Vodacom WebBox: Hands-on
Last week Vodafone announced the launch of its WebBox, an “internet keyboard” that plugs into a television set aimed at connecting a larger portion of the South African population.
Vodacom will be the first Vodafone affiliate to sell the device, officially launching it in South Africa today at a price of R749. This includes a 2GB microSD card and a prepaid SIM card loaded with 100MB of data that is valid for three months.
It is interesting to note that the device has a striking resemblance to early computers like the ZX Spectrum which also used a TV as a monitor, and which was also aimed at bringing computing to a wider portion of the population.
MyBroadband had the opportunity to test the device, and we took it through its paces to see if it is worth the money.
Build quality
The Vodacom WebBox has an elegant design, glossy black finish and relatively sturdy construction which make a good first impression.
The keyboard is a solid enclosure with individually protruding keys, similar to that of Apple’s keyboards. The keys however don’t depress fully which can make for an uncomfortable typing experience if used for prolonged periods of time.
The glossy black finish is further prone to picking up fingerprints, and some build features like the flimsy back cover can be improved.
Software
The WebBox runs Android 2.1, also known as “Eclair.” For browsing, WebBox uses Opera Mini, a very capable browser from Opera Software in Norway. This means that the WebBox lacks features such as Flash and Silverlight.
Opera Mini doesn’t offer the extensibility of many desktop browsers, but this is not a feature which one would expect in an entry level device like the Vodacom WebBox.
The added advantage of compressed data using Opera Mini translates into faster web surfing and lower data costs.
Although the WebBox does not feature the official Gmail app for Android, it is still capable of sending and receiving email from your Gmail account through another email client. It also doesn’t have the Google Maps or Google Talk applications, but it does include a YouTube application.
Connectivity
The GPRS/EDGE enabled Vodacom WebBox does a fair job at standard web surfing and checking email, but when it comes to bandwidth intensive applications like video streaming (using YouTube) the speed limitations become clearly visible.
It is likely that the device developers argued that the WebBox was aimed at basic Internet access, and as a cost saving exercise decided to limit the connectivity to GPRS/EDGE. Features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB were also stripped out to reduce costs.
Despite these limitations the Vodacom WebBox may make it easier for unconnected families without any computing devices to enter the Internet age.
Vodacom WebBox << Will it connect the unconnected?
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