The Asus Eee PC will get an upgrade. “The next iteration of Asus’s highly successful budget subnotebook, the Eee PC, has been unveiled at the CeBIT technology fair in Hanover, Germany. The Eee 900 will feature a larger screen than its predecessor, as well as more RAM, more storage and a larger keyboard. However, these enhancements will mean a slight reduction in battery life and a substantial increase in the cost of the device, relative to the first version of the Eee. The 900 will also come with pre-installed Windows XP as an option.”
Good News: This is the formfactor I have been waiting for. I already have a “beefy” desktop. I want something truly mobile for remote use – and that doesn’t cost $2000!
Hurry up George Bush check!
Bad News: The battery life will be reduced. I really want a small device like this to have at least a 4-hour battery life – or even 6-8 hours if possible without adding too much weight. Also, it seems they are starting to “cozy” up with Windows. I fear that they will stop selling the Linux version, and this will become just another in a long line of expensive, slow Windows sub-notebooks. Sure, I can replace the OS (and most likely would even with the Linux version), but I’m stuck paying for the Windows license, and who knows would happen to Linux drivers support. I could envision of lot of Windows-only additions getting snuck in there.
Hopefully, they will stay to true to the ultra-light, inexpensive laptop. That doesn’t tend to happen in the Windowss world. Somebody has to pay for all that “innovation”.
Can’t wait to get one of these ‘3E v2.0’ on my lap
1024X600 is fine.
1 GB RAM is fine.
“Just” 12 GB Storage is more than fine ( SD Card are übercheap atm. )
Small keyboard will be fine ( eventually i hope )
GFX chip is fine.
The only 2 things it could do better is CPU power and battery life. I would like to see Intel new chips ( i would LOVE so see chips from AMD tho )
But I will prolly just buy it once it hits the 300 Euro mark.
It is a great product!
I wonder what the Windows tax really is.
Anyway, let’s hope they overproduce this time. The guy from ASUS seemed to expect the price to go down over time instead of up as happened with the 701.
There already is a Microsoft tax on the device. Xandros pays MS some money for every copy. It was part of their nice little deal.
8.9 @ 1024×600 is the most wanted change everyone who own an EeePC (or who wanted one) asked for. If they can delivery the same or more than the demand, it’ll sell a lot! …and I’m sure Linux models will be available, as the current 701 had a Windows OEM model in japan too. I hope the new linux distro version gets updated through, to fullfil most of user’s requests.
Also, I hope this model continue to be friendly to customizations and upgrades as the first one. =]
And when my Tax Rebate check comes I’m going to get one of the puppies – it should arrive in the US about the time I get my rebate. I’ll probably put Mandriva 2008 on it. I guess I better sign up for a Manidriva subscription. I haven’t done that since they did away with my club membership.
you can keep the windows option tho.
I really hope it comes with the Centrino Atom platform, its about time the celeron 600 and 915 chipset died.
I read elsewhere that this is scheduled to come out in Q3. Will Microsoft still be selling OEM licences of XP then I wonder?
This device does not look good in the notebook niche. Person who want regular notebook can buy something more powerful for the same money. But if it would be smaller, lighter, like Internet tablet, something between regular notebook and Nokia’s tablets, it could be an interesting choice.
I disagree. For years, notebooks having been getting bigger and heavier. I think it time that laptops can actually be used on you lap again without a heat shield and a hernia belt. Think of the name, “Notebook”. They are supposed to be an electronic notebook, not a microwave! I think it is definitely time to put the portable back in portables.
I believe the main reason they were getting so big was because they were being used as desktop replacements. I think it is becoming increasingly common for people to have a desktop (or a “transportable” if you will), and now seek to add a second more portable device. The only thing missing now is realistic batter life. It is such a shame to see so many people out with their laptops looking for where they can plug them in.
Wow, a portable you can actually take with you – who would have thought of that!
The notebook niche is obviously can be divided to compact and powerful parts. If we look at the, for example, Sony models, there are different sizes and feature sets. I, personally, have an old “picturebook” model, which formfactor I just love, but it seems, in opposite to majority of users, because it was the first and last of its kind.
What I was trying to say is that if EEE getting bigger, more expensive and more notebook-like it is coming to the compact notebook niche where it will look like poor relative and the only price can save it there. But the niche between notebooks and internet tablets is still free! I would love to see something similar to my 5-year old “picturebook”, but lighter, faster with longer battery and cheaper.
I think you’re being mistaken by the pictures – it is an extremely small device, often compared to the size of a DVD box.
Smaller than that, and the screen is getting too small. With this machine, you can do anything you could do with a bigger laptop, except this one fits in your coat pocket. Also, similarly priced laptops are about 2kg heavier, don’t fit in anything – unless you fancy a big backpack, and have a battery life closer to 1h30 – better buy a desktop and call it a day.
Oh, and they have a freakin’ hard drive.
Edited 2008-03-04 23:06 UTC
It seems to be already in the subnotebook range between notebook and Nokia’s tablet. I don’t think I’ve seen anything the same size that comes close to the such a reasonable price. The Thinkpad subnotebooks and other brands are sure not close to the same cost though they do pack heavier hardware. While the Sony UX is a pretty little handtop, it’s far outside the price too and bound too winXP/Vista if I remember correctly. Based on weight and functions, it’s a heck of an alternative to the osX Air too.
Nokia’s tablets are a very nice hardware platform too. I never leave home without my n800 and the n810 is a very nice looking hardware platform; the Maemo distribution really does it justice.
The Windows option is a downgrade!
Windows is highly unnecessary on this device. I can’t imagine what someone would be doing on an EEE that could not be fulfilled with Linux and associated free software. You can even smoothly run a 3D desktop on it with Linux. without killing the resources available. I hope people just look at the price and buy the cheaper Linux based models. That is unless Microsoft pays Asus to put Windows on the EEE then the price might be lower!
I can’t imagine what someone would be doing on an EEE that could not be fulfilled with Linux and associated free software.
I have a friend who has one of these devices, and, for the most part, likes it.
In several cases, she’s found that the windows program she uses has a Linux analog, but not one that’s compatable with the flavor of linux on the eeePC.
(For example, Amarok *almost* works to let her sync her iPod.)
—
As for me? This “big” version is what I don’t want.
I want a faster processor, more standard ram, and longer battery life more than anything else.
This version will be the same size. If you have seen on of these in RL, the screen on the current one has lots of plastic around it plus speakers. the new screen can easily fit there instead and they said they are moving the speakers out of the lid. Plus I heard they are putting out a bigger battery for people who need more battery life.
I’ve seen and used my friend’s eeePC in real life.
Until I’m able to feel how much a bigger battery will make it weigh?
What I liked about the current design is that it was so very light for all the goodness that it packed in.
I thought that, at last, I had found the perfect tool for letting me type up notes at panels, one that I could carry around all day and not break my (bad) back. But only if it had 4-6 hours of battery life.
And now I see that it will have even less battery life or, I will have to make it heavier.
(Shakes fist at Palm for not releasing the Folio.)
I heard that many of the problems relating to power will not be fixed until more changes to the Linux kernel and userland allow for more efficient use of the EEE-PC hardware and the processor’s speed-stepping capability. It’s a shame the EEE doesn’t use LinuxBIOS or Open Firmware for the EEE-PC. Also why is their still no open wireless technology?
I look forward to the commercialization of the technology in the XO OLPC laptop. Once a company implements current XO technologies along with the new processors from Intel and Via things will get interesting. I’m trying to hold off buying a laptop as long as I can but I kind of need one for work and I would like to get the EEE-PC or better yet a commercialized version of the XO for adults in the developed world. I think around Christmas time this year this market segment will be very interesting.
Does anyone know if Canonical or one of the other major distributions has plans to try and break into this market?
The processor is an underclocked Celeron M. I’m pretty sure that one of the big differentiators between the C-M and Pentium-M was that the Celeron couldn’t do SpeedStep. As an owner of the EeePC 701, I’d always assumed that’s why they underclocked the FSB. (It runs at 70MHz instead of the processor’s 100MHz normal operation, giving 630MHz.)
No doubt there are other improvements to be had in newer kernels than processor throttling, though. Me, I’d like to see Asus bundle NetworkManager and/or find a way to make the Eee hop back on a wifi connection a bit faster. This was much improved in eeeXubuntu, though overall, Asus’ stock Xandros/IceWM suit me best.
Rhythmbox
If I remember correctly, Dells OEM pricing for winXP was something like 45$ per install. I’m sure Microsoft has plenty of profit margin to offer Asus a very “competitive” deal. Especially if these little beasts continue to gain in popularity.
MS will want to get it’s hooks into the market segment by it’s own meglomania but even if it didn’t it couldn’t have it’s shareholders thinking it was letting a potential market go past.
At CyberpowerPc.com the Windows tax is $83.
I thought the EeePC already had a Windows option?
Anyway, it will be interesting to see which Linux flavor they choose. Using Xandros probably wasn’t a good idea; it’s a fairly outdated distro and the version for EeePC wasn’t receiving the security updates it needed (or so I’ve read).
A supported version of Ubuntu or Fedora option with a friendly theme and access to large repositories would be better.
Ubuntu mobile would perhaps be the best option, I would think.
http://www.ubuntu.com/products/mobile
I found an already-released fast lightweight Ubuntu derivative that may also suit for the EEEPC.
It is called crunchbang.
http://crunchbang.org/projects/linux/
My but it is fast. It is possibly the fastest Linux I have ever used.
The Openbox window manager takes a bit of getting used to though. There is no menu as such … you right-click on the desktop background to get a menu.
… but it is very fast … and fairly complete out-of-the-box.
Ubuntu fully supports the hardware in the EEE. I have heard of some people having problems installing it and some have had it up and running in 30 Minutes. But it is possible.
I’m quite sure they’ll stick with the operating system they already have…
They sold me the Jesus Pc and now tell me I got John baptist
Dear God apple brothers, now I know how you felt with the Iphone.
No really, metaphores aside let’s see:
– 9 inch screen: Can live without, the 7″ screen is crisp enough.
– 1024*768: This is kind of a moot point. in fact it would be nice to not have to F11 Firefox each time I watch a video on Youtube to have the complete picture.
That said, I found out that I do not have to kill myself trying to fit all the site in the window and that almost all the sites can be read without scrolling around like a maniac
– Windows Xp: Aside from the fact that we already did it on the Eeepc, well, who knows penguin me here around already knows the opinion.
Besides, one question bugs me, wasn’t Microsoft stopping XP support in June?
– Webcam 1.3: could be interesting, but my Eeepc has not even the little one and I survive, so I cannot give an opinion on that.
– More Ram and CPU: I have a friend of mine that bugs me to slam 1 giga of ram and dual core that he had from his Mac Mini inside it ( they apparently fit) since the first second I had my baby.
The CPU I can live without, and each time I’m tempted by the ram I find out that 512 mega are enough to do EVERYTHING that is on this Pc, so who cares?
– Lower battery life: I have my little one tuned in a way that I get about 2 and a half to three hours work done on it.
If it means lower than that, please keep it for you.
As a geek I grumble because there will be some happy bugger with something that is theorically better than the one I have, but once you strip it down rationally you realize that it is a slight evolution paid with a lower battery life.
Me happy camper
So, here we go again to see improvements killed by MS sticking their finger in it. Up the specs so Windows can run on it, which means higher price [not only because of Windows, but also because of the raised specs], so there it goes the “cheap” part of that cheap little laptop. Yes, I know linux version will go on, and that’s ok, still, I’m curious about the price ranges these new models will reach.
edit: apart from the screen size raise, the only option I would’ve liked to see coming would’ve been higher battery life, but there it goes
Edited 2008-03-05 07:35 UTC
The previous version of the EEEPC could also run Windows.
Most people don’t want to do the downgrade, however … as an indication see the relative number of posts on each forum here:
http://forum.eeeuser.com/
and it even runs osx: http://tigeroneeepc.wikispaces.com/
but it’s really not fast enough for leopard.
Translation: Vista is too bloated.
Nice to have XP as a pre-installed option. People who complain about this are being selfish.
I am especially happy to hear about a slightly larger keyboard. My current 701 keyboard is just too cramped for normal typing for me, and I don’t have snausage fingers or anything (looks at fingers).
The great thing about this device is that Asus is making sure customers have a choice of what OS to run. More manufactures should do this. I get tired of having to wax Vista off of every new laptop…
Including “Upgrade” and “Windows” in the same line is a little subjective. On the up side, the heavier hardware requirnments of Windows means it’ll run other OS even better.
(damn, I gotta find me some budget for one of these rigs)