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t3ch Review - Hercules eCafe EC - 1000W Netbook
Ricardo Trejo Jun 28, 2010
Exclusive, Gadgets, Laptops, Okay Geek, Okay Geek Review, Reviews, ★Featured Post 
Hercules is a name you don’t usually think of when you think of netbooks, because yeah, that’s right - Hercules is that one company who’s more well known for their work in the fields of audio peripherals and routers. But that hasn’t stopped them from coming up with their first mass appeal device, the eCafe EC - 1000W Netbook. Make the jump for the full review!
Product: Hercules eCafe EC - 1000W Netbook
What it says it does: Designed for text and image editing, internet browsing, as well as packed with features to instantly connect you to the world that is best suited to your use.
Experience: Before I go into my own experience using this netbook, first let’s go over what makes it tick; inside you’ll find a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of DDR2 Ram, 250 GB 2.5 HDD, 802.11 b/g WiFi board, 10.1 Backlit LCD display with a max resolution of 1024 x 600, 0.3 megapixel built-in webcam w/ a built in microphone, 3 USB ports, ethernet port, VGA-out port, Headphone and Microphone jacks, Multi-format Memory Card reader (SD, SD HC, MMC, MS), 82-key keyboard, and Window 7 Starter Edition pre-installed, along with Open Office software and eCafe applications ready to go. And lastly, it’s a hair shy of 3 full lbs in the weight department.
Nice specs, but that’s just the inside. On the outside its also got a solid build, as in that it doesn’t feel cheap despite it coming from a name not synonymous with physical computers. And on top of that, the machine has a nice, clean appearance due to the round silver edges and minimalistic graphic presented on the display’s back cover. Once cracked open the design of the eCafe comes to life with a handsome matte white finish, 88% scaled sized chiclet keyboard, and a one-inch bezel around the display that gives it an iPad-esque vibe. The webcam is placed at the top, the grilled fashioned speakers can be found on the shoulders, and the power button can be seen discretely on the hinge’s left side. It’s an interesting take on the netbook but it works.
Now onto the overall feel of what it’s like to actually use the thing.
It’s hard to imagine but the very first things we’re going to look at, the keyboard and trackpad, are some of the eCafe’s worst features. The keyboard has a nice size to it but the keys are strangely spaced so as to give your hands a work out. I mean even after prolonged use, what I was typing wasn’t nearly anything that I originally intended on writing. I felt like a 2 year old tapping on buttons. And as for the trackpad, its mouse buttons take quite a forceful click to get it to work, which after a while can be annoying and straight out a pain especially when you’re diligently moving from site to site online. Now, I’m not trying to be pessimistic or anything but when it becomes a chore to even use the navigations tools necessary to use the eCafe in any respect, it’s difficulty to find any positives aside from the fact that it looks “cool”. However, I’m going to try.
Productivity-wise, the eCafe comes along with the Open Office suite pre-installed, which is perfect for those who don’t want to fork over the cash for Microsoft’s deep pocketed Office collection. Open Office Writer does the exact same quality of work as Microsoft Word but at no cost to you, not to mention that you can export and import Word documents in Open Office from Word - talk about convenient.
For image editing, it’s best stick to something that’s low on resource consumption, something like Paint.net. Sorry, but you’re not going to be able to use Photoshop here, but then again why would that be a problem when Paint.net can be downloaded online for free?
Watching videos on Youtube or even Netflix is a breeze, just be sure not to try out any high-quality HD stuff on either service or be prepared to watch the device slow down to a crawl. But when it is working up to snuff expect to see a great picture on the glossy display, though the down side of the screen’s finish is that it can be quite a distraction at times since reflections of light show up easily. The speakers on the other hand can be pretty loud when maxed out, but don’t expect it blow out your ear drums, because remember… this is still a netbook, and every netbook I’ve ever come across has never been able to provide a decent audio experience.
But what if you aren’t planning on doing anything besides writing a few documents, checking email, and browsing the internet every once in a while? Well, if you fall into that category then you might be interested in eCafe’s own pre-installed utility software branded with the eCafe name. Applications such as Webcam Station, eCafe Email Station, and eConnect are all programs that allow the casual user to minimalize work needed to connect to a wireless internet connection, check your email’s inbox, and simply use the netbook’s built in webcam. But speaking of connecting to the internet via wireless signal, users should be aware that the Wireless Card can be toggled on and off by flipping a switch located on the left front corner of the netbook. I’m going to be honest and say that I skipped reading out on the instructions when I used the eCafe for the first time, and so because of that when I was trying to go online I had absolutely no idea why the computer wasn’t showing me any wireless capabilities. I guess next time I should follow the suggestion to always read the instructions when you get a new shiny toy to play with.
Also pre-configured on the netbook is Avast AntiVirus software, which is a must for any user, experienced or not.
As for battery life on the eCafe, I was able to snag a total of 5 hours and a half while doing some average web surfing, blog reading, and watching the occasional Youtube video. Being able to hold up during long casual online sessions, I’m sure 5 hours and some change is more than enough for the average person. Though it’s impressive that the eCafe nearly holds up to Hercules’ estimate of 6 hours on a full charge.
Oh, and I don’t want to forget to talk about the beast of a hard drive found on the eCafe. Weighing in at 250GB’s, it can handle tons of files and folders of all sorts, but for me what that spells out is a lot of photos and a lot of music for people looking to transport their favorite two mediums along with them for the ride.
Overall, I’ve come across my fair share of netbooks in my day but the one I felt the most comfortable with was the Dell Mini 9. And to put it bluntly, Hercules’ eCafe falls way short of what I wanted it to be, especially when comparing it to the Mini 9 (I’ve included some images comparing the two in size at the bottom of this page). The overall look of the eCafe is fantastic; its design and feel is shockingly beautiful, but when it comes to giving me the bang for my buck, which more often than not is the reason why you bought a netbook in the first place (to save money), it’s not worth the investment. Now I’m not saying that it can’t do what all netbooks are meant to do - stream music, check email, web browse, and Youtube - because when it comes to that it does the trick, and it does it well. But the problem is that there are other netbooks currently on the market that do just as much as the eCafe, have similar specs, and are sold for much cheaper prices. The Dell Mini 10 for instance is one of them.
For the casual computer user this might be the way to go, especially with all the eCafe pre-installed software, but if you know what you’re doing when it comes to computing and knowing the in’s and out’s then it’s probably best to look elsewhere for your netbook needs. If the Hercules eCafe was priced lower and its keyboard arranged differently then it could seriously be a contender amongst its competition.
Pro’s: Strong body design, pre-installed software for casual users, extra large hard drive space (250GB)
Con’s: Keys are spaced strangely, Trackpad and buttons are a workout to use, overpriced for what you’re getting
Price: $299
Where you can buy it: Amazon
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