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Asus EEE is the Smallest, Cheapest Laptop Around

Asus EEE Computer

Looking for a cheap, small laptop to take with you wherever you go, or perhaps to take along with you when you travel? Something less bulky than a full-sized computer, one just meant to get you online and doing basic Internet work? Well, your ship has just come in.

The ASUS EEEPC4G 4G Ultra 7″ Linux Notebook is an awesome little notebook computer, with a small 7-inch screen and full keyboard. It’s loaded up with a version of the Linux operating system that was custom-designed just for it, which is simple and elegant. It’ll let you get online, check email, upload photos and videos, and run office software. No, you can’t play games on it, but if you don’t care about that, it’s an amazing little computer for the price. Heck, it’d be a great second computer, one to just toss in your bag when you travel. Consider it a new category of computer: the travel laptop.

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Published by Adam on November 1st, 2007 and listed in Computers.

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    Is the EEE PC on display at the J&R store? I've been really interested in it since it was announced, but would like to see one in person before buying... to see how comfortable the keyboard is, how small the screen is, etc.
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    I purchased an Eee PC from JandR.com yesterday after reading The Wall Street Journal article about it and a few other entry-level portable Internet access devices geared towards children. The build quality is very good, with an excellent screen and a very usable keyboard. The sound is INCREDIBLY robust - these speakers are actually MUCH bigger proportionally than on any laptop I've ever used. The speakers are on either side of the screen, and stereo separation is surprisingly good (the Music Manager app uses the xine or Helix Engine). The three USB ports, SD port, Ethernet and VGA ports are all quite useful and well thought out.

    It is a great GUI, definitely easy-to-use without being condescending. It is fun to see the Linux under the hood, like in "Task Manager" under "Shut Down", which is really a dynamic "top" of the Unix process table for fellow propeller-heads. I haven't figured out how to get to a Linux command line yet, but give me another day or two... One could also apparently run Microsoft Windows XP SP2 on the Eee as well, but - why? This KDE Linux imlpementation is very smooth and small...

    I am having one problem with setting up my wireless access, though - it is complaining that my WPA-PSK key, which is a passphrase that has been working on four other computers for over two years now, is an "Unsupported key format or length!". I have not been able to resolve this issue yet, so although the Eee sees my Wireless-N home network, it will not connect. I will be testing ASUS' user support for this issue.

    Browsing the web with a wired connection using FireFox is working fine, as is the "Auto Update" patching feature under "Add/Remove Software". The unit is small, fast, capable, and cheap for what it offers.

    Except for my weird WPA-PSK issue keeping me from using the wireless here on my home network, I must say that I already love this Eee. The list of supported hardware included the SanDisk Ultra ][ 1 GB, but I had same in 2 GB - put it in my Eee, and sure enough, it gave me a 1.89 GB fs.

    I foresee a lot of fun portability with the Eee, and I may have a hard time giving it up to my daughter once she can start using it - five months may be a little too young, and she has to concentrate on that whole "solid foods transitions" before she starts Googling and going Wiki! ;-)

    PROs: Size, Usability, Quality, Price, Extensibility;
    CONs: WPA-PSK issue, no direct Linux CLI, more RAM in 8G.
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    Does this thing come with a cord to recharge the battery? It doesn't say.
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    Yup - comes with charger, battery (good for 3.5 hours, they say), carry slip and manuals. Everything in pearl white - nice packaging.
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    I'm really tempted by this thing -- but only 4 GB onboard storage? That gives me pause -- how much of that is left when the OS and installed apps are taken into account? Size and weight -- fantastic -- but given that Linux doesn't permit a "sleep" mode (unless things have improved since I last tried getting a laptop to function as an actual portable machine under Linux, as opposed to a "desktop replacement" that one simply leaves running 24/7/12) I'm not sure this thing will work for me.
    I'm puzzled by Andrew Snyder's comment about not being able to find a command line -- is there no terminal emulator provided? No xterm, konsole...? Can one at least boot to a console? Give me a terminal emulator, elinks, nano and mplayer, and I've got about 4/5ths of what I want from a computer. If the philosophy behind this OS here is "Cli, who needs a cli?" then I can't use it.

    How does one update packages? And is the OS (just which Linux flavor is it, anyway?) provided on disk --- ok, there is no optical drive, I know, still one would like to have a backup on hard media to restore the machine from a network if things get messed up... And how's the documentation?

    Thanks for sharing your impressions so far -- I hope you keep us posted on your adventures.
    I'm glad it's white. I hate white. That'll keep me from impulsively buying it -- even though I really really really want one... (sigh)
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    According to the info on this page -- http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsI... -- one can get to a console via the file manager, tools menu.
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    Most buyers are buying first and asking questions later. When this went on sale in Taiwan, rumor has it that it sold out at the rate of one very four seconds.
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    Further in the "answering my own questions dept" -- apparently there IS a standby mode! http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/...
    Ok, I'm sold. I just hope the supply shortages don't result in any carelessness in putting these things together as the company tries to meet demand. (I got burned by Apple -- which uses a lot of Asus components, I believe -- and I hope Asus quality control is better when their own name is on the box)
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    Asus is coming out with an 8GB model (with more RAM as well), but probably not until January or later. (Hard to tell with the eee PC--the model that's out now was originally to be available in the U.S. in Sept.)

    Thanks for the comments from those who've used the eee PC. I hope to get into J&R this weekend to try it out in person.

    RE: Colors: I've heard Asus is making the eee PC in other colors, such as black, green, etc., but don't know when they'll be available. You might find more info on this and the other models at the official Web site, www.eeepc.asus.com/en/
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    The deign is very sleek and elegent. The small size of the machine make it more like able to business people. But there might be typing problem in this.

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