Quick Asus eee review

[dex]

I just received my Asus EEE computer 4G surf and I must say I like it for what it is.
Dimension 9" wide 6" deep 1.5" thick - It can fit into a CD case.
Feels like less than a pound without the power adapter which is itself light - not the usual brick.
The keyboard is small but in a strange way it might make me a better touch typest because you need to be accurate with your fingers.

cost - 435 including shipping of 10 and windows home edition of about 70. I haven't installed Windows yet and I'm not sure of its benefit. Maybe Billy can comment on that.
To install Windows you need to buy a USB memory stick of at least 2G and the USB wires to connect to a DVD drive - so another 35 - Total cost 470
You might be able to find a refurbished laptop for about that price but it would be heavier and bigger.

I plan to use the new desktop I'm waiting for at home and the Asus for travel.

It does come with Linux and word and excel type programs.

The screen is 7" and is fine for web reading and writting.

There was some talk of a 10" screen which could fit into the current size of computer I'm using - There is a lot of space around the 7" screen for speakers and a microphone.

I think the only think I will miss versus a larger laptop while traveling are:
-Watching TV
- Storgage space for photos - I'll load them into Google or get some USB memory sticks.


So it does look like the cup of coffee that killed my laptop will cost about 1,300
Anyone else have one of these?

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Thanks for the review.

Im in the process on deciding on one of these or a laptop for travel around the country.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well you boogers are just gonna keep talking about this thing until I buy one, arent you? :

Sure, watch...next week I'll be creeping into Target at 8am for some $5 thing and there, next to the free phones and Wii's will be a stack of EEE's. And the unseen mystical force will then take effect that causes me to find myself standing at a register, credit card in hand, without ever realizing what I was doing...

Hmm...EEE's next to the Wii's...

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Time is ticking away for me. I need something in like 3 months. I have to pull the trigger eventually.

 

[Goonie]

I just received my Asus EEE computer 4G surf and I must say I like it for what it is.

Anyone else have one of these?

I have the ASUS Eee PC 4G (not Surf), and I like it a lot. The size and weight (or lack thereof) are great! It will be accompanying me on all of my future trips......this trip (3+ weeks in FL) I opted to bring my Acer wide-screen though, since I wanted to play around with my tax returns and that software is all installed on the Acer.

Anyway, the ASUS is more than I had expected. It's fast and easy to use. And the LINUX install is very easy to adapt to.....works very similar to WindowsXP. I normally just use the basic 'Easy Mode' or whatever the heck they call it.....it's their standard 'tabbed' system. I had considered doing the WinXP install, but have yet to figure out why I'd want or need to. The reviews and articles that I've read, have stated that the installation of WinXP is simple and really does work well. And the Eee instruction manual gives step-by-step instructions to do the WinXP installation, but since the default LINUX works as good as it does, I've decided to leave it "as is".

 

[saluki9]

Well you boogers are just gonna keep talking about this thing until I buy one, arent you? :

Sure, watch...next week I'll be creeping into Target at 8am for some $5 thing and there, next to the free phones and Wii's will be a stack of EEE's. And the unseen mystical force will then take effect that causes me to find myself standing at a register, credit card in hand, without ever realizing what I was doing...

Hmm...EEE's next to the Wii's...

YOU HAVE STACKS OF WII's AT YOUR TARGETS??

You have no idea what I just had to go through to buy a Wii. My sister wants one for her birthday. I spent 3 weeks going in and out of costo, best buy, target etc. It involved spying, cold calling, bribery until a BB manager finally took pity on me this week.

You would think I was trying to buy U235 instead of a video game console.

 

[dex]

Goonie,
Did you know the benefits of installing XP? I have the program but I don't know why I should install it. This little thing works great for web browsing, letters and excel. I don't think doing things like your tax programs is what it is built for.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

YOU HAVE STACKS OF WII's AT YOUR TARGETS??

Yep. Went in last week to buy a free cell phone and they rolled in a pallet of them. From what I heard, all the Targets got a boatload of them last sunday morning. I just happened to waltz in as they were unloading.

I think the Wii embargo (or whatever is causing them to take 3 months to make something a bunch of people want to buy) is nearing its end. Or perhaps Nintendo is determined to continue to execute badly in its effort to remain #3 in video game consoles.

 

[Sue J]

I've had my Asus EEE PC for over month and I love it. I just use it around the house when I'm out of the room where I have the desktop. It was very handy when I was watching an live streaming video of a local murder trial being shown on a tv station's web page. I put it on the kitchen table and watched or listened while cooking and eating.

I've added a 2 GB SD card (bargain basement cheap from Buy.com with free shipping and $10 coupon Kingston 2GB Secure Digital Card SD - SD/2GBKR - Buy.com ). I've experimented with streaming audio or video from other computers on our home network and my son showed me a few tricks for that.

A few weeks ago I was near a Microcenter and picked up an 8GB USB flash drive for $29.95. Micro Center Online - the center of .computer shopping With this I can transfer an entire DVD to the flash drive and watch it on the EEE PC. The pre-installed media player didn't work well doing this but my son helped me get VLC from a linux server and it works perfectly for DVDs on the flash drive. The other media player couldn't use the DVD menu functions correctly but it all works great with VLC.

 

[dex]

SueJ,
Did you get the 2 or 4g model?
What do you use the Kingston 2g for?

Does your son make house calls?

 

[Sue J]

I got the 4GB model, but without the webcam. The 2GB Kingston SD card I use for storage of videos and audios I've saved. Some of those I downloaded, others were transferred from another computer, either over the home network or via flash drive.

My son is a computer network technician for a county agency. He graduated from college in 2006 with a Computer Science degree. He's very handy to have around! He does make house calls, usually to help people from work who have problems with their home computers. He's also helped out a lot of my online friends who have questions/problems/disasters with their computers.

 

[Goonie]

Goonie,
Did you know the benefits of installing XP? I have the program but I don't know why I should install it. This little thing works great for web browsing, letters and excel. I don't think doing things like your tax programs is what it is built for.

I really couldn't come up with any good reason for installing WinXP on it. Like you say, it's good for surfing, email, and the usual "office" stuff.....as well as almost anything else....."as is". I'm keeping the LINUX that came installed on it. As for the tax programs...I just installed them on this (Acer) laptop to mess around with if I got bored while on vacation. I messed around with one of the programs my 1st night on the road (3 weeks ago)....so I could have brought the Eee after all!

But no, I see no real reason at all to change it over to WinXP, unless you have software that you NEED to utilize on the Eee, that isn't available in LINUX flavor. For me, any software like that can be run either on my Acer laptop or on my desktop PC.....if and when needed.

 

[dex]

It is a great little unit. The size and weight makes it such that you don't know you have it with you. I just picked up a very small backpack 11"x9" from Walmar for $11 to put it in. So I can put the eee in with a pad, pen, and other small stuff.
Since I don't have any additional programs or files on it, I don't think I will be very put out if it is broken.
I'm guessing the price will come down in the future and such improvements as a bit wider screen will be added - it could fit in the current model.

 

[Buckeye]

Is this machine a good option for older parents to get online? I really want my mom to get online but she has no need for a real computer and I haven't been able to talk her into buying one. This may be the answer!

Can you do dial-up with it? I could show her how it works using the dial-up version of my ISP. If she doesn't like what she sees, I'll buy the machine from her and take it home for me! If she does like it, she can sign up for service.

 

[dex]

I wouldn't recommend it for a older parent.
Small screen
small keyboard
you would have to add xp

I think you should look into a desktop.
You could set it up for her and away she goes.
Also, if vision becomes an issue you can get the appropriate screen size.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I dont think the modem is functional in these at this time, but I could be wrong.

I've had pretty good luck with older parents and 17" laptops. The form factor/size are good, big screen, big keyboard, everything is built in, it can be folded up and put away, they can take it somewhere comfortable and put it on a table or on their lap, and if something goes wrong with it they can bring it over to my house the next time they stop by

 

[Goonie]

I dont think the modem is functional in these at this time, but I could be wrong.

The ASUS Eee 4G has a RJ-11 jack that has a plastic plug in it, due to the fact that in the U.S. there is no modem inside. Models sold overseas (Europe, Asia, etc) have a modem installed.....but in the ones sold stateside that space inside is empty.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I thought so. I think someone on one of the hack links I supplied hooked up an internal modem. Of course you could just use a USB 56k modem if it has a suitable driver.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

So I've been looking longingly at the plain vanilla 2GB version for $299 at Amazon.

Presuming I'd just be using it as a light duty web surfer and not much else, anything I'd be missing by not blowing $349 on the 4GB version? Anything get cut out or hobbled thats left a 2GB owner wishing they'd spent extra? I think the 4gb version has a webcam which I dont care about, and I wont be storing any documents or information on it.

 

[packrat44]

So it does look like the cup of coffee that killed my laptop will cost about 1,300
Anyone else have one of these?

And I thought Starbuck's coffee was expensive.

Send us a picture of your new toy.

 

[Billy]

I bought one of these in Thailand a couple of months ago and love it. XP pro, Office, Photoshop and more software is on it. I put 2 Gig ram and a 2 Gig SD Card onboard and this little box flies. It has passed every test I have put it through I have not yet tried the drop test. J

Also I bought a 160 Gig, USB 2 ½ inch SATA external HD to compliment it. It gets people’s attention when I bring it out in public places and is a real babe magnet.

My only knock on the box is the screen resolution. Not the size or the clarity they are both fine, but due to the lower resolution it is difficult for me to build WebPages something few others would do. I understand they are coming out with a new model in June to resolve this issue but it’s going to be priced accordingly.

Billy
RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[dex]

Billy,
That is amazing.
I have the 4g model with the XP.
Even the open source word and excel programs work great.

The only thing I want to do is download podcasts for my ipod.

 

[Gonzo]

Are there any stores that stock this little computer?
Gonzo

 

[Billy]

Dex,
I have the same unit as you. 4 gig with XP Pro and Webcam. I added the 2 gig ram and SD card.

All data is moved off to the external drive.

I have used the Webcam via Skype a few times and it’s great. The box as you know is so light you can walk around with the web cam going and tour your house or where ever you are.

I can do everything I do on my Toshiba except what I mentioned above, and it’s faster.

Billy
RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[dex]

Billy,
You might like this forum
EeeUser ASUS Eee PC EeePC Forum