Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Have you tested anything like, for example, a regular 640x480 .avi encoded with Xvid? I'd be interested to know how that runs (I'm guessing too many dropped frames to be watchable).

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I just tried a 600MB divX file. To my surprise, it played perfectly. In hindsight, I don't know why I was surprised. It _is_ a 900MHz Pentium M-based CPU. I'm now trying a 1.3GB DivX of one of my movies, I'll report back. (Had to copy this one to the SD card from my N800, it'd be too big for the internal drive!) For those interested, the bundled video player is SMplayer.

I've also tried a few of the bundled games. Frozen Bubble 2.x works well but the music is jerky, Penguin Racer (TuxRacer) is okay but the framerate is pretty low. Still, it uses OpenGL, so at least DRI works out-of-the-box.

The EeePC is a pretty capable Linux subnotebook. It sleeps, wakes, and has working DRI. Not bad at all. The WiFi is a little flakey compared to NetworkManager with Ubuntu. It's using the pre-NetworkManager thing that KDE had. It's okay, but not great. Much worse than the N800 for getting on and off WiFi networks.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

More Infos:

• http://forum.eeeuser.com/index.php

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

The 1.3GB video played fine too. There was a bit of a framerate drop in high-action sequences but this was barely noticeable. (I was paying close attention.) By comparison, neither were particularly playable on my N800, even with MPlayer, though I've never really wanted to watch a video on a 7" screen, let alone a 4".

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I owned an n770, own an n800, and will probably own an n810 at some point, but I have never been too sure what I can really do with the IT's.

To the contrary, the eee pc, which I have now owned for 2 days, makes a super secondary computer and is a real computer, whereas the IT's are still just gadgets to me. I expect that I will actually use the eee pc quite a lot. In fact, I am typing this post with it. The eee pc will be my short trip business travel laptop, and I can keep it in my briefcase just in case a need arises. The n800 just cannot do what I need to do on the road. In fact, I rarely carry the n800 around.

On the eee pc, I have open office so I can actually read and write ms word documents, and I was able to install the metaframe citrix client, so I have full access to my entire work network. Out of the box I can stream sirius over the device using the built-in browser. There is a pim (haven't tried it yet, but it i there), and I can attach a printer. I do wish they had but bluetooth on the eee pc, but I guess everything has its shortcomings. Also, while the device is fairly snappy, I am going to add ram and make it 1gb.

Within a few years I will probably have a notebook running linux that has say a 10" screen and slightly larger keyboard (the keyboard is usable but a bit cramped) with a small ssd drive, wifi, bt, and 3g with 6 hrs battery. Such a device is perfect for business and would sell because the software costs effectively nothing with the linux environment and even tht hardware is not too expensive to make.

I will still use the IT to browse the net from a living room chair, and the broswer on the IT is better than the one on the eee pc, but I have never found much real use for the IT's or been able easily to make use of the IT's alleged abilities.

I am selling my microsoft stock on Monday :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I agree with what you are saying, but feel that I have to repeat what has been said earlier: Think of NIT as a swiss knife. Yes, if I am forced to choose one, Eee would be it, not NIT. But most people, me included, own several knives: pocket knives, hunting knives, daggers (not me), etc. What do you think I carry in my pocket everywhere I go?

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Good observation. A few years ago, my computing solution involve an SMP desktop machine paired with a Sony Picturebook (8.9" widescreen, Crusoe CPU). Nowadays it's a 14" laptop plus the NIT.

In short, you don't want the NIT as your main computer (screen too small, storage too limited), but surely the EEE is also insufficiently powerful for most of us on this forum?

(Would be great for my mom though)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

The only thing stopping me from ordering an EEE is the 800x600 screen resolution - it's too similar to the N800 screen resolution to make it a worthwhile improvement and it's frankly too low a rez for a device of this size... Now, if it were 1024x768 I'd snap one up without thinking...

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

It's not similar, it's the same - 800x480, not 800x600. But you should give it a try in real life, if possible, before dismissing it altogether - 800x480 on a 7" screen with all the tools and options available in the x86 world (like Firefox & extensions) is a completely different experience than 800x480 on the tablet's 4" screen with maemo.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Seems to me that Eee could be a nice 3rd computer, beside your main computer/labtop and your poketable device such as NIT. It won't replace the former due to its sufficient but limited capabilities, as well as its small display and keyboard. It won't replace the latter also due to size--you can't put in in your pocket and use it everywhere. I can see buying it as a travel companion, as a temporary (and compact) substitute for my main computer while away.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

That's pretty much what I'm going to use it for.

At $400, it's also a pretty good backup for me in case my main laptop, which I use to generate income, is in need of repair. (Not unlikely, either. It's a MacBook that has already had a new screen, new inverter, and new keyboard/trackpad assembly.)

So many interesting Linux-based devices these days. How wonderful!

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Milhouse, if you do pick one up, I hope you keep using your NIT and posting here. As someone who is still just starting out with these NITs, I've learned a great deal from reading your posts in the last few weeks. Your more recent posts sound as though you're thinking of taking a break here. That'd be a great loss for everyone here. (posters and lurkers alike!)

When I first bought the EeePC, I will admit that I wondered if I'd made a mistake with the N800 (which I'd also purchased in October.) Having used the EeePC now for a few days, I don't really see it changing how and when I use the N800. (Though it's certainly better for videos, and having Thunderbird is a big plus.)

Nokia has put a lot of effort into making the NITs usable at 800x480. This is apparent about a minute and a half after using the EeePC. (Though the 7" screen is a lot easier to read than a 4" screen.)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I agree - the full blown chrome on a 7" 800x480 screen is barmy; a Hildon style interface is much more sensible; especially if it's transparent to the apps running in it.

If/when I get an Eee (see how much money's left after Christmas), it'll certainly be tempting to blast away Xandros and load up Ubuntu and Hildon :-)

Or, something more space efficient, like ROX or even the Mac OS X-style hacks. Or, finally, the impetus to get implemented my thoughts on a GtkMenuFactory in gtk+.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Well, I've ordered an EEE PC; I've been waiting for it and expect to get it tomorrow.

I owned the 770 for a week when it was first released and returned it - had too many problems. I got the N800 a few months ago. Fantastic machine - has worked great. I would not have bought it though had the EEE PC been an alternative. I will not buy the N810 (at least for now I won't).

I like the pocketability of the N800 and I'll probably keep using it for some things, but the EEE PC is what I've been waiting years for. I don't think the slideout keyboard of the N810 adds anything that I want. The use of Linux on the EEE for me is a big draw. The N800 beautifully demonstrated that Linux is mighty capable on a small computer. The EEE PC would be a nightmare with XP (or horrors - Vista).

I think between the iPhone (which I also own but doesn't do as much as the N800), and the EEE PC it is touch to find a place for the N810. Where the N800 has really been a star to me is (1) VNC, (2) Rhapsody (buggy but still better than nothing), and (3) Skype. For just web browsing and email iPhone is just as good or better. For everything else N800 is too small.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I have online ordered ( the new Asus Eee PC 4G with 2 GB Ram for 460 € - Delivery in 2 weeks )

• 2006 was the Nokia N770 good - then Nokia slept well

• Then comes Apple with the iPhone - and Nokia had the N800

• Now comes Acer (and Google next week ???) with EeePC and a open Linux Base and a price fight

And many people are thinking and change your system - certainly

And that was the main reason for me

• http://internettablettalk.com/forums...ad.php?t=11226

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Thanks for the correction - I went by the details in this review which clearly can't be trusted! :)

As the screen is even less than I thought it was, it's less appealing still - I'm not suggesting 800x480 is a bad resolution, just that getting another 800x480 device doesn't make much sense even if it comes with a keyboard... hmm N810 anybody? :) x86 and it's associated performance would be nice, but for the size of the device I'd want at least a step up in terms of resolution in order to more easily justify the additional bulk.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Thanks for the kind words. It's true I've been somewhat negative of late, but that could be due to mid-life crisis as much as Nokia's "long view" approach to NIT development! :) I'll probably snap out of it once I see OS 2008, or maybe not - who knows? One thing is for sure, I'll be around for a while yet... Intel MIDs aren't slated until mid 2008, and who knows what "Step 4" of the Nokia 5-step plan will bring? :D

The eee PC looks nice, has a good price but I'm not sure it offers me anything more than the N800 or N810 - it's advantages (x86 architecture and performance) are offset by it's negatives (size and weight, same screen size as N800) so net-net I can't really justify it as I don't really need a "laptop" style device (and my old 400Mhz P3 IBM Thinkpad with 1024x768 res screen is just fine for when I need it, which isn't often!) :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

This is why I don't think the eee flies with a 800x480 screen - the form factor is certainly large enough to accomodate a higher res screen, but I guess price prevented it's inclusion.

The included software doesn't seem fully customised to run at what is quite a low desktop resolution, and XP would certainly struggle on such a display as I reckon 1024x768 would be considered the minimum screen size targeted by most desktop application developers (Linux or XP).

A next iteration of the eee PC will include a higher resolution screen I'm sure, maybe they should use the same screen technology used on the OLPC computer - low cost, high resolution.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I wonder how much effect on battery life if it is 1024X768 vs 800X600? I would guess,
1024X768 = 786k vs 800x600 = 480k, this translates to 64% increase in energy, ie. the battery will be drained 64% more in regard to the video. Do you think that is what Asus is thinking, along the line higher resolution also increase the cost of production?


Just a thought,

bun

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Good point, I guess higher resolution LCDs do draw more power - maybe higher resolution will be possible if Asus update the design to use the more power efficient Intel processors due in 2008?

I guess Asus could also offer a higher resolution model based on the current processor technology, then it's down to the consumer to decide if they want slightly more battery life or a less cramped display.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

No, I don't think Asus was terribly interested in energy efficiency or battery life, I think it was all about price. I'd guess that both the display and CPU were chosen because they could get a large quantity cheaply. The processor is just a socket-478. Who else would Intel sell a 900MHz socket 478 CPU to? I'd bet that the screen was the same deal. Do keep in mind that the original reported price for the EeePC was $199. I think that this was Asus' plan all along and when they saw the interest in the EeePC, they raised the price. (Who could blame them? They're a business. Heck, I still bought one for $399.)

Also, judging by how much buzz the EeePC has, and how interested Asus seems to be in releasing a Windows version of it, I doubt we'll see too much more development of the EeePC 701 as a Linux-based laptop. Pity, I think they're on to something here. (It's quite Folio-like, really.)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Really? These are LCDs, not OLEDs. Isn't the backlight the primary source of power consumption in a LCD? This would suggest that the power required is a function of physical size and the designed/selected brightness, but not resolution. (Excepting the additional demands that more pixels place on the CPU/GPU.)

"Someone had a warehouse full of them" is a more likely explanation in my opinion (which benmhall and others already said).

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Backlighting could well remain the same assuming they replace the 7" 800x480 screen with a 7" 1024x768 screen (and backlighting is the biggest power drain) however LCDs are like dynamic memory and each pixel (row/column address) needs to be constantly refreshed so by increasing resolution it means more pixels need to be refreshed in a given period of time, requiring slightly more power than would be needed for a screen with fewer pixels. I really don't know if it's a big enough difference to have a noticeable impact on battery life, but I've read that doubling the amount of dynamic RAM in an N800 (ie. 128MB->256MB) would have resulted in reduced battery lifetime and I'm guessing the same is true of a higher res LCD.

But yeah, the warehouse theory is equally likely! :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...4&Tpk=EEE%2bPC

-- Denis

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Palm should have released the foleo as a linux laptop. Not as a "pda companion."

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Palm should have done a lot of things it hasn't done...