixed by formatting the HD possibly, but why would you pay per month for something that you cant even use like you want to.

Thats like leasing a car that you can only drive on certain roads and at certain times of the day. Pfft. Ridiculous. Im sorry if anyone out there did this, but you got ripped off.

[David W. @ Feb 14th 2008 4:48PM]

sounds like a certain new very expensive nissan *cough* GTR *cough*

[pudders @ Feb 14th 2008 4:15PM]

Wow, what a great concept, NOT!

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 14th 2008 11:33PM]

Last week Office Depot had a Compaq on sale for $299 with a real processor. Specs:

15.4" Widescreen
Pentium dual-core T2330
1 GB DDR2 Memory
80 GB Hard Drive
Vista Home Basic

(Okay, so this was after rebate and they tacked on a mandatory shipping charge, but the point is that the price point is very close to what Zonbu is charging for their underpowered unit.)

[Valgas @ Feb 15th 2008 4:27AM]

With the way Office Depot handles their rebates, that is no deal.

[nathancourt @ Feb 19th 2008 10:22PM]

I'll give them a month before they come to their senses and drop the subscription thingy...