Asus EEE-PC

quarryman

BendiBus wrote: »

What made you change your mind? I'm still unsure what the differences are. And Laptops Direct are doing the 2Gb model for €248.44 which seems pretty good. All I want is internet access with a proper browser and the ability to read pdfs & office documents.

it looks like the 2G is an all round slower performer.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4209

I changed my laptops direct order to the 4G and just going to wait for it to come into stock.

sliabh

It looks like there will be a new machine announced in CeBit:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/asus-set-to-announce-9-inch-eee-pc-900/

If so, I guess I was right to wait on buying. Mind you, while I would like a larger screen (9"), I am not so keen on the higher price €400

ancapailldorcha

It's a shame they wouldn't up the resolution though. 800x400 is a little small.

Voodu Child

sliabh wrote: »

It looks like there will be a new machine announced in CeBit:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/asus-set-to-announce-9-inch-eee-pc-900/

If so, I guess I was right to wait on buying. Mind you, while I would like a larger screen (9"), I am not so keen on the higher price

It says the €400 is for a 12Gb version, and there will be cheaper 8Gb available. Hopefully confirmation on prices/specs tomorrow..looks nice anyhow.

Edit - there's a pic of the 8Gb. I definitely wouldn't mind one of these
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/vairish/asus-eee-900-hands-032.jpg

AlmightyCushion

voodoo_child wrote: »

It says the €400 is for a 12Gb version, and there will be cheaper 8Gb available. Hopefully confirmation on prices/specs tomorrow..looks nice anyhow.

Edit - there's a pic of the 8Gb. I definitely wouldn't mind one of these
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/vairish/asus-eee-900-hands-032.jpg

The 8GB one does look the business. I wonder what price it'll be.

Voodu Child

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

The 8GB one does look the business. I wonder what price it'll be.

I'd take the prices and specs with a pinch of salt anyhow, going by the original Eee-pc.

It can't cost that much though, and the screen doesnt look half as daft as the original one. Looks pretty good, i'd definitely think of buying one.

sliabh

voodoo_child wrote: »

I'd take the prices and specs with a pinch of salt anyhow, going by the original Eee-pc.

It can't cost that much though, and the screen doesnt look half as daft as the original one. Looks pretty good, i'd definitely think of buying one.

Looking at the comparison photos it is slightly bigger, the trackpad has been made larger (there were a lot of complaints about the old one) and they have split the mouse input buttons.

Alanstrainor

It does look great, although i love my eee, and it was a great buy, the bigger screen (and hopefully resolution) makes it look a whole lot better. And the touch pad looks much better.

quarryman

anyone got a good site for SD cards? I'm thinking the 16GB is probably the best value for money.

found one here for 60 euro + 5 delivery.

http://www.memoryc.com/flashmemorycards/sdsecuredigital.html?Capacity=16Gb

edit: that's ex vat so its actually, 72.60 plus 5 delivery.

The_Conductor

quarryman wrote: »

anyone got a good site for SD cards? I'm thinking the 16GB is probably the best value for money.

found one here for 60 euro + 5 delivery.

http://www.memoryc.com/flashmemorycards/sdsecuredigital.html?Capacity=16Gb

edit: that's ex vat so its actually, 72.60 plus 5 delivery.

Remember to reformat it- or else it might not be detected.

quarryman

you mentioned that previously alright? Does it need to be FAT16?

The_Conductor

quarryman wrote: »

you mentioned that previously alright? Does it need to be FAT16?

Yes.

quarryman

oh, another suggestion is for cases. Does anyone have a site where they picked up a case for it? Bricks and mortar or online.

sliabh

quarryman wrote: »

oh, another suggestion is for cases. Does anyone have a site where they picked up a case for it? Bricks and mortar or online.

I saw some nice ones on eBay

AlmightyCushion

quarryman wrote: »

oh, another suggestion is for cases. Does anyone have a site where they picked up a case for it? Bricks and mortar or online.

You could get a case for a portable dvd player, that should fit it.

quarryman

yeah i might check out a few shops at the weekend. Its one of those things you need to get a hold of before you buy.

Laptop shop might have something....

TerrorFirmer

8gb one looks the biz, I think I'll wait and ditch my Vostro 1500 for that, rather then pick up the current model and treating it as a gagdet rather then practical machine.

quarryman

My EEE arrived. Only problem it is the 2G!

I think the problem arose when I made the order, then rang up and upgraded it to the 4G, but they just sent out the 2G anyway.

Its a pain now as I need to wait for this to get sent back AND for new stock to come in.

sliabh

It looks like they are giving mid-April as the release date for the new machines. That's not too long to wait. We just have to hope they can churn them out faster than in the past.

chris85

sliabh wrote: »

It looks like they are giving mid-April as the release date for the new machines. That's not too long to wait. We just have to hope they can churn them out faster than in the past.

Any confirmation for sure on this?

hoping to pick one up to bring around travelling for a year, it looks. I want to get one in the Summer and hopefully it wont go beyond €400.

They are good value machines it looks, only heard of them a week ago and they are exactly what i need.

sliabh

All the interviews Asus are giving are saying April. This is the latest one I have seen:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/10/asus_ceo_on_eee_future/

AlmightyCushion

Here's some more info about the 8.9" (almost as big as my penis) version.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/eee-pc-to-get-intels-diamondville-hard-drives-and-fashion-forward-style

Asus CEO Jerry Shen seems to think so and in fact has lots of plans up his sleeve for the triple-E machine. In our hour-long interview, Shen shared that the Eee PC will get:

• A 8.9-inch display and Windows XP: Confirming that the machine shown at CeBIT will come to market in April, the new Eee PC will have a 8.9-inch screen and a higher 1024 x 600-pixel resolution An 8GB SSD will be available running Windows XP. A 12GB or 20GB SSD model will be available with Xandros.
• Hard Drives: Asus is considering giving customers a choice between their current offering of solid state drives and regular hard drives in the future.
• Intel’s Diamondville: Shen revealed that the low-cost notebook platform will adopt Intel’s Diamondville processor in Q2 rather than VIA’s mobile computing platform.
• More Colors and Stylish Looks: In May or June, Asus will release “very stylish” versions of the Eee PC. Shen says they will have a New York City sleekness.

Shen thinks the days of the Eee PC are just taking off (and his response to the first question in the interview below affirms that) and that the competitors will try to knock them off their course but won’t succeed.
Not his words exactly, but read the full interview to find out more.



Asus sold more than 350,000 Eee PCs in the fourth quarter. Have you been surprised by its success and can you share how well it’s doing now?
It definitely exceeded our expectations. Originally I hoped it would be around 200,000, so we definitely went above that. In the past few months we have increased sales by 30 to 40 percent; I think shipments will soon total around 700,000. The demand is so strong, especially in Japan and Europe. But there is now a huge shortage of batteries. I just returned from CeBIT and all the customers were requesting more and more. The supply issue is now becoming a serious issue.


Do you think it will delay production and bringing the product to market?
The battery, unfortunately, will remain an issue, but I think we can solve the battery issue by May. In Europe if we can supply the batteries, the sales of the machines will go up to 300,000 or 400,000 per month.


What do you think Asus got right with the first model and what could you have done better?
Actually when we sold the first model a lot of users started suggesting an adjustment of the screen size. The current screen size of 7 inches is too small and the resolution of 800 x 480 is too small. We have taken suggestions from the users. But actually 70 percent of the users in Taiwan are satisfied with the machine. But we have to decided to make the changes and provide a bigger machine with bigger screen sizes and more storage. We are actually able to keep the machine the same size, but move the speakers from the side to the bottom of the machine to extend the screen size.


Beyond the screen, how will the new machines be different?
The screen size will be 8.9 inches. And the storage, which was originally 4GB, will be upgraded to versions with an 8GB solid state drive and a 12 to 20GB solid state drives. We aren’t sure yet if the second machine will be 12 or 20GB because of guidelines we have to follow. The 8GB machine will run Windows XP and the 12 or the 20GB will be Linux based. The Windows XP machine will have 1GB of RAM. The screen resolution on each of these will be 1024 x 600.


All these models will have solid state drives, not hard drives?
We are looking at an option to provide hard drives. In June and April we will only support solid state drives. Hard drives will be options at a later date.


Any information on the pricing on the new 8.9-inch model?
In the beginning and in April, around the release date, it will initially be higher and be around $499 in the United States. From the user feedback, I think if we provide a bigger screen and bigger storage it may be more popular than the 7-inch version. The second generation is very important for us.


Do you think that by increasing the size of the notebook and making it a bit more expensive it will be difficult to be in a market against notebooks that are more powerful but that have a similar price?
I think this is the initial price. I believe in June the market will decide the price and it can drop down. I also think its small size will really attract people. It will continue to be a solid second PC choice or the PC that is good for kids.


Will you be sticking with the Xandros operating system for future Eee PCs that aren’t running Windows?
I think most of the people are demanding a form of Windows, but others appreciate the Linux. We will stick with both and we will continue to work with Xandros for the Linux operating system.


Will you be adding mobile broadband to future Eee PCs? You recently announced that Mobile WiMAX versions of the Eee PC would be coming later this year. Do you feel like that is still on track given problems Sprint is having getting necessary funding to launch its network?
I think the Eee PC is all about mobility, and the Internet experience when you are outside is so important on the device. WiMAX and HSDPA built-in will be a goal for us. I think these kinds of features will be out in Q3 2008. We have the module for HSDPA and a lot of carriers and telecoms could take advantage of this. We will put the module in the machines when our partnerships with Telecoms are in place. For WiMAX we are waiting for the maturity of this connection. We will put the WiMAX in when it’s ready but will be aiming to have both by Q3.


Will you incorporate Intel’s Diamondville processor (now Atom) or consider VIA’s Isaiah’s processor? Which do you think will be integrated?
From my view point, Diamondville is the better choice, because it uses the 45-namometer processor. And pricewise it is very competitive. In my planning I will continue to use Intel’s Diamondville. And for the VIA one I think from the power point of view, Diamondville is still better. In May, these machines will be hitting the market.


Do you plan to stick with the color options you have now on future Eee PCs or go with a different set of colors?
Actually that is a big focus. In my planning, in May and June we will release very stylish colors and I think more than five color options. I think the colors will really reflect the New York City and London city style. It’s a very flashy look and one will look more oriental and one more Western. There will be a very new color design introduced in June, but I can’t disclose more at this time. But you will be very surprised.


What accessories will become available for the Eee PC and what is the timetable for their release?
In May we will try to provide storage for the Eee PC. If you buy the Eee PC, you will have additional Web storage; we are thinking 10GB storage. Web storage is very different from local storage and we want to start to experiment with that. Another accessory that we are trying to implement is handwriting tools, like a tablet but it would be an accessory. I think also Skype phones and VoIP phones. You will start to see more TV tuners as well.


One of the most innovative features of the Eee PC is the that it doesn’t use a power brick. How did you manage to avoid using a power brick, and will future Eee PCs continue to be brickless?
Yes, our new adapter is even smaller and the charge time will be very short. We are trying to provide this new adapter in the beginning of April. It will be available with the 7- and 8.9-inch models. The charging time will be much shorter. In the near future, we also are trying to support one-day computing which would provide more than 8 hours. I think in May we might be closer to providing that.


Everex has come out with the CloudBook and there are rumors that HP and Acer will be launching their own low-cost laptop soon. Are you nervous about this competition, and how do you intend to keep Asus at the top of this fast-growing market?
We expected company from HP and Acer. In the beginning of April we will be releasing the 8.9-inch and then May and June we will provide another feature for each one. I am proud of my team and the speed in which they can bring things to market. One of our big advantages is that we have people that can do things very quickly. I think if you look at our speed and our features we have a lot of strength there. HP and Acer are very good at providing strong feature sets and both companies have their strengths, but we will be able to play in the race. We have a lot of innovation and we implement those innovations. Innovation in the style and the electronics will let us keep up with our competitors.


Are you concerned that this so-called race to the bottom in terms of pricing will cannibalize the sales of your other notebooks? How is the Eee PC transforming the notebook business?
I think if we continue to use the smaller sizes with the smaller screens we will be okay. What I have heard from the market competitors is that they would like to increase the size of the screen in low-cost notebooks. I think that will hurt us and them. From Asus’ point of view for the Eee PC, we will keep the smaller size. I plan to keep it at 8.9 or even at 10 inches. I think we are handling it very carefully. I think companies who don’t do this will actually hurt themselves.

BanzaiBk

We were told today that test units are being sent out for the rounds the last week in March. It's the same ETA for Toshiba's rumoured UP. Exciting times!

chris85

It looking good so far. The bigger screen resolution will mean all web pages should be easily scaled to it unlike some web pages that didnt fit well on the 7" screen.

I am wondering about the price. it says $499 starting which i good but what will that be over here do people think. I dont think it will be as straight forward as doing the exchange rate!!!!

quarryman

€499 I reckon.

JackKelly

I reckon it will be below 499. Having it priced that high is counter productive and takes away from the whole idea of the eeepc.
I would immediately order one if I found they were say 400Eur, but it wouldn't feel worth it at 500.

The_Conductor

TimAy wrote:

I reckon it will be below 499. Having it priced that high is counter productive and takes away from the whole idea of the eeepc.
I would immediately order one if I found they were say 400Eur, but it wouldn't feel worth it at 500.

I'd be inclined to agree.....
You can pick up a Dell (or most any other manufacturers) at around the EUR500 point, or even below- Asus would be pricing themselves out of their target market, albeit with a sexy product, at that price point.

chris85

TimAy wrote: »

I reckon it will be below 499. Having it priced that high is counter productive and takes away from the whole idea of the eeepc.
I would immediately order one if I found they were say 400Eur, but it wouldn't feel worth it at 500.

+1

I willing to pay €450 for the new version for the basic 8Gb model. Its hard to copare to dell when people aint using as primary laptop a lot although people seem to buy it as a secondary and it soons takes over. Ive got a dell laptop but need a smaller one for travelling and that means dell is out.

Depending on price, will be ordering or predordering asap!!!

TerrorFirmer

Maybe I just missed this, but will the battery be another 4 cell?

The_Conductor

TerrorFirmer wrote:

Maybe I just missed this, but will the battery be another 4 cell?

The register interview stated that the battery problems have not been clarified as yet, but the higher power requirements are likely to have been addressed by late April/May. Possibly a 6 cell?