Asus 23.6" ET2410 All-In-One PC Review
Software, Accessories, & First Boot
Part of the appeal of an all-in-one system is that everything is bundled together, as least far as the core components go. Depending on which specific model you buy, however, there are some extras to be had, like a remote control to use with the built-in TV tuner and an external subwoofer. None of these were included with the ET2410IUTS-B019C package that we tested, though we did get a few add-ons.
;)
What you do get with this specific model is a wireless keyboard and mouse combo that sync up with the system via a USB dongle. Setup is super easy if you know how to push a button (and if you don't, you're not likely to get much enjoyment out of a mouse and keyboard anyway) and can install a set of AAA batteries. The keyboard is comfortable and sturdier than it perhaps looks, so you don't need to fret about dropping it on the floor. We're not saying we tested this out, and we're certainly not suggesting we threw it across it a 10-foot room -- we're not saying or suggesting these things because we know Asus is reading this. But, we did, and the keyboard never flinched.
Other accessories include a power cord, quick start guide, and various other scraps of paper you'll likely never look at.
Other accessories include a power cord, quick start guide, and various other scraps of paper you'll likely never look at.
;)
We never know what to expect when we fire up a system for the first time. Will we be greeted to a sterile desktop unsoiled by trialware, or will it be bogged down with bloat and polluted with icons? The ET2410 lands somewhere in between. Other than Trend Micro, you won't find much in the way of third-party add-ons, but Asus did load it up with a generous amount of proprietary software and utilities, as well as a pull-down dock parked in the top center of the screen.
;)
One of these utilities is called Eee Paint, which you can think of as MSPaint for kids. If you have young children at home, this is a good way to introduce them to touchscreens, assuming your toddler isn't already rocking an iPad fresh out of the crib. In the screenshot above, it took us about 30 seconds to paint a picture of a pirate wielding a bloody knife in front of Little Snowflake, the same blade he stuck Snowflake's brother with for not revealing where the buried treasure is located. Speak up Little Snowflake, or you're next. Bawk! Anyway, moving on...
;)
When you're not painting morbid pictures teaching your little ones to use a touchscreen, there are some big boy toys to play with too, like the Eee Cinema utility. This is basically a touch-friendly front-end to accessing your videos, photos, and music. You can also load up a DVD movie, jot down memos, and adjust various settings.
Perhaps of a bit more utility in today's connected lifestyles, the ET2410 includes a 3GB account with the Asus WebStorage cloud backup service. That's an extra gigabyte compared to what you'd get if you signed up for a free account without purchasing an ET2410. At no extra charge, here is a bit of broken English:
We're not picking on Asus, but when you're trusting a company to maintain safe backups of your files, proper grammar goes a long way. Asus certainly has the resources to translate text, and it's an issue that's been brought up in their support forums, so it's not just us that noticed.
;)
Perhaps of a bit more utility in today's connected lifestyles, the ET2410 includes a 3GB account with the Asus WebStorage cloud backup service. That's an extra gigabyte compared to what you'd get if you signed up for a free account without purchasing an ET2410. At no extra charge, here is a bit of broken English:
"Your Asus WebStorage is now ready, which you can enjoy the great services from productivities to entertainments that include Backup, Sync, and more. To ensure you will always have the ultimate Cloud experience, we will release new cool features on a continuously basis!"
We're not picking on Asus, but when you're trusting a company to maintain safe backups of your files, proper grammar goes a long way. Asus certainly has the resources to translate text, and it's an issue that's been brought up in their support forums, so it's not just us that noticed.
;){kind=link}