Top 15 Ways to Extend Your Laptop’s Battery Life

Friedbeef’s Tech has a list of ways to maximize battery life. The tips are general in nature and some don't even apply but generally you can use you most of them. Some of these are -

Dim your screen
Set to the lowest level you can tolerate to squeeze out some extra battery juice.

Cut down on programs running in the background.
All these add to the CPU load and cut down battery life. Shut down everything that isn’t crucial when you’re on battery.

Cut down external devices
USB devices (including your mouse) & WiFi drain down your laptop battery. Remove or shut them down when not in use.

Add more RAM
This will allow you to process more with memory your Eee PC has, rather than relying on virtual memory. Virtual memory results in hard drive use, and is much less power efficient. Note that adding more RAM will consume more energy, so this is most applicable if you do need to run memory intensive programs.

Keep the battery contacts clean.
Clean your battery’s metal contacts every couple of months with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. This keeps the transfer of power from your battery more efficient.

Take care of your battery
Do not leave a charged battery dormant for long periods of time. Once charged, you should at least use the battery at least once every two to three weeks. Also, do not let a Li-On battery completely discharge.

Complete list can be read here.

Asus Eee PC Air

Came across this image over at Vox.com -




Not sure about the blurb but found the presentation interesting. :)

8GB Eee PC shortage due to flash, battery supplies problems

From Digitimes, 28 January 2008 -

Asus is blaming the temporary stoppage of 8GB Eee PC shipments in Taiwan on the tight supply of single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash chips and batteries but stresses that shipments will resume in 1 to 2 weeks.

Some analysts noted however that the relatively high cost of SLC NAND is the major cause of the shipments stoppage. Since SLC NAND flash still carries a relatively high premium over multi-level cell (MLC) chips of the same-density, Asus is rumored to be strategically slowing down its shipments to lower risks.

Asus Not to Offer Touch Screens on Eee PCs

In the same Digitimes article in the previous post, Asus also announced that the company's market research has determined that touch screen is not a highly demanded feature for Eee PC customers, and therefore it will suspend plans to include the option of a touch screen panel in the next generation of Eee PCs.

Asus announces Eee family product lines

From Digitimes, 30 Jan 2008




E-TV will feature the Eee PC's Linux-based PC functionality
Photo: Yen Ting Chen, Digitimes, January 2008

Asus has announced a family of Eee products including: E-DT (desktop PC), E-TV and E-Monitor. All the products while have low-cost pricing as their major selling point,

The E-DT, a desktop PC (monitor not included), is scheduled to launch in April or May. The first model will have a Celeron processor, while succeeding ones will use Diamondville processors and the 945GC chipset. Target price is again the holy grail USD199.

The E-Monitor will be an all-in-one device similar to Apple iMac and Dell XPS One. It will have a 19-21" screen and a built-in TV tuner. Pricing is set at USD499.

The E-TV will have a much bigger screen at over 42" LCD and will integrate the Linux-based PC functionality. Pricing will not be USD200 more than TVs in the same class.

Both the E-Monitor and E-TV are also scheduled to launch in September.

Carbon Fiber Asus Eee PC offered on eBay UK

A black Eee pc with carbon fiber film professionally installed on the lid and around the keypad was offered recently on eBay UK by a seller named theonewhoexists.

I am not sure how the bid went as I failed to folloow it but I did spot a couple of discrepancies. The listing title is Carbon Fibre ASUS Eee PC 4G 2gb ram XP / VISTA included but the description said it included "a custom version of windows XP designed to look like Vista with a carbon desktop, along with office 2003."

The unit came with 2G but was described as the highest possible spec on the Eee pc."

In addition it was listed as having a 12G hard drive.

The Buy It Now Price was £299.99.

The listing can be seen here.

MSI Readying Diamondville Low-Cost Laptop

From PC World -

Micro-Star International (MSI) is planning to introduce an ultra-low cost notebook PC based on Intel's Diamondville microprocessor to compete against the Eee PC. Intel will be formally unveiling the chip at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai this April.

This means MSI will most probably launch their subnote a few months after. Preliminary specs include an Intel Celeron processor, 7 inch LCD, less than a kilogram, WiFi, and a list price of USD248.

Additional info available also at Cheap Laptops.

Changing the Game

From Manila Standard Today, an insightful perspective by Chin Wong in his column the Digitl Life into the impact of the Asus Eee PC -

WHAT’S the best-selling notebook computer on Amazon.com? If you guessed the new MacBook Air, guess again.

Five of the 10 best-selling notebooks, including the top three models this weekend do not run Windows or Mac OS X. In fact, they are different models of the same dimunitive notebook the Asus Eee PC—that runs on Linux.

The signifiance of this development is easy to miss, particularly if you have your head buried in the Windows or Mac OS X world. (The other five models on Amazon’s list over the weekend were versions of the MacBook; there were no Windows machines in the top 10.) For the first time, a Linux-based consumer product is making waves, not just among geeks but among buyers.

You can read the complete story here.

Difference between 2G Surf and 4G Models

For those who can't decide which model to buy, below is a list of the differences between the 2G Surf and the 4G -

The 2G Surf does not have the following which the 4G has:

Memory door - entire bottom of unit is a solid piece of plastic.
2nd mini pci
Modem header
Camera socket is empty

Other limitations:

Cannot upgrade memory, RAM chips are directly integrated onto the motherboard.

Other downgrades:

800Mhz Celeron 571Mhz with no cache
4cell 4400 battery

Other Differences:

Slightly different arrangement of power pins near the ethernet switch chip.

Depending on your intended usage, the extra internal space and cheaper price might actually make the Eee PC 2G Surf an attractive buy. :)

Various sources, including Eeeuser forum thread The 2G Surf does not have the following.

TigerDirect Private Labels Eee PC

Tigerdirect is selling the Asus Eee PC 2G Surf as a rebranded CybertronPC - Mini-PC XM900 Notebook PC. I am not sure what additional features they have included that they are selling it at $359.99 instead of the $299.99 list price of the original model.

Considering the higher price, I find the last paragraph just before the specs to be quite ironic -





"Your CybertronPC system is backed by over a decade of experience and it provides you with the best value at the right price. As a leading system integrator, CybertronPC offers the highest quality systems and comprehensive service. Do not buy into empty marketing jargon that does nothing but justify a higher price. Shop and compare the value of CybertronPC."

Bold and italics effect mine.

DIY: 200 Dollar PC

Another attempt at the holy grail of low-cost computing - a do-it-yourself USD200 PC from Paul Stamatiou with the following specs: 1.2GHz Intel Celeron 220 processor, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 250GB SATA hard drive and a small 90W power supply.

The heart of this PC is Intel’s mini-ITX D201GLY2 motherboard shown below.




Well, actually it cost more than USD200 since you will need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Nevertheless, it is still cheap even with the additional components. Complete instructions are available here.

How to edit Thunderbird's e-mail preferences

For Thunderbird users, Goebel.net has a nice tutorial on editing your preferences -

Thunderbird can be configured by editing the about:config page, which lists application settings (known as preferences) that are read from the profile files prefs.js and user.js, and from application defaults.

Many of these preferences are not present in the Options or Preferences dialog. Using about:config is one of several methods of modifying preferences and adding other "hidden" ones. In Thunderbird 1.5 or later, about:config is accessed via "Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> General -> Config Editor (button)".

In about:config this option has to be set on true:

mail.server.default.leave_on_server = TRUE

And if you want to save space on the flash drive, it's recommendable to empty the trash bin every time you close the Thunderbird e-mail program:

mail.server.defaul.empty_trash_on_exit = TRUE

The full article can be read here.

CloudBook delayed until late February

From Computerworld -

In an announcement reminiscent of Asus' delayed launch of its Eee PC last year, Everex announced today the Cloudbook's launch will be delayed for another month as it makes last-minute tweaks to its Linux-based OS, the gOS.

CloudBook was supposed to be available from Wal-Mart Inc. stores and the Walmart.com Web site on Jan 25. Everex had forecast that it would ship 20,000 CloudBooks in its first two months.

Why Windows-based Asus Eee PCs are a Mistake

Whatever Asus’ reasons may be for offering Asus Eee PCs with pre-installed Windows XP, whether it be perceived market demand or an irresistible deal with Microsoft, the move simply isn’t in sync with its stated marketing strategies vis-à-vis the Eee PC.

When Asus first announced the Eee PC at Computex back in June 2007 and in subsequent press releases, it emphasized certain things –

1. The target market of the so-called 2nd billion.
2. The Asus Eee PC as a consumer electronic appliance and not as a notebook
3. The psychological $200 price point that defines an impulse buy for a significant portion of the market.

In a reply to a comment posted in the blog post, 2008 Asus Eee PC related Predictions, I described the 2nd billion segment as those who are currently non-owners/users either because they have found computers too difficult to use or can’t afford one. (If you previously didn’t have any use for computers, then chances are you still don’t have any use for one and do not count in the 2nd billion.)

For those who have shunned using computers before, that implies they found Windows too hard to use, Windows being the overwhelming dominant OS for PCs for quite sometime now. Hence there is no reason for them to want Windows.

For those with financial reasons, they will often settle for so-called alternatives if it means cheaper because it is what they can afford. For them, a $50 or $70 difference could possibly mean the difference between affordability and non-affordability. (Think long-term/lifetime savings.)

Thus the Windows version may not necessarily appeal to them. That Windows have a lot more accessible software for it will most likely not even be an issue because for the 2nd billion, the Asus Eee PC already comes with just about all the programs they will need for quite sometime – email, word processing, spreadsheet, IM, and some entertaining games. With the trend towards online applications, and free at that, they will also most likely find what they will additionally need, if ever they do, on the Internet.

Having Windows also unnecessarily complicates the user experience for the new Eee PC owner. For all the criticisms Xandros have received, its Easy Mode is actually extremely easy to use, especially for first time users. Windows doesn’t have anything that remotely resembles Easy Mode. It also boots up much slower, reinforcing the notion that the Eee PC is a computer and not a consumer electronics appliance. Of course, the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) will always be a reminder every now and then.

Put it simply, Windows just doesn’t cut it as a consumer electronics appliance. Heck, even Windows CE, the simpler, faster, easier to use junior version that exists on PDAs and mobile phones, has never caught on. These devices have never really become mainstream, their successes quite limited to techies and geeks.

Thus, having Windows XP actually goes against Asus’ stated market position, in that it emphasizes the Eee PC as a computer, as a notebook, and not as a consumer electronics appliance.

Having Windows XP also requires Asus to come out with higher-end models simply because it requires more hardware. That means bumping up prices again - yet another move away from the psychological price point of USD200. While competitors are all trying to achieve this holy grail of pricing, Asus is dangerously inching the Eee PC’s price range to within that of low-end more conventionally sized notebooks. While to purists, the Eee PC can’t be compared to the larger models, a lot of potential buyers will find better value in the latter – not because they are knowledgeable but precisely because they are not.

But don’t get me wrong. With its aggressive pricing of $470 (at least, so far in Japan) Asus can expect to sell a lot of Windows-based Eee PCs, probably more than the original Xandros-based models. Only the buyers are not the targeted 2nd billion but Windows users who have spent so much time learning the OS that they don’t want to waste their efforts by shifting to a simpler OS now. But for Asus, everything will still be fine. After all, the Eee PC is the first certified bestseller notebook that carries the brand.

That is, until one of the competition introduces a model that is just as small and just as light, costs $200 - $250, and just as easy to use as a true consumer electronics appliance. Which is likely to happen sometime this year.

Depending on the time interval, the new competition could very well unseat the Asus Eee PC as the dominant model in the very category (low-cost ultralight subnotebook) it has created. Because if the Windows-based Asus Eee PC becomes a bestseller, and I think it will be if the introductory pricing is maintained, then the longer it stays on as a bestseller, the more Asus Eee PCs in general will no longer be perceived as low-cost ($470 is definitely not low-cost, especially if other models will be offered at below $300.)

It will also no longer be perceived as a consumer electronics appliance that is easy to use. (Windows has never been considered easy to use.)

And it will therefore, no longer be perceived as a device intended for the 2nd billion. When that happens Asus will be left out looking back in at the very market segment it created wondering what went wrong and why people have stopped buying Eee PCs just when the market have picked up steam and millions of customers.

OLPC vs Asus Eee PC Screen Size Comparison

Register Hardware has an extensive review of the OLPC which includes side-by-side comparison between the OLPC and the Asus Eee PC in terms of viewing space.

Comparing the XO and Eee in their full-screen modes, the XO's 7.5" screen shows a lot more information than the Eee's 7", between the extra size and slightly smaller, but easily readable fonts.



It is quite surprising to see what an extra half-inch can do.

Asus Eee PC with Window XP in Japan

From Crunchgear -

The Asus Eee PC with Windows XP will be available in Japan starting Jan 25. The 4G-X, as the model is called, is priced at about USD470. For that, you basically get a 4G plus Windows XP, an optical mouse, and a 4G SDHC card.

Product Page (in Japanese) is here.

-------

Considering that a 4G SDHC is about USD15 and a USB optical mini-mouse, around USD20, buyers are essentially getting the Windows XP for considerably less than retail price.

In addition, the 4G-X comes with free, although restricted, use of NNT's Wi-Fine hotspot service up to the end of March. Free WiFi hotspots are considerably rare.

Certainly, the Windows version is being marketed very aggressively. At USD470 vs USD400, the additional costs is just about tolerable. But with an extra 4G SDHC, an optical mouse, and a licensed Windows XP? It is very easy to rational spending the additional bucks.

I am not sure if the price is just an introductory offer or not but if it is maintained over time, then I would expect Microsoft to recapture a big chunk of Eee PC sales insomuch as the OS is concerned.

Win a CarryMobile Snake Print Case

Eeeuser forum has a posting contest for its members. Basically to join, you need to explain what it is you do during your day that requires your Eee PC to be extra protected.

Prize is a CarryMobile Leather Case shown below.




CarryMobile Leather Case (Snake Print Pattern Black) for your Eee PC. It features:

• Magnetic closure
• White stitched finishing
• 4 memory card slots, 1 card slot
• Openings in case for earphone/microphone/status lights

For more details on joining the forum, check-out Eeeuser.

My Asus Eee PC has a Little Flex

As I expected I often bring my Asus Eee PC with me whenever I go out. Most of the times, I place it inside by Targus backpack (meant for a 15”) since I also bring the AC adapter, a mouse, several USB drives, and one or two cameras. The times I travel lighter, I put it in a messenger bag with multiple partitions. It goes into the middle for additional protection.

And there are times, I just hold it like a book while walking to the neighborhood Starbucks simply because I had inadvertently picked it up along with some white 3-ring binders.

By no means do I subject it to abuse or hard use, even though I tend to regard it as a “throwaway,” relatively speaking.

But lately, I have started to notice that whenever I hold the unit in my hand, there seems to be some flex, as if I can twist it a bit. It appears something inside has loosened ever so slightly. However, from the outside, there is no visible trace whatsoever. Performance is also not affected.

But the flex continues to bother me as it might be a sign of worse things to come. I guess only time and more usage will tell.

7 video reviews - Asus Eee PC

Submitted by Bob Carroll of Las Vegas -

For those who may want to view seven convenient video "hands-on" reviews without wandering through Google:

http://lasvalley.com/mixx/asus-eee-review-video.html

Thanks Bob!

Wubi - The Easiest Way to Linux

Submitted by bluberry -

For those looking for a roundabout way to installing Ubuntu on their Asus Eee PC after having switched to Windows, Wubi offers an easy installer -

From Wubi's website -

"Wubi is an unofficial Ubuntu installer for Windows users that will bring you into the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other application. If you heard about Linux and Ubuntu, if you wanted to try them but you were afraid, this is for you."

The beta version is now available for download at their website.

X-mini Capsule Speaker Youtube Video

Mini-Speakers for the Asus Eee PC

From a post by sillie in the Eeeph forum -

X-Mini Capsule Speakers






Additional info available at:

X-mini's website.
CNET Asia review.

Readius- MobilePhone With eBook Reader And Foldable Screen

From Techlivz -







Dutch company Polymer Vision (partly owned by Philips) is planning to roll out an innovative ebook reader/mobilephone, Readius, around mid 2008. It also offers the world’s first bendable screen display 3G mobile phone

Main features include:

* Big 5-inch screen display unit
* eBook Reader functionality
* 3G connectivity
* USB 2.0 support
* Bluetooth
* MicroSD support
* 30 Hours reading time

Asus Eee PC offered with integrated HSDPA in France

Per Tech Digest, French carrier SFR is now offering the Asus Eee PC 4G with an integrated 3G HSDPA modem.

The USB HSDPA modem (capable of download speeds of up to 3.6Mb/s) is offered for €299. It's also doing a 100 Euro cashback deal, but that's tempered with the need for a contract - €29.90 per month for 24 months, or €34.90 a month for 12 months.

It is a limited offer, with only 1,000 of these offered, and ends 23rd January according to the SFR website for the small print.

The Pink Laptop As A Business Opportunity

Business Opportunities and Ideas provides an interesting take on pushing the Asus Eee PC as an appliance. Whereas previously computers were basically IBM PC beige, manufacturers today have started to experiment with colors. The Asus Eee PC takes it even further by introducing models in pastel colors.

And it is appealing to non-geeks now. As the author puts it, "It’s people like my mother in law who are driving the growing demand for laptops and she wants a pink one!" The salesperson wanted to tell her the unit had Vista on it. Her response? "Is that bad?"

---------

The trend is clearly towards selling notebooks as appliances and Asus, in their own awkward way, is doing just that with the Asus Eee PC.

Commenting on Walt Mossberg's Eee PC Review

By this time I am sure most readers have come across Walt Mossberg's review of the Asus Eee PC, "Asus Offers Travelers Small, Mobile Eee PC, but It’s Too Cramped" over at the All Things Digital site. From the title alone, it is obvious his review is not so positive.

Instead of providing a rebuttal, as would be expected from an Eee PC-oriented site, I would rather cite one of the comments posted at the site. Posted by Joe Webb at January 17th, 2008 at 4:47 am, it reads in part -

"As a kid I was a fan of Mad Magazine, and I remember their spoof of Consumer Reports (from Google I have learned it was #132, January 1970, for fellow Mad fans). A story in the spoof noted that the editors had forgotten to review a model of toaster in a previous issue, and that the review could be found elsewhere in the magazine. Of course it was. They reviewed it under sewing machines, complaining about the smell when they put cloth in it."

:)

Tiny Bluetooth Adapter from Brando

From Gizmodo, yet another tiny bluetooth adapter -




Brando's miniature $24 Bluetooth adapter works with Windows ME, 2000, XP and Vista, and Mac OS 10.1.4 or above. Specs include:

Connects most Bluetooth devices.
Supports A2DP up to 30 meters
Enables wireless connectivity between computers and devices
Enables connectivity to 7 Bluetooth devices at one time
Enables Wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) connectivity
Bluetooth 1.1 compliant
Bluetooth class 2, compatible with Bluetooth class 1
USB 1.1 compliant
More than 33 feet wireless networking range
Up to 723 Kbps data rate
Dimensions: 14 x 19 x 6mm
-------
Unfortunately there is no word on Linux drivers.

Asus Distributors to Bundle Eee PCs?

From a post by hybrid_pc in the TipidPC forum -

"fyi, for asus distributors, they are planning to package eee pc with their regular notebook, meaning if a distributor or reseller wants to buy an eee pc, they need to get a regular notebook as well."

----------

NOTE: This might in all probability apply only to Philippine distributors.

Fujitsu's LOOX U50XN now configurable with 64GB SSD

From Engadget -


The Fujitsu LOOX U50XN (U810 in the US) is now configurable with a 64GB SSD, in addition to all the other standard specs. Price? An extra ¥95,000 ($887)?

Of course, for that price, you can get a couple of Eee PC 4Gs and some change.

Inventec enters mini notebook market

From Digitimes -

Taiwan-based notebook maker Inventec has entered the market via its acquired Japanese brand, KJS, which happens to be one of its OEM customers.

In a related move, Taiwan-based channel vendor Synnex has already imported the KJS's SA and SH series mini notebooks.<




KJS mini notebook recently launched in Taiwan
Photo: Synnex

Ultra Small Bluetooth 2 USB Adapter 10m BT-2400p

Key features

• Very compact sized USB adapter to add Bluetooth 2.0® wireless technology to your notebook or PC
• Ultra small design that fully integrates with your notebook when plugged in, no need to remove adapter
• Instantly use your Bluetooth mouse on your notebook without (un)plugging the USB adapter
• Create a wireless connection between your notebook/PC and Bluetooth devices
• Bluetooth 2.0 technology: up to 3 times faster than standard Bluetooth
• Also works with previous Bluetooth versions

More details available at the Trust site.

Philippine Telco to bundle Eee PC with DSL

From a post by mark_eee in Eeeph forum -

GLOBE BROADBAND will package EEE with DSL?

I was talking to a technician awhile ago when they were fixing our neighbor's connection. I was just inquiring on how to get a broadband line from them since my pldt connection is still on the process (as they always say). The tech told me that they will be bundling asus eee pc's with their dsl packages...

Anyone heard about this as well?

A few posts after, 31stfreak confirmed this with his/her post -

yup it is true. a very reliable source told me but the packages aren't ready yet. they are still finalizing what kind of packages and bundles will be offered. nonetheless, the early adopters are still lucky because of the extra pci-e and it's unclear whether they will be giving away the eee's or simply bundling it where the customer still pays. lastly, they also didn't mention if it was 2gb, surf or the regular 701 model... i'd switch to globe if they'll give me an 8GB eee for free! hahaha.

Gigabyte plans low cost PC in June

From Simmtester -

Gigabyte Technology plans to launch a low-cost PC in June. The unit will support Intel's Basic Platform and feature a 7- to 9-inch LCD. In addition, it plans to roll out Menlow-based MIDs/UMPCs (OEMed by Arima) in April.

Must-have Accessories for Asus Eee PC

Dmitri Popov is compiling a list of must-have accessories for the Asus Eee PC at his site Tumbling Writer. Among those listed are:




Buffalo MiniStation TurboUSB Excellent shock resistant and fast hard drives. Available in 80-320GB capacities.




Corsair Voyager Water-proof and shock resistant USB sticks.




Trust Ultra Small Bluetooth 2 USB Adapter. It's not only small, but exceptionally cheap too.

For the complete list, including links to suppliers, check out Tumbling Writer.

Asus Eee PC for Girls

From a post by Minn at the Eeeuser forum -



Gotta say, it is one of the best-looking skin implementations I have seen yet. The thread has other designs as well.

Mike Elgan's Open Letter to the Ultraportable PC Industry

Mike Elgan of Datamation has written an insightful open letter to the ultraportable PC industry. It reads, in part -

Dear Industry,

Another CES has come and gone, and you've demonstrated yet again that you haven't got a clue when it comes to designing, building or marketing an ultraportable computer.

With the exception of ASUS Eee PC, all the tiny laptops unveiled at CES and available in the market are too bloated, too small, too heavy or way too expensive...Why don't you notice that people are buying up the ASUS Eee PC like crazy and ignoring YOUR product?

The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg, the Godfather of Tech Journalism, seems to share your lack of understanding about this category in a review of the ASUS Eee PC... "its tiny 7-inch display is just too stingy for serious work" and concluded that "the Eee is a valiant effort, but it still has too many compromises to pry most travelers away from their larger laptops."

"Serious work"? "Pry travelers away from their larger laptops"?

This is why you fail: You keep producing devices designed for "serious work" and as laptop replacements. As a result, nearly all ultraportables are far too expensive, bloated and laden with needless functions. Nobody wants them...

An ultraportable is an additional device, useful for "non-serious" work, like writing, e-mail and web surfing when you can't or don't want to bring along your laptop...

You have tried and failed to produce a successful ultraportable, when the criteria for doing so couldn't be more obvious. So I'm going to spell it out for you...

1) Cheaper than $500.

2) Wireless.

3) A big keyboard is more important than a big screen.

4) Simple UI.

5) Solid state.

6) Instant on, instant off.

7) Rugged, water resistant.

Industry, if you can't match these criteria, then don't waste our time...All you need now is to open your eyes and see what people are clearly demanding: Cheap and easy, quick-and-dirty connected computing on the go.

Yours Truly,

Mike

--------

The complete article can be read here.

Touch panel component makers sampling for future Eee PCs

From Digitimes -

Touch screen panel makers are currently having their products undergo sampling with Asus in bids to win orders for next-generation Eee PCs which are set to launch later this year.

The second-generation of Eee PCs will support panel sizes of 8-, 9- and 10-inch but only the 9-inch panel versions will feature a touch panel.

The 9-inch touch panel-equipped Eee PCs will adopt four-wire resistive touch screen technology. The panel is expected to add about USD15 to the production costs.

ACi Announces sub$400 Subnotebook

From PriceGuru -

Yet another Indian company has announced its sub-$400 (Rs 14,999) subnotebook. Allied Computers International-Asia (ACi) is set to release a 7", 950g sub-notebook based on VIA Ultra-low voltage CPU.


Image courtesy Yahoo! News India

The tentative specs of the ACi Ultra-mini are:

• 7-inch LCD screen
• VIA 1.0 GHz ULV Processor
• 512MB Memory
• 40GB HDD
• WiFi & Bluetooth
• Webcam
• No Optical Drive

The company will also release higher-end models featuring touch screen, 2GB RAM, an solar-energy assisted 12-hour batter life.

India's HCL to offer $350 laptop

From Techtree -




India's HCL Infosystems has unveiled its MiLeap X sub-notebook at prices starting below Rs 14,000 (roughly USD357). Also known as a leaptop, the X appears to be based on the Intel Classmate platform and comes with Linux pre-installed.

Another series, the Y, features the latest Intel Ultra Mobile Platform (Intel processor A110 and Intel 945GU Express Chipset). It comes with Microsoft's Vista Home Premium OS, a swivel seven touch-screen cum note pad, an 80GB HDD, wireless connectivity, data card option, Blue-tooth, and Ethernet network port, among others. Its starting price is Rs 33,990 (roughly USD868).

HCL said both series of leaptops will start shipping on Jan 26, 2008, to coincide with Republic Day celebrations.

Another look at virtual high resolutions on the Eee PC

From the Eee Site, another review of using virtual high resolutions on the Asus Eee PC -

The bottom line is the resultant fonts make some of the resolutions difficult to read especially the 1024 x 768 mode. But the 800 x 600 mode is usable despite being a bit squashed. It is better than having to scroll up and down to see the tops and bottoms of windows, which is how the default Asus utility functions.

Complete article, including instructions on downloading and installing the drivers, is available here.

Another German site confirms Asus Eee PC Jan 24 date

According to Klaus Steinhauer, another German site, heise.de, has also confirmed the January 24 release date.

Ameeega, Anyone?

Submitted by Simon Dick -


Amiga Forever on an Asus Eee PC

From the Amiga Forever website -

Italian Amiga developer Cloanto Italia srl has confirmed Amiga Forever runs on the Asus Eee PC. It has earlier managed to get its software running without modifications on the OLPC XO.

Cloanto is now planning to release a version of Amiga Forever capable of booting on the Asus Eee PC, planned for release in 2008.

Eee PC will be avalible in Germany Jan 24

According to reader Klaus Steinhauer, the Asus Eee PC will be available in Germany starting January 24 per the site Flutlight (German).

Klaus, sorry I am not that fluent in German. The translated sites are usually submitted by our German friends. :)

Clash of the compacts: Eee vs Air

From Register Hardware, a rather misguided head-to-head match-up between the Asus Eee PC and the new Apple Macbook Air -




Need I give the reason why it is misguided? (Hint: Look at the last row.)

Acer to launch low-cost notebooks by Q2

From Digitimes -

A Chinese-language Commercial Times is reporting that Acer plans to launch low-cost notebooks with 8" and 9" LCDs by Q2 of this year, with the products priced to compete directly with the Eee PC.

Acer will outsource the production of its low-cost notebooks to Wistron, while purchasing LCD panels from AU Optronics (AUO), a supplier of Asus for its Eee PC line.

Eee PC could rock Microsoft if it got out of Geeksville

The Test Bed is reporting that Becta, the UK agency for schools IT, has recommended schools and other educational institutions to look at alternatives, including open source, before signing expensive contracts with Microsoft to upgrade to Vista or Office 2007. It estimates it would cost an average secondary school some £26,000 to upgrade to Office 2007, and almost as much again for Vista – and that’s not factoring in any hardware upgrades involved.

But for £50,000 a school could get more than 300 Eee PCs complete with Linux software and the open-source OpenOffice suite. Of course, with open-source, bugs are commonplace. While Microsoft software is not bug free its basic functionalities work as expected.

However, the recent successful launch of Linux-based Asus Eee PC has proven that open-source software can actually be reliable. Though still limited, Eee PC's early success is nevertheless enough cause for Microsoft to worry about. While open-source has a long way to go before becoming mainstream, Microsoft knows too well if kids learn on non-Microsoft software they are likely to carry on using it later in life.

Complete details here.

2008 Year of SSD?

One of the side attractions at the recent CES was the various solid state drives (SSDs) on display, with some exhibitors predicting 250GB units by the end of this year.

Among those on display were SanDisk's 64GB 2.5-inch SSD and 64GB and 72GB 1.8-inch SSD and A-Data's 128GB SATA RAID SSD. Both Ritech and Samsung also announced their 128GB drives in the same format. BitMicro took the stage with prototype 832GB 2.5-inch SATA II SSD units.

For notebooks such as the Asus Eee PC which uses SSDs instead of hard drives, this is definitely good news. Can't wait to see what the configuration for the Eee PC will be come Christmas 2008. :)

More details at CoolTechZone.

OLPC Project Extends to American Students

From PC World -

The OLPC foundation plans to launch OLPC America this year to distribute its XO laptop to needy students in the United States.

OLPC's original aim was to develop a $100 laptop for kids in poor nations to ensure they don't miss out on the benefits of computing, and to make sure developing countries don't fall further and further behind modern nations due to the digital divide. However even before it launched it encountered stiff competition from commercial manufacturers which introduced competing products such as the Asus Eee PC and the Intel Classmate PC.

Intel 915GM Virtual Resolution on Asus Eee PC

More details, including driver download link, are available at the Eeeuser forum in this thread.

Taiwan Vendors get into modding Eee PCs

From Digitimes -

A budding industry has begun to emerge in the Taiwan market with third-party vendors offering Eee PC mods to satisfy consumer demands.

One of the most popular mods adds touch screen capabilities (along with Windows XP Tablet edition) that support handwriting input. The total cost of the mod including labor is only around NT$2,000 (USD62.08).

Other mods offered add Bluetooth/3G connectivity modules or additional storage capacity.


7-inch USB interface touch screen module



Modified Eee PC


Photos: Monica Chan, Digitimes, January 2008

Asus has warned that any non-official modifications to the Eee PC will void the warranty.

Intel Shelton low-cost laptops coming in Q3

From TechConnect -

Intel has announced that notebooks based on its low-voltage mobile Shelton 08 platform begin to be introduced in Q3 2008. Companies like MSI and Gigabyte are expected to release low-cost and energy-saving models based on the Diamondville single core CPUs and the 945GSE chipset. New Asus Eee PC models are also rumored to be based on Shelton but with new features to set them apart from the competition.

Howard Technology Solutions First to Offer ASUS EEE PC with Windows XP

Submitted by reader Johannes Haupt -

From TMCNet -

Howard Technology Solutions is reportedly the first technology provider to offer the ASUS Eee PC with a Windows XP.

Tim Beech, technical marketing manager for Howard Technology Solutions said the company is pleased to be the first to offer Windows XP on this platform.

He pointed out that their customers will now have the choice of using the lower cost Linux operating system or the more familiar Windows XP operating system.

Founded in 1998, Howard Technology Solutions, is a division of Howard Industries, a billion dollar, privately held corporation headquartered in Ellisville, Mississippi.

Subnotebooks - German site with lots of Eee PC info

For our German speaking readers, Subnotebooks is a good site for info on notebooks in general that also contains a lot of information of the Asus Eee PC.

Thanks for the lead, Lasse Petersen. :)

Asus E³ - Spanish Blog on the Eee PC

For our Spanish speaking users, just in case you are not aware of it, there is an excellent Spanish blog on the Asus Eee PC - Asus E³.

Muchas gracias, frames.

Asus Eee PC spotted running SplashTop instant-on OS

From Engadget -



Unless above photo is a mock-up, it is proof that the instant-on SplashTop can indeed run on the Asus Eee PC. While neither Asus nor DeviceVM has made any formal announcements re porting SplashTop to the Eee PC, the unit above seems all ready to run Pidgin, Skype, or a browser without booting Xandros.

If this becomes available, hopefully as a retrofit as well, it should make the Eee PC even more popular.

Hatishbi/Johannes - I am happy to say I stand corrected. :)

Pastel Colors for the Asus Eee PC 4G?

The Asus website has issued a press release January 10 on the availability of the Asus Eee PC in the pastel colors Blush Pink, Lush Green and Sky Blue, aside from the original Pure White and Galaxy Black.



While it did not specifically mentioned which models will be available in the those colors, it would imply Asus meant the 4G, since the Surf models were introduced late last year with those colors. If so, it would mean more choices and probably, a whole lot of difference for some buyers. :)

Intel explains: MID vs. UMPC

From Engadget, a short Intel explanation on the differences between MIDs and UMPCs.




UMPC

• Business-class device for enterprise users
  
• Runs a "heavy" OS like Vista
• Optimized for office-use applications like Excel, Word, etc.
  

MID

• Consumer-class lifestyle device
• Runs a 'lightweight" OS with quick startup like Linux
• Optimized for things like media playback and web surfing
• In 2009 (or so) Moorestown-based devices will be classed as MIDs only

----------
Hmm. So how do we classify the Asus Eee PC again?

Quick Fix for Canon AVI Hissing Sound

For those who are experiencing problems using the default Media Player to play back AVI files recorded on some Canon cameras, try selecting the Extrastereo setting from the Audio -> Filters submenu. This should eliminate the annoying hissing sound.

Former OLPC CTO Aims to Create $75 Laptop

From Yahoo! News -

Ex-OLPC CTO Mary Lou Jepsen, who left the foundation just two weeks ago ostensibly to commercialize technologies she invented, has announced her new company, Pixel Qi, will create a USD75 laptop.

Jepsen was responsible for hardware development for the OLPC XO laptop. Though the product has struggled from lack of buyers, it has been praised for its environmentally friendly design and innovative display, hardware and networking features. A patent lists Jepsen as one of the inventors of a display system optimized for low-power operation.

It remains to be seen if Pixel Qi can deliver on the USD laptop. After all, OLPC made a similar promise when it launched the USD100 laptop in 2005. Since then, the project has been bugged by production delays and rising costs, which caused the laptop's price to increase substantially. It is now beset by waning orders and competition from commercial vendors.

MTube, the Smallest PC in the World in Action

From Gizmodo -




At 3.34 x 3.34 x 0.78 inches and 5.3 ounces, the Linux-based WiMax- and Wi-Fi-enabled UMPC MTube is probably the smallest "full featured" computer in the world. Specs include:

Processor: VIA C7-M @ 1.0 GHz
Storage: 8 GB Flash
Display: 2.8" LCD
Resolution: 640 x 480
Dimensions: 8.5 cm x 8.5 cm x 2 cm
Weight: 150 g
Battery Life: 4 hours
Connectivity: WiMAX & WiFi
Video Codecs: H.264, WMV, RMVB, MOV, FLV, DIVX

Instant-on for Asus Eee PC

Sad to say the video is just a proof of concept. No word yet on plans for actual release.

More details at jkkmobile and Splashtop.

Everex Cloudbook Coming To Walmart.com

For those who are interested, the Everex Cloudbook will be available at Walmart.com starting January 25th at $400. No word yet whether it will be available at Walmart's stores.

More details at Gizmodo and Everex.

Shuttle launches $199 KPC linux box, $99 barebones kit

Small-box specialist Shuttle has entered the $199 market with its new KPC box. While specs are still sketchy, what is known is that it will offer two versions - a $199 pre-built and a $99 barebone model.

More details at Engadget.

Newer Asus Eee PC BIOSes don't support Modem

Just a quick note - Only the older 8804 BIOS version has support for the modem, Asus removed the modem functionality on newer revisions of the BIOS.

This advisory is included in this IVC Wiki article.

Everex to launch Cloudbook Jan 15

According to UMCPortal Everex will launch the Cloudbook on January 15 at a pricepoint of $400. Which places it right in the heart of Asus Eee PC territory.

Moreover, Everex will launch not one but two models. The first is the same model that Packard Bell is marketing. The second one is a so-called Developer version with touchscreen and some kind of expansion interface for modules that will include a webcam, cordless Skype phone, and retro LCD alarm clock, which is the specs of the TGIC Digital Nanobook being sold in Korea.

More details here.

CES 2008 NoahPad UMPC

Submitted by Sascha -



It has a very, very interesting interface to say the least. :)

Spectec's Mini-SD GPS Unit

Spectec, a manufacturer of all sorts of SD-based accessories, demo'd a MiniSD Bluetooth GPS unit at CES. Unfortunately, the company is primarily targeting Windows Mobile users, so a Linux driver might not be available. Also, it takes up the SD slot as well.

Still some users might find the GPS functionality useful and it is always good to know that such a product exists, albeit not in an ideal package.

More details at Gearlog.

Pimp my Eee PC!

Check out the IVC Wiki for a photo-by-photo instruct to make one totally pimped-out Eee PC.




The complete computer without the front panels mounted. Starting on the front-left and going round: first USB hub, second USB hub, FM transmitter buttons and power switches in the bay, GPS adapter with standby battery, FM transmitter, draft-N wireless adapter, 4gb flash drive, and SDHC card reader.

MID Trend at CES

Judging from the news that have been filtering out of CES, there seems to be an abundance of new MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) being introduced at the show. Whether the flurry of product intros are in response to the wide publicity afforded the OLPC and the Asus Eee PC, as well as the latter’s success or just a natural progression of the development of UMPCs (Ultra Mobile PCs) is of course arguable. What is not is the continuous emphasis of manufacturers to focus on this market segment.

Just some of the devices introduced at the CES:




LG unit has keyboard, touch-screen with stylus, HSDPA data, Menlow chipset, 4.8-inch WVGA display and Windows Vista. Details here.




Aigo MID's features include Intel Menlow chip, Linux OS with iPhone-like UI, touchscreen. More details here.



Digifriends MID - Wintel (Menlow/Vista) device can you can snap on all kinds of add-ons to it, like a gamepad, keyboard, stand, speakers, and a hard drive. The overall feel wasn't wildly different from the other MIDs we saw, but the possibilities of expanding it easily are enticing. Details here.




Qualcomm Anchorage prototype reference design features the new Snapdragon chipset, a heap of silicon said to offer one of the best power to performance ratios in the mobile world. Another model, the "Fairbanks" has dedicated GPS unit, a 3 megapixel camera, TV tuner, and microSD expansion on some sort of custom Windows CE base. More details here.

2008 should be an interesting year. :)

gOS on the Eee PC

Ultramobilegeek has posted info on installing the gOS operaitng system on the Asus Eee PC. gOS is the Linux distro that is bundled with the USD199 Everex gPC being sold at Walmart. It will also be pre-installed on Everex's forthcoming USD399 Cloudbook lappie. It was recently featured in the post gOS 2.0 "Rocket" debuts.

gOS (the g stands for Green and not for, as commonly mistaken, Google) is based on Ubuntu 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon" so all Eee Ubuntu drivers and hacks should work. However it has a tight interface with on-line Google applications - hence the common misconception. So if you are an avid Google fan, you might want to check it out.

If you are interested, you can download the gOS operating system here.

0511 BIOS meant for 8.9" Models?

Is it possible that the "unofficial" 0511 BIOS version discussed in the Chinese Mobile01 forum is really meant for the forthcoming models with the 8.9" 1024 x768 LCD screens?

Users who have installed the BIOS on their current models are reporting much brighter screens, as well as the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) while running under Windows XP. More importantly, they are finding out they can't revert back to the original BIOS.

Real Live Pictures of 8-Inch Asus Eee PC

From Gizmodo -






The new Eee PC with a bigger 8" screen in the same chassis is real. Unfortunately, it retains the same 800 x 480 resolution of the original models.

More photos at Gizmodo.

E-Lead Electronic Noahpad UMPC

E-Lead Electronic launched its new Noahpad UMPC at the recent CES. Tagged "classmate, roommate, and travelmate," it features a 1GHZ VIA C7 Eden CPU with CX700 chipset, 30GB HD, 512MB RAM, a LED backlit 7" and an innovative QWERTY keyboard that folds. It comes with Ubuntu 7.10 but is Windows XP-capable.

No word on the price yet which will pretty much determine if it will be an Asus Eee PC competitor or not.

More details at Noahpad.

Celio REDFLY Mobile Companion

PCMAG has a review on the seemingly Palm Foleo-reincarnate Celio Redfly Mobile Companion, which was launched at the CES.

Like the Asus Eee PC, the Redfly has the form factor of a subnotebook, including an 800 x 480 screen. But unlike the former, it's really just a portable system of peripherals - the screen, keyboard, and touchpad - that conveniently attaches to Windows Mobile 5/6 -based smartphones so that users can do serious work without squnting and thumb-typing.

Right off the bat, there are potential problems. Foremost is the price. At $500, it is hard to justify especially, when "full-fledged, low-end notebooks, like the Asus Eee PC," (NOTE: PC Mag's term) are priced a lot lower. Celio's CEO responded by saying it is targeted at the enterprise market because it does not have any storage so it is very secured. It is supposedly truly dumb so if you lose it you're not compromising your data.

$500 for a dumb machine? Somehow that seems to be an oxymoronic phrase to me.

Adding and Using GIMP

For those of you who have emailed about installing and using GIMP,
the Eeeuser wiki has a step-by-step tutorial. You can access it here.

Incidentally, the tutorial also includes instructions on how to add icons for your newly installed program. :)

Asus Eee PC to get larger screens

The much hyped Eee PC-related Asus announcements at CES turned out to be ho hummers with the biggest news being that there will be new Asus Eee PCs with bigger screens.

Asus is planning to fit an 8" screen into the same chassis as the first models, which have a 7" screen. But the newer models sporting 8.9" and 10" screens will be slightly bigger units.

It is also planning to make a desktop version of the Eee PC, probably in response to Everex's best-selling gPC. However instead of the big case used by the gPC, Asus will go with a compact case.

Interestingly, there was no mention of a Windows-version of the Eee PC and no demo units were available either, although Asus did show off a slew of other new products, including a new laptop with 1 terabyte of storage.

Asus also demo'd WiMAX but not on an Eee PC model, noting that entry-level WiMAX-capable notebooks will be available starting at USD999.

More details available from PC Advisor and Engadget.

Kojinsha to introduce new UMPC lineup 'L/V series'

Kojinsha announced the launch of its new UMPC L/V series in the Korean market. The L series offers same performance with its AMD Geode chipset as the SA series that it replaces but features a better resolution (1024 x 600) and improved keyboard. The V series has the same specs adds GPS and built-in 7mm ODD. Both will be available later this month.

Details at AVING.net.

Installing VLC Media Player on the Eee

The My Asus Eee PC blog has a nice simple mini-tutorial on installing VLC Media Player. Considering that the Asus Eee PC's media player has problems playing back AVI files generated by some Canon models, this should be worth a try.



The tutorial uses the Debian version of VLC. Check it out here. Make sure to read the comments for additional instructions. :)