/personal tech/hardware/

Web access on the cheap

By Eric Griffith

Is your home, school or unwired relative in need of cheap, easy Web access? If so, the New Internet Computer is worth a serious look. Accessing the Web with this device is simple because that's all the $199 NIC (888-441-1903) does. It doesn't have a hard drive; it boots from a CD-ROM that launches directly into the Netscape Navigator browser. You can either dial in to your own Internet service provider with the integrated modem or attach to a network with the built-in Ethernet card. We tried the NIC on a corporate network and a home broadband connection. We also used the free Internet dial-up account with NetZero that NIC owners are offered. Each method worked flawlessly.

The NIC comes with a two-button mouse, keyboard and speakers. A matching 15-inch SVGA monitor is available for $129, but nearly any monitor will do the trick.

The NIC is basically a scaled down computer (266MHz Cyrix CPU, 64MB of RAM, Linux operating system) that's built expressly for easy Web surfing. If multimedia is your main reason for using the Web, though, you may want a full-fledged computer. In our tests, playback of RealMedia files was stop-and-go.

For someone who just wants to get online for browsing and e-mail, those limitations probably won't matter. Compared with its nearest competitor, the i-opener—$399 with a 10-inch screen, plus $21.95 in monthly ISP charges—the NIC measures up as a much better deal.

At its affordable price, and with no required monthly charges after the purchase, the NIC is a great way to get online.

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New Internet Computer Company
www.thinknic.com

NetZero
www.netzero.com

RealMedia
www.real.com

i-opener
www.netpliance.com