There are times when people simply expect too much for their money. Witness comments about the lowly (but cheap!) WIN CE Netbooks from Amazon and other sources. The units are NOT full Windows XP or 7 devices. The "CE" stands for "compact edition."

They use an operating system from Microsoft that was designed for mobile devices such as PDAs.  While the desktop LOOKS like standard Windows, the code behind it has nothing to do with the Windows found on a PC and the Programs for Windows XP, 7, etc., will not run on Win CE. 

But places selling these units (Syvania, Delstar and others) are not blazingly clear about this. That's why you get reviews such as the following:

"I ordered this netbook for my 9 year old daughter for Christmas. She was very excited to see it on Christmas morning! When we opened it and she started using it we found out that it DOES NOTHING!! She can't use her Facebook except to see posts, she can't play any games, it doesn't even support youtube as it states on the box and has the application for youtube preloaded on the stupid thing!!!  It is a PHONE APPLICATION that runs NOTHING!! I definitely dropped the ball on this on for not doing more research...DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!! IT IS A POS AND YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED!!!"

The poster was right about one thing: she should have spent more time researching what she was about to buy.  Many of these simple, but useful sub-netbooks were sold via drug store chains and other places where advice about their suitability for specific uses was not available.

My experience with a (used) "Delstar" was more positive. It seems a bit faster, perhaps with higher quality components. After using one intermittently for a few months, I can tell you with confidence that, if you do NOT need to play games, watch Netflix movies and surf high bandwidth sites, this unit is not at all bad, and far better than many crummy first-generation Android tablets floating around the market.

Again,  the Delstar runs an OS designed a few years back for palmtop computers during the PDA rage. The idea was to put a familiar looking Windows-like interface on these small devices.  But with very tiny keyboards, squinty screens and poor means of getting data to and from the gadgets, they failed. 

Now, with a bigger screen and keyboard, it's convenient for minor tasks: checking mail, simple writing, etc. 

Don't expect to add much to it or play games on these sub-$100 devices. For that, buy a Windows 7 Netbook such as an Acer Aspire for 3 or 4 times the money. And do note that it does not have contact management software, a staple of the PDA trend.  And..very important... some units do not save anything when turned off!  You MUST save to an SD card before you quit.

This is most annoying  regarding the date and time. Often, you will get some online error unless the date is set!  If there is a fix, I haven't found it.

 

However, for writers and those who need to keep in touch while mobile, the Delstar or other Win CE variant is not too bad if you can find it for the under $100 prices that pop up.  Some are found on eBay in ads that are less than clear about the operating system and specify NO RETURNS. 

Diligent web searchers will find a few more free Windows CE V6 apps that allow FTP and others goodies on the net.  Since there are a number of Win CE devices sporting several processors, you must match the software to the specific (ARM) chip used in this gadget in order for the software to run.

Surprises will happen!  For example, when I connect my Sandisk Sansa player via USB cable, all works just like Windows should. But when I plug in my small Sony Cybershot camera, it will  not connect.  The camera is looking for something in the operating system that is just not there!

The there was a bad surprise: I was disappointed to find that one ubiquitous WIFI hotspot (McDonalds) did not work with the limited browser.  The sign-in page uses some JAVA code that the built-in browser could not handle.  I have not tried the few other browsers I have found, but I do not expect success with them either. However, it has worked well with other public routers that did not require you to sign the legalese before continuing.  This may be a problem in hotels as well.

But overall, it is quite a bit of gear for the price of a cheap designer watch or low end digital camera.  Search "WIN CE netbook" for current prices and availability.  But please ignore some of the truly misinformed reviews that abound on the net! As one person commented on Amazon.com:

 

For $100, it's a trip down memory lane (lack of memory lane?), eminently packable, and, if I can dig up some more freeware CE programs, quite capable of fully replacing my Palm TX as my computing travel companion.

 

Read these bizarre opinion/reviews of the Sylvania just for grins.