Asus Eee P. C.

[AwayWeGo]

Should I spring for 1 ?

Apparently it's not really a portable computer, in that it won't do anything but browse the web.

Then again, if I'm away at a timeshare someplace, what else do I need a computer to do other thanjust browse the web?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Passepartout]

Alan, I like mine, but if I were doing it again I'd spring the about $550 for the PC 900 which has a 9" screen in the same original chassis. I find that I don't mind the up-and-down scrolling,(in my PC 700) but the side-to- side scrolling to see a web page or read a full width line of text is a PITA. And for that price, there are lots of choices in a full size PC.

I DO like the little ASUS to travel with. It sniffs out public Wi-Fi that my full size laptop doesn't, and it has over 3.5 hours battery life. You don't need some big honking case to carry it, and when you whip it out at the airport you're about the most popular guy around.

Jim Ricks

 

[Icarus]

Dell started selling their version, the Inspiron Mini 9, yesterday. Starts at $349 with Ubunto Linux and $399 with Windows XP.

You can try this link:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?cs=19&kc=6f961&oc=dnpcxw1&x=7&y=8

I'll probably get one eventually and use it when traveling.

-David

 

[Icarus]

Looks like everybody still likes the Acer Aspire One, with the 6-cell battery, 120G hard drive, express card slot, XP home, etc for around $399.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001EYV9TM/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance

The linux version is a bit cheaper, but only comes with an 8G SSD drive.

I would get the XP version over the Dell at this point. If you want to run Linux instead of XP Home, you can install it yourself, since it comes with a 120G hard drive. To me, the 120G hard drive is better than the 8G SSD, which is just too small.

-David

 

[Twinkstarr]

We bought one for my eldest son last year. It goes on all our trips, DH has been able to download word documents on to it and it works just great according to him. He's in an executive MBA program and has had to work on a few papers on our trips.

 

[mtgolfer]

I am using my 901 right now. It has the atom processor and seems to get about 6 hours battery life. I can do just about anything on this that I can do on my Toshiba, but it does not have a cd drive. I love it for travel as it weighs just over 2 pounds and the SSD is faster and is supposed to be less prone to failure if jarred around, compared to a hard drive -- I don't beat mine up to much, so don't know for sure. I like the 8.9 inch screen, but they now have a 10 inch in the 1000 series that offers I think an 80g hard drive. I paid $599 at Costco for mine, but just saw on Walmart.com that they are selling the same thing for around $450.00, which is a great deal. In fact, I think I am going to buy another one just to see if it is the same as advertised because the best price I see elsewhere is on amazon.com for about $550. It also has 20g web storage, which is nice. Overall, I like it a lot.

bp

 

[Icarus]

I am using my 901 right now. It has the atom processor and seems to get about 6 hours battery life. I can do just about anything on this that I can do on my Toshiba, but it does not have a cd drive. I love it for travel as it weighs just over 2 pounds and the SSD is faster and is supposed to be less prone to failure if jarred around, compared to a hard drive -- I don't beat mine up to much, so don't know for sure. I like the 8.9 inch screen, but they now have a 10 inch in the 1000 series that offers I think an 80g hard drive. I paid $599 at Costco for mine, but just saw on Walmart.com that they are selling the same thing for around $450.00, which is a great deal. In fact, I think I am going to buy another one just to see if it is the same as advertised because the best price I see elsewhere is on amazon.com for about $550. It also has 20g web storage, which is nice. Overall, I like it a lot.

bp

I don't know why you would pay that much when the Acer is $399, and probably has better specs. At least take a look at it.

-David

 

[Passepartout]

Apparently it's not really a portable computer, in that it won't do anything but browse the web.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Oh, I should have included, actually it IS pretty much a 'real' portable computer, even if you get the Linux version. Included is Open Office, so it will handle any of the usual MS Office tasks and has built-in Skype, with a web-cam, so add a headset and you are good to go for el-cheapo phone calls. There are games, audio and picture editors, language tutor, and I don't know what all.

About the only drawback to it being my 'main' computer is the cramped keyboard. And if you saw the size of my fingers, you'd understand.

The ASUS Eee PC is more than an internet appliance.

Jim Ricks

 

[MULTIZ321]

Alan,

One issue might be if you want to print airline boarding-passes on your trips, how will you do so?



Richard

 

[Fern Modena]

If you are talking about printing a Southwest boarding pass, you don't have to do that at the same time you check in online. You can check in online without printing, and it still counts. Then when you get to the airport you just use the Kiosk to print the boarding pass.

Fern

 

[Bonnie_Raitt]

I love my 900. using it now. Great for making notes in the car or making hotel reservations on Priceline at Starbucks. Negatives are the keyboard can be touchy and the drive space is very limited. You do NOT want to load every program you come across. That said, I have Word and Excel 2007 loaded on it.

I also take a larger notebook for use in in the TS. Highly recommended

BR

 

[ricoba]

Alan,

One issue might be if you want to print airline boarding-passes on your trips, how will you do so?



Richard

I have solved that issue by finding a Fedex/Kinko's store and doing it from there. Might not work every time or for everyone, but it has worked for me more than once.

 

[Icarus]

I also take a larger notebook for use in in the TS. Highly recommended

BR

This is exactly the problem. If you have to take a larger notebook on your trips, I'm not sure what the point is in spending any money at all on the Asus EEEs.

Asus was the first, but they are no longer the best in this space. Other companies make better models than Asus does now, and usually at better prices.

-David

 

[Passepartout]

I love my 900. using it now. Great for making notes in the car or making hotel reservations on Priceline at Starbucks.

I also take a larger notebook for use in in the TS. Highly recommended

BR

And I'm just the opposite. I use the full size laptop at home, travel with the Asus. I carry it with me most days in the truck when I think I'll have a little downtime. Checking in for a boarding pass is no problem. That said, I have a HP printer and they don't seem to have- or I haven't found- a driver for Linux. Very low priority though for I have the Windows machine if I need to print anything.

Jim Ricks

 

[MULTIZ321]

Jim,

See if this helps - http://hplip.sourceforge.net/


Richard

 

[LUVourMarriotts]

Alan,

One issue might be if you want to print airline boarding-passes on your trips, how will you do so?



Richard

Most resorts or hotels will print for you. When I was in Aruba last year, I saved the boarding passes as pdf and then brought down to the concierge on a thumb drive. They also said I could email to them.

 

[Bonnie_Raitt]

This is exactly the problem. If you have to take a larger notebook on your trips, I'm not sure what the point is in spending any money at all on the Asus EEEs.

Asus was the first, but they are no longer the best in this space. Other companies make better models than Asus does now, and usually at better prices.

-David

My other "laptop" is a 17" HP. It weighs a ton but is great for watching movies and Tivo (via Slingbox) when TV doesn't have right hookups. It's a royal pain to use in the car or Starbucks

 

[Passepartout]

Movies on mini

Alright Gurus: The one thing I'd really like on my Eee would be the ability to watch video (or movies?) using SD cards. Is possible? If so, how? Super high quality is not critical- the screen is only 7".

Jim Ricks

 

[MULTIZ321]

Rockpod8 Video Encoder now supports the Asus Eee PC


Richard

 

[Autoeng]

Looks like everybody still likes the Acer Aspire One, with the 6-cell battery, 120G hard drive, express card slot, XP home, etc for around $399.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001EYV9TM/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance

The linux version is a bit cheaper, but only comes with an 8G SSD drive.

I would get the XP version over the Dell at this point. If you want to run Linux instead of XP Home, you can install it yourself, since it comes with a 120G hard drive. To me, the 120G hard drive is better than the 8G SSD, which is just too small.

-David

It is a 160G drive...

Well, maybe not. Varying reports of hard drive size. the 160 may only be available in Europe.

 

[mlsmn]

i love my eeepc linux

The only problem is i can't figure out how to download the Opera browser as a backup browser

The eee download site (http://eeedownload.asus.com) keeps giving me an http error message and cust. service is of no help to fix problem

and downloading from opera's site-
how do I open download to get it to work?

 

[Zac495]

So these small computers will let you check email and go to sites like www.tug2.net ? They sound great! My kids hate our laptops on trips because the battery life is so short - I hate lugging mine - so heavy. Plus mine belongs to the school district (we're allowed to take them, but I don't know how happy they would be if they knew it's traveled to Aruba and such). Hmmm. You got me thinking! Thanks.

 

[Blues]

Hi Ellen,

I got an Acer Aspire One with a 6 cell battery (longer life). I'm unsure whether I like it, because it has a problem with wired ethernet (wireless works fine). But the battery life is terrific. When I got it a few weeks ago, I did a battery test. With wifi on, I got about 7.5 hours of battery life. Wow.

The 6 cell battery model costs a little more and is a little heavier. But I recommend that you get that model if you get one. I don't know about the Eee, but if you go with that, check to see if there are different battery configurations.

BTW, congrats on five-oh. It's a walk in the park. The real bonus is grandkids. Once you get one of those, you won't want to go back.

-Bob

 

[lynne]

Hi Ellen,

I got an Acer Aspire One with a 6 cell battery (longer life). I'm unsure whether I like it, because it has a problem with wired ethernet (wireless works fine). But the battery life is terrific. When I got it a few weeks ago, I did a battery test. With wifi on, I got about 7.5 hours of battery life. Wow.

The 6 cell battery model costs a little more and is a little heavier. But I recommend that you get that model if you get one. I don't know about the Eee, but if you go with that, check to see if there are different battery configurations.

BTW, congrats on five-oh. It's a walk in the park. The real bonus is grandkids. Once you get one of those, you won't want to go back.

-Bob

Yes on both the Acer Aspire One 6-cell battery, 160 GB and the grandkids. We are thrilled with both!

 

[Icarus]

Hi Ellen,

I got an Acer Aspire One with a 6 cell battery (longer life). I'm unsure whether I like it, because it has a problem with wired ethernet (wireless works fine).

If you're having a problem with it out of the box, return it while you can.

Some people get them and the batteries don't charge, etc. They return or exchange them.

What's the problem with the wired ethernet?

-David