World's largest cybercafe
Written: Dec 03 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap, great monitors, Web cams and phones; inexpensive food
Cons: Chairs are not terribly comfortable
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| Profilewriter's Full Review: New York City |
EasyEverything has opened on 42nd Street, bringing 800 computer stations to a two-level space right next door to the newly-opened Madame Tussaud's.
Cybercafes never caught on
I've been looking into the window of EasyEverything for weeks, waiting for it to open. Interestingly, there are not a lot of cybercafes in New York City. In fact, the whole idea of computer stations for public use has not taken hold. A cybercafe, quite a fancy one, lasted maybe three months in nearby Princeton, New Jersey.
And, despite frequent ramblings in New York City neighborhoods, I have come upon only one other cybercafe.
There is a demand, though, I am quite sure. During the recent Internet World trade show in New York City, for instance, there were long lines waiting for time at rows of stand-up Internet terminals.
EasyEverything is amazingly cheap
I walked into EasyEverything on a day of sub-freezing temperatures and brisk winds off the Hudson. I went up to the counter that sits just inside the front door, and ordered a hot chocolate and some computer time.
"2.16, the clerk said."
I looked around. She couldn't be talking to me.
But she was. Thinking she meant just for the hot chocolate, usually running to more like $2.50 a cup in New York, I told her I wanted computer time too.
"Yes," she said, sliding a three-inch-long piece of paper across the counter, "type this number into any computer to log on. You have five hours."
Turns out, computer time is $1 for 300 minutes, and the password that $1 buys is good for 28 days. Come and go, check e-mail, do a little work, surf the 'Net; it only costs $1.
The set-up
EasyEverything contains scores of rows of blonde-wood, narrow desks, each with a row of flat-screen monitors mounted at eye level, rows of keyboards, phone receivers, oval mouse pads and indentations in which to put coffee mugs.
Warm, the huge room is not. There are no Starbucks-like couches and comfy, well-worn chairs here. The place is all business. Computer stations stretch way, way back in the cavernous space and more computer stations sit upstairs on a balcony level.
The room is high ceilinged and painted white. Beams and railings are painted to match.
Chock full of Nuts
Coffee and eats are by Chock full of Nuts. (Remember the ads?: Chock full of Nuts is that heavely coffee, heavenly coffee....Better coffee a millionaire's money can't buy!)
Prices are rock bottom and I can vouch for the quality of the hot chocolate -- first rate! There are also many kinds of coffee, at prices ranging from $1 up to $3. Food selections, mostly bagels, cinnamon buns and the like, are either $1 or $2. The special, illustrated in a large, not unappealing-looking picture, is a cream cheese sandwich on date nut bread for $2.
While these prices may sound ordinary in the Heartland, they are astoundingly low for New York City, and especially for a tourist area.
Extras
After happily surfing for a while, I clicked on the button that said "Microsoft Word Office Suite." Up came a message saying that use of these programs would cost $1.50. The computers also connect to phones. A message on the computer said the rates are 40% lower than AT&T rates, and that phone cards are available at the front desk. There is an extra charge for the use of the Web cam that is mounted atop every monitor, too.
Printing is 35 cents a sheet for black and white, and twice that for color.
Directions
EasyEverything is on downtown side (south) of 42nd Street about half a block from the corner of Eighth Avenue in one direction (west) and a little more than half a block from Times Square in the other direction (east). Look for Madame Tussaud's enormous sign. EasyEverything is a short distance away.
Recommended:
Yes
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Location: Trenton, New Jersey
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