Weekly Roundup

Good news first?

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The 8GB SSD is one pci-e card. ( not split in 2 )
It uses faster SLC flash, made by samsung, so you could expect similar speeds as 900/901 internal 4GB SSD has.

Bad news:

It uses different batteries than any other Eee PC ( different connector ) and they are cheapo 4400mAh ones.
This means you can’t use your old batteries from 701 or 900. And you
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Weekly Roundup

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Thanks FCC

Via Engadget.com
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Weekly Roundup

According to this article in DigiTimes, Asustek intends to introduce “whole-day” battery life to the Eee PC in the second half of this year.

Bigger battery? Optimizations? How long is a whole-day?

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Weekly Roundup

It looks like the Eee PC models are continuing to be strong in the marketplace, as the Eee PC 901 12G is currently the most popular item in the Computers & PC Hardware category of Amazon.com Also rounding out the top 10 are the Eee PC 900 16G (white, Linux) in 7th spot and the Eee PC 900 16G (black, XP) in 9th. The Eee PC 1000H just missed the cut in 12th place.

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As the Asus Eee PC 901 hits the streets the reviews and hands on details start to emerge.

• Official details at Asus.com
• Hands on Eee PC 901 at engadget
• Side by side by side: Eee PC 701, 901, 1000 look from engadget
  
• Notebookreview.com First Look
• laptopmag.com First impressions
• Eee PC 901 Mini Review

It’s looking fantastic when it comes to battery life. With the faster cpu it really is the most impressive Eee PC to date.

Shortly after the Asus Eee PC 900 was launched it has taken a few weeks for some in depth reviews to surface.

Trusted reviews took at a look at the device and had the following to say

Asus has done a brilliant job of updating an already great product. The engineers have clearly listened to all the comments regarding the original Eee PC and attempted to put them right. The 1,024 wide screen makes the Eee PC 900 a joy to use, especially if you spend a lot of your time in a browser window. The extra memory and storage are also very welcome additions, and help make this version of the Eee PC a real alternative to a fully featured notebook.

Continue reading at Trusted reviews.

From Cnet

The Eee PC 900 is a likeable update to the Eee PC 701. We’re disappointed its keyboard is still so difficult to use, but the addition of a larger, high-resolution screen, multi-touch mouse trackpad and better storage gives it the edge over just about all of its rivals. It falls slightly short of a wholehearted recommendation due to the mooted touchscreen version and the huge likelihood that Asus will begin using newer Intel Atom CPUs, but for those who can’t wait, it’s a fantastic purchase.

Continue reading at Cnet.

And finally Eeeuser has taken an extensive look at the device.

It’s certain that the Eee PC 900 represents a significant step up from the 701. The price difference is an additional £110, which brings the cost to £330 in the UK. For that kind of money, you can easily get a more capable laptop PC with a 15? screen, dual core processor and built-in DVD drive.

However, it is the portability that makes people want to buy the Eee PC, and in the case of the 701, the low price tag. The question is, has ASUS improved the product enough to justify the increased price?

I think they have. Consider this : if you had a 701 and upgraded it with a 16Gb USB stick and extra memory, you’d be well into the extra £110, and that is without including the bigger screen. If portability is your thing, the 900 is for you. There is also evidence of genuine improvements in performance, too, and this is something you cannot modify a 701 to emulate.

The only major flaw with the 900 is the provision in the UK market of such a low capacity battery on what is essentially a brand leading product. This is a real disappointment to the many existing Eee PC users who expected, based on initial reviews, a far better battery (to be absolutely fair, ASUS never advertised the battery capacity, but they did send the initial reviewers Eee PC 900s equiped with 5800mAh batteries, thus raising expectations). It seems that in this instance, enthusiastic early adopters in the UK at least will be penalised.

The issue of the battery really overshadows the other problems I mentioned and for me at least, taints what should have been a very good experience. Buying another battery of a more appropriate capacity will add at least £60 to the retail price, and for many I suspect this will be a step too far.

However, that said, I think it a worthy successor to the 701and a good upgrade - especially if you keep the 701’s battery!

Continue reading at Trusted reviews.

The press release for the Asus Eee PC 900 has been published, I would like to thank Asus for letting me know via Email. Sadly my Internet connection wasn’t active until today so the news is a little delayed.

Taipei, Taiwan, April 15, 2008

Amid the buzz of reaching a new milestone of 1 million Eee PCs sold in just 5 months after its launch, ASUS has provided yet another round of excitement with its release of the new Eee PC 900. This new generation of the ever popular PC packs in a whole range of hardware that includes a 8.9 inch widescreen, a 1.3M pixels webcam, the new innovative FingerGlide and 12GB and 20GB storage capacities for Windows and Linux platforms respectively – catering to wider consumer needs while still maintaining the “Easy to learn, work and play” concept by keeping the overall weight under 1kg.

Mobility is one of the major factors attributed to the Eee PC’s success; and this is in part due to the use of the built-in Solid State Disk (SSD) technology – which offers a quiet, energy saving and shock proof design for stable computing on-the-go. Traditional hard disks spin at 5400 RPM (Revolutions per Minute) – making them more prone to data loss or damage if shocks or bumps are received. Conversely, the Eee PC is able to protect against such incidents, and is the perfect tool for outdoor computing – suitable as an ideal companion for reporters, wildlife photographers and other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.

“Vital feedback from a wide variety of users have been received, which has spurred us on to create more options to cater to different user requirements.” said Jerry Shen, CEO of ASUS.

Take a New Look with the 8.9 inch Display

Through extensive R&D, the inclusion of the 8.9″ display screen does not affect the overall weight of the Eee PC 900, which remains below 1kg – making it easy for children and women to carry it around; and maintains the ultra portable theme that has become synonymous with the Eee PC. With this large screen size of 8.9″, a resolution of 1024 x 600 is achieved – allowing users to view a single A4 page without the need to scroll left or right and making it much easier and more effective when reading or working on documents.

FingerGlide and Other User-Friendly Features

The new Eee PC will also incorporate an innovative FingerGlide feature that makes operating the Eee PC easy and convenient. For example, with just two simple finger movements on the touchpad, users will be able to zoom in and out of pictures (great for looking at image details), or scroll up and down for easier document viewing – making the Eee PC 900 more convenient to use.

“Due to its lightweight stature, most users will place the Eee PC on their laps or hold them in their hands during use. With the addition of the FingerGlide feature, users will find it even more convenient to use the Eee PC.” commented Jerry Shen.

Furthermore, the Eee PC 900 pairs a 1.3M Pixel webcam with its wireless Internet connection capabilities for web conferences anywhere, anytime for easier web communications and increased work efficiency.

Providing Suitable Environments for Different Needs

To suit differing user requirements, the Eee PC 900 comes in both Microsoft Windows and Linux versions.

The Microsoft Windows version allows more experienced users to seamlessly utilize the Eee PC through the familiar Windows interface, and incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging; and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on the user´s desktop. Complementing this is Microsoft Works, which equips the user with numerous office applications to work efficiently.

The Linux version is useful for users who desire an icon-driven and easy point-and-click interface. Well suited for children or users without any computer experience, it provides a fast boot-up time– ideal for fast Internet access while waiting for public transport, or taking notes on-the-go.

Specifications

Display: 8.9″ Display, 1024 x 600 resolution
Color: Pearl White, Black
CPU: Intel® Mobile CPU
Processor: Intel Mobile Chipset
Memory: DDR II 1GB
Display Card: Intel UMA
Storage: 12GB (4GB built-in + 8GB flash) SSD (Microsoft Windows OS Version) / 20GB (4GB built-in +16GB flash) SSD (Linux OS Version)
Audio: HD audio / built-in speakers
Wireless: Built-in 802.11b/g
Camera: 1.3M Pixel webcam
Storage Cards: SD / MMC (SDHC)
Input / Output: 3xUSB / VGA-out (D-Sub, 15pin) / earphone jack / mic / RJ45 10/100 Mbps
Power: Output: 12V, 36W / Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal
Tracking Control: Utilizes FingerGlide
Operating System: Windows XP Home / Linux
Dimensions: 22.5cm(W) x 17.0cm(D) x 2cm~3.38cm(H)
Weight: 0.99 kg

It’s looking like a very nice step up from the Eee PC 700, but is it enough for current owners to make the switch? We will see. As for newcomers it’s looks to be a dream.

With recent reports of future upgrades and plans for the Asus Eee PC people are getting excited for additional features and reasons to pick up an Eee PC.

Asustek’s 8.9-inch second-generation Eee PC lineup will include touchscreen panels and possible GPS support, with shipments expected to begin in May or June, according to Kevin Lin, vice president of Asustek’s sales department. Pricing is projected to reach NT$15,000 (US$500), Lin added.

The company is also looking to ship its E-DT (desktop PC) priced at US$199 at the same time, according to Lin.

The company aims to ship up to five million Eee PCs in 2008 through retail channels and contract orders combined, with quarterly retail-only shipments expected to total 650,000-700,000 units, according to the company. The device is seeing a 50% supply shortage in the Taiwan and Hong Kong regions and 70% worldwide in the first quarter of 2008.

Lin also pointed out that the company currently is facing a battery shortage for its Eee PCs due to a fire at a plant of LG Chem earlier this month but expects to solve the battery shortage in the second quarter of this year.

The 8.9-inch Eee PC will adopt Intel’s low-cost notebook platform and the lowest memory capacity will be upgraded from 512MB to 1GB, while the SSD (solid state drive) capacity will be upgraded from 4-8GB to 8-12GB, according to industry sources.

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If you have taken the plunge and modded your Asus Eee PC with a touch screen or have any UMPC/Tablet PC then this software is going to spark some major interest.

Download: http://www.phun.at

At heart Phun is a sandbox enviroment, the video demonstration will tell a 1000 more words then I ever could on this. Give it a try, regardless of if you have a tablet/touchscreen it is great.

Over the last few weeks I have received a few emails from readers about software on the Asus Eee PC, What do you use? any suggestions to applications or software for the Eee PC?

The majority of software I and many other people use these days for their day to day activities is open source. Free is a good price and the software is typically very light on resources while being extremely optimised and solid for a range of platforms.

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