Most come with simple quick-start guides, except the New Internet Computer Co.'s NIC, whose sketchy booklet leaves out too much. All you need to do is plug into a phone jack and an electrical outlet. The other two, eMachines MSN Companion and the NIC, have wired keyboards. They come with a mouse, while the Audrey and Touch Pad have touch-sensitive screens you can use with a fingertip or a stylus. Each of them uses a standard 15-inch or larger color monitor, which just isn't cool on a coffee table.
Speakers vary quite a bit in quality.
The NIC has external speakers that buzz. Each machine allows you to go to any site on the Web, of course. As a group, the keyboards appear to be cheap in quality. The worst by far is Audreys cramped, tiny one that looks as if it belongs in your kids toy box. Audrey, iPaq and the eMachines device have indicator lights to announce incoming e-mail.