Who was the WOW! Computer designed to serve?

We designed the WOW! Computer for seniors and baby boomers with little or no experience using computers. We soon realized that the WOW! Computer appealed to many people who wanted a simple, easy to use computer.

Does the WOW! Computer run on Windows?

No. The WOW! Computer runs on a Linux operating system we’ve customized to support our touch screen capabilities. We chose Linux to avoid frequent problems with viruses and to provide a more secure, problem-free computer environment. Linux has been developed over the last 20 years by numerous companies and currently runs on millions of computers. In fact, about 60% of all internet servers run Linux.

Can I add my own software to this computer?

No. The WOW! Computer is designed as a family or personal computer. We pre-install a broad set of popular and necessary applications including Email, Web Browsing, Photos, Video Phone, Games, Music & Video Playing and a Digital Picture Frame Screensaver. Better still, we include free software updates for life at no extra cost. Our goal is to provide a truly easy, hassle-free computer that is simple to use and maintain. That goal simply isn’t possible if we allow thousands of different applications to be installed as with standard computers.

Do I need a high speed internet connection?

Generally, Yes. The WOW! Computer is designed to work with a high speed internet connection. It will operate without a high speed internet connection; however, many features depend on a high speed connection to work their best. For example, email and web browsing would be noticeably slower and video chat may be too choppy to enjoy.

Can the WOW! Computer connect to a wireless network?

Yes. The required hardware and software to pick up a wireless network signal (also called "wi-fi") are built into your WOW! Computer.

Aside from using the built-in applications, what else can I do with the WOW! Computer?

A lot. Almost everything a standard computer can do on the Internet also can be done with your WOW! Computer. Many customers love to read the newspaper in large print, check the weather, get driving directions, go shopping online, use the many services available on sites like Yahoo and Google and learn about topics that interest them.

If someone sends me an email with a PDF, Word, Excel or PowerPoint file attached, will I be able to open it?

Yes. Your WOW! Computer has the necessary software pre-installed to handle all of these file types.

Can I write and print my own documents?

The WOW! Computer has an integrated word processor that lets you write, edit, save and print your own text documents. It also includes software for spreadsheets and slide presentations. Most recent HP printers will work with your WOW! Computer - just plug the USB cable from your printer into the WOW! Computer.