Vtech's e-Mail PostBox Companion

Getting folks who've gotten by without a computer all their lives to use one isn't all that easy. For one thing, you have to explain to them that sometimes you have to hit CTRL+ALT+Delete for no good reason other than the OS just really isn't up to par. Getting Grandma hooked up to email to send messages to the old country on the cheap shouldn't require her to take classes at the nearby community college. If all she needs is email, that doesn't mean she needs a fire-breathing gaming machine and the ability to tweak her BIOS. Phone manufacturer Vtech is now putting out an email-only dial-up device called the e-Mail PostBox Companion that could be a solution for those who want access to messages without investing time and money in learning how to use a computer. The e-Mail PostBox Companion plugs into a phone jack and has a full-size keyboard for typing messages along with a (relatively) large screen. To connect to the Internet, you plug the gadget into a phone jack and push a button. It comes with Yahoo! Mail installed, which may make you utter grunts of disdain, but can be pretty appealing if you want a no-brainer way to get email. The Companion has a suggested retail price of $79.99, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than showing off your hardware skills by building a machine for someone who is only going to use email anyway.