Ever get the feeling that technology is out to get you? No, not all things digital, that would be crazy. What I’m talking about is the Gateway all-in-one computer, accordingly named One – and it’s out to get me. I’m not sure if it’s all One systems, or only this one, but while it works well, looks amazing and delivers exactly what it promotes, this bad boy is evil and wants my blood. When I received the package, I got a paper cut opening the box. Then I find all the accessories requiring batteries come without them. Every time I try to turn the system on or off, it shocks me, and only me. I’ve tried getting friends to turn it on or off for me, and they don’t get a zap. This PC does not like me, but I like it.

The Gateway One is an all-in-one system, meaning when you purchase it, you’re good to go right away. Much like the iMac, the screen casing also holds the computer system, so there is no tower to worry about. Also, we are given a webcam attachment that sits on top of the screen, a wireless mouse, a keyboard, a remote control, a power box (complete with extra ports), and a television cable input converter to watch TV on your monitor. Delivered with Windows Vista Home Premium and the complete windows media package, all you have to do is choose where you want the One to be, plug it in and turn it on.

The included wireless mouse was a little bit confusing at first. It had the left and right clicks but only one button. While there is no scroll wheel, you could still scroll up and down by acting as if there was a wheel and moving your finger along the plastic top, almost like magic! The wireless keyboard, while not as magical had good reaction and felt good under my wrists. As an ultra slim keyboard they did not take away quality for size and it works out wonderfully.

The screen included is a 19″ 8ms response time LCD. The One has a built in DVD burner, hidden speakers below the screen, wireless networking and space to easily upgrade your RAM and hard drive space. Also contained in The One we have an Intel Core 2 Duo processor clocking in at 1.50 GHz, 2048MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, 400gb 7200RPM hard drive space, ATI mobility Radeon with 256MB of discreet video memory, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader.

While the above specs look impressive, they are not nearly top of the line. If you’re into playing the newest games or rendering complex animations, you might want to consider another computer. The Gateway One is decent for what it is, and the best part about it is the simplicity that comes with the package. In the end, you most likely only have one cable coming out of the system and that’s for power. Everything included in the package is already programmed and customized specifically for the One system, and it looks sleek. Basically this is the perfect computer for those who did not grow up with PC’s or prefer simplicity over power. Perfect for getting your grandmother connected to the web, to keep in the kitchen for news updates or easy access to recipes. The Gateway One isn’t for everyone, but it is the perfect system for some users.

That being said, I have only one problem with One. The way it is set up, the One looks like it has a huge screen propped up by a single leg, but when you turn the system on, you find that the screen is only the top half of the front of the system, leaving a large black bottom half empty (this is where the invisible speakers reside). If using at a normal desk setting, you will find your neck craning up more than you would like to get the right screen angle. If perhaps they lowered the screen or made it bigger (I’m sure the speakers don’t need that much space) the system would be perfect for any setting. But as it is now, it seems better for a standing position on a counter top.

In the end, the Gateway One is unique, has many great benefits, and is by far one of the easiest PC’s to deal with. Starting at $1,500, this might be the PC you’ve been waiting for to get connected to the digital world.






Related Stories: