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Review: Zonbu, the $99 Linux Computer

First Look: The company is positioning this diminutive device (in late beta) as a consumer product. But with its out-of-the-box simplicity, the Zonbu is an excellent choice for enterprise IT departments, too.

By Ron Miller

June 21, 2007 — CIO — Good things come in small packages, they say. That's certainly true when it comes to the Zonbu, a diminutive computer about the size of pocket paper book, that comes loaded with Linux and a ton of free open-source software. At a starting price of only $99 with a two-year subscription, it's being marketed to home users. However, Zonbu certainly has more than enough utility to slide nicely into an enterprise setting, especially if your IT department is looking for a low-cost way to experiment with desktop Linux.

The subscription includes automatic backup to an online storage space, but if you are squeamish about the subscription model, you can purchase the unit outright for $249.

Zonbu is not flawless, but the beta version we tested worked reasonably well and required little tinkering or complex configuring to make it work. No fiddling with drivers, no issues connecting to the Internet. All in all, it was a very smooth experience.

Although the company imagines its product will be of interest mainly to consumers, after looking at the Zonbu, I think IT pros also could be intrigued.

Out of the Box
The first thing you notice when you open the small box is the unit's size: just 5" x 6.5" x 2". It's hard to believe that this is a fully operating desktop computer, as it takes up the same space as many KVM switches; it's actually smaller than my Maxtor USB hard drive. The only other items in the (fully biodegradable) box are a power cord and a small stand. Documentation is limited to a pamphlet describing the ports, but it's so easy to set up you don't really need more.

Looking at the computer from the front, you see a single USB port, the on/off switch and two LEDs: one for the hard drive, and one to prove the unit is on. Turn the unit around, and you find all the ports necessary to hook up keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, network cable and four additional USB ports. A CF slot houses the 4GB flash hard drive. The fanless unit is self-cooling and totally quiet, relying on its cover design to allow air inside, yet it remained surprisingly cool. The configuration includes 512MB of RAM.

Hooking It Up
Setup couldn't be more simple. You connect the keyboard, mouse, monitor, network (and other USB devices as needed) and turn it on. After signing on with a Zonbu-supplied log-in, it configures itself and opens amazingly fast.

 

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