eee pc

10 Apr

Another UMPC: The HP Mini Note PC

Posted by cel4145 in eee pc, intel classmate, mini note, xo laptop

Wired Campus News noted earlier this week that HP has joined Intel, OLPC, and Asus with their own ultra mobile PC (UMPC), the HP Mini Note PC. There are a variety of configurations, including Windows Vista or SUSE Linux flavors with either a flash-based or more traditional mechanical hard drive. The cheapest model comes in at $499 with SUSE Linux and a 4GB SDHC.

I took a brief look, and it appears that the HP Mini Note is only available on the government and small and medium business purchase sections of the HP website. The obvious intention is that this will be a machine for classroom use or within industry. Is HP missing out on the individual consumer market that is growing because of the Eee PC? Why is it that education is seen as the potential market for inexpensive UMPC's and not individual consumers?

07 Apr

Best Buy carries Eee PC

Posted by cel4145 in eee pc, linux, windows xp

Best Buy now has the Eee PC in stock. Both the Linux and XP versions are $399. It appears that the Linux version is only being offered for purchase online.

09 Jan

Walmart Gets a UMPC

Posted by cel4145 in cloudbook, eee pc, umpc

Everex has jumped into the UMPC market to compete with the Asus Eee PC. The Everex machine has similar dimensions, but instead of a flash drive, it uses a regular 30gb hard disk. The machine will apparently be priced at $399 and sold at Walmart.com. See the press release: Everex Unveils CloudBook Ultra-Mobile PC at CES.

Will this be a new trend where smaller full-featured laptops and tiny UMPC's become more popular than their heavy 15" and 17" cousins? And where is the Mac Mini Notebook version? :)

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14 Nov

Eeextremely Eeenticing: a review of the Asus Eee PC

Posted by cel4145 in eee pc

Ars Technica has an in depth review of the new Eee PC. Good overall look at the device and a very positive review.

One thing in particular about the review. It's certainly worthwhile to acknowledge that the keyboard could be cramped in a mobile device with dimensions 8.9" x 6.5" x 1.4". Maybe it's just me, but it always bugs me when emphasis is placed on a problem associated with the constraints of a platform. An ultra mobile PC (UMPC) of this size must necessarily have a smaller keyboard; a cramped keyboard is a problem with UMPC's in general, not this particular design.

I look forward to using one. I have plans to get one in the next couple of weeks. I'll have to write back with some thoughts then.

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18 Sep

I want my Eee PC!

Posted by cel4145 in eee pc, notebook

Now that the OLPC has risen in price to $188, I ought to be discouraged. The inexpensive laptop just gets more expensive.

That is, I would except for the news I began reading about last week concerning Asus's new laptop: the Eee PC. For those who have not heard of Asus before, they have been a leader in computer desktop hardware components for years.

Earliest news about the Eee PC indicated that the low end model would run $199. The current rumor is the lowest price model shipped in the US will be $259.

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