Asus Eee PC launched
 

I know it's notin quite the same class as the n800, but it does seem like it might be competitor since it is a small device marketed for mobile internet use and many consumers will be more familiar with the traditional laptop format. Check out the specs:

http://eeepc.asus.com/en/

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I'm going to keep an eye on it. Two pounds is light enough to entice me.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I've been wanting this baby since I first heard of it. There is no purchase link, any idea how I can get my hands on one?

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

New Egg and Best Buy are the exclusive USA (North American?) retailers. The EeePC is supposed to show up on their sites "any hour now," but I've been hearing that since this time yesterday. There's a lot of price estimates floating around, but they are based on the prices in other countries and we all know how the price difference between countries is rarely a simple currency conversion!

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

PS: For anyone who's wondering whether or not the Eee PC might be considered a competitor to the N800, head over to amazon.com right now, type "Eee PC" in the search box and check out what the first couple hits are :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Possibly a stupid question but why wouldn't this be considered a competitor? It looks pretty compact, surfs the t'internet and from what i have just googled should be pretty cheap... AND it has open office, if only......

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Actually, I think it IS in the same class as the N800. Both are essentially ultra-portable internet devices.

It appeals to the same kind of people because it runs Linux, and so will be easily hackable. It will make a terrific portable network diagnostic tool, for example. And, of course, there's the chance to install Windows XP (although I suspect it will run like a lame dog).

It tramples the N800 into the ground in terms of specification and also price. It's even got a VGA out!

True, it won't fit as comfortably into your jeans pocket, and that's one thing I like about my 770 -- I can put it in one pocket, and the Bluetooth keyboard into another.

I really hope that Nokia are looking hard at the Eee. The Eee significantly raises the game in the nascent portable internet device marketplace. Most importantly, the Eee's price is right. If Nokia launch the 810 at a premium, as I suspect they want to, then they're going to drive people to the Eee.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I agree it's a competitor for many people. For me, I apply the "airport" test and the traditional laptop format is a disadvantage. You can't use it while waiting in line. It gets pulled over in the airport security line. And it has to have adequate battery life to be able to turn on continuously from when I leave my my office until when they make me turn it off on the plane, and again from the plane to my hotel or other destination.

The silent side of portability is battery life and that remains to be seen for the Asus eee. Nokia gets this right on the tablets.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

For me it's not the same class. The N800 is internet on the go. You don't need a backpack or anything. The EEE will need some sort of bag. I will buy the EEE. Just because it's cheap.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

The Asus EeePC is more of an UMPC in a tiny laptop format. It is NOT pocketable and that's one of the main directives of the N800.....a pocketable device.
Yes, the skinned down version of the Eee is relatively inexpensive.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

OK, I'm starting to see the point. Maybe they're not direct competitors, simply because the Eee lacks the hybrid mobile phone size. But I still think that people potentially buying the 810 will have the Eee on their list, which is why Nokia need to be watching it. People are going to think: "Well, the Eee is cheaper and includes a keyboard... while the 810 is a third more expensive and a keyboard is extra." Remember that it's only when you get to use an 800 that you understand how usable it is. You have to use it to "get it". I think that new buyers won't have that point of view.

I might buy an Eee because, as somebody said, they're just so damn cheap. I also like the idea that they're silent. Then again, I already have a notebook (Macbook) that's only a little bigger and heavier. Both will need to be transported in a bag.

I'll also bet that the Linux installed on the Eee is a LOT better than the OS2007 in terms of stability and software choice. It's a x86 Xandros distribution, probably based on KDE, so practically every piece of Linux software out there should be available already as a binary. If you can't get it from Xandros then you'll probably be able to get it from whichever Debian distro this Xandros is based on.

No porting, no recomplilation for ARM processors, no messing around. To me, this is one area where the Eee wins massively over the N800. I've been complaining elsewhere on this forum about no decent word processor being available for the N770/800. On the Eee, I'll bet that OpenOffice, Abiword, Kword, and others are just a download away.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Xandros is nice. Ubuntu is nicer, but Xandros ain't too shabby. The one thing Xandros got definitely going for it (in my book, that is), is that they're full-on KDE. With Ubuntu, you always have that little nagging voice, saying: "But it's only second choice to Gnome, innit? There has to be something wrong with it".

Of course, at its heart Xandros is commercial, so don't expect all the goodies to be for free (as in "beer"). But heck, I can live with that; I've got money...

OpenOffice.org is pre-installed on the Eee.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

The problem isn't the arm-architecture. It's porting stuff to the HildonUI. You can run KDE on the N800. But of course it's not as powerful as the EEE.

The EEE is a very small and very cheap laptop. The N800 is a pocketable companion that you can take everywhere. I can't take the EEE to a party without looking like a complete geek. I can with the N800.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Current reports say that the resolution on the Eee is exactly the same as the N800 on the base models -- 800x480. Of course, the dot pitch is very different, and it's a physically a larger screen.

But as I'm getting used to my 770, and bearing in mind my existing knowledge of GNOME, KDE and XFCE, I'm starting to think that Nokia made a mistake creating an entirely new GUI system for their internet tablets. I could argue that Hildon has been a failure and the developer take-up has been far short of what Nokia might have expected.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it would have made more sense to modify an existing desktop and retain full API compatibility. This would have allowed users to run existing software. OK, it might run strangely, but the modifications would be trivial.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

The Kohjinsha SA1, last year's prefigurator to the EEE, has lower CPU specs (AMD Geode 800, a 500 Mhz PIII clone), runs Windows XP quite adequately (for its intended usage : Web, mail, Office apps, video etc., not for number-crunching, ray-tracing or 3D games) in 512 MB of RAM.

There's no reason why the EEE couldn't run it just as well if not better, although it's really meant to run some sort of Linux.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

ive been looking into the EEE and one of the main things that initially swung me towards it and away from the N800 is the fact that the EEE PC will have USB Host functionality.
There are conflicting reports about the battery life of the device but i have a feeling that the N800 would win on the front.
The fact that installing software on the EEE will be so much easier is VERY VERY appealing to me as im no Linux master at the moment but i am getting the hang of it.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Hi,

is EEE really not full-screen mini-laptop ?
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...07&modelmenu=1

darius

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

They did not create entirely new GUI system. Any plain X11 or GTK app compiled for ARM (with right toolchain) will run on the tablet too.

Ever heard of
GNOME mobile and Ubuntu Mobile? They adopted Hildon so perhaps it is not a complete failure ;-)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Just look at it. What does it look like? Like a laptop. It's not exactly like a normal laptop. You get a flash drive and no stuff like Expresscards. That's because of the size and the price. I know it has this iPhonish application starter. But that just starts regular apps, that where designed for the PC. It even features the same architecture as a PC.

It's not a mistake. XFCE, GNOME and KDE where design to be used with a mouse and a keyboard on big monitors or laptops. The Hildon UI was designed to be operated via touchscreen and it was fitted to the high dpi screen on the N** stuff. All the fonts would be very small and hard to read if you'd use a regular XFCE desktop. Just think of all the the stuff Nokia had to do to make these apps usable by touch only. And they didn't create an entirely new GUI system. They extended GTK so it can be used entirely by touch.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

It's still a bit painful to port to Hildon, which is probably why we don't have thousands (instead of dozens) of apps already. Non-Hildonized apps aren't as sleek, mostly (an example of an application where it doesn't matter at all though is the Free42 calculator).

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I think it is a strong competitor, especially considering the casual market. People are used to the form factor, and for a few bucks more you get winxp, which makes me cringe but is a plus for the casual market. Depending on the EU pricing I will probably rather go for the eee-pc than the new N810. I own a 770 and bought it for 350 € when it came out. I skipped the N800 and was waiting for the new tablet, but I can't justify approximately 450 € for a keyboard and better surfing experience (that's all I want and need).

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

This is why I said that Hildon could *arguably* be seen as a failure. In short, where are the apps? GNOME and KDE apps number in the hundreds, or even thousands. How many complete apps are there for Hildon? (and I'm not talking about best-intention projects that start but never actually complete, and live in eternal alpha/beta status). I can only think of one that I actually use: MaemoMapper. The others apps I use are ports: Mplayer, Leafpad and FBReader. Oh, I use Navicore, and I guess that's an original program.

I'm not a developer (that should be clear by now :)). I speak from an informed end-user perspective. And it seems to me that Hildon was a step in the wrong direction. I realise Hildon was based on GTK but it's too far removed from GNOME and GTK on x86. The original devs should have taken GNOME, and Nautilus, and adapted them. Instead they wiped the board clean and started again. This was a mistake, IMHO, and we're seeing the consequences now -- it's difficult to port applications, and not many developers rising the challenge of developing from scratch.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

They didn't wipe the board. They use alot of stuff that is FOSS. And you don't have to develop from scratch. You have to change the gui. (But it's not a complete redesign) The callbacks can remain as they are in most cases. There just aren't that much developers for Maemo.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

At least there is a unification process going on at the moment. OS2008 will be closer to mainstream gtk+, and Hildon is getting integrated into gtk+ as well so that it's actually going to be available on the desktop. Applications could then be written from the start with dual Hildon/non-Hildon support. (And if the Vala compiler project continues then there's a nicer-than-C-or-C++ method of writing apps too.)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Actually the Intel MIDs integrate Hildon aswell ans Hildon will be just antoher GNOME library.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

For me: I am definately gonna get an EEEPC as soon as it arrives. I am going to maybe use less N800. No offence but there are so much things I want to do with my portable device and N800 just doesn't deliver what it's supposed to. I need flwaless streaming video in my portable device. Then I need support for all sorts of video formats. Also I need PIM functionality. Maybe some nokia smartphone and EEEPC :) just the right combination. Allthou I am waiting for Chinook to bring some more features I need, but my hopes aren't exactly very high.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I was all about the eeepc, but with newegg pushing it at $400, I just cant bring my self to buy it. Im going for the n810 instead. Maybe I'll sell my n800 to see if it can cover a lesser model of the eeepc, but for now, its not for me.


also, i want a black one.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

For short trips out of town, I usually take my N800 with me (for email and Web surfing). For longer trips, I would also take my Sony VAIO (to work on MS Office files). EEE PC is not really PORTABLE--by that I mean you can not put it in a regular sized pocket. If I wanted something small to replace my VAIO, it would be a UMPC running Windows XP or Vista:(

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

If you're just doing Office, why would you need Windows at all? OpenOffice can do everything MS Office can (you can even continue to save the files in MS Office formats like .doc, if you want). I agree that an N800 would not quite cut it as a laptop replacement, but the Asus Eee would be perfect for you at this point in time.

Speaking of the ugly bricks running Windows that are currently referred to "UMPCs" - you know, those 800 dollar things that don't have a physical keyboard and little battery life - the Asus Eee is really going to kick their asses in the market, isn't it?

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

If OpenOffice really does MS Office stuff, I'll take a look. But then again, my VAIO has 11" display (good for video), is very thin and weights 3 pounds and change. I see no need to change right now.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

I have owned a 770, own an N800 and purchased an EeePC yesterday. My initial review of it, based on an evening's worth of use, can be found here.

In short, it's a fantastic little computer. If I had to pick one device, N800 or EeePC, as a full-fledged portable computer, there's no question: The EeePC is just a tiny, 2lb laptop. Given that more capable, tiny 2lb laptops (like the Toshiba R500, which is only marginally larger) exist but are $2000CDN+, I think the EeePC will really shake up the market. The laptop market, that is.

Having given the EeePC high praise, the Nokia Internet Tablets are a far more ambitious project. 2lbs is a _lot_ heavier than .5lbs. The NIT is _just_ pocketable, while the EeePC is about the size of a student's notebook. Having used both, the EeePC is clearly a better general-purpose computer, but the N800 is an order of magnitude smaller and more interesting form-factor and software-wise.

From an evening's use, I have to say that the NITs and the EeePC aren't in the same league at all. The EeePC is just a laptop. Small, yes. Cheap, relatively, but it's just a laptop. The Toshiba R500 isn't a competitor to the NITs, neither is any other $400 laptop. Myself, I have always considered the NITs to be competing against PocketPC, PalmOS and the newer wifi-enabled iPod-based devices.

I split the purchase of the EeePC with someone else. We'll both use it as a secondary computer, the EeePC would make a great presentation machine, but I'm not thinking of selling off the N800 even for a second. The EeePC doesn't have anything like MaemoMapper, I can't take it with me in a coat pocket, I can't easily do voice recording etc. Also, despite including Kontact on the EeePC, the N800 still makes a better PDA-replacement, which is one of the things I use mine for, despite Nokia's apparent wishes.

--
To dive slightly off-topic, I must say that Nokia's dogged insistence that the NIT's aren't PDAs seems very short-sighted to me and are a detriment to the device's potential popularity. Clearly, many people seems to think that a calendar, decent contact, and to-do list would be a definite advantage. As a paying customer, I know that GPE is the first thing I install. Yes, on-line options exist, but despite best efforts, we are not always on-line with these very pocketable tablets. Even Apple includes basic PIM functionality with their closed, "limited" offerings. Wake up, Nokia!

Unlike adding a phone, this wouldn't cost more hardware-wise. GPE is even almost there as a PIM. They just need to tweak the GUI a bit more and officially sanction it. I can even sync it with Evolution (though it would be better if GPE just read standard .ics files and a directory of .vcs files natively.) Heck, Nokia owns Intellisync, so they have syncing expertise, though I'd even settle for none if the on-device PDA software was adequate and they made backup and restore decent.
--

Okay, back on topic, the EeePC is a nifty thing, but the only similarities it shares with the Nokia Internet Tablets is that it is Linux-based, in the same price range, and has the same screen resolution.

Someone here mentioned video playback: Out of the box, I wouldn't think that the EeePC would be much better than the N800. YouTube playback was a bit faster, but it was still pushing the box. (It is just a Celeron 900/512MB with very little customization/optimization.) Adding software is a bit easier than it is with the NIT, but it's still not a dual-core 2GHz machine. One must have realistic expectations. There is no magic with the EeePC. Nokia have done far more optimization than Asus, and I wouldn't be surprised if the OS2008 firmware update brings video playback to parity with the EeePC in it's current state.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Great review, Ben. I was going to write a review of my new Eee for the forum but I'm not sure there's any need now.

Incidentally, I think we might be technological soul mates -- we have virtually identical computer hardware, even down to the same BT keyboard. :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Thanks Ben, that is an excellent review, in particular your comparision to the tablet, to the point, unbias. And I cannot agree more with your concluding remarks about their similarities. For my personal taste, minor details in their difference. The form factor is a big thing, literally, http://internettablettalk.com/forums...&highlight=eee,

__________________________________________________ ________
I like to see numbers, the facts, rather then all kinds of estimations:

eee: 226 x 165 x 21 - 35 mm / 908 g (converted from above, when open it becomes 165 X 2 i.e. a little bit under 330 mm)

770: 135 x 78 x 14 mm / 185 g (141 x 79 x 19 mm / 230 g with cover)

N800: 144 x 75 x 13 mm / 206 g (13 - 18 mm?)

N810: 128 x 72 x 14 mm / 225 g

regular shirt pocket 150 x 130 mm

lab coat lower pocket 170 x 160 mm

Size wise, the eee is 4X heavier and 9X (in volume) bulkier even before open!
__________________________________________________ ___________________

The eee is equal to 9 tablets. Period. So pocketability is gone. Battery? The tablet is always on while the eee may not enjoy such a luxury. BT is absent on eee (USB BT may not be as straight forward as one thinks). In summary, the eee/price is going to shake up the laptop industry. But, as some tableteers have posted, lets go and get a eee instead of an N810 because its spec sucks, I dont think so.


bun

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Just to add another perspective: think of NIT as a swiss knife (completely poketable) and Eee as a hunting knife (barely pocketable) and then do your comparison.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

It's much easier for me to kill you with a hunting knife.

Then I'll steal your pocket knife... Har, har, har.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Very funny. I can do that to you too, with my hunting knife. The point is that I carry a swiss knife anywhere I go, not a hunting knife.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Where can I order online - now - the Asus eeePC - 4G or 8G ??????

Thanks for your Feedback :)

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Expansys Europe has it on preorder for November 15th. Only the 4GB version though.

Personally, I wouldn't go for the 8gig: the Eee has an SD card slot and comes with an empty internal mini-PCIexpress slot. The latter will (allegedly) take SSD storage modules Asus will bring out early next year.

Also, the Eee takes bog-standard RAM modules (I forget what kind, but it's easy enough to find out), so upgrading your Eee to 1 gig of RAM can be done cheaply by just about anyone above the age of three.

I really like this Eee, but I'm bidding on a Pepper Pad 3 (I wasn't kidding about those munchies, it's just that they're gadget munchies :D) right now, so odds are I might not get one after all.

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

You're already dead. I've got a pen knife, a pocket knife, a Leatherman, a hunting knife and a freakin' phase cannon.:D

Re: Asus Eee PC launched
 

Hey, I know school is out, but Mom wants you to quit playing around and go clean the toilet!